in honor of today being the feast of Saint Francis day
shortly after his conversion, the humble servant of Christ, Saint Francis, having already gathered many companions and received them into the order, was anxious and doubtful about what he should do. Should he devote himself wholly to prayer or sometimes also to preaching? he greatly desired to know the will of God concerning this question. because of his holy humility, he did not want to trust himself or his own prayer for an answer, so he decided to seek the divine will through the prayers of others.
he called Brother Masseo to him and said, “go to Sister Clare and tell her in my name that, together with her most spiritual companions, she should devoutly pray God to show me whether it is better that i give myself to preaching or to prayer alone. then go to Brother Sylvester and tell him to do the same.” Brother Sylvester was so devout and holy that in prayer he prevailed with God and all that he asked was granted. he talked often with God. Therefore Saint Francis was greatly devoted to him.
Brother Masseo departed and, according to the request of Saint Francis, went to Saint Clare and then to Brother Sylvester. Brother Sylvester immediately started to pray, and while he was praying, he obtained the divine answer. He turned to Brother Masseo and said, “this is what God says to Brother Francis: God has not called him for himself alone, but that he may bear much fruit of souls, and that many through him may be saved.” when he heard that, Brother Masseo returned to Saint Clare, to know what answer she had received from God. She replied that she and the other companions had the same answer from God as the one that Brother Sylvester received. Brother Masseo returned to Saint Francis, who welcomed him with much love, washing his feet and setting food before him. when he had eaten, Saint Francis called Masseo into the woods. there Saint Francis kneeled down before him and drew back his cowl. making a cross of his arms, he asked, “what does my Lord Jesus Christ bid me do?” Brother Masseo answered, “to Brother Sylvester as to Sister Clare and to her companions, Christ revealed that his will is for you to go through the world and preach, because he has chosen you not for yourself alone but also for the salvation of others.”
then Saint Francis rose up with great fervor and said, “let us go in the name of God.” he took as his companions Brother Masseo and Brother Angelo, holy men. Going impetuously, with no thought of way or path....
this is easily one of my favorite stories of the saints. the story goes on to tell of Saint Francis’s preaching, the infamous preaching to the birds, how everyone was ready to drop all they had to follow him yet he told them to not act hastily.. it is a wonderful narrative of a spiritual life lived.
i enjoy this beginning of Saint Francis’s storied life because it has that level of confusion that so many of us bring to the table. he cannot decide if his life with God or holy vocation should be of prayer or preaching. instead of just doing his own decision making he puts it to a trusted group of friends who know him and know God to help discern. when the prayers of the friends yields the same response, he wastes no time in jumping into his calling.
what would happen if we put many of our life decisions and understandings of God into the hands of, not just our own understandings, but to those of the community of God that surrounds us?
