Jesus is in the synagogue in Nazareth. He proclaims from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah:
"The Spirit of the Lord upon me; therefore he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor [...]" (Lk 4:18).
After rewinding it, he affirms that, in that Today, the Scripture heard by the bystanders was fulfilled.
Francis, in the footsteps of Christ, invested by the power of the Spirit of God, followed the call that had been addressed to him by the Lord with courage, despite adversity.
In the Sources it is attested that "Francis, who never trusting in himself, in every decision sought inspiration from God in prayer, chose to live not for himself alone, but for Him who died for all, well aware that he had been sent by God to conquer souls" (FF 381).
Aware of his mandate to the poor, of having been called to proclaim the Good News, "he became a herald of the Gospel. He began, in fact, to travel through towns and villages and to proclaim the Kingdom of God there, relying not on persuasive speeches of human wisdom, but on the demonstration of spirit and power' (FF 1072).
He took care not to be disturbed, in his proclamation of the Gospel, by those who despised him:
"I will not be able to consider myself a true friar minor if I do not remain equally serene when they vilify me and ignominiously drive me away" (FF 1639).
The prophetic gaze bestowed on him from on high led him to look beyond appearances for the liberation of the oppressed.
Monday 22nd wk. in O.T. (Lk 4,16-30)
