Francis's last years were of much physical suffering, but also great spiritual joy!
He was only about 40 years old, but his body was destroyed!
Years of hunger, cold, hard work, and illness had taken their toll!
But Francis didn't complain! He offered everything with joy!
"Welcome, my sister illnesses!" he would say.
Francis's Illnesses
Francis had several serious health problems!
He suffered from malaria he contracted in Egypt - he had terrible fevers!
His eyes were diseased - he was almost blind! Light caused terrible pain!
He had stomach ulcers from extreme fasting!
His hands and feet hurt constantly!
But he never asked for relief! He never complained!
On the contrary, he gave thanks: "Thank you, Lord, for letting me participate in Christ's sufferings!"
The Retreat on Mount Alverna
In September 1224, Francis decided to make a spiritual retreat!
He went to an isolated place called Mount Alverna (or La Verna)!
It was a high, rocky mountain with dense forest!
Francis wanted to be alone with God! To pray! To meditate!
He took only a few friars who stayed at a distance!
Francis built a simple hut and began to pray!
For 40 days, he fasted and prayed almost without stopping!
Francis meditated especially on Christ's Passion!
He thought about Jesus's sufferings! The cross! The wounds! The love!
He prayed: "Lord, I want to feel what You felt! I want to love You as You loved me!"
Francis wept with compassion for Jesus!
He wanted to unite himself totally with the Savior's sufferings!
And God heard this prayer in an extraordinary way...
September 14, 1224: The Stigmata
It was the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross!
Francis was praying at dawn, deeply absorbed!
Suddenly, he saw a brilliant light descending from heaven!
In the light, a seraph appeared - an angel with six wings of fire!
And between the seraph's wings, Francis saw Jesus crucified!
The vision was both beautiful and terrible!
Francis was amazed and confused!
"Why does Christ appear crucified in a seraph?" he thought.
The vision approached! Rays of light came from Christ's wounds!
And these rays struck Francis in his hands, feet, and side!
Francis felt terrible pain! As if nails were piercing his hands and feet!
When the vision disappeared, Francis looked at himself...
And saw: he had the marks of Christ's crucifixion on his body!
Francis tried to hide the wounds!
He wore long sleeves! Socks! He didn't want anyone to know!
Why? Out of humility! He didn't want attention!
But it was hard to hide! The wounds bled! They stained his clothes!
The closest friars discovered!
They were amazed! "Francis is a saint! God marked him with Christ's wounds!"
But Francis asked for secrecy: "Don't tell anyone! It's between me and Jesus!"
The Return to Assisi
Francis came down from Mount Alverna transformed!
His body was even weaker! The wounds hurt terribly!
He could barely walk! Sometimes he had to be carried!
But his soul was radiant! Closer to Jesus than ever!
He returned to Assisi, to the Portiuncula, his beloved place!
There, surrounded by his friars, Francis would live his last days!
The Canticle of the Creatures
In 1225, Francis was gravely ill!
Almost blind! In terrible pain! Near death!
He was in a dark hut (because light hurt his eyes)!
Any normal person would be depressed, complaining!
But Francis? Francis composed a canticle!
The most beautiful canticle of praise to creation: the Canticle of the Creatures (or Canticle of Brother Sun)!
Francis sang with a weak but joyful voice:
Yours are the praise, the glory, the honor and all blessing!
Be praised, my Lord, with all your creatures,
Especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who brings the day and through whom You give us light!
Be praised, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the Stars!
For Sister Water, for Brother Fire, for Sister Mother Earth!
Be praised, my Lord, for those who forgive for love of You,
And bear infirmity and tribulation!
Be praised, my Lord, for our Sister Bodily Death!"
The Last Days
In October 1226, Francis knew he was going to die!
He asked to be taken to the Portiuncula! He wanted to die there, in his beloved place!
The friars carried him! He was so weak he could barely move!
On the way, Francis asked them to stop on a hill!
From there, he could see Assisi, the city he loved!
Francis blessed the city: "God bless you, Assisi! You were my mother!"
At the Portiuncula, Francis called all the friars!
He gave them his last counsels:
"Always love Lady Poverty! She is our treasure!"
"Love Holy Mother Church! Always be obedient!"
"Love one another as Jesus loved us!"
Then, he asked them to read the Gospel of John's Passion!
While listening, Francis wept with love for Jesus!
October 3, 1226: Death
On Saturday, October 3, at dusk, Francis was dying!
He was lying naked on the bare ground!
Why naked? Because he wanted to die as he was born! Poor like Christ!
He asked for bread and shared it with the friars - like Jesus at the Last Supper!
He sang Psalm 141: "With my voice I cry to the Lord... bring my soul out of prison!"
And at 7 PM, Francis died peacefully!
But something marvelous happened!
The friars present testified: they saw thousands of larks (birds Francis loved) flying over the hut, singing joyfully!
It was as if all creation was celebrating Francis's arrival in heaven!
And when the friars prepared the body, they clearly saw the stigmata!
The sacred wounds were visible to all! Proof of Francis's extraordinary love!
The Funeral and Canonization
Francis's funeral was extraordinary!
All of Assisi wept! But they also rejoiced! "We have a saint!"
The body was carried in procession! They stopped at the church of San Damiano!
There, Saint Clare and her sisters could say goodbye!
Clare cried: "Farewell, father! Farewell, friend! Until heaven!"
Francis was buried in Assisi, in the church of San Giorgio!
Just two years later, in 1228, Pope Gregory IX canonized Francis!
One of the fastest canonization processes in history!
It was obvious to everyone: Francis was a saint!
The Pope began construction of the Basilica of Saint Francis in Assisi!
Today it's one of the most visited shrines in the world!
And the Franciscan friars? They continue throughout the world! More than 100,000 today!
The Legacy of Saint Francis
Saint Francis left an extraordinary legacy to the world:
✝️ Radical love for Christ - Francis loved Jesus above all!
✝️ Evangelical poverty - He proved that wealth doesn't bring happiness!
✝️ Love for creation - He called everything brother: sun, moon, animals, plants!
✝️ Joy in suffering - He sang praises even sick and dying!
✝️ Peace and forgiveness - His greeting: "Peace and good!"
✝️ Deep humility - He wanted to be the least of all!
✝️ Union with Christ - The stigmata proved his intimacy with Jesus!
Today, Saint Francis is one of the world's most beloved saints!
Catholics venerate him! But also Protestants, agnostics, even non-Christians!
Why? Because he lived love so purely that everyone recognizes it!
He is patron of Italy, of ecology, of animals, of peace!
Pope Francis chose this name in honor of him!
And us? We can learn from Francis:
Live simply! Love radically! Trust totally! Rejoice always!
Reflection
