"Franciscus Christificatus" by Francis Thompson

"Franciscus Christificatus"
by
Francis Thompson

Thief that has leaped Heaven's star-spiked wall!

Christ's exultant bacchanal!
Wine-smears on thy hand and foot
Of the Vine that struck its root
Deep in Virgin soul, and was
Trained against the reared Cross:
Nay, thy very side its stain
Hath, to make it redly plain
How in the wassail quaffed full part
That flown vintager, thy heart.
Christ in blood stamps Himself afresh
On thy Veronical-veil of flesh.

Lovers, looking with amaze on
Each other, would be that they gaze on:
So for man's love God would be
Man, and man for His love He:
What God in Christ, man has in thee.
God gazed on man and grew embodied,
Thou, on Him gazing, turn'st engodded!
But though he held thy brow-spread tent
His little Heaven above Him bent,
Thy scept'ring reed suffices thee,
Which smote Him into sovereignty.

Thou who thoughtest thee too low
For His priest, thou shalt not so
'Scape Him and unpriested go!
In thy hand thou wouldst not hold Him,
In thy flesh thou shalt enfold Him;
Bread wouldst not change into Him...ah see!
How He doth change Himself to thee!

St. Padre Pio Quote

"Blasphemy calls down malediction on your home; and, as the proverb says, it destroys even the ashes in the fireplace."

 

- St Padre Pio

Original Rule of St. Francis

(Photo of the actual Original Rule of the Third Order dated 1221 A.D. and stored in the Vatican)

While visiting Bologna, Brother Bernard put his hand in his bosom and brought out the Rule of St. Francis, which he bore in his heart and practised in his deeds, and gave it to a learned judge to read.

And when that judge had read it through, reflecting on its lofty state of perfection, he was utterly amazed, for he was an intelligent man. And turning to his companions, he said with the greatest surprise and admiration: "This certainly is the highest form of religious life I have ever heard of! And therefore this man and his companions are some of the holiest men in the world. So those who insult him are committing a very great sin, for he should be given the highest honors rather than insults, as he is a great and true friend of God!"

- Little Flowers of St. Francis

St. Francis on the Eucharist

‘Everyday, Jesus humbles Himself just as He did when He came from His Heavenly Throne in the Virgins womb; everyday He comes to us and lets us see Him in Abjection, when He decends from the bosom of the Father into the hands of the Priest at the altar!’
St. Francis Of Assisi

The Sheperd and a sheperd

"A Nativity Scene was erected in a church yard.  During the night, someone came across this.  An abandoned dog was looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose baby Jesus as his comfort.  No one had the heart to send him away so he was there all night.

We should all have the good sense of this dog and curl up in Jesus' lap from time to time.  This is too sweet not to share.  No one mentioned that the dog breed is a 'shepherd!'"

- from the Facebook page of "Mary's Miraculous Medal Family"

O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you

If He can calm the waters, he can take care of your troubles today. Hand them over to God and His Mother to take care of and Believe.

"O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to you." ♥

St. Francis' Love of the Christ Child

(Photo of the Creche located next to the Portiuncula Chapel on the campus of the Franciscan University of Steubenville)

"Francis observed the birthday of the Child Jesus with inexpressible eagerness over all other feasts, saying that it was the feast of feasts, on which God, having become a tiny infant, clung to human breasts. Pictures of those infant members he kissed with thoughts filled with yearning, and his compassion for the Child flooded his heart and made in stammer words of sweetness after the manner of infants."

"Saint Francis of Assisi"
by Thomas of Celano, Second Life