Today's Gospel emphasises the authoritativeness of Jesus in responding to the arrogant pretension of the Pharisees who asked with what authority he did the works he performed, astounding them.

In Francis, this eloquent trait stems from his genuine holiness, rooted in humility and silencing all insubordination among the brothers and the common people.

The humility of the Minim in the Assisian community made one reflect and silence any hidden or overt pretensions.

In the Sources there are interesting passages in this regard:

"Since his conversion, Francis, with the help of the Lord, founded himself and his house, that is, the Order, as a wise architect, on solid rock, that is, on the highest humility and poverty of the Son of God, and called it the Order of Friars Minor. Above the highest humility. For this reason, in the early days, when the brothers began to multiply, he wanted them to live in lazarettos to serve lepers [...]" (FF 1658).

And again: "In order to preserve a greater humility, a few years after his conversion, in a Chapter celebrated at the Portiuncula, he resigned the office of prelate, saying in the presence of all the brothers present:

"From now on I am dead for you. But here is brother Pietro Cattanio, whom I and all of you will obey'" (FF 1661).

He once said to the Minister General:

"I want you to entrust the care of me to one of my companions. I will obey him as I obey you: for by the good example and virtue of obedience I want you to remain with me always, in life and in death".

And in the Rule of St Clare (1253):

"And just as at the beginning of her conversion, together with her sisters, she promised obedience to blessed Francis, so she promises to keep it inviolably to her successors" (Bull of Pope Innocent IV, 2752).

With what authority did Francis, in the footsteps of his Master, do these things!

«By what authority do you do these things? And who gave you this authority?» (Mt 21:23)

Monday 3rd wk. in Advent  (Mt 21:23-27)

In this Sunday's Gospel, Jesus tells those present who John the Baptist is and how, in the Kingdom of God, the least is greater than him.

Sacred Scripture then reveals how Wisdom from above forms friends of God and prophets.

Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi, transformed by the power of the Spirit after his conversion, received the gift of prophecy and became, by Grace, «a prophet [...] and much more than a prophet» (Lk 7:26).

Perfect unity with God had transferred to him the characteristics of a true messenger, like John the Baptist.

Like the Precursor, in the period in which he lived and beyond, he prepared the way for the Lord, becoming the forerunner of a new and authentic way of living the Word, proclaimed with simplicity and boldness.

What Jesus said of John also applies to Francis:

«What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? [...] A man dressed in soft [garments]?» (Mt 11:7-8).

Francis, in the desert of this world, was not a creature in luxurious clothes, but the Herald of the Great King who cried out at the top of his voice against the clerical and civil squalor of his time.

His Abruzzese biographer, Celano, says:

"No one should be surprised if this prophet of our time was distinguished by such privileges: his intellect, free from the dense fog of earthly things and no longer subject to the temptations of the flesh, rose lightly to heavenly heights and immersed itself purely in the light.

Radiating in this way with the splendour of eternal light, he drew from the uncreated Word what echoed in words.

Oh, how different we are today, we who, enveloped in darkness, are ignorant even of the necessary things!” (FF 640).

And the Sources continue:

“No one was as greedy for gold as he was for poverty, nor was anyone more concerned with guarding a treasure than he was with the gem of the Gospel.

He felt particularly offended if he saw anything contrary to poverty in the friars, either at home or outside.

And in fact, from the beginning of his religious life until his death, his only possessions were a single habit, a cincture and trousers: he had nothing else.

His poor appearance clearly indicated where he accumulated his riches.

For this reason, happy, confident, agile in running, he enjoyed having exchanged it for a good that was worth a hundred times the riches destined to perish" (FF 641).

The Saint had made his home in God, living with his brotherhood in a poor church, later restored by the friars: St. Mary of the Porziuncola.

And Clare of Assisi, in her Testament, recalls:

"Our most blessed father Francis, following in his footsteps, chose for himself and his friars this holy poverty of the Son of God, and never, as long as he lived, did he stray from it in any way, either in word or in life" (FF 2837).

Third Advent Sunday (year A)  (Mt 11:2-11)

The few lines of today's Gospel are dedicated to the new work of the unrecognised like Jesus, who prepare the ways of the Lord.

Undoubtedly Francis of Assisi, at that time, extendable to our days, brought a remarkable breath of evangelical novelty.

Jesus himself had asked him: Renew my Church which is in ruins!

With his simplicity and humility, united with Lady Poverty, he had revolutionised civil and religious life with the parameters of the Gospel, like Elijah redivivus.

We read in the Sources passages that emphasise this physiognomy and development:

"Like the morning star, appearing in the midst of the clouds, with the brightest rays of his life and doctrine he drew to the light those who lay in the shadow of death.

As a rainbow shining among the bright clouds, bearing within himself the sign of the covenant with the Lord, he proclaimed to men the Gospel of Peace and salvation.

An Angel of true Peace, he too, in imitation of the Precursor, was predestined by God to prepare the way in the desert of the highest poverty and to preach penance by example and word.

Precipitated at first by the gifts of heavenly Grace [...] he rose, then, by the merits of an ever victorious virtue; he was also filled with a prophetic spirit [...].

He was filled with the ardent love of the seraphim, until, having become similar to the angelic hierarchies, he was taken up to heaven by a chariot of fire.

It is thus rationally demonstrated that he was sent among us with the spirit and power of Elijah [...]" (FF 1021 - Major Legend).

«Certainly, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I say to you, Elijah has already come and they have not recognised him» (Mt 17:11-12)

Saturday 2nd wk. in Advent  (Mt 17:10-13)