I like St. Francis, I’ll tell you.
Francis of Assisi.
For two main reasons. He had a great love, appreciation, and respect for the animal kingdom.
He was a man of peace.
First of all, he wasn’t born as St. Francis. His mom and dad didn’t look at that little baby boy and say, “Let’s name the kid St. Francis.” Nope. That sounds like something Elon Musk would do when he names a kid. St. Francis first came into this world as Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone. His dad was a silk merchant, and his mother was a noblewoman. So he grew up as a pretty wealthy kid.
The way he went on to become a holy guy is kind of a long story. It started off when he met a beggar who was asking for alms. Well. Francis handed over everything he had in his pockets. And from that point on, he started leaning toward his life of holiness and poverty.
When Francis decided to renounce his family’s wealth and pursue a life of poverty and devotion to God, his peeps were not happy. Especially dear old Dad. Heck. Francis even hid in a cave for an entire year because his dad was so hacked off about the deal. They simply couldn’t believe he was walking away from his inheritance and the path his family expected him to follow. They thought he was reckless.
At any rate. There he went. Being a good, good man. Helping the poor. Telling people to give peace a chance. And being kind to animals. He certainly had a great love and respect for all creatures of the Earth. He saw animals as fellow creations of God and treated them with the same kindness and compassion that he extended to humans.
Atta’ boy, Frankie.
So, what does all of this have to do with October 3? Well. He died on this date.
St. Francis of Assisi died on the evening of October 3, 1226, in Assisi, Italy.
You would think God would want to keep him on Earth for a long time. But sadly, his death came after years of living a life of poverty, simplicity, and devotion to that God. According to historical accounts, St. Francis experienced health issues early on, likely resulting from his austere lifestyle and physical hardships.
He had become nearly blind due to an eye ailment, and his body was weakened by years of self-imposed poverty. According to historical accounts, he also had five stigmata on his body, which weakened him. But he kept traveling around and helping people in need. And chatting it up with the birds and unruly wolves and such.
But. When he started getting really sick, St. Francis was brought back to Assisi, where he spent his final days in a small hut near this chapel called the Porziuncola. It was a chapel he had lovingly restored and where he had received his initial calling from God. Surrounded by his fellow friars, he continued to express his love for God and all creation even as his strength faded.
On the evening of October 3, 1226, St. Francis passed away. His last words were said to be a simple blessing: “I have done what is mine to do; may Christ teach you what is yours.” Our good Francis was only about 44 years old.
And then. St. Francis was canonized as a saint just two years later, in 1228, by Pope Gregory IX.
His life and teachings continue to inspire people around the world to this day. When I think of trying to understand the lives of animals, I think about St. Francis, and wonder what he knew.
(1181/1182 – 1226)
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“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
― Albert Einstein
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“Why can’t people just sit and read books and be nice to each other?”
― David Baldacci, The Camel Club
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“The deeds you do may be the only sermon some persons will hear today.”
— St. Francis
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He wasn’t born the saint. He morphed. And tweeted.
