Francis, a man of God, loved prayer in a special way, as a place of encounter with the Bridegroom, jealously guarding it from all noise.

We read in the Second Life of his well-known biographer, Celano:

"He always sought a secluded place, where he could be united not only with the Spirit, but with his individual members, to his God.

Instead, when he prayed in the woods and in solitary places, he filled the woods with groans and bathed the earth with tears.

He often dialogued aloud with his Lord: he gave an account to the Judge, pleaded with the Father, spoke to the Friend, joked amiably with the Bridegroom.

And actually, in order to offer all the fibres of his heart in manifold holocaust to God, he considered Him who is supremely One.

Often without moving his lips, he meditated long and hard within himself, and concentrating the outward powers within, he rose with the Spirit to heaven.

He was not so much a praying man as he himself was all transformed into living prayer" (FF 681-682).

«It is written: My house shall be a home of prayer» (Lk 19:46)

Friday, 33rd wk. in O.T.  (Lk 19:45-48)