St. Francis of Assisi

St. Francis of Assisi was the son of a wealthy silk merchant, living his life as a soldier and wealthy young man, until he had a vision.  He lost taste for worldly things and was moved to live in poverty.  Choosing to live a life with little to no worldly goods is hard to imagine.  We walk around saying we don't need these things but a frequent trip to LOFT is what sometimes kept me sane on sad lonely days in DC.  Material possessions (and the desire for them) are what kept my life insane from October to the end of the Holidays in January for the past two years (retail!).  I know we don’t live this way (a life of simplicity)-- not in the US, but not really anywhere.  It is a choice made my an individual who at some point in his or her life has an experience that is both profound and unworldly.  It is an experience that I feel can only be described by God's grace. How is it that St. Francis could live on so little by choice?!  He is evidence of God's grace working and proof that poverty has been a part of life since the 11th century. 

I am eager to learn about the life of someone who could have had what we call "The American Dream," but chose to have nothing--nothing of this world at least.  Instead he was filled with a desire to serve God and preach the good news to the people of Italy.  He created an entire community of followers who came to also believe that the "Franciscan way" of life was the way which was most related to the way Christ chose to live out his life.  As I think about how St. Francis must have trusted in God, I am astounded and ashamed.  Okay, I realize he was a saint, and God called on him in a specific and spectacular way.  My questions are: How did St. Francis find strength to life with nothing?  How did St. Francis share the word in a way that created a following of thousands.  God's love and persistence was there, no doubt. 

As I continue to live in Italy for the next two months I hope to learn more about the life and sacrifices of St. Francis of Assisi.  I also hope to carry these thoughts and observations from all that I learn into my next experience.  That is one that deserves a whole other blog post to explain.  And so I keep attempting to learn and search for new ideas everyday I am here...