In 1181 Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone was born and baptized in Assisi, he was then re-named by his father, as Francesco Bernadone, known locally and later as St Francis of Assisi.

Facts known most widely about St Francis of Assisi are that he gave all his possessions away to the poor, gave up his birthright and everything that went with it, suffered stigmata, preached barefoot and spoke to the birds, apparently calming them at once.

St Francis of Assisi has long inspired me, mainly because of his humility and strength of spirit. Both these qualities were borne out of his own human weakness.

For a long time Francis wrestled with his own soul. He walked through many fears, purging his revulsion of lepers, amongst other things, until finally, in his twenties, he gave himself in complete abandonment to God.

Francis was a continual inspiration to all around him, but I think, he was also, to use that well-known Christian term, a 'challenging character', because he demanded nothing less than complete devotion to God.

He told his first two followers, every time they went out to preach, "As you announce peace with your mouth, make sure that greater peace is in your hearts." He also told them "To go throughout the world, encouraging everyone, more by deed than by word, to do penance for their sins and to recall the commandments of God."

I think the words "more by deed than by word" are, for me, the essence of St Francis of Assisi and it is this that inspires me most about the man. I could talk for hours about doing more and saying less and our present day perception of the Gospels, but I doubt I'm the only one to have failed miserably at encouraging others to God's word through my deeds. Much to my shame.

Francis of Assisi checked himself thoroughly, constantly, as his past worldly loves would occasionally re-surface, resulting in him immediately entering long periods of prayer and meditation. His abject poverty, though, normally didn't worry him. God's instructions were to give up worldly possessions, and Jesus said "If you wish to be perfect, go, sell everything you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven."

This, an extremely simple suggestion, but for most of us, an exceptionally difficult one to put into practice. On moving, recently, I threw out or gave away quite alot of possessions, yet when it came to throwing out my little white bridesmaid's dress with it's peach cummerbund, which I wore to my Aunt's wedding when I was three, I just couldn't do it. Which is rather strange, as I probably won't be wearing it anymore. Francis would be horrified. He gave everything he had away, and was relentless in his determination to give himself completely to God and set a twenty four-hour by seven-day example to all around him.

In his younger days, Francis was in fact a wild, vain, young man, who loved to spend all his money. He loved to party and often danced the night away in the streets of Assisi, serenading young ladies late into the night. They would also, believe it or not, commit vandalism and thievery.

I find this quite heartening, as I think it gives naughty peoplelike me hope, and it may be one of the reasons God called Francis to do His work for Him.

Francis of Assisi, then, was, by all accounts, a bit of a lad, but he turned his life right around for everyone to see and for God to be pleased.

Francis never eased off in his pursuit of his devotion to God. He was a living example of God's love to everyone he came into contact with. It is recorded that Thomas of Celano said of Francis "He used to view the largest crowd of people as if it were a single person, and he would preach fervently to a single person as if to a large crowd." That speaks volumes of this 'Great Christian' I think. He was a very real man, with, initially, quite a few flaws, but one who was very saintly. A saint who, I, along with millions of others, can relate to and hopefully aspire to.

If you don't mind, I would like to end with this poetic exhortation that Francis of Assisi wrote........

"Therefore,
let us desire nothing else,
let us want nothing else,
let nothing else please us and cause us delight,
except our Creator, Redeemer, and Saviour,
the only true God,
Who is the fullness of good,
All good, every good, the true and supreme good,
Who alone is good,
Merciful, gentle, delightful, and sweet,
Who alone is holy,
Just, true, holy and upright,
Who alone is kind, innocent, clean,
From whom, through whom, and in whom
Is all pardon, all grace, all glory,
of all penitents and just ones,
Of all the blessed rejoicing together in heaven."

                                            Amen