St. Francis Of Assisi's Radical Love For Jesus
St. Francis Of Assisi's Radical Love For Jesus
By Jamie Arpin-Ricci
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-arpinricci/st-francis-of-assisi-religious-radical_b_1332912.html?ref=topbar
March 11, 2012
In an age of social media and political punditry, it seems odd to many that I find myself drawn to a long-dead medieval religious fanatic who had a propensity for talking to animals. And yet, in the person of St. Francis of Assisi, I have encountered a timeless and beautiful connection to God -- not merely for my private and personal piety, but as a relevant exemplar for life and faith amidst today's instability. So who is this odd little poor man and what can we learn from his rather idiosyncratic example?
Born Francesco Bernardone in the late 12th century in what is today Italy, this young son of a wealthy merchant earned himself a reputation of being a wild-child, playing the generous playboy who spent his time wooing women and singing songs of knightly valor. He even went off to war to make his hoped-for conquests a reality, though that ended with him languishing in a dungeon as a prisoner of war, his health destroyed along with his hopes and dreams.
When Francis decided to give the rest of his life in service to God, he didn't take the track expected of him. He did not pursue the priesthood, yet was known for his ability to captivate crowds with his preaching. He didn't choose the cloistered life of a monk, yet he embraced vows of poverty and chastity that set him apart in remarkable ways. He created a new way to follow Christ, one that required all the devotion and sacrifice of a religious calling, yet was lived out among the common people, especially the poorest of the poor. And people followed him by the thousands.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
By Jamie Arpin-Ricci
Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-arpinricci/st-francis-of-assisi-religious-radical_b_1332912.html?ref=topbar
March 11, 2012
In an age of social media and political punditry, it seems odd to many that I find myself drawn to a long-dead medieval religious fanatic who had a propensity for talking to animals. And yet, in the person of St. Francis of Assisi, I have encountered a timeless and beautiful connection to God -- not merely for my private and personal piety, but as a relevant exemplar for life and faith amidst today's instability. So who is this odd little poor man and what can we learn from his rather idiosyncratic example?Born Francesco Bernardone in the late 12th century in what is today Italy, this young son of a wealthy merchant earned himself a reputation of being a wild-child, playing the generous playboy who spent his time wooing women and singing songs of knightly valor. He even went off to war to make his hoped-for conquests a reality, though that ended with him languishing in a dungeon as a prisoner of war, his health destroyed along with his hopes and dreams.
When Francis decided to give the rest of his life in service to God, he didn't take the track expected of him. He did not pursue the priesthood, yet was known for his ability to captivate crowds with his preaching. He didn't choose the cloistered life of a monk, yet he embraced vows of poverty and chastity that set him apart in remarkable ways. He created a new way to follow Christ, one that required all the devotion and sacrifice of a religious calling, yet was lived out among the common people, especially the poorest of the poor. And people followed him by the thousands.
Read the full story at www.VirtueOnline.org
No comments:
Post a Comment