Francis Hears and Acts

One day, while Francis was praying in a secluded place, Jesus appeared to him fastened to the cross. Francis’s soul melted at the sight, and the memory of Christ’s Passion was impressed so deeply upon his heart that Matthew 16:24 became the pattern of his life. “If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross and follow me.”

Francis did not receive the Gospel merely as information to understand or inspiration to admire. Whatever God revealed to him, he immediately resolved to put it into practice.

Jesus speaks from the Cross at San Damiano

One day, when Francis went out to meditate in the fields, he walked beside the church of San Damiano, which was threatening to collapse. He went inside to pray. While he lay prostrate in prayer, he heard a voice coming from the cross telling him three times, “Francis, go and repair my house, which you see, is falling completely into ruin.”

All he knew was that this old church was falling apart and that it would take money to rebuild it, so he got right to work. We know in hindsight that Jesus was giving Francis a much larger mission: to rebuild the whole Church, which he would later do.

We do not need perfect clarity before making a resolution. We act on what God has made clear today; further light comes through obedience.

Parting from his Father

The father of Francis, Pietro Bernardone, was a cloth merchant. Francis took his father’s cloth to Foligno and sold it along with his horse. He went straight to the broken-down church of San Damiano and gave the money to the priest. Realizing Francis was the son of Pietro Bernardone, and fearing what he would do, the priest refused the money. So, true despiser of money that he was, Francis threw the money on the windowsill of the church, valuing it no more than if it were dust. Pietro heard about this, found his son, but not the money, took him home, beat him, and imprisoned him there.

Then his father set off on a business trip. Meanwhile, his mother, understanding how God was working in the life of Francis, set him free. When his father came back, he wanted his money. So, he found Francis and dragged him before the civil court to get his money back. Francis declared he was no longer subject to the civil authorities because he had consecrated himself to God, so his father immediately took him to Bishop Guido.

Francis immediately stripped himself completely naked, gave his clothes to his father, saying, “Until now I have called you father here on earth, but now I can say without reservation, Our Father who art in Heaven, since I have placed all my treasure and all my hope in Him.”

The bishop was struck by the fervor of Francis. He immediately stood up and, with tears in his eyes, drew Francis into his arms and covered him with his mantle. Then he commanded his servants to bring Francis a cheap cloak. Francis accepted it gratefully and, with his own hand, drew a cross upon it with a piece of chalk.

Bonaventure writes, “So the servant of the Most High King was left naked so that he might follow the naked, crucified Lord whom he loved. The Cross strengthened him to entrust his soul to the wood of salvation that would save him from the shipwreck of the world.”

Repairing Churches

Francis spent the next two years repairing three broken-down churches: San Damiano, St. Peter, and the Portiuncula (St. Mary of the Angels).

At the Portiuncula, Francis heard the Gospel for the Feast of St. Matthias, where Jesus sends the Apostles, commanding them, “Take nothing for the journey. Proclaim the kingdom of God. Call people to conversion.” When Francis heard this, he said, “This is what I want.”

Francis, overflowing with joy, hastened to put the words of salvation into practice. He did not delay. Immediately, he took off his shoes, laid aside his staff and, content with a single tunic, exchanged his leather belt for a cord. As for everything else he heard in the Gospel, he set about doing it with great care.

The first biographer of St. Francis, Thomas of Celano, writes, Francis “was no deaf hearer of the Gospel; rather he committed everything he heard to his excellent memory and was careful to carry it out to the letter.”

Francis listened to the Word of God, and then he put it into action. That is why the Gospel transformed him.

Resolution

Francis was not transformed because he never struggled or failed. In fact, when his father came after him, Francis became frightened and hid for several days. But then he returned to the word God had given him and began again.

Full disclosure, I began today with an examination of conscience in which I saw that yesterday I reacted with anger and defensiveness. So I made the resolution to practice meekness, not reacting in anger. Then I went to Mass, and in the first reading Paul said, “Bear with one another charitably, in complete selflessness, gentleness and patience.” (Eph 4:2) I thought, “Okay, that’s clear. That is my resolution.” Then I got busy with work, and by 10 am I had completely forgotten my resolution, and someone approached me and said, “Hey, you should have done this and you need to do that.” Immediately, I reacted with defensiveness and anger. So much for my good resolution.

There is a simple formula for personal transformation: Come to Jesus in prayer. Listen to his Word in meditation. Act on it. Do what He tells you with a resolution. Two out of three is not enough for personal transformation.

We must go the full distance. So write down your resolution. Ask Jesus for the grace to act when the moment comes. Recall it throughout the day. And if you fail, do not wait until tomorrow, return to your resolution and begin again immediately.

Today, let us be, as St. James tells us, “doers of the Word, and not hearers only.”

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