Saint Francis of Assisi - History and teachings

I was wondering of the origin of saint francis and what his role in biblical literature was. Please e-mail me back with any info you may have.

Thank you very much, and God bless, Francis of Assisi,

Chris Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi,

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Chris, I am not a Catholic but Francis of Assisi has a lot to say to a few modern "pastors" and "preachers" who have wrested the teachings of Jesus and Paul into authority to be go from "poverty" to "prosperity." Francis, went from riches to rags -- literally -- because he understood and proved clearly that bombastic preaching of commands to be subservient-to-the-clergy totally emasculates the power of the Gospel. If they cannot be imitators of Christ they are treading dangerous grounds.

On the other hand, people are attracted to those who obey Christ and "go into all the world" as minister-evangelists without seeking wealth and power. "But," we hear, "Jesus knew that we couldn't be a preacher without a retirement plan and college tutition plan, a beat-Uncle-Same out of taxes plan." That is true but Jesus just cannot use as evangelists those who do not abandon all self-seeking which, unlike that of Francis of Assisi, often does more harm than good. Such men should seek profession in some other field and not jeopardize their eternal soul and shrivel the numbers and souls of their congregation.

Paul worked when his "audience" worked and taught them at night or when they were not working. He agreed that evangelists could be supported as a threshing ox is fed when he is threshing but insisted that those in Corinth were robbers and that seeing "godliness as a means of financial gain" would destroy the witness of the gospel.

Most reformation or restoration movements began with men under the conviction of a call but were usually displaced by men who "reaped" where they had not "sowed" and the "decertified" anyone but the band of merry men. Evangelism was then sold to the fools as "trading pulpits" or leaving the local flock to bond at workshops and mass meetings -- which Jesus would not attend.

Here is some information for you:

A biography of Francis of Assisi This biography from the Catholic Encyclopedia has been edited for readability and linked to other resources.

Thomas of Celano First and Second Lives of Saint Francis

Making Francis a Saint? Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi,

The Little Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi Francis of Assisi, Francis of Assisi,

Prayers Francis of Assisi,

Testament of Francis Francis of Assisi,

Rule of the Franciscan Order Francis of Assisi,

Second Letter to the Faithful

A famous prayer

Lord,

Make me an instrument of Your peace;

Where there is hatred let me sow love;

Where there is injury, pardon;

Where there is doubt, faith;

Where there is despair, hope;

Where there is darkness, light;

And where there is sadness, joy.

 

O divine Master,

Grant that I may not so much seek

To be consoled as to console,

To be understood as to understand,

To be loved as to love,

For it is in giving that we receive,

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

And it is in dying that we are born

To eternal life.

We should remember that Francis did not see himself as a traditional, located Catholic priest. Indeed, his preaching went outside of the common Catholic faith. He, like others sprinkled sparsely in history, was attempting to reform or restore bits and pieces of the ancient faith.

Therefore, Reformation or Restoration is never a "group" or "movement" but, like the call of individual believers through the Gospel, is reformation or restoration one believer at a time.

Hope this helps,

Ken Sublett, Protestant Learner

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