Francis, the one who knew the Spiritual Way
He was a man who completing his life's mission and returned home at an age of forty-four, at the end of the first quarter of the thirteenth century. The Catholic Church venerates him as a Saint. Yet, what relevance does such a figure hold in the AI world of the twenty-first century? Why is so much being written and spoken about him across the globe these days?
Francis was the elder of two sons of Pietro Bernardone—a wealthy merchant from the Italian town of Assisi—and his wife Pica. Like any wealthy young man of his age, he spent his youth reveling in feasting, drinking, singing, and merrymaking. Such behavior, often an attribute of the nouveau riche; for whom, even their children become instruments for ostentatious display. However, within a few years, a profound and lasting conversion and transformation took came about in this young man. Perhaps it is his sincerity and openness to himself that keep his memory alive to this day.
Three turning points marked Francis's life. One of them unfolded as follows: the young man—then only about twenty-two years old—was riding his horse along the outskirts of Assisi. The mere sight of lepers—with their fingers missing, noses and lips eaten away by festering sores, and clothes soiled and swarming with flies drawn to the pus and stench—evoked fear, revulsion, and nausea in Francis. On that particular day, the moment he spotted such a figure in the distance, Francis reined in his horse. He then slowly turned the horse around and galloped back the way he had come. Suddenly, a revelation struck him like a bolt of lightning: "What if that is Christ?"
He turned his horse around once again. Dismounting, he approached the leper. His heart must have been a pounding drum. Steel-ing his resolve, Francis embraced and kissed the leper! It was this very moment that Francis, at the end of his life, would record as his most profound experience of the Divine! That single embrace turned his inner world upside down: the pivotal turning point.
After leaving home, he initially lived awhile withdrawn, in solitude. Near the alleys at the outskirts of the town—where the disenfranchised poor resided—stood old churches. Most of them were on the verge of ruin, neglected and in dire need of repair. First one, then another, and then a third: he restored three small chapels with his own hands. Gradually, a few old friends and others joined him as disciples.
The true church is not outside; but is within. It must be cleansed. How can this be achieved? One must transcend ego, selfishness, self-centeredness, lust, anger, greed, and worldly attachment.
Francis and his brothers purified themselves through various practices aimed at self-cleansing: bathing lepers and dressing their wounds; working in others' homes; begging for food; walking the streets only in undergarments; enduring the insults of others; and—should a brother speak disparagingly of the poor, drunkards, or even thieves—prostrating before them and asking for forgiveness.
They also embraced spiritual disciplines such as voluntary poverty; bestowing love and reverence upon the poor and the lepers just as one would upon Christ; treating everyone with gentleness; showing no discrimination; refraining from judgment; loving every being in nature as a brother or sister; and tenderly walking upon the earth.
Meanwhile, a teenager who had not yet turned eighteen—Clare, from a noble family in Assisi—slipped out of her home at midnight of Palm Sunday in 1212. She desired to embrace the Religious life alongside Francis and his brothers. That very night, Francis and the brothers welcomed her at the church. Within a simple rite, her hair was cut as a sign of her religious consecration, and she was given one of the brothers' tunics. Carrying lighted torches, the brothers escorted her that same night to a convent a short distance away. Before long, a religious community for women would emerge under her leadership; she would become the first woman in history to write a rule for such a community.
A few years later, at the behest of some laypeople, Francis would also guide married people to a way of life characterized by simplicity, prayer and charity. Thus, Francis initiated three distinct communities: one for men Religious, one for women Religious, and a third for laypeople living a dedicated, simple life.
Yet, is it merely these things that make Francis relevant today? I believe, not. Rather, it could be his visions, approaches, and stances that make him someone worthy of regard even today. Francis realized that the path of spirituality lay in renouncing 'power' and 'dominance.' In their region, the wealthy and the high-born were known as 'Majors'—a term that could be translated as 'lords' or the elites. The poor and the laborers were known as 'Minors'—the 'lowly' or 'subordinate' class. The town was the exclusive domain of the 'Majors,' while the 'Minors' lived on the fringes of the townspeople's farmlands. Places like Rivo Torto, San Damiano, and Porziuncola—where Francis and his companions lived—were in these areas inhabited by Minors. He gave himself and his group the name 'Friars Minor'—meaning 'Lesser Brothers' or 'Little Brothers.' It was akin to a high ranking person adopting the insignia, proper to the lowest!
It is true that, from the very beginning, the Church viewed its members as brothers to one another. However, Francis’s vision was encapsulated in the phrase Fratelli Tutti-"Brothers all." The Franciscan stance holds that everyone is a brother/sister, irrespective of their differences in status, power, religion, or race. The French revolutionaries championed three ideals: Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. Of these, the third dream—fraternity—remains the most incomplete and unpersued.
Few people have not seen images of Francis alongside the creatures of nature. The canticle composed by Francis, which begins with the words "Laudato Si"— "Praised be You"—is a Canticle of praise to God for His creation. Francis regarded the sun, the moon, fire, wind, streams, worms, and even the grass as his brothers and sisters. Creatures shared a special bond of affinity with Francis; he would tenderly carry a worm crossing the road safely to the other side. Upon seeing a flock of birds, Francis would preach to them. He would go out at midnight to look for a chirping cricket and pray with it for a while. He would even engage in peace talks with a violent and ferocious wolf. This concept of sister-brotherhood and the love and respect he held for all living beings marked a novel approach in Francis.
After all, the universe and everything within it were created by God out of His love—even before He created us! Who doesn't know that respect for nature and care for the environment are forms of awareness that need further deepening?
The world is culturally and religiously pluralistic. Communalism is never humane; nor is it, by any means, divine. That was an era when Crusader armies marched from Europe to the once-upon-a-time Israel to reclaim the Holy Lands. When the Fifth Crusade army set sail from Italy, Francis and a fellow friar named Illuminato boarded one of the ships, and hid themselves in its hold. Upon it's arrival at Damietta in Egypt, Francis and the companion walked unarmed into the enemy camp to meet Sultan Malik al-Kamil in order to hold peace talks. They were promptly arrested and brought before the Sultan. Recognizing their unique qualities, the Sultan extended hospitality to them. Francis was deeply drawn to the Sultan’s devotion to God, just as the Sultan was captivated by Francis’s humility and purity of spirit. At Francis’s request, the Sultan was willing to avert war and open the holy sites—where Jesus was born, lived, ministered, died, and rose again—to Christian pilgrims for visit. However, the Crusaders' stubborn insistence to gain back those lands never succeeded. Although there were occasional advancements and victories, the Crusades failed to achieve their ultimate objective. Later, when the path of reconciliation advocated by Francis led to fruition, and when Christians were granted permission to make pilgrimages to these sites, the delegates who got placed in the Holy sites from the Catholic side were the Franciscans. The spirit and path of fraternity, dialogue, and reconciliation remain the most relevant paths forward for the world.
Francis even viewed death as a sister—the one who opens the gates of heaven for us! It is through her that our mortality is defined. When she comes to us, we ought to welcome her with gratitude and joy.
Since God is love, He must be also joy. Joy was ever-present in Francis. He offers the world with a joyous spiritual path. A saint who sang, danced, and strove to be God's jester! In Francis, we encounter facets not typically expected of a Saint. Even on his deathbed, he asked his brothers to fill the room with music by singing the 'Canticle of Creatures.' Thus, Francis forged a new, joyful path to holiness by harmoniously blending singing and dancing; playfulness and laughter along with prayer.
Figures such as Bonaventure, Duns Scotus, and Alexander of Hales—who taught theology at universities of Paris and Cambridge- and a scientist-philosopher Roger Bacon, all were followers of Francis.
It is said that the Franciscan philosophy—which placed greater emphasis on human emotion, nature, and beauty—served as a driving force behind the Proto-Renaissance. Michelangelo, Giotto, and Dante were all influenced by Francis; it was this Proto-Renaissance that subsequently paved the way for the High Renaissance.
Tolstoy, Chesterton, Kazantzakis, Simone Weil, and Seamus Heaney are among those who drew inspiration from Francis. Numerous film directors—such as Roberto Rossellini, Franco Zeffirelli, Pier Paolo Pasolini, and Liliana Cavani—have created films inspired by Francis.
There were five popes who came from the Franciscan Order. A common characteristic to them would be that they were reform-popes. Popes St. Pius X, St. John XXIII, and St. Paul VI. ...were members of the Franciscan Third Order. Pope Francis—as we know him—is the first pontiff to adopt the name of Francis as his official title. We are well aware that the influence of Francis on him was profound; the two encyclicals "Laudato Si'" and "Fratelli Tutti" alone suffice to demonstrate the extent of Francis's influence in contemporary times.
It is widely believed that Mahatma Gandhi must have read about Francis. His concept of 'Antyodaya' (starting from the last person) and his decision to go about "half-naked" in solidarity with the poor are thought to be influences of Francis. Jawaharlal Nehru described Francis of Assisi as "one of the most attractive figures of Christianity." Former Indian President Abdul Kalam held Francis in high regard and daily recited the "Peace prayer" -a Prayer attributed to St. Francis.
Another remarkable aspect of Francis is that he is revered and loved not only within the Catholic Church but also across various Protestant denominations—such as Anglican and Lutheran—and even among non-Christian Religious traditions.
Will ever the relevance of sister-brotherhood, simplicity in life, renunciation of power, transparency in life, importance peace-making, environmental consciousness, love for creatures, non-violence in approach, interfaith dialogue, gentleness even in use of words, avoidence of death-fear: be lost?
Our beloved poet Sachidanandan writes:
"I, Francis of Assisi.
I'm the voice of the mute and the sight of the blind;
I'm the hoof of the worm and the wing of the hare;
I love,
Therefore, I exist."
