Lessons from Saint Francis of Assisi: The Wisdom of God’s Beloved Servant

By John Paul Thomas

Saint Francis of Assisi is perhaps the most known and loved saint within the Catholic Church. Though many flock to him because of his portrayal as one who loved animals and nature, he became one of the greatest saints in the history of the world for one simple reason: he was a true servant of the Most High God.

The goal of this book, "Lessons from Saint Francis of Assisi: The Wisdom of God’s Beloved Servant" is to offer various stories from Saint Francis’s life in such a way that the reader can apply them to their own life. Saint Francis was unquestionably one of the greatest saints to ever live. The way he accomplished this greatness is worth studying and imitating.

As you read this book, know that it is best to read in a slow and prayerful way. It is best to take one lesson, reflection, and prayer at a time. Use the lesson for meditation and the reflection and prayer for personal application.

Though it is hard to imagine ourselves ever reaching the heights of sanctity achieved by Saint Francis, know that it is possible for us all. Saint Francis embraced the will of God with a radical abandonment and ongoing zeal. This resulted in him becoming one with Christ and doing great things for God and His Church in a very short period of time.

• Language: English
• Publisher: My Catholic Life Inc.
• Release date: Oct 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005865788

John Paul Thomas

"John Paul Thomas" is the pen name this Catholic priest chose in honor of the Apostles Saints John and Thomas and the great evangelist Saint Paul. This name also evokes the memory of the great Pope Saint John Paul II.John is the beloved apostle who sought out a deeply personal and intimate relationship with his Savior. Hopefully the writings in this book point us all to a deeply personal and intimate relationship with our God. May John be a model of this intimacy and love.Thomas is also a beloved apostle and close friend of Jesus but is well known for his lack of faith in Jesus' resurrection. Though he ultimately entered into a profound faith crying out, "my Lord and my God," he is given to us as a model of our own weakness of faith. Thomas should inspire us to always return to faith when we realize we have doubted.As a Pharisee, Paul severely persecuted the early Christian Church. However, after going through a powerful conversion, he went on to become the great evangelist to the gentiles, founding many new communities of believers and writing many letters contained in Sacred Scripture. His letters are deeply personal and reveal a shepherd's heart. He is a model for all as we seek to embrace our calling to spread the Gospel.

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Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter One—Before His Conversion

Lesson One—A Man Held in Benediction

Lesson Two—An Untamed Personality

Lesson Three—A Generous Spirit

Lesson Four—Glory and Honor

Lesson Five—Joy in Imprisonment

Lesson Six—The Effects of Battle, Illness, and Prison

Lesson Seven—The Lord or the World?

Chapter Two—Francis’s Conversion

Lesson Eight—Conversion Begins

Lesson Nine—Embracing the Lepers

Lesson Ten—Embracing the Poor

Lesson Eleven—His New Mission

Lesson Twelve—Attacks of the Devil

Chapter Three—The Final Foundation

Lesson Thirteen—Facing His Father

Lesson Fourteen—Francis Escapes

Lesson Fifteen—Renouncing His Family and Inheritance

Lesson Sixteen—Robbed and Rejected

Lesson Seventeen—A Miracle of Miracles

Lesson Eighteen—The Final Foundation

Chapter Four—The Friars are Born

Lesson Nineteen—The Discovery of Joy

Lesson Twenty—Preaching Peace with Power

Lesson Twenty-one—Francis’s First Followers

Lesson Twenty-two—The Golden Cross and the Ends of the Earth

Lesson Twenty-three—The First Rule is Approved

Lesson Twenty-four—The Providence of God

Chapter Five—Life as a Friar Minor

Lesson Twenty-five—A Chariot of Fire

Lesson Twenty-six—The Preaching of Francis and His Brothers

Lesson Twenty-seven—The Followers Grow

Lesson Twenty-eight—Taming Temptations of the Flesh

Lesson Twenty-nine—Humility and Obedience

Lesson Thirty—Lady Poverty

Lesson Thirty-one—All Creation Gives Praise to God

Lesson Thirty-two—Prayer

Lesson Thirty-three—Knowledge of the Word of God

Lesson Thirty-four—Prayer and Preaching

Lesson Thirty-five—A Desire for Martyrdom

Lesson Thirty-six—Perfect Joy

Chapter Six—Miracles and Legends

Lesson Thirty-seven—Radical Penance

Lesson Thirty-eight—Apparition of Saints Peter and Paul

Lesson Thirty-nine—An Apparition of Christ Himself

Lesson Forty—The Wolf of Gubbio

Lesson Forty-one—Healing of Leprosy, Body and Soul

Lesson Forty-two—The Conversion of Three Murderous Robbers

Lesson Forty-three—Saint Anthony of Padua

Lesson Forty-four—God’s Creatures and Creation Obey the Saint

Chapter Seven—The Final Years

Lesson Forty-five—Explosion of the Order

Lesson Forty-six—The Second Rule is Approved

Lesson Forty-seven—Greccio

Lesson Forty-eight—Stigmata

Lesson Forty-nine—Preparing for Death

Lesson Fifty—Falling Asleep in Christ

Lesson Fifty-one—Miracles after the Death of Francis

Lesson Fifty-two—Canonization

Introduction

Saint Francis of Assisi is perhaps the most known and loved saint within the Catholic Church. Though many flock to him because of his portrayal as one who loved animals and nature, he became one of the greatest saints in the history of the world for one simple reason: he was a true servant of the Most High God.

Francis of Assisi was most likely born in the year 1181 in the small town of Assisi, Italy, about 100 miles north of Rome. He was born into the merchant class, his father being a seller of fine silk. As a youth, Francis was known to be quite lively, often the center of attention among friends. As a teenager, he enjoyed parties, singing and was quite worldly.

His father wanted Francis to join him in the family business which Francis did with disinterest. He was far more interested in his friends and in having a good time than he was with work. This caused tensions at home on a regular basis.

As a young adult, Francis had dreams of doing great things. However, the great things he dreamt of had much more to do with obtaining worldly honors than with honoring God. One of his greatest desires was to become a great knight. His family also desired he become a knight so that their societal status would be elevated.

Around the year 1202, Francis’s dream of becoming a great knight began to move forward. He was fitted with fine armor, a sword, and a horse and sent into battle against the neighboring town of Perugia. Success in that battle would prepare him to one day become a Crusader in the pope’s army, hopefully earning him the dignity of a knight. But the battle of Perugia was short and ended in Francis’s capture and imprisonment. As Francis waited a year for his father to pay the ransom for his release, he suffered greatly with the other men who were imprisoned.

After his release, Francis spent months with a serious illness. Both his imprisonment and illness affected him greatly, and he began to reevaluate his life. Despite that, in 1205 he set off for another battle in the army of the Count of Brienne, once again well fitted with a horse, sword, and armor. Before he arrived, however, Francis had a vision that would change his life. In that vision, Francis heard a voice say to him, Who can do more for you? The master or the servant? The rich man or poor man? Francis quickly answered, The rich master! The voice then asked, Then why do you leave the Lord for the servant and the God of infinite riches for the poor mortal? This vision was enough for Francis to turn around and return to Assisi in search of God’s will.

Over the next year, Francis and his father regularly were at odds. Francis began to pray and seek God’s will for his life while his father continued to insist that Francis become a knight or work in the family business. During that year, Francis began to grow in a love for the poor and even served the lepers at a nearby hospital. While praying one day in the dilapidated Church of San Damiano, Francis heard a voice from Heaven say to him, Go, repair my house which, as you see, is falling completely to ruin. With that, he began to physically repair that church, live in solitude, and pray continually.

The family conflict between Francis and his father came to a head in 1206 when Francis was twenty-five years old. He and his father formally parted ways in the presence of the Bishop of Assisi and Francis renounced his inheritance, choosing only God as his Father. Over the next three years, Francis began to live his new life of poverty, prayer, and service of God.

At first, most of the townspeople thought Francis was out of his mind and they ridiculed him. But as time passed, Francis began to attract some followers. He and his followers spent much time praying, listening to the voice of God, serving the poor and lepers, and working with their hands to repair abandoned churches.

By the year 1209, Francis and his followers numbered twelve. They decided to write a new Rule for their common life and made a pilgrimage to Rome to get papal approval for their Rule. Once the pope verbally approved their Rule, Francis and his companions returned to Assisi and took up residence in a small church called the Portiuncula. From there, Brother Francis and his Friars Minor began their life of prayer and missionary preaching. Now, instead of rebuilding physical churches, they began to rebuild God’s Church, the spiritual Body of Christ.

Over the next ten years, the Order of Friars Minor grew from only twelve to about five thousand. They took up residence across Europe and began to have a powerful effect upon many people. Francis continued to preach and was also the instrument of countless miracles. In 1223, the pope approved the final and definitive Rule of the Friars Minor in writing, and Francis entered into the final years of his life.

In 1224, while on a forty-day retreat, Francis was gifted with the stigmata, the visible wounds of Christ in his hands, feet and side. Those final two years were also marked with much suffering from various illnesses and the loss of his sight.

On October 4, 1226, after being unable to find a cure for his many illnesses, Saint Francis died surrounded by his brothers in Assisi at the Portiuncula where his life as a Friar Minor began. Just two years later, Pope Gregory IX canonized him as a saint and his legacy continued to grow.

The goal of this book is to offer various stories from Saint Francis’s life in such a way that the reader can apply them to their own life. Saint Francis was unquestionably one of the greatest saints to ever live. The way he accomplished this greatness is worth studying and imitating.

As you read this book, know that it is best to read in a slow and prayerful way. It is best to take one lesson, reflection, and prayer at a time. Use the lesson for meditation and the reflection and prayer for personal application.

Though it is hard to imagine ourselves ever reaching the heights of sanctity achieved by Saint Francis, know that it is possible for us all. Saint Francis embraced the will of God with a radical abandonment and ongoing zeal. This resulted in him becoming one with Christ and doing great things for God and His Church in a very short period of time.

Saint Francis, as I begin to prayerfully ponder your life, please pray for me. Pray that my mind will be enlightened by Christ and that my will be inflamed with a burning desire to serve Him. May I learn from your example and benefit from your prayers. I entrust my reflection on the lessons of your life to your trustworthy intercession. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, I trust in You.

Chapter One

Before His Conversion

Lesson One—A Man Held in Benediction

Lesson: In 1260, thirty-four years after the death of Saint Francis, the Franciscan Order held a general chapter in Narbonne. At that time, the Minister General was Saint Bonaventure, who has subsequently come to be known as the Seraphic Doctor of the Church. At that general chapter, the chapter members asked Saint Bonaventure to write a new Life of Saint Francis, which would be used as the official and only biography of their beloved founder. Saint Bonaventure completed this work and formally presented it to the friars at the general chapter of Pisa in 1263.

Saint Bonaventure begins his biography of Saint Francis by stating, There was a man in the city of Assisi, by name Francis, whose memory is blessed… This opening sentence of the Life of Saint Francis offers a lot to ponder as we begin our lessons and reflections on this holy man of God.

Saint Bonaventure was only five years old when Francis died in 1226. Even though Bonaventure did not become a Franciscan until 1243, seventeen years after Francis’s death, he came to know Francis well. He listened to many lectures on Saint Francis, studied the Franciscan Rule, listened to stories, conversed with his companions, visited his hermitages, and saw the effect that this humble and poor man had upon the people of his time. Perhaps it was this last experience that led him to begin his biography of Francis with those words, …whose memory is blessed.

Why was the mere memory of Saint Francis blessed? Why, when people spoke of him, were they excited, inspired, and drawn to God? What was it that enabled this man of poverty and simplicity to spark not only the conversion of a nation, but an entire world?

Even in our day and age, some 800 years later, Saint Francis is still one of the most beloved saints of our Church. His memory still inspires, evokes zeal, offers hope, and offers us a model for holiness.

Saint Bonaventure, the Seraphic Doctor of the Church, did not know Francis personally, but he knew the memory of Saint Francis. He knew him through his works and the experiences of his first followers.

Reflection: Consider your own life and the effect that you will, or will not, one day have upon the memory of others. What will they say about you? Will your life continue to inspire and offer hope long after you physically leave this world? What legacy will you leave behind?

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