In this passage from the Gospel of Luke, Jesus compares the generation of his time to those children who cry out to one another about their inability to accept the prophets and the Son of Man, criticising everything done or proposed.

John the Baptist was treated as a demon because he fasted, the Son of God, who eats and drinks, as a friend of publicans and sinners.

But he who has Wisdom from above knows how to recognise the nature of things.

Thus Francis of Assisi!

Following in Christ's footsteps, he made himself 'one' with sinners, considering himself the first - and entertained himself with them in love.

We read in the Sources:

"Let the brothers beware, wherever they may be, in hermitages or in other places, not to appropriate any place for themselves nor to contend with anyone.

And whoever comes to them, friend or foe, thief or robber, let him be received with kindness.

And wherever the brothers are and wherever they meet, they should meet again willingly and with joy of spirit and honour one another without murmuring" (FF 26).

Francis possessed true Wisdom that enabled him to be with all, sinners and not, to discern and recognise the work of the Lord at work in any context, because he penetrated the root of things, looking at them with the eye of God.

Thus Clare, sister among sisters, with great discernment recognised the passage of the Spirit and his holy operation, welcoming all and conforming herself to the divine plans.

«For John the Baptist has come, who neither eats bread nor drinks wine, and you say, “He has a devil”.

The Son of Man has come who eats and drinks, and you say, “Behold, a man who eats and drinks wine, a friend of publicans and sinners!”» (Lk 7:33-34)

Wednesday 24th wk. in O.T.  (Lk 7,31-35)

In the continuation of Luke chapter seven, the resuscitation of the only son of the widow of Nain is narrated. Jesus, seized with great compassion, calls him back to life, to the amazement of the onlookers.

In the Franciscan Sources, the Poor Man of Assisi performed, by the Lord's Grace, many wonders in life and in death.

In the Major Legend we find this truly stupendous story.

"The little son, barely seven years old, of a notary in Rome, had taken it into his head, as children do, to follow his mother who was going to the church of St Mark.

Since his mother had forced him to stay at home, he jumped out of the window of the palace and fell to the ground, expiring on the spot.

The mother, who was not far away, suspecting from the noise that her child had fallen, hurriedly returned and, seeing that she had suddenly lost her son to that unfortunate fall, began to tear herself apart with her own hands, as if to punish herself, while with her cries of pain she excited the whole neighbourhood to weeping.

But a friar of the Order of Friars Minor, named Rao, who was on his way there to preach, approached the child and then, full of faith, said to the father:

"Do you believe that Francis, the saint of God, can raise your son from the dead, by virtue of the love he always had for Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to give life to men?"

The father replied that he firmly believed this and that from that moment on he would forever be a faithful servant of the saint, if, by his merits, God granted him such a great gift.

The friar prostrated himself in prayer with his companion and incited all present to pray.

As the prayer was finished, the child began to yawn a little, opened his eyes and raised his arms and, at last, stood up by himself and immediately, in the presence of all, began to walk, safe and sound, restored to life and, at the same time, to salvation by the admirable power of the Saint" (FF 1266).

Francis, in the footsteps of Christ, was able to do much for the benefit of many.

Again, a mother brought her dead son back to life.

Power of Christ's resurrection, even through his prophets!

«And Jesus gave him to his Mother» (Lk 7:15b)

Tuesday of the 24th wk. in O.T.  (Lk 7:11-17)

The liturgy of this day focuses, both in the Gospel of John and in that of Luke, on the figure of the Virgin Mary, included in the mystery of salvific sorrow that pierces her.

Mary had been foretold of the piercing sword that would pierce her and cause her to be found at the foot of the Cross, united with her Son in the Paschal Mystery, for the benefit of many.

Francis loved the Blessed Virgin with an inexpressible love and contemplated her mysteries continually.

So did Clare, urging her daughters to live, like Mary, in hope and suffering.

We read in the Sources what she wrote to her spiritual daughter Ermentrude of Bruges:

"Lift up your eyes to heaven, O dearest, for it is an invitation to us, and take up the cross and follow Christ who goes before us. For after many and various tribulations, it is He who will bring us into his glory.

Love God with all your heart, and Jesus, his Son crucified for us sinners, and never let the memory of Him fall from your mind.

MEDITATE WITHOUT TIREDNESS ON THE MYSTERY OF THE CROSS AND THE SORROWS OF THE MOTHER STANDING AT THE FOOT OF THE CROSS [...]" (FF 2915).

And again in Clare's Rule, regarding poverty lived at all levels:

'Never desire, beloved sisters, to have anything else under heaven, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and his most holy Mother' (FF 2795).

And Francis himself "surrounded the Mother of the Lord Jesus with unspeakable love, because she had made the Lord of Majesty our brother and obtained mercy for us.

In her [...] after Christ, he placed his trust" (FF 1165).

The Blessed Virgin was always in his memory, and he contemplated unceasingly the sorrows and hardships she suffered during her earthly pilgrimage.

«Now, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary of Clopas and Mary of Magdala» (Jn 19:25)

Blessed Virgin Mary of Sorrows  (Jn 19:25-27)

John, highlights how God sent His Son Jesus into the world not to condemn it, but to save it through Him.

Francis so loved the Crucified One and for Him and in Him the Cross on which He was confined for the salvation of the world, that he received the gift of the stigmata.

Made like Christ, therefore Alter Christus. He had always fixed in his mind the Gift of the Father to humanity, in the Son.

The Sources illuminate in this regard:

"And we give thee thanks, because as thou hast created us through thy Son, so by thy holy love, with which thou hast loved us, thou hast brought forth the same true God and true man from the glorious ever-virgin most blessed Saint Mary, and, by the cross, blood and death of Him hast willed to redeem us from slavery" (FF 64).

And again: 'For he said that nothing is more important than the salvation of souls, and he proved this very often by the fact that the only-begotten of God deigned to be hung on the cross for souls [...] He did not consider himself a friend of Christ, if he did not love the souls He loved' (FF 758).

"One morning, as the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross approached, while he was praying on the side of the mountain, he saw a figure like a seraphim, with six wings as bright as they were fiery, descending from the sublimity of the heavens [...] He came close to the man of God, and then there appeared between his wings the effigy of a crucified man, who had his hands and feet spread out and confined on the cross [...He understood by divine revelation the purpose for which divine Providence had shown him that vision, that is, to make known to him in advance that he [...] was about to be transformed wholly into the visible portrait of Christ Jesus crucified [...] by the fire of the Spirit" (FF 1225).

Passing through pain and death would be the triumph of Life. A Cross blossomed in the Paschal Mystery.

«For so God loved the world that he gave his Son, the Only Begotten, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have the life of the Eternal One» (Jn 3:16)

Exaltation of the Holy Cross  (Jn 3:13-17)

Jesus emphasises the main criterion for recognising the fruitfulness of the tree: noting what fruit it produces.

He also refers to the heart of every creature that says, says... but does not do.

Listen or don't listen!

The first rests on the Rock that He is, the second on not wanting to put His Word into practice, with the consequent ruin of each one.

Francis, the Little One of Assisi, drew goodness from his new heart. He was a fruitful tree, recognisable by his fruits.

In fact, the Sources inform us of an episode that bears witness to this:

"After several months had passed, Francis was staying at the church of the Porziuncola, and he was near the cell that stands behind the house, along the road, when that friar returned to speak to him about the psalter.

Francis said to him, 'Go and do as your Minister tells you'.

At these words, the friar began to return the way he had come.

But the Saint, remaining on the road, began to reflect on what he had said, and suddenly cried out after him:

"Wait for me, brother, wait for me!"

He went up to him and said:

"Come back with me, brother, and show me the place where I told you to do what the minister will tell you about the psalter."

When they reached that place, Francis bowed before the friar and, kneeling down, said:

"My fault, brother, my fault! Anyone who wants to be a 'minor' must have nothing but a tunic, a cord and breeches, as the Rule says, and in addition footwear, for those who are constrained by obvious necessity or illness."

He gave the same answer to all the friars who came to consult him on the subject.

He said: "A MAN KNOWS AS MUCH AS HE DOES; AND A RELIGIOUS IS AS GOOD A PREACHER AS HE ACTS".

As if to say: "A GOOD TREE IS KNOWN BY THE FRUIT IT PRODUCES" (FF 1628).

«Every tree is known by its fruit [...]

But why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?»  (Lk 6:44a, 46)

Saturday of the 23rd wk. in Ordinary Time  (Lk 6:43-49)

The Gospel casts its gaze on the blind guides of the blind [with nefarious results] and on those who pretend to remove the mote from their brother's eye while forgetting the beam that dwells in him.

Francis abhorred any judgement of the brothers, for he believed that every haughty expression addressed to them was, practically, addressed to God himself.

Clare advised the sisters to beware of judgement, detraction and murmuring:

"Let the sisters [...] beware of detraction and murmuring" (FF 2809).

In that treasure chest of riches that are the Sources we find many interesting narratives on the subject.

In the Regola bollata (1223) written by Francis we read:

"[The brethren] I admonish them, however, and exhort them not to despise and judge men whom they see dressed in soft and coloured clothing and using delicate food and drink, but rather let each one judge and despise himself" (FF 81).

And in the Letter to the Faithful he continues:

"Those then who have received authority to judge others, let them exercise judgement with mercy, just as they themselves wish to obtain mercy from the Lord: for judgement will be without mercy for those who have not used mercy" (FF 191).

To the brothers themselves:

"If it sometimes happened that a brother missed a word that could hurt, the remorse of conscience would not let him have peace, until he confessed his mistake, humbly throwing himself to the ground and begging the offended one to put a foot on his mouth [...].

The brothers undertook to banish all rancour and incompatibility, and to keep exchangeable love intact" (FF 1449).

Therefore the yardstick for every thought and expression was to look at oneself in honesty before God, leaving the gaze on others to Him.

«Can a blind man guide [another] blind man? [...]

Why do you look at the mote in your brother's eye but the beam in your own eye you do not see?» (Lk 6:39a.41)

Friday of the 23rd wk. in O.T.  (Lk 6:39-42)

In today's Gospel Jesus calls those who listen to love those who behave as enemies.

«Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you» (Lk 6:27).

Francis loved those who mocked and judged him - and invited his brothers to do likewise.

The Poor Man of Assisi had come to know Christ and, according to the Word of the Gospel, he committed himself to love everyone, even those who behaved as his enemies; to give as much as he had to the poor.

In fact, in the Franciscan Sources we find various episodes that signify these circumstances.

We read in the Admonitions he wrote:

"The Lord says: 'Love your enemies [and do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute and slander you].

For truly he loves his enemy who does not grieve for the insult he does him, but burns in his innermost self for the love of God because of the sin of his soul. And let him show his love by his works" (FF 158).

The same father, who detested Francis' choice of poverty, persecuted him, driving his son into hiding.

The Sources attest:

"But Francis, an athlete still in his infancy, having been informed of the threats of the persecutors and anticipating their coming, wanted to leave time for anger and hid himself in a secret pit. He remained hidden there for some days, and in the meantime he unceasingly supplicated, amidst rivers of tears, to the Lord, that He might deliver him from the hands of the persecutors and bring to fulfilment, with His goodness and favour, the pious intentions He had inspired in him" (FF 1040).

And again:

"He went to visit [...] the tomb of the Apostle Peter. It was on this occasion that, seeing the great multitude of beggars before the door of that church, moved by a gentle compassion, and, at the same time, allured by the love of poverty, he gave his clothes to the neediest of them and, covered in their rags, he spent the whole day among the poor, with unusual joy of spirit" (FF 1037).

Giving had become for the Poverello the a-b-c of his daily living of the Word of God.

«...for with the measure wherewith ye measure, it shall be measured unto you» (Lk 6:38)

Thursday, 23rd wk. in O.T.  (Lk 6,27-38)

In the Gospel of Luke, the Beatitudes are contrasted with the "Woe" that the Lord pronounces towards the full of this world.

We dwell on the Beatitudes.

Jesus proclaims in them the love of God for every man, especially for the poor, the object of his predilection.

Francis looked upon the Beatitudes as a portrait of Christ and followed them because he was in love with Him.

He had great veneration not only for the Virgin Mary but also for all the saints.

Indeed, among his writings is an antiphon recited every hour:

"Holy Virgin Mary, there is none like thee, born in the world, among women, daughter and handmaid of the Most High and Supreme King the heavenly Father, mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, spouse of the Holy Spirit; pray for us with Saint Michael the Archangel and with all the powers of heaven and with all the saints, to thy most holy beloved Son, Lord and Master. Glory be to the Father. As it was." (FF 281).

The Sources underline that "the saints and their memory were for him like burning coals of fire, which revived in him the deifying fire" (FF 1167).

In the Admonitions of Francis we read:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

There are many who persistently apply themselves to prayers and occupations, do many abstinences and corporal mortifications, but for a single word that seems an insult to their person, or for something that is taken away from them, scandalised, they quickly become irritated.

These are not poor in spirit, for he who is truly poor in spirit hates himself and loves those who strike them in the cheek" (FF 163).

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God".

"True peacemakers are those who in all the anxieties they endure in this world, for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, keep peace in soul and body" (FF 164).

But in the same Canticle of Brother Sun, when he was very ill, he added the famous verse of forgiveness:

"Be praised, my Lord/ for those who, out of love for you, forgive/ and sustain infirmity and tribulation./

Blessed are those who will stand in peace,/ and by you, Most High, be crowned" (FF 1593).

Nevertheless, Clare of Assisi, in her wonderful Blessing to the sisters, turns her gaze to the whole assembly of saints in heaven and on earth:

"I pray to our Lord Jesus Christ through his mercy and through the Intercession of his most holy Mother Mary, of the blessed Archangel Michael and all the holy Angels of God, [of our blessed Father Francis] and of all the saints and holy women of God, that the same heavenly Father may bestow upon you and confirm this most holy blessing in heaven and on earth: on earth, multiplying you, by his Grace and virtues, among his servants in his Church militant; in heaven, exalting and glorifying you in his Church triumphant among his saints and holy ones" (FF 2855).

Clear beauty of a communion lived in the round with the Blessed who still walk the earth and with those who wave their palms before the throne of the Lamb in the heavenly Jerusalem.

«Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of God» (Lk 6:20b)

Wednesday of the 23rd wk. in O.T.  (Lk 6:20-26)

Jesus spends the night in prayer, choosing, then, the Twelve - and healing the sick who flocked to Him.

Francis of Assisi, after his conversion, was no longer a man who prayed, but a creature made prayer.

By night and by day he always dialogued with God, entrusting the most important choices to his relationship with the Father. The Sources bear witness to his continuous praying:

"The devout man of God, according to his habit, spent the night praying to God, in a hovel situated in the garden of the canons, far away, with his body, from his children" (FF 1070).

In the footsteps of Christ he sought intimacy with the Father:

"And in complete annihilation of self, he dwelt for a long time as if hidden in the wounds of the Saviour.

That is why he sought solitary places in order to be able to throw his soul completely into God; however, when there was a need, he did not hesitate for a moment to take action to benefit souls and the lives of his brethren.

His safe haven was prayer, not a few minutes, or empty, or pretentious, but deeply devout, humble and prolonged as much as possible.

If he started it in the evening, he could hardly tear himself away from it in the morning.

He was always intent on prayer, when he walked and when he sat, when he ate and when he drank.

At night he went, alone, to the deserted and lost churches to pray; thus, by the grace of the Lord, he was able to triumph over many fears and spiritual anxieties" (FF 445).

«He went out to the mountain to pray and spent the night in prayer to God» (Lk 6:12)

Tuesday of the 23rd wk. in O.T.  (Lk 6,12-19)