What I have been learning from the Saints

Preach the gospel always and if necessary, use words.
St Francis of Assisi

I have used this quote many times in my speaking and preaching. I find it inspiring and challenging, it helps me to know that my actions count, but I found out about a month ago that the quote isn’t true!

In fact, if you do any research on St Francis it seems to actually be quite the opposite to who St Francis was, how he lived, and what he did.

The Life of St Francis

He was all about words and preaching the gospel with them. St Francis was an ascetic (a person characterized by severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons – Oxford Dictionary), so he got rid of all his worldly wealth after enjoying a rich easy life growing up, partying hard for the 12th century and becoming a solider.

It was as a solider while travelling to the Holy Land on the Fourth Crusade that Francis has a dream in which God said he had it all wrong and told him to “go home.” Once home he spent time in solitude and began to pray and weep before God.

His search for conversion led him to the ancient church at San Damiano. While he was praying there, he heard Christ on the crucifix speak to him, “Francis, repair my church.” Francis assumed this meant church with a small c — the crumbling building he was in. Acting again in his impetuous way, he took fabric from his father’s shop and sold it to get money to repair the church.[1] 

He took much of his dad’s products and sold them to fund his repairs. That didn’t go down well! His father labelled him a theft, dragged him before the priest of their local church, demanded that he return the money and renounce all his rights as an heir. The priest told Francis to return the money and said “God will provide.” Francis gave back the money, and there and then, stripped of his clothes (given to him by his father), and gave it all up and walked of in just his underwear!

From now on I can say with complete freedom, ‘Our Father who art in heaven.'” Wearing nothing but castoff rags, he went off into the freezing woods — singing. And when robbers beat him later and took his clothes, he climbed out of the ditch and went off singing again. From then on Francis had nothing…and everything.[2]

So in desiring to “imitate Christ” by living a life of poverty, chastity, and obedience, he sort advice and insight from some spiritual mentors wanting to know if he should devote his life to prayer or preaching. Those mentors both encouraged him to preach.

As soon as he heard this answer and thereby knew the will of Christ, he got to his feet, all aflame with divine power and said to Brother Masseo with great fervour: “So let’s go—in the name of the Lord!” He set out like a bolt of lightning in this spiritual ardour, not paying any attention to the road or path.

They arrived a village called Cannara. And St Francis began to preach, first ordering the swallows who were twittering to keep quiet until he had finished preaching. And the swallows obeyed him.[3]

That miracle with the birds and his message, led to many following God and following him. With those wanting to follow him, so he set up his brotherhood and order of monks that is still going to this day.

Preaching to Animals

But when it comes to preaching there are many stories told of him preaching to people and to animals. The book “Little Flowers” tells of him preaching to a wolf that had been terrorising a local village and brokering a peace deal between the wolf and the village where they feed him and the wolf didn’t eat them! There is a story of him waking past a field and seeing a whole flock of birds and leaping the fence to go in and preach to them. They all stood still and didn’t move as he walked among them and even touched them, the whole time he was preaches to them.

So where did this quote come from? The Franciscan Order has a rule that encourages the Friars to “preach by their deeds”, in other words make sure your actions match your words. But no quote like the one listed above.

I think one of the reasons I really liked this quote was it gave me an excuse for not talking about the Gospel. I can just concentrate of living a “Godly life.” But there has to be more than just actions, or even words, we need both together. We talk about the God we are living our life like and for.

So now to find a new quote.

Cheers

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[1] Catholic Online, St. Francis of Assisi https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=50

[2] Catholic Online, St. Francis of Assisi

[3] Richard J. Foster, Devotional Classics: Revised Edition: Selected Readings for Individuals and Groups (HarperCollins, 2005), 297.