The Spirit of St Francis

Inspiring Words on Faith, Love and Creation

Pope Francis

• Publisher: SPCK Publishing
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN:
  9780281074327
• Print ISBN:
  9780281074310
• Topic: Theology & Religion

A unique, inspiring and beautifully crafted sequence of meditations, drawn from the Pope's speeches and tweets since becoming pontiff in 2013. Reveals the genius of a global leader whose message transcends religious boundaries. Produced in cooperation with the Vatican. 'Some people want to know why I wished to be called Francis. For me, Francis of Assisi is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.' Pope Francis, March 16, 2013. By taking the name of one of the most widely respected figures in history, Pope Francis set a high bar for his papacy. The legacy of St Francis is epic: a breath-taking testament to divine love and the human capacity for compassion and joy. Since his election in March 2013, the pope's Franciscan 'accent' has become increasingly evident. His optimism, creativity, courage, and playful sense of humour are reminiscent of the beloved saint.

Contents

Introduction ~ ix

Chapter One ~ We Are Infinitely Loved ~ 1

Chapter Two ~ God Never Tires of Forgiving Us ~ 19

Chapter Three ~ Entrust Yourself to God’s Mercy ~ 39

Chapter Four ~ Dive into Prayer ~ 55

Chapter Five ~ Discover True Joy ~ 73

Chapter Six ~ Choose Simplicity and Humility ~ 91

Chapter Seven ~ Do Not Forget the Poor! ~ 107

Chapter Eight ~ Preach the Gospel at All Times ~ 127

Chapter Nine ~ Be Instruments of Peace and Pardon ~ 147

Chapter Ten ~ Respect and Protect Creation ~ 167

Introduction

Some people want to know why I wished to be called Francis. For me, Francis of Assisi is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation.

—Pope Francis, March 16, 2013

By taking the name of one of the most venerated figures in Christendom, Pope Francis set a high bar for his papacy.

The legacy of Francis of Assisi (1182–1226) is epic, a breathtaking testament to divine love and the human capacity for compassion, joy, and peace. God opened Francis’s eyes to the reality of the spiritual world, and in response Francis divested himself of every personal and social encumbrance. Rejoicing in hope, burning with love, Francis set out to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His words, together with the witness of his life, sparked thousands of conversions, long-overdue reforms in the Church, and a spiritual movement that continues to this day.

Since his election in March 2013, the pope’s Franciscan “accent” has become increasingly evident. His optimism, creativity, courage, and playful sense of humor are reminiscent of the beloved saint. He too engages listeners with warmth and wit, embodying an irresistible, modern spirituality. The chapters of this book outline a manner of living that is at once faithful to the teachings of Jesus and illuminated by the spirit of “the poor little man” from Assisi. Moreover, they reveal the genius of a global leader whose message transcends religious boundaries. What, exactly, is Pope Francis’s message? In a sentence, his message is: “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love is the energy at the heart of the universe. Love created the world, love sustains the world, and love unites the world. In God’s great heart, the heart that beats at the center of the universe, we are all connected, we are all one. More personally, the hope that Pope Francis articulates every day is that you will encounter the tender and transforming love of Jesus Christ.

A word about the genesis and development of this book. The quotations presented in these pages have been selected and arranged with care. They are taken directly from the official Vatican texts of Pope Francis’s homilies, speeches, tweets, audiences, prayers, daily meditations, and writings. Fr. Guiseppe Costa, S.D.B, director of the Vatican Publishing House, has reviewed the text. This is notable because Pope Francis’s words have sometimes been mistranslated or misrepresented. Be assured that the quotations in this book are accurate and are never taken out of context.

Finally, although the chapters and quotations have been arranged in a certain way, they may be read in any order. Let your experience and curiosity be your guide. Trust it, trust yourself, and trust that the message you most need to hear will find you. Whether you are at the beginning, middle, or end of your spiritual journey, may Pope Francis’s words strengthen you and give you hope for the future. And may St. Francis of Assisi bless you as he blessed his companion Brother Leo nearly eight hundred years ago:

The Lord bless you and keep you.

May he show his face to you and have mercy.

May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace.

The Lord bless you!

—Blessing of St. Francis of Assisi to Brother Leo

—Alicia von Stamwitz,

editor

Chapter One

~ We Are Infinitely Loved ~

Among other words used in ordinary conversation,

[Francis of Assisi] could never hear “the love of God” without a kind of transformation within himself.

For immediately upon hearing “the love of God,” he would become excited, stirred, and inflamed, as though an inner chord of his heart had been plucked by the plectrum of the outward voice of the speaker….

“The love of him,” he said, “who loved us much is much to be loved.”1

—Thomas of Celano,The Second Life of Saint Francis

1. Celano quote from Marion A. Habig, St. Francis of Assisi: Writings and Early Biographies: English Omnibus of the Sources for the Life of St. Francis Cincinnati: Franciscan Media, 2012), pp. 519–520. Hereinafter called Omnibus. A plectrum is a tiny piece of ivory or metal, used in playing a lyre or other such strin...

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