Thursday, September 21 : Account of the three companions of Saint Francis of Assisi

One evening after returning to Assisi, young Francis’ companions chose him to be their group leader. So, just as he had often done before, he had a sumptuous banquet prepared. Once they were satiated, everybody left the house and went all over the town singing. Francis’ companions went before him as a group; he himself, holding the leader’s baton, ended the procession a little behind them; he didn’t sing because he was deep in thought. And thus the Lord suddenly visited him and filled his heart with such sweetness that he could no longer speak or move… When his companions turned around and saw him so far away from them, they came back to him frightened, and they found him as if he were already changed into a different person. They questioned him: “What were you thinking about so that you forgot to follow us? Were you by any chance planning on taking a woman?” “You are right! I was planning on taking a wife, one who is nobler, wealthier and more beautiful than any whom you have ever seen.” They made fun of him… From that moment on, he worked to place again at the center of his soul Jesus Christ and the pearl which he wanted to buy after selling everything (Mt 13:46). Shying away from the eyes of those who scoffed at him, he often – almost every day – went to pray in secret. He was pushed to do so as it were by the foretaste of that sweetness which came to him quite often and which pulled him away from the public square or other public places  towards prayer. For some time already he had been a benefactor of the poor, but he promised himself even more firmly that he would never again refuse a poor person requesting alms, but rather that he would give more generously and more abundantly. Thus, whoever the poor person was who asked him for alms outside of the house, he always gave him money if he could. If he didn’t have any money, he gave him his hat or his belt so as not to send him away empty-handed. But if he didn’t even have that, he withdrew to a hidden place, removed his shirt, and secretly sent it to the poor person, asking him to take it for God’s sake.
maronite readings – rosary,team