In today's Gospel, Jesus speaks of the witness we are called to give with our lives, to be salt and light for all.

Francis, in his journey of faith, sought to please God with a savoury existence and a luminous life, irrigated by Grace.

Chiara herself, always united with her Spouse Jesus, was prophetically chosen to be what her name meant: light, brightness for the world.

Their witness shines forth in the Sources.

In the Letter of Brother Elia, written immediately after Francis' death, the experience of the friars alongside their father and the fragrance of life they breathed is evident.

"Truly, the presence of our brother and father Francis was the true light, not only for us who were his companions in the same profession of life, but also for those who were far away.

He was, in fact, a light brought forth from the true light, the one who enlightens those who were in darkness and sat in the shadow of death, to direct their steps on the path of peace.

This he did, like true midday light.

The light that came from above illuminated his heart and warmed his will with the fire of his love" (FF 307).

This was the experience of those who knew him closely.

But Chiara herself, in the collection of letters compiled for the wonderful dialogue with Agnes of Bohemia, offers passages that are the measure of her heart and her life-light.

In the fourth letter we read:

«And since this vision of him is the splendour of eternal glory, the brightness of everlasting light and a mirror without blemish, every day bring your soul, O queen, bride of Jesus Christ, to this mirror and gaze continually at your face in it, so that you may thus adorn yourself entirely within and without, clothed and surrounded by variety, and be equally adorned with the flowers and garments of all the virtues, as befits you, daughter and beloved bride of the supreme King» (FF 2902).

The purity of Francis and Clare had reached such heights that, as St Bonaventure says, the whole machinery of the world was placed at the service of the sanctified senses of these two splendid figures.

Everything in their poor and simple existence became a clear and profound testimony to the praise of God.

«Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven» (Mt 5:16)

Tuesday of the 10th wk. in Ordinary Time  (Mt 5:13-16)

With the Beatitudes, Mt begins with the theme of poverty in spirit and concludes with the beatitude of the persecuted, that is, of those who want to live the Gospel and love to the full.

For Francis and Clare of Assisi, humility of heart, inner and outer poverty, was the keystone of all the other Beatitudes; the identikit of Jesus and of every disciple who wants to walk in his footsteps.

Enchanting is a passage from the «Sacrum Commercium» (an allegorical operetta by an unknown author) contained in the Sources and which we quote here, concerning poverty.

«Thus, enamoured of your beauty, the Son of the Most High Father was closely united to you alone in the world and knew you to be faithful in all things.

Even before He came to earth from the splendour of His homeland, You prepared for Him a worthy dwelling, a throne on which to sit and a thalamus in which to rest, that is, the poorest Virgin, from whom He was born to shine upon this world.

To him as soon as he was born with solicitude you ran to him, so that he might find in you, and not in softness, a place that was pleasing to him.

He was laid, the evangelist says, in a manger, because there was no room for him in the inn.

In the same way, without ever parting from him, you always accompanied him, so that throughout his life, when he appeared on earth and lived among men, while the foxes had their dens and the birds of the air their nests, he had nowhere to lay his head.

And later when he, who had once opened the mouth of the prophets, opened his mouth to teach, he first wanted to praise you, he first exalted you with the words: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven» (FF 1977).

Francis then, in his Admonitions, among other things extols the pure heart, precisely the poor, when he says:

«Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Truly pure in heart are those who disdain earthly things and seek heavenly things, and never cease to adore and see the Lord God, living and true, with a pure heart and soul» (FF 165).

Clare echoes him in her Testament:

«If we live according to the aforementioned form of life, we will leave a noble example to others and, through labour of the shortest duration, we will earn the prize of eternal beatitude» (FF 2830).

The theme of wealth to be shared, of "not holding back" and of "giving back" to God and to one's brothers and sisters, is very much felt in Francis of Assisi.

In the Sources:

"Once, while returning from Siena, he met a poor man. It happened that Francis, due to illness, was wearing a cloak over his habit.

Looking with merciful eyes at the man's misery, he said to his companion:

«We must return the cloak to this poor man: for it is his. 'In fact we received him on loan, until we happened to find someone poorer than ourselves».

"The companion, however, considering the state in which the pitiful father was, opposed a clear refusal: he had no right to forget himself, in order to provide for the other.

But the Saint:

«I believe that the Great Elector will accuse me of theft, if I do not give what I wear to those most in need».

«Blessed are the poor [...] for theirs is the kingdom of heaven» (Mt 5:3).

Monday, 10th wk. in O.T. (Mt 5:1-12a)

On this solemn Sunday of Corpus Christi, the liturgy presents a passage from John in which Jesus, addressing the Jews, says:

«I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live for ever, and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world» (Jn 6:51).

Francis was enamoured of France not because his mother, Monna Pica, came from those lands, but because of the flourishing of Eucharistic devotion, of which he had been informed by James of Vitry, a staunch advocate.

When he went into the woods or was in a particularly cheerful mood, he often sang the Lauds in French.

The Sources inform us of his deep devotion to the Body of Christ.

In Celano’s Second Life we read:

“He burned with love in every fibre of his being for the sacrament of the Lord’s Body, overcome with wonder beyond measure at such benevolent condescension and most generous charity.

He considered it a grave sign of contempt not to receive the Eucharist, even just once, if time permitted.

He received Communion frequently and with such devotion that he inspired devotion in others as well.

Indeed, being filled with reverence for this venerable sacrament, he offered the sacrifice of all his limbs, and when he received the slain Lamb, he offered up his spirit in that fire which always burned upon the altar of his heart.

For this reason he loved France, a land devoted to the Body of the Lord, and wished to die there because of the veneration he had for the sacred mysteries.

One day he wished to send the friars out into the world with precious ciboria, so that they might place the price of redemption in the most worthy place possible, wherever they saw it kept with little decorum” (FF 789).

“He wished great respect to be shown to the hands of the priest, for to them has been conferred the divine power to consecrate this sacrament.

«If it should happen to me,’ he often said, ‘to meet both a saint coming from heaven and a poor little priest, I would greet the priest first and run to kiss his hands.

For I would say: ‘Oh! Wait, Saint Lawrence*, for this man’s hands touch the Word of life and possess a superhuman power»” (FF 790).

And Saint Clare, faced with a shortage of bread in the monastery, obtained by Grace the power to multiply it.

“There was only one loaf of bread in the monastery, and the hour of supper was drawing near, and hunger was setting in.

Having summoned the stewardess, the Saint ordered her to divide the bread and send one portion to the friars, keeping the other inside for the sisters.

From this second half that had been set aside, she ordered fifty slices to be cut—the number of the women—and for them to be placed before them on the table of poverty.

And to the devout daughter, who replied:

«The ancient miracles of Christ would be needed to cut such a small amount of bread into fifty slices», the Mother replied, saying to her:

«Be certain of what I tell you, daughter!».

The daughter therefore hastens to carry out her Mother’s command; and the Mother hastens to offer pious sighs to her Christ, for her daughters.

And by divine grace that scant substance grows in the hands of the one who breaks it, so that there is an abundant portion for each member of the community” (FF 3189).

Francis and Clare’s love for the Body and Blood of Christ made them direct participants in that Holy Mystery.

* Saint Lawrence was only a deacon, like Francis.

Corpus Christi Sunday A  (Jn 6:51–58)

Jesus warns against the scribes who are concerned with outward appearances.

He observes the widow’s small offering cast into the common treasury, prompting a profound reflection.

In the Franciscan Sources we find various episodes concerning the Poverello that illustrate the lifeblood of his journey.

Francis collaborated in God’s creative work by becoming a source of sustenance for the poor and infirm, and he urged his friars to do the same. 

The Sources recount:

“One day a beggar came to the church of Santa Maria della Porziuncola, near where the friars lived, and asked for alms.

There was kept a cloak there, which had belonged to one of them when he was still in the world.

Francis told him to give it to the poor man, and he immediately and joyfully gave it to him.

And straight away, as a reward for the faith and goodness shown in that gesture, it seemed to that brother that the alms had ascended to heaven: and he felt filled with unspeakable joy. 

[…] They were happy in the Lord, always, having nothing within themselves or amongst themselves that could in any way sadden them” (FF 1451; 1454).

Clare of Assisi herself, in a wonderful letter to one of her spiritual daughters (Agnes of Bohemia), wrote:

«O blessed Poverty! To those who love and embrace you, you procure eternal riches.

O Holy Poverty! To those who possess and desire you, God promises the Kingdom of Heaven, and unfailingly offers eternal Glory and a blessed life.

O Pious Poverty! The Lord Jesus Christ deigned to embrace you in preference to all other things» (FF 2864).

«Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others»  (Mk 12:43)

Saturday, 9th wk in Ordinary Time  (Mk 12:38–44)

Mark depicts Jesus teaching in the temple, emphasising the connection between the Messiah—believed to be the Son of David—and the king himself.

Francis himself, to help his friars grow in the vision of the Kingdom of God, so that suffering and adversity might take on another dimension, once spoke in this way to one of his friars.

The Sources recount:

“He [Brother Leonardo] himself reported that one day the blessed Francis, at Santa Maria degli Angeli, called Brother Leo and said to him

«Brother Leo, write down […] what true joy is».

«Well, I am returning from Perugia and, in the dead of night, I arrive here, and it is a muddy winter so bitterly cold that icicles of frozen water form at the hem of my habit […]

And I, covered in mud, cold and ice, reach the door and, after knocking and calling for a long time, a friar comes and asks: ‘Who is it?’

I reply: «Friar Francis».

And he says: ‘Go away, this is no decent hour to be out and about; you shall not enter.’

And since I still insist, the other replies: “Go away, you are a simpleton and an idiot; you cannot come here now; there are so many of us that we have no need of you”.

And I remain at the door and say:

«For God’s sake, take me in for this night».

And he replies: “I will not do so. Go to the place of the Cross-bearers and ask there.”

«Well then, if I have been patient and have not been troubled, I tell you that here is true joy, and here is true virtue and the salvation of the soul» (FF 278).

«David himself said in the Holy Spirit: ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet’»  (Mk 12:36)

Friday, 9th wk. in Ordinary Time  (Mk 12:35-37)

To the scribes who ask what is the great commandment Jesus answers in a disconcerting way: Listen! Loving God and neighbour with all one's self is worth more than a thousand sacrifices!

To the scribe, who had understood all this, Jesus points out that he is not far from the Kingdom of God.

The life of Francis of Assisi is full of singular episodes that testify to the breadth of a new heart, marked by Love.

At the beginning of their community life, the brothers lived at Rivotorto, 3 km from the Portiuncula.

Here is what happened one night:

"One night, one of those sheep, while the others were sleeping, began to cry out, «I am dying, brothers, I am starving!»

The wise shepherd immediately got up and hastened to bring appropriate help to the infirm sheep.

He ordered the table to be prepared, even if it was with simple food [...].

It was he who began to eat first and invited the other brothers to that duty of charity, so that the poor man would not blush.

Having taken the food with the fear of the Lord, so that the act of charity might be complete, the Father gave his sons a long discourse on the virtue of discretion.

He warned them to always offer God a sacrifice seasoned with prudence, cautioning them to take their own strength into account in divine service [...].

Then he added:

«Beloved, what I have done in eating, know that it was done not out of greed, but out of dutiful care and because fraternal charity imposed it on me.

Let charity be an example to you, not food, because this satisfies gluttony, that instead satisfies the spirit» (FF 608).

The Poor Assisian had very clear ideas about the priorities to be given on the spiritual path.

For him, love of God with every fibre of his being and of his neighbour was a sweet truth carved into his heart in letters of fire.

In this regard, we are assisted by the Sources, rich in episodes of life.

Clare, a faithful disciple of Francis, did the same within the Damianite walls, always ready to serve lovingly the sisters of her community and those who knocked at the Monastery door.

"She washed the seats of the infirm, she cleansed them herself, with that noble spirit of hers, without shying away from filthiness or loathing the stench" (FF 3181).

"Very often he washed the feet of servants returning from outside and, washing them, kissed them" (FF 3182).

To love the Lord with all one's strength and one's neighbour as oneself is worth more than holocausts; the two Assisian giants had understood this well, testifying to all.

«And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your life and with all your mind and with all your strength [...] You shall love your neighbour as yourself»  (Mk 12:30-31)

Thursday 9th wk. in O.T.  (Mk 12,28b-34)

Jesus reminds us that those who are considered worthy of the future life will not have a wife or husband forever.

In this regard, the Sources have a very significant episode that makes one reflect.

"In the hermitage of the friars of Sarteano, the evil one, who always envies the spiritual progress of the sons of God, even had this presumption.

Seeing that the saint was continually striving for his sanctification, and did not neglect today's gain satisfied with that of the previous day, one night, while he was praying in his little cell, he called out to him three times: "Francis, Francis, Francis".

«What do you want?»

And that: 'There is no sinner in the world who does not obtain God's mercy if he repents. But whoever causes his own death by rigorous penance will not find mercy in eternity'.

The Saint immediately recognised, by revelation, the cunning of the enemy, as he sought to induce him to lukewarmness [...].

Seeing that in this way he had not succeeded in hiding the snare, he prepared another, that is, a carnal stimulus [...].

As soon as the Father notices [such temptation] he strips himself of his robe and scourges himself with extreme harshness with a piece of rope.

«Now Brother Donkey," he exclaims, "so you must submit, so suffer the scourge! The cassock is the Order's, it is not licit to misappropriate it [...]».

But since he saw that with the blows of discipline the temptation would not go away [...] he went out into the garden and plunged naked into the deep snow.

Then taking the snow with his full hands he clutches it and makes seven piles of it in the shape of dummies, then he places himself before them and begins to speak to the body thus:

«Behold, this eldest is thy wife, these four, two are thy sons and two thy daughters; the other two are the servant and the maid, necessary for the service».

«Make haste, you must clothe them all because they are dying of cold. If then this multiple preoccupation is a burden to you, serve the Lord with diligence».

"[...] and the Saint returned to his cell glorifying God" (FF 703).

«For when they rise from the dead, they neither take wives nor husbands, but are as angels in heaven» (Mk 12:25)

Wednesday, 9th wk. in O.T.  (Mk 12:18-27)