Shame? What's That?!

I remember the story of St Francis of Assisi who upon his conversion to being Christian went to sell the clothes his father sells as a trader and gave the entire proceeds over to a worn down church used by lepers for it to be rebuilt. Furious at this, his father chained him to the wall only to be rescued by his mother from this fate and sent to the current bishop who was known to be a wise man. The bishop calls for a gathering of the citizens of the town to witness the apology of Francis to his father as he returns the proceeds to the sale back to him. This is where things took a different turn. After returning the proceeds to his father, Francesco (for this is his real name) turned to the people and striping himself totally naked right in the square, denounced his father and all entitlements that came from him including the clothes he'd bought him as a son. Francesco went on to claim God as His only Father, the Father of all Fathers. What a strange way of proclaiming ones Faith.

Like Francesco (St. FRANCIS), we are called to let go of all attachments to human names and privileges, human natures and attributes and cling on unto the Lord and the Lord alone not minding how much shame and disappointments it may seem to bring. Let us remember what scripture records in Zechariah 4:14, "it's not by power or might but by the Spirit of the Lord"

In anyways, Francesco went on to live as a pauper married to lady poverty, having the lepers and those rejected by society as his primary companions. He went on to become St. Francis of Assisi and those who choose to follow his new found way of life today are referred to as the 'Franciscan Friars'. His deeds and way of life are an inspiration to all even till today.

Let us learn to live like St Francis, not by striping naked in the public (that'll just be weird), but by doing what we know in our hearts to be right, what God calls us to do and to be!

May the Grace of our God lead us to be more like Jesus, bold to live out the one True Gospel: Amen!