Today's liturgy highlights a passage from Matthew in which Jesus emphasises listening to the Word and opening one's heart.
The parables He illustrates are not understood because these two existential dimensions are lacking.
The poor people of Assisi distinguished themselves for their great capacity for introspection and for welcoming the message of the Kingdom.
Specifically, the papal bull of canonisation «Clara Claris praeclara» says this about Clare:
«This was the tall tree, stretching towards the sky, with outstretched branches, which produced sweet fruit in the field of the Church [...] and in whose pleasant and pleasant shade many followers flocked from all over, and still flock to taste its fruits» (FF 3294).
The Kingdom of God finds its development in these unique metaphors, of which the Little Brother of Assisi and Clare, the recluse, are vivid and concrete testimonies.
But Francis, like Jesus, also spoke to his brothers in parables. The Sources attest to this in various passages.
When he wanted to make them understand the path that awaited them in order to welcome the Kingdom of God, he recalled various parables from the Gospel.
We recall one among many, with which he announced the Word that the Lord had entrusted to him.
When Jesus presented himself to the Pope, he made him understand how he should express himself.
"He told the Pope how God had suggested it to him, the parable of a rich king who had married a beautiful poor woman with great joy and had children who looked like their father, the king, and who were therefore raised at the king's table.
He then gave the interpretation of the parable, coming to this conclusion:
'There is no need to fear that the children and heirs of the eternal King will die of hunger, for they, like Christ, were born of a poor mother by the power of the Holy Spirit and were begotten by the spirit of poverty in a poor religion.
For if the King of heaven promises the eternal kingdom to his followers, how much more will he provide for them the things he gives without distinction to the good and the bad."
The Vicar of Christ listened attentively to this parable and its interpretation and, filled with wonder, recognised without a shadow of a doubt that Christ had spoken through that man.
But he was also reassured by a vision he had at that moment, in which the Spirit of God showed him the mission to which Francis was destined.
In fact, as he recounted, he saw in a dream that the Basilica of St. John Lateran was about to collapse and that a poor man, small and of despicable appearance, was supporting it, placing his shoulders under it so that it would not fall.
"Truly," concluded the Pope, "this is the one who, by his work and his teaching, will support the Church of Christ" (FF 1064).
"Relying on divine grace and papal authority, Francis, full of confidence, set out for the Spoleto valley, ready to practise and teach the Gospel" (FF 1065).
These parables are also the story of the coming of the Kingdom of God, its expansion on fertile ground such as that of Francis and Clare, and its incredible developments.
They understood the parables told by Jesus because they had not closed their eyes and ears, but offered God a listening heart.
Thursday of the 16th wk. in Ordinary Time (Mt 13:10-17)
