October 4, 2017
Dear brothers and sisters,
Peace and all good!
Happy Feast day of our holy father St.
Francis of Assisi!
Brother Masseo,
wishing to test the humility of the saint, went forth to meet him exclaiming: “Why after thee? Why
after thee?” To which St. Francis
made answer: “What is this? What
meanest thou?” Brother Masseo
answered: “I mean, why it is that the
entire world goeth after thee; why do all men wish to see thee, to hear thee,
and to obey thy word? For thou art
neither comely nor learned, nor art thou of noble birth. How is it, then, that all the world goeth
after thee?” St. Francis, hearing
these words, rejoiced greatly in spirit, and lifting up his eyes to heaven . .
. returning thanks to God with great fervor of spirit, and addressing Brother
Masseo, said to him, “Wouldst thou know
why all men come after me? Know that it
is because the Lord, who is in heaven, who sees the evil and the good in all
places – because, I say, his holy eyes have found among men no one more wicked,
more imperfect, or a greater sinner than I am; and to accomplished the
wonderful work which he intends to do, he has found no creature more vile than
I am on earth; for which reason he has chosen me, to confound all strength,
beauty, greatness, noble birth, and all the science of the world, that men may
learn that every virtue and every good gift cometh from him, and not from any
creature, that none may glory before him; but if any one glory, let him glory
in the Lord, to whom belongeth all glory in eternity” (The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi, Chapter IX, pp.
27-28).
May our Father and Founder St. Francis
of Assisi bless us always.
Fraternally yours,
Fr. Yosi, OFM
