Community Discussion

Ave Maria!

I thought this an appropriate point of meditation on this Pentecost Sunday and wanted to share it with our Franciscan family:

"...the holy man went on a certain Saturday into the city of Assisi, for he was to preach on the Sunday morning, as was his custom, in the Cathedral Church. And being thus absent in body from his children, and engaged in devout prayer to God (as was his custom throughout the night), in a certain hut in the canons garden, about midnight, whilst some of the brethren were asleep, and others watching in prayer, a chariot of fire, of marvellous splendor, was seen to enter the door, and thrice to pass hither and thither through the house; and over the chariot was seen a globe of dazzling light, like to the glory of the sun, which turned the night into day. The watchers were amazed, the sleepers aroused and affrighted; for that light illuminated the spirit no less than the body, and by its marvellous power the conscience of each was laid bare to his brethren. Now all, with one consent, under stood (each beholding the heart of the other) that their holy Father, being absent in body, was present in spirit, and was thus divinely manifested to them, transfigured into that form of heavenly light burning with the fire of celestial virtue, that they, as true Israelites, might follow after him, who, like another Elias, was made by God both the chariot and the charioteer. They believed also that He had opened the eyes of these simple men, at the prayer of Francis, to see the wonderful works of God, as He opened the eyes of the sons of the prophets to behold the mountain full of horsemen and fiery chariots around Elias. Now, when the holy man returned to his brethren, he began to discover the secrets of their consciences, and comforted them concerning this marvellous vision, foretelling also many things which should come to pass for the good of his Order. And as he thus revealed to them many things transcending human knowledge, the brethren knew that the Spirit of the Lord rested in all His plenitude upon His servant Francis, and that they would be most assuredly safe and blessed in following his life and teaching. After these things, Francis, the pastor of this little flock under the guidance of divine grace, led his twelve brethren to St. Mary of the Portiuncula, that the Order of the Friars Minor, which had been born there by the merits of the Mother of God, might there also by her aid receive its increase. And while he abode there, he went about all the cities and towns preaching the Gospel, not with the words of human wisdom, but in the power of the Spirit, announcing the kingdom of God." -The Major Life of St. Francis of Assisi by St. Bonaventure

Pax et bonum