After repairing the churches San Damiano, San Pietro and the Porziuncola there was no clear directive what to do with his life. It was at this moment that St. Francis heard the Gospel read on the feast of St. Mathias, “Take nothing for your journey, neither gold, nor silver, nor wallet, nor staff…and preach the Kingdom of God.”
St. Francis immediately cried out exultingly, “This is what I wish, this what I seek, this is what I long to do with all my heart.” We who live in such changing times need to own up our vocation every moment. Let us ask the Lord for the Grace to say, this is what I wish, this is what I seek, and this is what I long to do with all my heart.”
Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God, grant us in our misery the grace, to do for You alone, what we know You want us to do, and always to desire what pleases you.
Let us desire nothing, let us wish for nothing else, let nothing else please us and cause us delight except our Creator and Redeemer and Saviour, the one true God.
Wherever we are, in every place, every hour, at every time of day believe truly and humbly and keep in our heart, and love, honour, adore and serve the most high and supreme eternal God.
The Porziuncola is the Bethlehem of the Order, here the Lord increased the brothers, here Clare was received, here the chapters were held and Francis had loved it so much that he did not want to leave this church, if anyone chases you out through one door, get in through the other door. He had a holy attachment to this place. Yet he did not want the ownership of the place and so gave to the Benedictines of Mount Subasio a basket of fish so that the material ownership will belong to them and he would have only the use of it.
Today’s feast refers to the Porziuncola indulgence: He asked the Pope a special indulgence, without requiring any offering, in that church on the anniversary of its consecration. All those who enter this church be freed from the guilt and punishment of all the sins that they have committed from the day of their baptism until the time they entered this church. It was granted, but St. Francis left the Pope’s presence without getting a proof of this indulgence. St. Francis told the Pope, “Your word is enough for me. If this is God’s will, He will make it known. I do not need any paper, the Virgin Mary is the parchment, Christ is my notary and the angels are witnesses.”
From this desire of Francis “to send everybody to heaven” there arises the Franciscan attitude of disponilility and closeness to people.
By Fr. Joy Prakash OFM