The Miracle of St. Francis (Banner)

St. Francis, the son of a wealthy merchant, received a word from God telling him to “save His church.” Francis supposed that God was referring to the small dilapidated chapel near Assisi that he was occupying at the time. To raise money Francis sold some rugs belonging to his father who in turn took him to court to recover his property. Francis was found guilty and the Archbishop was summoned to exhort Francis in the town’s central piazza. It was a cold snowy day and Francis’ response was to strip away his clothing and money, declaring that from now on repudiated all links to his earthly father and would serve his heavenly father only. The rich man in Matthew 19 went away sad after Jesus told him to sell all that he possessed and follow me. But this time the rich man rejoiced in giving up all he had to follow Jesus. And as Jesus promised, “with God all things are possible” and “the camel jumped through the eye of a needle.”