This Calling of Love

~ Honouring another merely human being - is this idolatry? ~ Yet the giving of worth, affirmation ~ Is this calling of Love. ~ Inspired by this painting from The Life of St. Francs of Assisi by Giotto - 'St. Francis Honoured by a Simple Man'

Giving Surpassing Getting

~ As if the world would spin on the axis of his mind  ~ Giving Surpassing getting ~ Compassion demonstrating its truly chivalrous character ~ And the act is worthy Of art ~ To wonder its way through the centuries. ~ St. Francis Gives His Cloak to a Knight - Giotto

The Nakedness of Our Condition

~ The bishop holds him      like a child ~ And in his nakedness   we see our own condition ~ Without impressiveness without pretence ~ Open   to grace. ~ This poem takes its inspiration from the moment in St. Francis of Assisi's life when he renounced his father dramatically by literally stripping off all his clothes …

Inspiring Paintings: Leaving and Finding a Father

~ One father curses another blesses ~ While onlookers stare and the bishop turns away ~ And finally What is this all about? ~ Even heaven And earth. ~ In this dramatic painting by Giotto,  Francis has taken off all his clothes and is appealing to God.  His earthly father (on the left), who demanded …

Holy Innocents

On the 28th December, the Holy Innocents - innocent children - are remembered. This poem is called "Like a Child" ~ The bishop holds him             like a child ~ And in his nakedness             we see our own condition ~ Without impressiveness             without pretence ~ Open             to grace. ~ It takes its …

Franciscan Spirituality (2) – The Compassion of the True Self

There is a wonderful story of Francis of Assisi well before the founding of the Franciscan order, running after a poor man that he had first refused to give to: “On one occasion … contrary to his custom, he sent away emptyhanded a certain poor man who had begged alms … As soon as he …

Reflections on The Poverello (4): Praying Before a Cross

There is a beautiful painting by Giotto of St. Francis kneeling before a cross.  The church building  is falling to pieces all around him.  Francis kneels, in devotion and in deep contemplation. St. Bonaventure tells the story: “One day when Francis went out to meditate in the fields he was passing by the church of …

A New Way

. To give Birth . Is Through the pain . To make A new life . A new Way. . 'Nativity' by Giotto

Transplantation

Rupture With the heart’s Natural home . Transplantation Of the soul’s Sustenance . To one beyond All earthly fatherhood . Whose love Also reaches . Far Beyond. . Inspired by this moment in the life of St. Francis of Assisi (below), captured so powerfully by the painter Giotto, where Francis renounces "all worldly goods", including …

A Father’s Fury

A father’s fury Is not enough To abandon A faith Lived Deep enough To cast away All clothing Of body And soul For the blessing Of divine paternity. "St. Francis Renounces All Worldly Goods", Giotto