Aug 11, 2025 Written by 

Oh unknown wealth! Oh well veracious!

Jesus astonishes and astounds his disciples, remarking:

«it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God» (Matthew 19:24).

Peter's question arises: what about us who have left everything for the Gospel?

But Jesus assures the hundred for one and the experience of the Life of the Eternal.

 

Let us look at Francis and his own in the Sources and on the subject.

As Dante Alighieri recalls in the Divine Comedy (Canto XI of Paradise):

"Oh unknown riches! veracious wealth!/ takes off his shoes Egidio, takes off his shoes Silvestro/ behind the groom, this way the bride likes".

Francis had embraced Lady Poverty as the greatest wealth existing on this earth.

In love with Christ, in order to follow in His footsteps so as to resemble Him as much as possible, he adhered to Him with all his fibres and taught his own to do the same.

In fact, in the Sources (Legend of the Three Companions) it is narrated:

"There went Messer Bernard, who was very rich, and sold all his possessions, gaining much money, which he distributed entirely to the poor of the city.

Peter also carried out the divine advice as well as he could.

Having deprived themselves of everything, they both put on the habit that the Saint had taken shortly before, after having left that of a hermit.

And from that hour, they lived with him according to the form of life of the holy Gospel, as the Lord had indicated to them.

And so Francis was able to write in his Testament:

'The Lord himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of life of the holy Gospel'" (FF 1432).

Consulting the Word, as he was wont to do, he had before his eyes the expression "Do not take anything with you on your journeys" and "Whoever wishes to follow me should renounce himself" (FF 1431), shaking with joy.

"Francis, a man of God, with the two brothers of whom we have spoken, having no lodging where they could dwell together, took refuge with them at St Mary of the Portiuncula.

There they made themselves a hut to live in community.

A few days later, a man from Assisi, Egidio, came down to them, and with sincere respect and devotion, on his knees, begged the man of God to receive him with him.

Francis, touched by his faith and goodness [...] received him gladly" (FF 1435).

Those who followed the Poverello, in his fraternity and for the sake of the Gospel had well understood the scope of that vocation-mission and its happy conclusion beyond time.

To leave for Christ is to find and live to a greater extent.

 

 

Tuesday of the 20th wk. in O.T.  (Mt 19:23-30)

169 Last modified on Monday, 11 August 2025 04:40
Teresa Girolami

Teresa Girolami è laureata in Materie letterarie e Teologia. Ha pubblicato vari testi, fra cui: "Pellegrinaggio del cuore" (Ed. Piemme); "I Fiammiferi di Maria - La Madre di Dio in prosa e poesia"; "Tenerezza Scalza - Natura di donna"; co-autrice di "Dialogo e Solstizio".

Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Those living beside us, who may be scorned and sidelined because they are foreigners, can instead teach us how to walk on the path that the Lord wishes (Pope Francis)
Chi vive accanto a noi, forse disprezzato ed emarginato perché straniero, può insegnarci invece come camminare sulla via che il Signore vuole (Papa Francesco)
Many saints experienced the night of faith and God’s silence — when we knock and God does not respond — and these saints were persevering (Pope Francis)
Tanti santi e sante hanno sperimentato la notte della fede e il silenzio di Dio – quando noi bussiamo e Dio non risponde – e questi santi sono stati perseveranti (Papa Francesco)
In some passages of Scripture it seems to be first and foremost Jesus’ prayer, his intimacy with the Father, that governs everything (Pope Francis)
In qualche pagina della Scrittura sembra essere anzitutto la preghiera di Gesù, la sua intimità con il Padre, a governare tutto (Papa Francesco)
It is necessary to know how to be silent, to create spaces of solitude or, better still, of meeting reserved for intimacy with the Lord. It is necessary to know how to contemplate. Today's man feels a great need not to limit himself to pure material concerns, and instead to supplement his technical culture with superior and detoxifying inputs from the world of the spirit [John Paul II]
Occorre saper fare silenzio, creare spazi di solitudine o, meglio, di incontro riservato ad un’intimità col Signore. Occorre saper contemplare. L’uomo d’oggi sente molto il bisogno di non limitarsi alle pure preoccupazioni materiali, e di integrare invece la propria cultura tecnica con superiori e disintossicanti apporti provenienti dal mondo dello spirito [Giovanni Paolo II]
This can only take place on the basis of an intimate encounter with God, an encounter which has become a communion of will, even affecting my feelings (Pope Benedict)
Questo può realizzarsi solo a partire dall'intimo incontro con Dio, un incontro che è diventato comunione di volontà arrivando fino a toccare il sentimento (Papa Benedetto)
We come to bless him because of what he revealed, eight centuries ago, to a "Little", to the Poor Man of Assisi; - things in heaven and on earth, that philosophers "had not even dreamed"; - things hidden to those who are "wise" only humanly, and only humanly "intelligent"; - these "things" the Father, the Lord of heaven and earth, revealed to Francis and through Francis (Pope John Paul II)
Veniamo per benedirlo a motivo di ciò che egli ha rivelato, otto secoli fa, a un “Piccolo”, al Poverello d’Assisi; – le cose in cielo e sulla terra, che i filosofi “non avevano nemmeno sognato”; – le cose nascoste a coloro che sono “sapienti” soltanto umanamente, e soltanto umanamente “intelligenti”; – queste “cose” il Padre, il Signore del cielo e della terra, ha rivelato a Francesco e mediante Francesco (Papa Giovanni Paolo II)
We are faced with the «drama of the resistance to become saved persons» (Pope Francis)
Siamo davanti al «dramma della resistenza a essere salvati» (Papa Francesco)
That 'always seeing the face of the Father' is the highest manifestation of the worship of God. It can be said to constitute that 'heavenly liturgy', performed on behalf of the whole universe [John Paul II]
Quel “vedere sempre la faccia del Padre” è la manifestazione più alta dell’adorazione di Dio. Si può dire che essa costituisce quella “liturgia celeste”, compiuta a nome di tutto l’universo [Giovanni Paolo II]

Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 1 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 2 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 3 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 4 Due Fuochi due Vie - Vol. 5 Dialogo e Solstizio I fiammiferi di Maria

duevie.art

don Giuseppe Nespeca

Tel. 333-1329741


Disclaimer

Questo blog non rappresenta una testata giornalistica in quanto viene aggiornato senza alcuna periodicità. Non può pertanto considerarsi un prodotto editoriale ai sensi della legge N°62 del 07/03/2001.
Le immagini sono tratte da internet, ma se il loro uso violasse diritti d'autore, lo si comunichi all'autore del blog che provvederà alla loro pronta rimozione.
L'autore dichiara di non essere responsabile dei commenti lasciati nei post. Eventuali commenti dei lettori, lesivi dell'immagine o dell'onorabilità di persone terze, il cui contenuto fosse ritenuto non idoneo alla pubblicazione verranno insindacabilmente rimossi.