Day 19 – Saint Francis of Assisi (1181–1226)

Saint Francis was born into wealth in the Italian town of Assisi, the son of a prosperous merchant. As a young man, he dreamed of knighthood and glory, but after illness and captivity in war, he began to sense a deeper calling. One day while praying in a ruined church, he heard Christ speak from the cross: “Francis, rebuild my church.” At first he thought this meant repairing the small building before him, but soon he realized it was a call to renew the whole church through a life of radical simplicity and love.

Renouncing his inheritance, Francis embraced poverty, choosing to live among the poor and lepers, seeing in them the face of Christ. He preached in the marketplaces and fields, calling people to repentance and joy. Others soon joined him, and the Franciscan movement was born — a brotherhood devoted to poverty, preaching, and care for creation. His love for the natural world is legendary; he called the sun his brother and the moon his sister, and he sang of all creation praising God.

Francis bore the wounds of Christ in his own body — the stigmata — a sign of his deep identification with the crucified Lord. Yet he is remembered not for suffering alone but for joy: a joy that sprang from knowing Christ as Lord of all. His life was a living sermon of humility, peace, and love.

For us today, Saint Francis of Assisi reminds us that following Jesus means holding loosely to possessions and tightly to Christ. He challenges us to see creation as a gift and our neighbors as brothers and sisters. In a world obsessed with wealth and power, Francis calls us back to the simplicity of the gospel, where joy is found in loving God and serving others.