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The
Life and Times of Francis of Assisi
Francis
Chooses “Lady Poverty”
Francis
Meets the Sultan
The
First Christmas Crèche
An
Ecologist before His Time
Suggestions
for Reading
Legend
of St Francis :
Renunciation of Worldly Goods
Giotto di Bondone, 1297-1299
Fresco, 270 x 230 cm
Upper Church, San Francesco, Assisi
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The
Call of San Damiano
During the
next fall, as Francis was praying
before an ancient crucifix in the desolate chapel of St. Damian’s
below the town, he heard a voice saying: “Go, Francis, and
repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.”
Taking this order literally, as referring to the ruinous church,
Francis went to his father’s shop, impulsively bundled together
a load of drapery, and mounting his horse rushed to Foligno’s
market and sold both horse and stuff to procure the money needed
for the restoration of St. Damian’s. When, however, the officiating
priest refused to receive the gold thus gotten, Francis threw
it from him disdainfully. Pietro Bernardone was irritated by his
son's conduct; but Francis, to avoid his father's rage, hid himself
in a cave near St. Damian’s for a month. When he emerged
from the hiding-place and returned to the town, emaciated with
hunger and dirty, Francis was followed by a yelling crowd, pelted
with mud and stones, and mocked as a madman. Finally, he was dragged
home by his father, beaten, bound, and locked in a closet.
Freed by
his mother during Bernardone's absence, Francis returned to St.
Damian's, where he found a shelter with the priest, but his father
soon cited him before the city consuls. Not content with having
recovered the scattered gold, Pietro sought also to force his
son to give up his heritage. Francis however declared that, since
he had entered the service of God, he was no longer under civil
authority. Having therefore been taken before the bishop, Francis
stripped himself of his clothes and gave them to his father, saying:
"Until now I have called you my father on earth; from now
on I desire to say only ‘Our Father who art in Heaven’."
Francis moved
to a neighbouring monastery and there worked for a time as a scullion.
At Gubbio, Francis obtained the cloak and belt of a pilgrim as
alms. Returning to Assisi, he traversed the city begging stones
for the restoration of St. Damian's. These he carried to the old
chapel, set in place himself, and so at length rebuilt it. In
the same way Francis afterwards restored two other deserted chapels,
St. Peter's, some distance from the city, and St. Mary of the
Angels, in the plain below it, at a spot called the Portiuncula.
Meantime he redoubled his zeal in works of charity, more especially
in nursing the lepers.
Probably
on February 24th, 1208, Francis was hearing Mass in the chapel
of St. Mary of the Angels, near which he had then built himself
a hut; the Gospel of the day told how the disciples of Christ
were to possess neither gold nor silver, nor scrip for their journey,
nor two coats, nor shoes, nor a rod, and that they were to exhort
sinners to repentance and announce the Kingdom of God. Francis
took these words as if spoken directly to him, and threw away
his shoes, mantle, pilgrim staff, and empty wallet. He had found
his vocation.
The
Community of the Friars Minor
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