October 4, 2017
St. Francis of Assisi
The Little Poor One
"Foxes have dens and birds of the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to rest his head." And to another he said, "Follow me."
Luke 9:58-59
He was called Il Poverello--the little poor one--and we very strongly and rightly associate St. Francis of Assisi with poverty. We love him because in him we see that it is, indeed, possible to live the call of Jesus, to follow in a radical way, with nowhere to rest our head, trusting in God alone on the journey. But what is this poverty that St. Francis lived and extolled? It's natural and common to understand it as simply material poverty, but when I read the writings of St. Francis, I come to understand that his ideal of poverty is even more fundamental. It is the poverty of Christ, the Word, the Lord, come to earth, born as a helpless child, crucified as the vilest criminal, with nowhere to rest his head. Sacrificing material things can be hard. Embracing the humility of the Son of Man might even be harder.
Jesus, give me the grace to leave myself behind for the sake of love.

- Amy Welborn

Nehemiah 2:1-8|Psalm 137:1-6|Luke 9:57-62

Comments

October 4, 2017 at 12:25 PM

Sometimes some of us allow society /technology to tell us what and how to do. Instead of focusing on what God has created for us to follow. Even before we were born God created a path just for us a path we fall down and off of "But GOD" is there really to pick us up dust us off and we start over. So there should not be an excuse not to follow!!!!!

October 4, 2017 at 10:07 AM

Very true!

October 4, 2017 at 08:40 AM

So true, Amy! "Embracing the humility of the Son of Man might even be harder."

What are their excuses not to follow Jesus at the moment.......Burying the dead and saying goodbye....they are reasonable, aren't they?

What are my excuses? I have my children to take care of? I have a living to make? I have obligation to attend to? I am tired? I am not good at it? I don't like it? The list can go on and they can be different daily!

What does it take to follow Jesus? 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." Amen!

I Am New by Jason Gray
https://youtu.be/u9bjPwwLgj0

Lia
October 4, 2017 at 08:44 AM

Amen.

Toni Schmiegelow Respond to comment
October 4, 2017 at 08:25 AM

Important thought about the need for me to focus on humility!

October 4, 2017 at 08:15 AM

Amen. :)

October 4, 2017 at 07:27 AM

Make me a channel of your peace

Paul
October 5, 2017 at 12:34 AM

Amen

Gregg
October 4, 2017 at 07:03 PM

Amen.

Jack
October 4, 2017 at 09:14 AM

Joan Thank you...what a wondrous hymn! One of my daily prayers...and a real potentially convicting and fulfilling list!

October 4, 2017 at 06:40 AM

Amen...

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