Jesus in today's Gospel emphasises that the Trinity dwells in those who keep his Word.

He then mentions the coming of the Holy Spirit, who will teach them all things and will be the "Memory" of the disciples.

Looking at Francis and Clare we realise how the Spirit of the Lord guided their lives and was their counsellor.

The Major Legend of St. Bonaventure attests how Francis allowed himself to be led and instructed by the Spirit in compiling the Regola non bollata (1221).

"Therefore, guided by the Holy Spirit, he climbed a mountain with two companions and there, fasting on bread and water, dictated the Rule, according to what the divine Spirit suggested to him during prayer.

Having descended the mountain, he entrusted it to his vicar for safekeeping. But since the latter, a few days later, told him that he had lost it through neglect, the Saint returned again to the solitude and immediately re-did it in all respects as if he had received the words from the mouth of God.

He then obtained confirmation, as he had desired, from the aforementioned Pope Honorius, in the eighth year of his pontificate.

To encourage the brothers to observe it fervently, he said that he had put nothing of his own into it, but had everything written down as it had been revealed to him by God" (FF 1084).

He considered the Holy Spirit to be the Minister General of the Order and was convinced that he spoke to everyone, especially the simple.

In the Second Life of Celano we read:

"When Francis took the tonsure, he often repeated to those who cut his hair:

«Take care not to make my crown too wide! For I want my simple brothers to have a part in my head».

He wanted the Order to be open equally to the poor and unlettered, and not only to the rich and learned.

«With God,' he said, 'there is no preference of persons, and the Holy Spirit, the Minister General of the Order, rests equally on the poor and the simple» " (FF 779).

His singular unity with the Spirit he bore witness to in life and in death.

"In the twentieth year of his conversion, he asked to be taken to St Mary of the Portiuncula, to render to God the spirit of life there where he had received the spirit of grace.

When he was brought there, in order to prove that, after the model of Christ-Truth, he had nothing in common with the world, during that illness so severe that it ended his suffering, he prostrated himself in fervour of spirit, all naked on the bare earth: thus, in that extreme hour in which the enemy could still unleash his wrath, he would be able to wrestle naked with him.

So lying on the earth, after having laid down his sackcloth, he lifted his face to heaven, according to his custom, totally intent on that heavenly glory, while with his left hand he covered the wound on his right side, that it might not be seen.

And he said to the brothers:

«I have done my part; let Christ teach you yours» (FF 1239).

And Clare, gripped by the Spirit of the Lord, expressed herself thus in the second letter addressed to Agnes of Bohemia:

«And do not believe, and do not let yourself be seduced by anyone who would try to lead you astray from this purpose or put obstacles in your way, to prevent you from bringing back to the Most High your promises with that perfection to which the Spirit of the Lord invited you» (FF 2876).

«But the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you» (Jn 14:26)

Monday 5th wk. in Easter  (Jn 14:21-26)

On this Fifth Sunday of Easter, the Liturgy takes up chapter fourteen of the Gospel of John, which is rich in challenging themes.

To Philip’s question: «Show us the Father» (Jn 14:8–9), Jesus responds by asking for faith in the profound unity between the Son and the Father, and vice versa, at least as evidenced by the very works that bear ample witness to this.

In the Franciscan Sources, the Poor Man translates this cry into real life, for as a son he did not fear becoming defiled by frequenting the cultural and existential peripheries.

For the Poor Man of Assisi, the disciple’s question to Jesus finds its most comprehensive answer in contemplating His Presence in those dispossessed and cast aside by society.

In the forgotten and marginalised, there the Father was revealed, and the Son with Him.

Indeed, the Sources highlight all this in Francis’s austere experience.

“Then, being a lover of every form of humility, he went to live among the lepers, staying with them and serving them all with the utmost care. 

He washed their feet, bandaged their sores, removed the scabs from their wounds and cleaned them of their pus.

Driven by admirable devotion, he even kissed their festering sores, he who would soon become the Good Samaritan of the Gospel” (FF 1045).

The Little One saw and embraced the Face of God in the Epiphany of the lepers!

Grant us, Lord, your Holy Spirit to rediscover each person’s journey, in the fullness of boundless being. Amen!

«Believe me: I am in the Father and the Father is in me. If not, believe because of the works themselves» (Jn 14:11)

5th Sunday in Easter A  (Jn 14:1-12)

Today's liturgy takes up chapter fourteen of John's Gospel, which is full of challenging themes.

To Philip's question: «Show us the Father» (Jn 14:8-9) Jesus responds by asking for faith in the profound unity of the Son with the Father, and vice versa; at least by the very works that amply attest to it.

In the Franciscan Sources, the Poverello translates this cry into real life, for he was not afraid as a son to make himself impure by frequenting the cultural and existential peripheries.

For the Poor Man of Assisi, the disciple's question to Jesus finds its most exhaustive answer by contemplating his Presence in the disinherited and discarded by society.

In the forgotten and marginalised, there the Father was shown, and the Son with Him.

In fact, the Sources highlight all this in Francis' meagre experience.

"Then, loving every form of humility, he went out to the lepers, staying with them and serving them all with great care. 

He washed their feet, bandaged sores, removed the rot from sores and cleansed them of purulence.

He also kissed, driven by admirable devotion, their festering wounds, he who would soon become the Good Samaritan of the Gospel" (FF 1045).

The Minim saw and embraced the Face of God in the Epiphany of the lepers!

Give us Lord your Holy Spirit to recover each one's journey in the fullness of being without boundaries. Amen!

«Believe me: I in the Father and the Father in me. If not, believe by works themselves» (Jn 14:11)

Saturday 4th wk. in Easter A.C  (Jn 14:7-14)

In the memory of St Joseph the Worker, the liturgy uses a passage from the Gospel of Matthew.

In it, the rejection of Jesus by the inhabitants of Nazareth is highlighted, so much so that the Lord cannot work any wonders there because of their surprising incredulity.

Francis faced adversity with courage, knowing that it is inevitable for those who love the Kingdom.

The Poor Man met them everywhere, but he related to the trials by singing, because Jesus had triumphed over them.

The Sources tell of an episode that occurred near Caprignone:

"Dressed in rags, he who once adorned himself with purple garments, went out into a thicket, singing the praises of God in French.

Suddenly, some ruffians rush in on him, brutally asking him who he is.

The man of God responded fearlessly and confidently:

«I am the herald of the great King; does this interest you?».

They beat him and threw him into a pit full of snow, saying:

«Stand there, ye herald of God!»

But he, turning this way and that, shaking off the snow, as soon as the robbers are gone, leaps out of the ditch and, all joyful, resumes singing loudly, filling the forest with praises to the Creator of all things" (FF 346).

Example of courage and trust in the Lord!

Francis, whose name comes from the ancient German and means 'free', just freely continued on his way through the storms of the world.

The courage to which Jesus called, he asked for in prayer.

In the Major Legend it is narrated:

(FF 346) "The fellow citizens, seeing him bleak in the face and changed in mind, believing him to be out of his mind, threw mud and stones from the streets at him, and, shouting and clamouring, insulted him as a madman, a demented person.

But the servant of God, without becoming discouraged or upset by the insults, passed through the midst of them, as if he were deaf" (FF 1041).

«A prophet is not despised except in his own country and in his own house» (Mt 13:57)

S. Joseph the Worker  (Mt 13:54-58)

«He who receives him whom I send, receives me; but he who receives me, receives him who sent me» (Jn 13:20).

Jesus, at the Last Supper, after having washed the feet of his disciples invites them to do the same, reminding them that a sent one is not greater than the one who sent him.

At the same time he reminds them that to receive the one God sends is to receive the Lord himself.

Francis knew, by grace, that to receive is the infinitive of the verb unveil.

The Lord manifests himself to the one who hosts with love the one sent by the Father of mercies.

The Poor Man and his sons knew the special welcome of the Assisian bishop, as is narrated in the Legend of the Three Companions:

"When they arrived in Rome, they found the Bishop of Assisi there, who received them with great joy.

He nourished an affectionate esteem for Francis and all the friars; but, ignorant of the reason for their coming, he was seized with anxiety: he feared that they might want to leave Assisi, where the Lord had begun through them to do wonders of good.

He was proud and happy to have such zealous men in his diocese, on whose exemplary life he relied greatly.

However, when he heard the purpose of the journey and understood their plans, he was reassured and promised to advise and help them' (FF 1456).

But there were also those who reacted differently with the brothers sent:

"Many took them for charlatans or simpletons, and did not want to receive them at home, for fear that they would commit theft.

In several places, after receiving a heap of insults, they found nowhere to take refuge except under the porches of churches or houses.

One day, two friars arrived in Florence. They went around the whole city begging, but could not find anyone to take them in.

When they arrived at a house that had a porch in front of it, under which there was an oven, they said to each other:

«We can rest here».

They begged the landlady to receive them into the house, but she refused.

Then they humbly proposed that she at least allow them to take refuge that night near the oven. The woman agreed [...].

That night they slept uneasily until dawn by the oven, warmed by divine love alone and protected by Our Lady Poverty's blanket.

They rose to go to the nearest church, to participate in the morning liturgy' (FF 1442).

In recognising the one Christ sends is inherent the revelation of the authentic and personal encounter with Jesus.

Moreover, Francis and his followers were clearly aware that if they had rejected the Master, the path of the disciple could not have been different.

Hence the acceptance of everything, dwelling in Love.

The Sources recall that in this lies Perfect Lettership, as Francis taught Brother Leo:

"«Behold, I return from Perugia and, deep in the night, I come here, and it is a muddy winter and so harsh that, at the end of my cassock, icicles of frozen water form [...] I come to the door and, after long beating and calling, a friar comes and asks:

«Who is it?»

I answer:

«Brother Francis» [...]

the other replies:

«Go away, you are simple and an idiot, you cannot come here anymore [...]».

And I always remain in front of the door and say:

«For God's sake, accept me for this night» [...].

«Well, if I have been patient and not disturbed, I say to you that here is true happiness and here is true virtue and salvation of the soul» " (FF 278).

Thursday of the 4th wk. in Easter   (Jn 13:16-20)

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

Jesus is the only one who can truly call the Lord of heaven and earth Father, but into this familiarity he introduces everyone.

Clare, seedling of the blessed Father Francis, with her special character of simplicity and littleness had attained, by Grace, such a great familiarity with the Lord that she moved in total harmony with Him.

Consulting the Sources, in the Legend we read of the degree of the Saint's intimate union with the divine Bridegroom.

"How much strength and support she received in the furnace of ardent prayer, how sweet the divine goodness was to her in that fruition, is attested by proven evidence.

For when she returned in the joy of holy prayer, she brought back from the fire of the altar of the Lord burning words, such as inflamed the hearts of her sisters.

For they noted with admiration that a certain gentleness radiated from her face and that her face seemed brighter than usual' (FF 3199).

In a letter to Ermentrude of Bruges* she recommends:

«Always be attentive and vigilant in prayer. Bring to its consummation the good you have begun, and fulfil the mystery you have embraced in holy poverty and sincere humility» (FF 2916).

Such was Clare, a simple and small creature, capable of rejoicing at every gift received, at every tiny reality that spoke to her of the Eternal.

"She received with great joy the scraps of alms, the pieces of bread that the beggars brought back and, almost sad for the whole loaves, she was happy instead for those little pieces" (FF 3188).

A woman conformed to Christ in everything, she considered herself a nothing before God.

In her Testament she exhorted meekness and humility of heart, as a loving Mother:

«Again I beg her who will be in charge of the sisters, that she may endeavour to preside over the others more by virtue and holiness of life than by dignity, so that, animated by her example, the sisters may lend obedience to her, not so much because of the office she occupies, but out of love.

Let her also be provident and discreet towards her sisters, like a good mother towards her daughters [...].

May she still be so affable and accessible to all that the sisters may confidently manifest their needs to her and have recourse to her at every hour with confidence [...]» (FF 2848).

Meekness and humility: stature of the little ones, to whom the Mysteries of the Kingdom are revealed, finding consolation in loving with the sentiments of Christ.

*Ermentrude of Bruges: to her we owe the spread of the Order of the Poor Clares in Flanders.

St Catherine of Siena, 29 April  (Mt 11:25-30)

Under Solomon's Portico in Jerusalem, Jesus makes his denunciation to the Jews: you are not my sheep, because you do not listen to my voice.

Francis had a great concern for the sheep of his flock, wanting to walk in the footsteps of the Lord and desiring the same for them.

He had a special fondness for sheep and lambs: they reminded him of the Lamb that was immolated for our salvation.

It is touching how these meek animals listened to him, recognising his voice as a true shepherd.

In the Sources we find significant passages on this subject. The Major Legend narrates:

"At St Mary of the Portiuncula they brought the man of God a sheep as a gift, which he accepted with gratitude, because he loved the innocence and simplicity that, by its nature, the sheep shows.

The man of God admonished the sheep to praise God and not to annoy the brothers at all. The sheep, in turn, as if feeling the pity of the man of God, put his teachings into practice with great care.

When she heard the monks singing in the choir, she would also enter the church and, without the need for a teacher, would bend her knees, uttering tender bleats before the altar of the Virgin, Mother of the Lamb, as if eager to greet her.

'During the celebration of Mass, at the moment of the elevation, he would bend his bent knees, as if he wanted, that devout animal, to reproach the ungodly for their irreverence and wanted to incite the devout to reverence towards the Sacrament' (FF 1148).

Francis, a meek shepherd, was listened to and followed by all creatures, who perceived in him his unity with Christ, the Good Shepherd sent by the Father.

His intimates listened to him with great admiration, for his eloquent life spoke for him.

«My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me» (Jn 10:27)

Tuesday of the 4th wk. in Easter  (Jn 10:22-30)

Today's liturgy offers us a passage from John's Gospel, emphasising the universal mission of the disciples.  They listen to the voice of the Shepherd and become one people in Christ and for Christ.

In the Franciscan Sources, the missionary nature of Francis and his disciples is narrated several times.

We read:

"Then the blessed Francis gathered them all together, and after speaking to them at length about the Kingdom of God, about contempt for the world, about denying one's own will, about the dominion one must exercise over one's own body, he divided them into four groups, of two each, and said to them:

«Go, beloved, two by two to the various parts of the world and proclaim to men peace and penance for the remission of sins; and be patient in persecution, confident that the Lord will fulfil his plan and keep his promises.

Respond with humility to those who question you, bless those who persecute you, thank those who insult and slander you, for in return the eternal kingdom is prepared for us» (FF 366).

"Then Brother Bernard with Brother Aegidius set out for Compostella, to the shrine of St James, in Galicia; St Francis with another companion chose another part; the other four, two by two, set out in the other two directions" (FF 368).

Thus they put the Word of the Gospel into practice, without sweetening it.

To all they brought the Good News of the Kingdom, proclaiming it even before their lips, with their simple and authentic behaviour.

Sylvester himself, who was a priest, had a dream before entering the Order:

"[...] he saw an immense cross, the summit of which touched heaven and the foot of which rested on Francis' mouth, and the arms stretched out on either side of the world.

Awakened, the priest understood and firmly believed that Francis was a true friend and servant of Christ, and his religious movement would spread prodigiously throughout the world" (FF 1434).

It often happened that they encountered rejection and harassment:

"Because of such hostility, the brothers were forced to flee from various nations. 

Thus, distressed, afflicted, not infrequently stripped of their robes and beaten by brigands, they returned to Francis with great bitterness.

They suffered such harassment in almost all the countries beyond the Alps, as in Germany, Hungary, and many others" (FF 1475).

«And they will listen to my voice and become one flock one shepherd»  (Jn 10:16b)

In chapter ten of the Gospel of John, Jesus describes himself as the Gate for the sheep; those who enter through it find salvation. He alone is the true Shepherd who cares for them and protects them from danger.

One day, as Francis neared the end of his calling, a friar asked him who would lead the Order after him.

The passage, taken from the Second Life of Celano, reads as follows:

«Father, you will pass from this life, and the family that has followed you will be left abandoned in this valley of tears. Name one, if you know of anyone in the Order, who satisfies your spirit and upon whom the burden of the office of Minister General may be laid with peace of mind».

Francis, accompanying each word with a sigh, replied:

«I know of no one capable of being the leader of such a diverse army and the shepherd of such a numerous flock. But I wish to describe to you, and, as they say, to sketch out the figure, in whom it may be clearly seen what the father of this family must be like».

«He must be,’ he continued, ‘a man of the most austere life, of great discretion and commendable reputation […] he must apply himself zealously to prayer and know how to devote certain hours to his own soul and others to the flock entrusted to him […] After prayer, then, he should make himself available to the religious, willing to be pestered by everyone, ready to respond and to provide for all with affability […] Even if he stands out for his learning, nevertheless, even more so in his conduct, he should be the portrait of virtuous simplicity and cultivate virtue […]».

And he continued:

«Let him console the afflicted, being the last refuge for the afflicted, lest it come to pass that, finding no salutary remedies with him, the sick feel overwhelmed by the disease of despair. Let him humble himself, to bend the haughty to meekness, and let him relinquish part of his right, to win a soul for Christ. When dealing with those who have deserted the Order, like lost sheep, let him not close the depths of his mercy to them, knowing full well that the temptations are most violent, which can drive one to such an act […] It is his task above all to probe the secret of consciences to extract the truth from the most hidden recesses, but let him not lend an ear to those who spread gossip […]» (FF 771-772).

All this points to the importance of being a ‘Door’ for Francis amongst his friars, whom he loved with firmness and tenderness; with discretion and understanding, for the love of Christ.

«I am the gate: whoever enters through me will be saved; they will come in and go out and find pasture»  (Jn 10:9)

4th Sunday in Easter A  (Jn 10:1-10)