I have always believed that the sacred stigmata received by St. Francis was unique in the history of the Church. I do not think that there has ever another saint, blessed, or mystic, who had been marked with the holy wounds of Christ, who experienced it in the same manner - or to such a degree as St. Francis. What I'm trying to say is that I think Francis was more closely conformed to Christ in his sacred passion than any of the others - the stigmata was perhaps more universally efficacious, as it were.
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Clearly I don't know what I am talking about. Neither do I have any way of proving it. But happy feast day anyway.
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St. Francis, pray for us that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Terry, did you paint that picture of St. Francis? I like it.
ReplyDeleteI think you are right about his stigmata. Did you ever read G.K. Chesterton's biography of St. Francis? He had a similar take on Francis' stigmata.
I love the Chesterton biography of St. Francis!
ReplyDeleteThanks Melody - I did.
ReplyDeleteSF - I like Chesterton's bio as well - it has been years since I read it.
Terry:
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who says, "If you want to be a martyr, you wont be... because you want it too much, martyrs are for those that want it and dont know it..."
So I have always wondered about the Stigmata, if it works that way? Then I started thinking, "What if God gave it to me?" Would I hide it? I would be soooo embarrassed, I would feel like that person that gets something undeserved and that I would almost be mad at myself. I would want to hide it. I wouldn't want people to view me as a witness to the wounds of Christ... but wait I think. Aren't we supposed to be living and preaching the Gospel through our actions? So why wouldnt I want it?
Shouldn't I be preparing myself and striving daily to be worthy of such a thing? Should I be as Christ like as possible? What am I doing today that isn't worthy of the Stigmata?
Thanks again Terry.