Saint Assisi’s
Service and Sacrifice
He served
and ministered to the sick and poor. He
embraced lepers. He lived in absolute
poverty. His name was Saint Francis of Assisi. Saint Francis was the son of a wealthy cloth
merchant. During his early life, Francis
spent his days hosting parties with his family’s riches, which left him little
time for God. Shortly after being
ransomed from prison, and contracting sickness, Francis believed that God was
using these significant trials in his life to reform his ways and lead him to
take up ministry. Francis gave up his
wealth and quickly traveled from town to town, preaching and helping the
feeble.
Saint
Francis, who is now regarded as one of the holiest men of his day, led an early
life encompassed by frivolity. Saint
Francis was born in Assisi, Italy
to a prosperous family. His early life
was not that of a saint’s. Frequently,
lavishly, and liberally, he hosted massive banquets for nobles. At these feasts, his friends joyously
proclaimed him, “King of Feasts.”
Francis’s busy life of partying and selling cloth left him with little
or no time for God. Francis, being dashing,
pleasant, and learned, constantly dreamt of knighthood. His native land
of Assisi was battling Perugia. Naturally, he decided to join the war. While fighting, Francis was wounded, taken
prisoner, and diagnosed with Malaria.
Francis began to reconsider his frivolous early life.
Francis
gave up his partying ways and converted to Christianity. Francis, who was ransomed by his father,
returned to Assisi. Sickness again took hold of him. Finally, after his trials, Francis began to
consider a profession of peace and justice.
Francis had a vision. Once,
Francis was spoken to by a mysterious voice.
He was convinced that it was God who had talked to him. He felt urged in another area of
service. Lepers disgusted Francis. One day, Francis met one, and rather than
merely throwing him a coin and proceeding, Francis embraced the leper. On another occasion, in the church
of San Damiano, a tremendous voice,
commanded Francis to rebuild the church.
He eventually realized that God was compelling him to build up the
church at large. He also recognized that
Christianity would set him in contrast to his society and distance him from his
family and friends. Francis’s conversion
marked an enormous turning point in his life, preparing him to minister to
lepers and build up the church as a Christian.
Saint
Francis forsook his wealth for ministry.
Francis could have lived in riches and comfort. In patterning his life after Christ’s,
however, he gave up his wealth and position.
Tenaciously, he trudged through cities and villages, ministering to
lepers. He also tended the sick and
poor. Many were roused by Francis’s call
to extreme poverty. Devout Franciscan
friars, who were also known as “Little Brothers,” owned no property or estate,
not even a monastery. The spent their
lives devotedly traveling from town to town helping others. Francis gave up a life of luxury in exchange
for sacrifice.
During his ministry, Saint Francis
demonstrated a vast amount of selflessness.
Francis’s family was profusely wealthy, yet he turned his back on his
family fortune and frivolous lifestyle.
Francis experienced many trials, which he believed was God calling him
to ministry. Francis reformed and lived
a life of ministry and poverty. Francis
set a lasting precedent for future generations of Christians, and those who
would follow the Franciscan Order, embracing his lifestyle of service and
sacrifice.
