In today's Gospel, the scribes and Pharisees demand a sign from Jesus, even though Christ had already given them many.

But the only saving sign given to the people of believers by the Father is Christ who died and rose again.

After his conversion, Francis understood this well and became himself a sign for all those who met him.

The Sources, in fact, speak of the servant of God in this way:

"He received from Heaven the mission to call men to weep, to lament, to shave their heads and to gird themselves with sackcloth, and to imprint, with the sign of the penitential cross and with a garment made in the form of a cross, the Tau, on the foreheads of those who mourn and weep. But he confirms this to us with his indisputable truth, the testimony of that seal which made him like the living God, that is, Christ Crucified. This seal was imprinted on his body not by the work of nature or the skill of a craftsman, but rather by the marvellous power of the Spirit of the living God" (FF 1022).

Indeed, Francis, transformed into «Alter Christus», becomes the sign of Jonah for all those he meets. Even for the brigands of Monte Casale who convert to God through his testimony.

In fact, in the Sources we read:

"In a hermitage located above Borgo San Sepolcro, certain thieves came from time to time to ask for bread [...] And behold, Francis arrived at that hermitage. The friars explained their dilemma to him: should they or should they not give bread to those criminals?

The Saint replied: «If you do as I suggest, I trust in the Lord that you will succeed in winning those souls»" (FF 1646).

So Francis advised his friars to buy good bread and wine, go into the woods and set the table for them.

«They will come happily to eat. Treat them with respect and at the end speak to them about the Word of God, and ask them to promise not to treat people badly anymore».

The friars did as Francis had told them, and "the thieves, through the mercy and grace that God poured out upon them, listened and carried out point by point the requests made to them by the friars [...] Finally, through God's goodness and the kindness and friendship of the friars, some of those brigands entered the Order, while others converted to penance, promising [...] that from then on they would no longer commit such evil deeds and would live by the work of their hands" (FF 1646).

True witnesses of the Gospel are always an eloquent sign for everyone.

«A wicked and adulterous generation seeks a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah the prophet» (Mt 12:39)

Monday of the 16th wk. in Ordinary Time  (Mt 12:38-42)

In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus calls on his followers to be good seed, as children of the Kingdom. The weeds are the children of the Evil One, who will be cut down at the end of the world.

Francis was a son of the Word, of the good Seed, committed to living according to God’s will and bearing fruit.

Born and raised within a humble religious order, the Little One of God often instructed his friars not to be servants of the tares sown in the world by the Evil One, nor to follow his perverse and anti-Gospel ways.

He urged them to live out the Word sown by Christ.

Indeed, we find in his writings:

“All those men and women who […] follow evil desires […] and do not keep the promises they have made to the Lord, but serve […] the cares of the world and the concerns of this life: these are captives of the devil, of whom they are children and whose works they do; they are blind, for they do not see the true light, our Lord Jesus Christ. They lack spiritual wisdom, for they do not possess the Son of God, who is the true wisdom of the Father” (FF 178/4).

Furthermore, as he explained to the Supreme Pontiff, whom he visited to seek approval of the Rule, the children of God have nothing to fear:

«There is no need to fear that the children and heirs of the Eternal King will die of hunger; for they, in the likeness of Christ, were born of a poor mother by the power of the Holy Spirit and were brought forth, by the spirit of poverty, into a poor religious order.

For if the King of Heaven promises his followers the Eternal Kingdom, how much more will he provide for them those things which he bestows without distinction upon the good and the wicked» (FF 1064).

«The good field is the world; the good seed—these are the children of the Kingdom. The weeds, however, are the children of the evil one» (Mt 13:38).

16th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A  (Mt 13:24–43)

Mt sets before us the malice of the leaders who want to eliminate Jesus, set against the holiness of the Servant of God, who heals every sickness.

The Spirit of God is present in the Son, Power through which even his intimates will proclaim righteousness to the nations.

Francis of Assisi was truly the son upon whom the Spirit of the Lord had descended, the Father's favourite, who by his humility and hiddenness shone in the eyes of the brothers and the world.

The brothers, who had seen him pray, had no doubt that on Francis rested "the Spirit of the Lord [...] in all its fullness [...] therefore the surest thing for them was to follow his doctrine and his life" (FF 1071).

"The Spirit of the Lord, who had anointed and sent him assisted his servant Francis, wherever he went, Christ himself assisted him [...].

It was his word, like a burning fire, that penetrated the depths of the heart [...] It had the perfume and the breath of divine revelation".

(FF 1210).

And the Sources relate an episode that exudes Spirit and service from all sides; a Poor Man willing to be truly the Servant of God, as Jesus had taught him.

"While he was staying in a cell in Siena, one night he called his sleeping companions to him:

«I invoked the Lord - he explained to them - that he might deign to show me when I am his servant and when I am not. For I would like to be no other than his servant. And the Lord, in his immense kindness and deigning, answered me now:

«Acknowledge yourself my servant truly, when you think, say, act holy».

«For this reason I have called you, brothers, because I want to blush before you if at times I have failed in these three things»" (FF 743).

For this reason Francis, in the footsteps of Christ in whom the Father was pleased, was also the servant and witness sent to heal and proclaim the Kingdom.

The Minim too, informed by love and not by Pharisaic legalism, was able to work wonders in the service of salvation.

«Behold my servant, whom I have chosen, my beloved» (Mt 12:18)

Saturday of the 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 12,14-21)

Pharisees ask Jesus why his disciples do what is not permitted by the Law on the Sabbath [eating, out of hunger, the ears of corn in the fields].

Jesus, who came to give full fulfilment to the Law, emphasises its foundation: do not demolish or transgress the Word, but observe it by loving.

Love is the true fulfilment of the Law of the Lord, which is perfect and refreshes the soul.

Francis understood this well by living and teaching his fraternity to do the same.

The Sources provide, through various pieces, precious examples of life. In the Letter to the Rulers of Peoples:

«I beseech you [...] with all the reverence of which I am capable, not to forget the Lord, absorbed as you are by the cares and cares of this world, and not to deviate from his commandments, for all who forget the Lord and deviate from his commandments are cursed and will be forgotten by him» (FF 211).

At the same time, the Poverello, with that balance and elasticity that distinguished him, emphasised:

«And whenever necessity arises, let all the brothers, wherever they may be, be allowed to take all the food that men can eat, just as the Lord says of David, who ate the loaves of the offering that were not allowed to be eaten except by priests [...] Similarly, in times of manifest necessity, let all the brothers provide for their necessities as the Lord will give them grace, since necessity has no law» (FF 33).

In support of what has been said, we quote a passage taken from the Perugina Legend.

Francis, faced with a friar of profound spirituality, perished and infirm, does something unusual for the mentality of the time.

"Francis said to himself:

«If this brother would eat some ripe grapes early in the morning, I think he would benefit from it».

One day he got up at dawn and secretly called that friar, led him to the vineyard near that church and, having chosen a vine full of beautiful, inviting grapes, sat down under it with his brother and began to eat the grapes, so that the sick man would not be ashamed to pick them himself.

While he was snacking, the friar praised the Lord God.

And as long as he lived, he often reminded his brothers, with devotion and weeping with tenderness, of the Holy Father's affectionate gesture towards him" (FF 1549)

Clare herself, in the Rule, addressed to the sisters, warns them:

«Let them always be solicitous to preserve reciprocally the unity of mutual charity, which is the bond of perfection» (FF 2810).

Love was the Rule of the brothers and the Poor Ladies of San Damiano: «[...] and so, carrying the yoke of mutual charity, with ease we shall fulfil the law of Christ. Amen». (FF 2918 - Letter to Ermentrude of Bruges).

«But if you had known what it means: 'Mercy I want, and not sacrifice' [Hos 6:6], you would not have condemned [people] without fault» (Mt 12:7)

Friday of the 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 12,1-8)

Jesus, in chapter eleven of Matthew, calls His own to meekness and humility of heart as a place of refreshment from all toil, learning from Him.

Regarding the meekness of God, in the writings of the Poor Man of Assisi (Praises of God Most High) we find this wonderful expression:

«You are humility [...] You are beauty. You are meekness» (FF 261).

Francis, Alter Christus, was indeed a meek man and everything that reminded him of the meekness of Jesus he looked upon and revered with great respect and scruple.

Thomas of Celano himself, one of his main biographers, describes Francis thus:

"How beautiful, stupendous and glorious he was in his innocence, in the simplicity of his words [...] Of mild character, of a calm disposition, affable in speech, cautious in admonition" (FF 464).

For his eye ailment, in front of the surgeon who red-hot iron to cauterize the diseased part, Francis thus addressed «friar fire»:

"The Father, to comfort the body already shaken by terror, thus speaks to the fire:

«My brother Fire, of enviable beauty among all creatures, the Most High has created you vigorous, beautiful and useful. Be propitious to me in this hour, be gracious! For long have I loved thee in the Lord. I pray to the Great Lord, who created you, to temper your heat now so that I can bear it, if you burn me with gentleness».

Having finished his prayer, he draws a sign of the cross on the fire and then waits intrepidly. The saint offers himself ready and smiling to the iron.

The friars present, horrified and trembling, departed. Back they were, after the operation, Francis addressed them:

«Pusillanimous and of little courage, why have you fled? Verily I say unto you, I felt neither the ardour of fire nor any pain of the flesh».

And addressing the physician:

«If the flesh is not well cauterized, it will burn again».

To the amazement of the latter who, turning to the brothers, said: "I tell you, brothers, that today I have seen wondrous things" (FF 752).

And Clare, in her Testament, recommends to the sisters, first of all to those who preside over the community, the attitude and style of the Gospel:

«Let her still be so affable and within the reach of all, that the sisters may confidently manifest their needs to her and have recourse to her at every hour with confidence, as they think best, for themselves or for the benefit of the sisters» (FF 2848).

These two Giants of the Gospel were nourished by humility and meekness, finding in them their defence.

«Learn from me, who am meek and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your lives» (Mt 11:29)

Thursday of the 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 11:28-30)

The Gospel is a hymn of praise to God the Father by Jesus in the dimension of the weakness and vulnerability of the little ones.

He had experienced the disappointment of the 'great', suspicious of his wonders.

Instead of asking the Father for help, as Son he praises him in his dark moments.

Looking at our Poverello, all this is evident.

Short in stature, humble in spirit and a minor by profession, Francis of Assisi made littleness his existential mark and taught his brothers the same.

To be humble and minimal in the following of the Lord was the essential trait of the friar - precisely minor - who wanted to live in communion at the Portiuncula.

Turning to the great and wise of this world, the Saint found resistance in making his proposal of poverty and essentiality of life understood.

They often replied to him: "The poverty you seek, remain for ever with you, and your children, and your descendants after you" (cf. FF 1964).

In the Sources we find again that "Blessed Francis, hearing these words, marvelled in his heart and gave thanks to God, saying:

«Be blessed, O Lord God, who has kept these things hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed them to the little ones!

Yea, O Father, for thus it pleased thee!

O Lord, Father and master of my life, do not abandon me in their gathering, nor let me fall into that shame, but by your grace grant me to find what I seek, for I am your servant and the Son of your handmaid»" (FF 1965).

Furthermore, it must be remembered that "The servant of God, Francis, small in stature, humble of spirit and a minor by profession, while he lived here on earth, chose for himself and his brothers a small portion of the world [...] and they were certainly inspired by God who, in ancient times, called the place Porziuncola, the place that fell to those who did not want to possess anything on this earth [...].

There stood in this place a church dedicated to the Virgin Mother who, by her particular humility, deserved, after her Son, to be Sovereign of all Saints.

It was here that the Order of the Minors began, and their noble edifice rose wide and harmonious, as if resting on a solid foundation.

The Saint loved this place more than any other, and commanded the friars to venerate it with special devotion.

He wanted it always to be kept as a mirror of the Order in humility and highest poverty, reserving its ownership to others and keeping its use for himself and his own only" (FF 604).

So littleness was an eloquent sign of his being a child of God.

It was precisely from this position of concealment, in the difficult and dark periods of his journey of faith, that Francis raised praise to God the Father for what he was doing:

«Most High, Almighty, Good Lord,

Thine are the praises, the glory and the honour and every blessing [...].

Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures [...]» (FF 263).

Francis composed this masterpiece at the cruellest and most suffering moment of his life, ill and in darkness.

Yet, he raised to God an authentic hymn of praise.

Like Jesus, who at the moment of loneliness and apparent defeat, of failure, raised his voice to the Father - to bless and praise him.

The blind alley and the darkness became a source of inspiration, and of a deeper relationship with the Lord; combined with that vulnerable littleness, entrusted to the Father for his Kingdom.

«I praise you, Father [...] for you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to babes» (Mt 11:25)

Wednesday of the 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 11,25-27)

In today's Gospel, Jesus rebukes the cities that had received wonderful benefits but had not converted. He echoes:

«Woe to you, Corazin! Woe to you Bethsaida!» (Mt 11:21).

Judgment is on the horizon!

Francis of Assisi, profoundly grateful to God for having drawn him from the polite and carefree life of the world to the service of the Gospel, even he one day reproached those immersed in vice and worldliness who made no sign of conversion.

The Sources, through the Major Legend, narrate on this subject:

"At the time when the Saint was lying ill in Rieti, they brought to him, lying on a cot, a canon, named Gideon, who was vicious and worldly and suffering from a serious illness.

The canon wept and begged him, together with those present, to bless him with the sign of the cross.

But the saint replied to him:

«How will I be able to mark you with the cross, if until now you have lived following the instincts of the flesh, without fear of God's judgements?

In any case, because of the devotion and prayers of these people who intercede for you, I will bless you with the sign of the cross in the name of the Lord.

You, however, know that you will meet with greater chastisements if, once healed, you return to vomiting. For the sin of ingratitude always deserves worse punishments than the former».

As soon as he had made the sign of the cross on him, he who lay shrivelled up rose up healed and, bursting into the praises of God, exclaimed:

«I am healed!» [...]

But he, after some time, forgot God and again indulged in impudence.

Well, one evening when he had gone to dine at the house of another canon and had stayed there to spend the night, suddenly the roof of the house collapsed.

But while all the others managed to escape death, only that wretch was caught and killed.

By God's righteous judgement, that man's last condition was worse than the first, because of the sin of ingratitude and contempt for God, since it is necessary to be thankful for the forgiveness received, and the repeated crime is doubly displeasing' (FF 1192).

In the end, only his Mercy will remain at arm's length with Justice.

«Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the Day of Judgment than for you» (Mt 11:22)

Tuesday of the 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 11:20-24)

Jesus makes it clear that one must take up one’s cross to follow Him and be worthy of Him.

Likewise, He emphasises that whoever truly welcomes His disciples welcomes Him.

Francis truly saw in sincere hospitality an encounter with the poor Christ. Hence his humble and cordial spirit of hospitality and loving openness towards all.

The Sources are a precious treasure trove documenting numerous episodes related to what has been said.

We read:

«And wherever the friars are and wherever they meet, let them be familiar with one another.

And let each one confidently make known to the other his needs; for if a mother nourishes and loves her natural child, how much more thoughtfully ought one to love and nourish one’s spiritual brother?» (FF 91).

Furthermore:

«Whenever some wealthy person of this world came to them, they received him joyfully and affectionately, invited him to turn away from evil, and urged him to do penance» (FF 1452).

Indeed, according to the Augustinian saying: «Humilitas occidit superbiam» [H.AS O S].

Furthermore:

“Blessed Francis the Poor often sought hospitality at the monastery of St Verecondo.

The Abbot and the monks welcomed him with great kindness and devotion” (FF 2249).

The Poor Man of Assisi lived the Gospel to the letter and strove to recognise the presence of Christ wherever he went.

• The monastery of St Verecondo is situated on the road to Gubbio.

«And whoever gives one of these little ones a single cup of [water] to drink as a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward» (Mt 10:42)

Monday, 15th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 10,34-11,1)

In the Parable of the Sower, Jesus highlights how the Word of God is received and assimilated in different ways – and consequently bears different fruit – depending on the nature of the soil.

The new Evangelist of these end times, Francis, was in love with the Word of God and listened to it constantly, to the extent that it was etched into his memory.

He was good soil that yielded a hundredfold.

The Sources inform us:

“Bathed in the splendour of the eternal Light, he scrutinised the depths of the Scriptures with a clear and keen intellect.

His intellect, pure of every blemish, penetrated the secrets of the mysteries […]

He would read the sacred books from time to time and held fast in his memory whatever he had once taken in: for he continually pondered with loving devotion what he had heard with an attentive mind” (FF 1188).

“With equal care and devotion he endeavoured to put into practice the other teachings he had heard.

For he had never been a passive listener to the Gospel; rather, entrusting everything he heard to a commendable memory, he sought with every diligence to carry it out to the letter” (FF 357).

As Celano calls him in the First Life – ‘a river of Paradise’ – Francis, “the new evangelist of these latter days, has spread the waters of the Gospel throughout the whole world with loving care, and through his works has pointed out the way and the true doctrine of the Son of God” (FF 475).

In the Unconfirmed Rule (1221):

«Let us therefore remain faithful to the words, the life, the doctrine and the Holy Gospel of Him who deigned to pray to the Father on our behalf» (FF 62).

And «let us take great care not to be like the soil by the roadside, or the stony ground, or that choked with thorns, as the Lord says in the Gospel:

«The seed is the Word of God […] the seed sown on good soil are those who, hearing the word with a good, indeed excellent, disposition, understand it and keep it, and bear fruit through perseverance»” (FF 58).

The Poverello was, for his time, a concrete and fruitful embodiment of the Gospel.

«Some [seeds] fell on good soil and produced a crop—some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty» (Mt 13:8).

15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A  (Mt 13:1–23)