To be like St. Francis
Yesterday's Heavenletter was Rejoice and Be Glad, #4271.
Bernie Siegel, M.D., sent me a story about St. Francis of Assissi he had also received that day. Bernie wrote:
Same message on same day. God is interesting.
I wrote back to Bernie:
Beloved Bernie, amazing! Who could make that happen? This Heavenletter was first written down about three months ago!!! Yes, we could say that God is interesting! Mind-boggling, if you ask me!
Dear Blog Readers, I love stories, don't you? I'm going to post this oh so marvelous powerful story that Bernie sent to me here:
Where there is injury, let me sow pardon.
– Saint Francis of Assisi
Once, in wintertime, it is said that Francis and his disciple Brother Leo were making a hard journey on foot through the snowy countryside of Italy. They had been walking along in silence for a long time when Brother Leo turned to Francis and asked him, “How can we find perfect joy?”
Francis stopped and replied, “Even if all our friars were perfect in their holiness and could work all kinds of miracles for others, we still would not have perfect joy.”
He turned and walked on, and Brother Leo ran after him. “Then what is perfect joy?”
Francis stopped again, “Even if we could speak with the birds of the air and the beasts of the field and know all the secrets of nature, we still would not have perfect joy. Even if we could cure all the ills on the face of the earth, we would still not have found perfect joy.”
Brother Leo was practically shouting: “Then please, Father Francis, what is the secret of perfect joy?”
“Brother, suppose we go to that monastery across the field and tell the gatekeeper how weary and cold we are, and he calls us tramps and beats us and throws us out into the winter night. Then, Brother, if we can say with love in our hearts, Bless you...’ then we shall have found perfect joy.”
www.easwaran.org
Oh, to be like Saint Francis of Assissi.
Comments
To be like St Francis? not yet, a long way of. I still get anoyed at computers as I have to use a fictitious name to answer a H.L. but then as God tells me. "With your love Jack you will be O K" and that is fine with me. I enjoy being obstreperous at times, just to see other people reactions. I would never go and knock on the door of a cloister to afraid they keep me there. Have a very nice day all try to have a good laugh special when looking at government Love to all Jack
What St Francis seems to refer to when he speaks of perfect joy might be "innocence". Accepting totally Who We Are must be accepting that we are innocent, sinless, guiltless. When we judge or see defaults, it is because we fear and fearing is believing we are weak.
We can observe easily that we attack when we fear (it is true of nations as well as of individuals). Innocence must then be strength because it does not see fear nor guilt. Since innocence does not know fear, it doesn't know attack and sees only love.
With strength comes joy.
Hi Norm, With strengs comes joy! nicely said. I am joyful all day and everyday, but strength? My body tels me no. But yes strength is not your body. For some reason about 40 years ago the docters tell me I had a heart attack. I remember vividly I went to heaven and asked to go back as I wanted to finish something I started.. The feeling in Heaven was ALL LOVE and I was allowed to go back. Since then fear has disappeared as I know what comes after death. So fear can not reach my but love can and that is why I am full of joy always. Even if my body is loosing its strength I FEEL fine. Strong to me has a different meaning. I meet dayly with lots of wonderful people and circomstances so how con I not be ful of Joy Love to all Jack
Perfect joy comes with the state of unconditional love. Such love opens new eyes in us that see only perfection where others would see disorder; such love opens the heart, out of which flows only blessing.
Even in a moment of vicious attack, unconditional love pours balm unto the attacker, and embraces all that is before it.
Betcha Saint Francis lived in that state!