Listen As You Read
Picture a young man, draped in fine silks, tossing handfuls of gold coins into the air as he carouses through the streets of medieval Assisi.
Now imagine that same man, years later, barefoot and clothed in a rough tunic, preaching to birds and embracing lepers. This stark transformation belongs to one of Christianity’s most beloved and intriguing figures: St. Francis of Assisi.
Born in 1181 to a wealthy cloth merchant, St. Francis’s radical embrace of poverty has inspired countless Christians throughout the centuries to renounce worldly possessions, and to pursue the life of simplicity that Jesus exemplified and called his disciples to emulate.
The Turning Point
St. Francis’s transformation began in his early twenties. After a brief stint as a soldier and a period of imprisonment, he experienced a series of spiritual visions. The most pivotal occurred in the dilapidated church of San Damiano, where he heard Christ speaking to him from the crucifix, saying, “Francis, go and repair my house, which you see is falling down.”
Initially, Francis took this command literally, selling some of his father’s cloth to repair the church. This act of defiance led to a dramatic confrontation with his father. In the town square of Assisi, Francis publicly renounced his inheritance and even the clothes on his back, symbolically stripping himself of his worldly ties.
Embracing Poverty
From that moment on, Francis committed himself to a life of poverty. He begged for food and preached in the streets, attracting followers who were inspired by his radical devotion. In 1209, he founded the Franciscan Order, which emphasized simplicity, charity, and harmony with nature.
St. Francis’s embrace of poverty was not merely an ascetic exercise. He saw it as a way to emulate Christ and to free himself from the distractions of material possessions. His famous prayer, “The Peace Prayer”, encapsulates his philosophy of selfless service.
The Stigmata
Perhaps the most extraordinary event in Francis’s life occurred in September 1224, two years before his death. While praying on Mount La Verna during a 40-day fast, Francis reportedly received the stigmata – bodily marks corresponding to the wounds of the crucified Jesus.
According to accounts from his contemporaries, including his first biographer, Thomas of Celano, Francis experienced a profound mystical event. He saw a vision of a seraph, a six-winged angel, bearing the image of a crucified man. As the vision faded, Francis noticed marks appearing on his own body. These manifestations took the form of nail-like protrusions of flesh on his hands and feet, accompanied by a wound on his side. The latter would occasionally bleed, staining his tunic. Francis’s reaction to these wounds was complex; he experienced both joy and pain, interpreting them as a profound sign of his spiritual unity with Christ’s suffering.
Francis kept these marks hidden as much as possible during his lifetime, revealing them only to a few close companions. However, they became widely known after his death in 1226.
Legacy
St. Francis’s life of voluntary poverty and his stigmata have left an indelible mark on Christianity. His example continues to inspire people to this day, challenging us to consider our relationship with material possessions and our commitment to serving others.
His life’s story reminds us that true wealth may not lie in what we own, but in how we love and serve. As he himself said, “It is in giving that we receive.”
