October 4th: Feast of Seraphic Stigmatist St. Francis of Assisi.

Started by Xavier, October 04, 2018, 03:32:18 AM

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Xavier

Happy Feast! From Fr. Butler's entry in Lives of the Saints, "October 4.—ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI.

ST. FRANCIS, the son of a merchant of Assisi, was born in that city in 1182. Chosen by God to be a living manifestation to the world of Christ's poor and suffering life on earth, he was early inspired with a high esteem and burning love of poverty and humiliation. The thought of the Man of Sorrows, Who had not where to lay His head, filled him with holy envy of the poor, and constrained him to renounce the wealth and worldly station which he abhorred. The scorn and hard usage which he met with from his father and townsmen when he appeared among them in the garb of poverty were delightful to him. "Now," he exclaimed, "I can say truly, 'Our Father Who art in heaven.'" But divine love burned in him too mightily not to kindle like desires in other hearts. Many joined themselves to him, and were constituted by Pope Innocent III. into a religious Order, which spread rapidly throughout Christendom. St. Francis, after visiting the East in the vain quest of martyrdom, spent his life like his Divine Master—now in preaching to the multitudes, now amid desert solitudes in fasting and contemplation. During one of these retreats he received on his hands, feet, and side the print of the five bleeding wounds of Jesus. With the cry, "Welcome, sister Death," he passed to the glory of his God October 4, 1226.

Reflection.—"My God and my all," St. Francis' constant prayer, explains both his poverty and his wealth."


http://www.catholictradition.org/Passion/assisi2.htm#CHRIST

PRAYER OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
BEFORE THE BLESSED SACRAMENT
We adore Thee, O Lord Jesus Christ, in this Church and all 
the Churches of the world, and we bless Thee, because, 
by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
VIRGIN AND CHILD HOLY CARD

ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI'S PRAYER IN PRAISE
OF MARY, THE MOTHER OF JESUS

Hail, holy Lady, most holy Queen,
Mary, Mother of God, ever Virgin.
Thou wert chosen by the Most High Father in Heaven,
consecrated by Him, with His most Holy Beloved Son
and the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

On thee descended and still remains 
all the fullness of grace and every good.
Hail, His Palace.
Hail His Tabernacle.
Hail His Robe.
Hail His Handmaid.
Hail, His Mother.
and Hail, all holy Virtues, who, 
by grace and inspiration of the Holy Spirit,
are poured into the hearts of the faithful
so that from their faithless state,
they may be made faithful servants of God through thee.

A PRAYER [From the Raccolta]

O glorious Saint Francis, who, even in thy youth, with a generous heart didst renounce the comfort and ease of thy father's house in order to follow Jesus more closely in His humility and poverty, in His mortification and passionate love of the Cross, and didst thereby merit to behold the miraculous Stigmata impressed upon thy flesh and to bear them about with thee, obtain for us also, we pray, the grace of passing through our life here below, as though insensible to the ephemeral splendor of all earthly possessions, with our hearts constantly beating with love of Jesus Crucified even in the darkest and saddest hours of life and with our eyes serenely raised toward Heaven, as though already enjoying a foretaste of the eternal possession of the infinite Good with his divine and everlasting joys.

PRAYER 2 [From the Raccolta]

Lord Jesus Christ, Who, when the world was growing cold, didst renew in the flesh of blessed Francis, the sacred marks of Thy Passion in order to inflame our hearts with the fire of Thy love; mercifully grant that, by his merits and prayers, we may always carry the cross and bring forth fruits worthy of repentance: Who livest and reignest for ever and ever. Amen.
Bible verses on walking blamelessly with God, after being forgiven from our former sins. Some verses here: https://dailyverses.net/blameless

"[2] He that walketh without blemish, and worketh justice:[3] He that speaketh truth in his heart, who hath not used deceit in his tongue: Nor hath done evil to his neighbour: nor taken up a reproach against his neighbours.(Psalm 14)

"[2] For in many things we all offend. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man."(James 3)

"[14] And do ye all things without murmurings and hesitations; [15] That you may be blameless, and sincere children of God, without reproof, in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; among whom you shine as lights in the world." (Phil 2:14-15)

MundaCorMeum

There's a stained glass window of St. Francis and the wolf at our parish, in the back of the church.  The baby and I often end up pacing between St. Francis and St. Anthony, who is on the other side of the church.  Every time she sees St. Francis' window, she says, "doggy get you? doggy get you?"  I always assure her that no, the "doggy will not get you"  ;D  I also have an older daughter who loves animals and nature.  So, we have a special place for St. Francis here....Sancti Francisci, Ora pro nobis!