Perhaps his most famous
sermon was his sermon to a flock of birds: "My brothers, birds, you
should praise your Creator very much and always love him"
The Spiritual Dreams of St
Francis of Assisi
by Brian Alan Burhoe
Of all the Medieval
Christian Mystics, from St Bridget to Terese of Avila, St Francis is
the most important, reminding us of Christ's spiritual teachings.
For Francis, it began with a
vivid Dream...
While Francis was in the
city of Spoleta, he had the first of a series of dreams that
completely changed his life. At that time, Francis was a knight.
Already experienced in battle, he was preparing to enter another
military campaign.
In his dream, Francis found himself in a vast
castle hall, its stone walls covered with shields and armor, each
polished piece marked with the Cross. A voice sounded through the
castle, saying, "These are for you and your followers."
Francis, who had been
questioning the direction of his life, answered, "Then I am to
embrace knighthood and go to war."
But the Voice asked, "Francis, is it better to
serve the Lord or the servant?"
"Oh, sir, the Lord, of course."
"Then why are you trying to turn your Lord into a
servant?"
Now Francis realized who was
speaking to him. "Lord," Francis said, "What do you want of me?"
"Return to Assisi. There it
will be revealed to you what you are to do. And you will come to
understand the meaning of this vision."
Francis woke up with the
memory of the dream vivid in his mind. He would never forget it.
Born at Assisi in 1181, Francis was the son of a
prosperous cloth merchant. He never wanted for money and expected
his life to be one as a merchant or a knight. Returning home after
that first dream, he distressed his family by living a completely
different life. Francis began to care for the poor and the sick.
Later, he had a second dream in which the Voice
said to him: "Go, Francis, and repair my House which, as you know,
is falling into ruins."
This began his mystic life. Giving up all his
family's wealth, he set out on a Spiritual quest. He gathered about
him a group of companions. Eventually, with the approval of Pope
Innocent III, he formed the Friars Minor, the beginning of the
Franciscan Order.
Francis traveled throughout
Italy and beyond, preaching a gospel of Spirituality, simplicity and
poverty.
He was joined by Clare Sciffi, a girl from a
noble family. Abandoning her family, she would go on, under Francis'
spiritual guidance, to found the sisterhood of the Poor Ladies.
Perhaps his most famous sermon was his sermon to
a flock of birds: "My brothers, birds, you should praise your
Creator very much and always love him. He gave you feathers to
clothe your wings so that you can fly. And whatever else was
necessary for your life. God made you noble among his creatures, and
gave you a home in the purity of the air, though you neither sow nor
reap, He nevertheless protects and governs you without your asking."
To his fellow humans he
preached: "If you have men who will exclude any of God's creatures
from the shelter of compassion and pity, you will have men who will
deal likewise with their fellow men."
During Christmastide of
1223, Francis told his brotherhood that they should celebrate the
Nativity in a new manner, by recreating the stable manger where
Christ first slept in Bethlehem.
Thus
began the popular depiction of the straw-filled Manger as a true
Christian symbol: the symbol of Christ's birth -- just as the Cross
represented the Death and continuation of Christ's teachings.
Christmas
was a favorite feast of Francis and he "wished to persuade the
Emperor to make a special law that men should then provide well for
the birds and the beasts, as well as for the poor, so that all might
have occasion to rejoice in the Lord."
Toward the end of his life, Francis taught his
friars the following verses to sing when they preached:
"Praise to thee, my Lord, for all Thy creatures,
above all Brother Sun, who brings us the day and lends us his
light."
"Praise to Thee, my Lord,
for Brother Wind, for air and cloud, for calm and all weather, by
which Thou supportest life in all Thy creatures."
"Praise to Thee, my Lord, for Sister Water, who
is so useful and humble, precious and pure."
"Praise to Thee, my Lord,
for our sister Mother Earth, who sustains and directs us, and brings
forth varied fruits, and colored flowers, and plants."
"Amen."
The teachings and Life of Francis of Assisi
remain to guide us through a truly Spiritual Life.
For more about St Francis, as well as Saint
Benedict who inspired the new Pope to take the name Benedict XVI,
and other Medieval Christian Mystics, see
MEDIEVAL CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM & MODERN DREAM INTERPRETATION
See more Articles by
Brian Alan Burhoe at PUPPY DOGS INFO:
http://www.puppy-dogs.info
About the author Brian Alan Burhoe is the author
of many articles and short stories. His Home Page is
ORN ITHANTHROPUS Science Fantasy by B Alan Burhoe. Many of his
animal-related articles can be found at
PUPPY DOGS INFO.
Or just do an Author Search at GoArticles
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