Francis and Christ Crucified

After his initial vision, Francis sought out secluded places, where one could mourn in peace, and he would groan and pray aloud.  Finally, his prayers were answered and he received an answer from the Lord.   At one point completely absorbed in the Lord, he saw a vision of Christ, crucified before him.  Francis’ soul melted within him, and this vision impressed him so strongly that anytime he had remembrance of Christ on the cross, he would have to restrain himself from weeping.    It was by this vision that Francis finally understood the meaning of Jesus’ words, “If you would come after me, deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me.”

From this point on, Francis took on poverty, humility and goodness.   Up until this point, not only the proximity, but even the distant sight of lepers would disgust him.  But since he saw Christ, marred and despised as any leper, he finally overcame himself.  He would constantly seek to offer humble and gentle service to any leper when he saw them.  He would go to lepers’ homes, offer them alms and then kiss their hands and faces. 

When Francis saw the poor, he would never hesitate to give them something, sometimes his own necessity, stripping off his clothes, or tearing at them to give the poor at least a scrap, when he had nothing else to give.  If he saw a poor priest, he would treat them with the utmost respect and offer them not only goods, but something  for them to place on their altar, so he shared in their worship.

At one point, he visited St. Peters and he saw a group of beggars before the church.  He gladly stripped off his garments, gave them to the neediest beggar there.  Then he spent his day with the beggars, gladly partaking in the poverty of the gospel.

All this he did before he had donned any habit or formed his way of life. 

-From The Life of Francis by Bonaventure, Chapter 1, sections 5 and 6