St. Francis of Assisi

"St. Francis of Assisi Praying" by Joseph Légaré, Quebec  1825

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"It is first to be considered that the glorious St. Francis in all the acts of his life was conformable to Christ the Blessed.  And that even As Christ, at the beginning of his mission chose twelve Apostles who were to despise all worldly things and follow Him in poverty and in the other virtues, so St. Francis in the beginning chose for the foundation of his Order twelve companions who were possessed of naught save direst poverty.  And even as one of the twelve Apostles of Christ, being reproved  by God, went and hanged himself by the neck, so one of the twelve companions of St. Francis  whose name was Friar John della Cappella, became a runagate and at last hanged himself by the neck..  Now these things are a great warning to the elect, and matter for humility and fear when they consider that none is certain of persevering to the end in God's grace..."

Triptych of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio

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..."The first companion of St. Francis was Friar Bernard of Assisi, that was converted after this manner:  St. Francis, while yet in the secular habit, albeit he had renounced the world, was wont to go about in meanest guise and so mortified by penance that by many the was held to be a fool, and was mocked and hunted as a madman and pelted with stones and filthy mire both by his kinsfolk and by strangers;  but he, even as one deaf and dumb, went his way enduring every insult and injury patiently.  Now Bernard of Assisi, who was one of the noblest and richest and wisest of that city, began to consider wisely concerning St. Francis and his exceeding contempt of this world and his long-suffering under injury; and that, albeit for two years he had been thus hated and despised by all men, yet did he ever seem more steadfast..."

"The Virgin and Child with St. Francis of Assisi" by Francesco Raibolini (Francia)

..."St. Francis, the most devout servant of the Crucified, had grown almost blind by the rigour of his penance and incessant weeping, ..."

Source:  The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi

"Fear God, love God, convert yourself from bad to good."

_ Saint Francis, from Jorgensen, Life of St. Francis

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"As He revealed Himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so He reveals Himself to us now in sacred bread.  And as they saw only His flesh by an insight of their flesh, yet believed that He was God as they contemplated Him with their spiritual eyes, let us, as we see bread and wine with our bodily eyes, see and firmly believe that they are His most holy Body and Blood living and true.

- Saint Francis, admonition I

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Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and
all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong,
and no human is worthy to mention Your name...
Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks
and serve Him with great humility.

- Saint Francis, The Testament

"The Stigmata of St. Francis" by Giotto

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God is Love

"With our whole heart,
our whole soul,
our whole mind,
with our whole strength and fortitude
with our whole understanding
with all our powers
with every effort,
every affection,
every feeling,
every desire and wish
let us all love the Lord God
Who has given and gives to each of us
our whole body, our whole soul, and our whole life...

let us desire nothing else,
let us want nothing else,
let nothing else please us and cause us delight
except our Creator, Redeemer and savior,
the only true God,
Who is the fullness of good,
all good, every good, the true and supreme good,
Who alone is good,
merciful, gentle, delightful, and sweet,
Who alone is holy,
just, true, holy, and upright,
Who alone is kind, innocent, clean,...
Wherever we are,
in every place,
at ever hour,
at every time of the day,
every day and continually,
let all of us truly and humbly believe,
hold in our heart and love,
honor, adore, serve,
praise and bless,
glorify and exalt,
magnify and give thanks
to the Most High and Supreme Eternal God
Trinity and Unity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Creator of all,
Savior of all
Who believe and hope in Him...

- Saint Francis, The Earlier Rule

"Hail, O Lady!
Holy Queen,
Hail, His Palace!
Hail, His Tabernacle!
Hail, His Dwelling!
Hail, H is Robe!
Hail, His Servant!
Hail, His Mother!

- Saint Francis, Payer to the Blessed Mother

St. Clare and St. Francis by Simone Martin

"I, Brother Francis, wish to follow after the life and poverty of our highest Lord, Jesus Christ, and of his most holy mother, and I will hold out in this to the last."

- St. Francis

St. Francis and St. Louis of Toulouse by Simone Martin

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"Someone who is truly poor in spirit hates himself and loves those who strike him on the cheek."

- Saint Francis, Admonition XIV

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"I feel that I am the greatest sinner that ever existed." 

- St. Francis

Quotation Source:  To Live as Francis Lived by Foley, Weigel and Normile.

EWTN Family Prayer - To be the Lord's Instruments

Feast of St. Francis of Assisi

 "If thou wilt be perfect go and sell that thou hast and give to the poor and follow Me...."Take nothing for your journey, neither staves nor scrip, neither shoes nor money."...If any man will come after Me, let him take up his cross and follow Me."  Then said St. Francis to Bernard, "Behold the counsel that Christ giveth us.  Go, therefore, do faithfully what thou has heard, and blessed the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath deigned to reveal to us the life evangelical." - from the Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi Chapter Two:  Of Friar Bernard Quintavalle, the First Companion of St. Francis, and How He Came to Forsake the World to Follow Him.  And Likewise How Silvester Forsook the World.

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Francis was very hurt that Brother Bernard had not answered his calls.   In fact, Brother Bernard was so engrossed in prayer, he did not hear Francis calling him three times.  Francis then went off by himself.  He proceeded to prostrated himself in prayer asking God to reveal to him why Brother Bernard had ignored his calls.  God said to Francis:   

"O poor little one, wherefore art thou troubled?  Ought a man to forsake God for His creature?  When thou didst call, Friar Bernard was united with Me, and therefore could neither come to thee nor answer thee. Marvel thou not if he could not respond, for he was so lifted out of himself that of thy words he heard none..."   Francis to Brother Bernard:  "I command thee by holy obedience that, in order to punish the arrogance and rashness of my heart, though shalt now, even as I lay me supine on the ground, set one foot on my neck and the other on my moth and so pass thrice from one side to the other, reviling and crying shame on me; and especially shalt thou say, "Lie there, churl, son of Peter Bernadone! whence cometh such pride to thee, though that art so vile a creature?"... - Chapter Three: How St. Francis, by Reason of an Evil Thought he Had Cherished Against Friar Bernard, Commanded the said Friar that he Should Treat on his Neck and Mouth. 

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"O good youth, prithee give them to me, lest birds so gentle, that chaste, humble, and faithful souls are compared to them in the scriptures, fall into the hands of cruel men who would kill them."..."O my little sisters, ye simple doves, innocent and chaste, wherefore suffer yourselves to be caught?  Now will I rescue you from death, and make nests for you, that ye may be fruitful and multiply, according to the commandments of our Creator."  - from Chapter Twenty-two: How St. Francis Tamed the Wild Turtle Doves, and Took into the Friary the Youth Who had Snared them but Had Given them Over.

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..."Come hither friar wolf; I command thee in the name of Christ that thou do hurt neither to me nor to any man."... - from Chapter Twenty-one: Of The Most Holy Miracle that St. Francis Wrought When He Converted the Fierce Wolf of Gubbio.

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Painter - Gerrit van Honthorst

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Painter Annibale Carracci

St. Francis in Ecstasy by Carravacchio

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Death of St. Francis by JoséSantiago Garnelo y Alda

...for when St. Francis came to die, after the manner of the holy patriarch Jacob, with his devout children standing around him, all sorrowing and weeping at the departure of so loving a father, he asked, "Where is my first-born?  Come nigh to me, my son, that my soul may bless thee ere I die."  Then Friar Bernard said secretly to Friar Elias, that was vicar of the Order, "Father, go to the right hand of the saint that he may bless thee."  And Friar Elias drew nigh to his right hand, and St. Francis, that had lost his sight through excess of weeping, placed his right hand on Friar Elias' head, and said to Friar Bernard, "God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ bless thee with all spiritual and celestial blessings.  Thou are the first born, chosen in this holy Order to give evangelical example, and to follow Christ in evangelical poverty, for not only gavest thou thine own substance and didst distribute it wholly and freely to the poor for love of Christ, but though didst offer thyself as to God in this Order, a sacrifice of sweetness.  Blessed be thou therefore by our Lord Jesus Christ and by me, poor little in, His servant, with blessings everlasting, walking and standing, watching and sleeping, living and dying.  Let him that blesseth thee be filled with blessings, and he who curseth thee go not unpunished.  Be thou lord over thy brethren and let all the friars obey thy commands, whosoever thou wilt, let him be received into this Order; let no friar have lordship over thee, and be it lawful to thee to go and to abide wheresoever it may please thee."  - Chapter Six: How St. Francis Blessed the Holy Friar Bernard and Appointed him to be his Vicar on Earth When that he should Pass from this Life. 

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Excerpts from the Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi, The Peter Pauper Press, Mount Vernon.