St Francis Research Paper
Saint Francis was a very interesting person. He went from being a spoiled, wild child to devoting his life to God. He gave up his lavish lifestyle, parties, dream of becoming a knight, and his family for a new life with God. Francis had become a new, religious man. It took Francis a little while to understand, how to live the way God had intended him to. Once Francis knew how God wanted him to live his life, he proudly served God. Doing this, Francis received followers. Francis had established rules in his new Order: obedience, worship and work, poverty, chastity, and Catholicity (Galli, 2002). Out of these rules I find the poverty rule to be the hardest to follow. Francis had nothing. He begged for food when needed and slept in
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Francis thought of money as a drug, one that could not be used moderately without it enslaving the soul (Galli, 2002, p.95-96). This I understand. Money does cause lots of problems because with money many things are possible. Money buys food, clothes, shelter, all things Francis lived without. Without money, or any possessions, I see why Francis believed he was free. Not having such items to create problems or cause tension between others would be ‘freeing’. He did not have a care in the world, other than serving God. He did not worry about a wife or children, money to buy material items, or a job. This to him was freeing. Francis had to trust God to give them what they needed to live. I think the rules Francis had set were needed to allow the focus to be on God. Francis and his followers needed to be obedient and follow the newly founded rules. Without these rules, the main focus would not be on serving God. Prayer was big in their group. They prayed often. That talk with God is important. Being in touch with God, would keep Francis and his followers on track and to keep them understanding why they chose to devote their life to Him. Prayer would reassure them. I think that is needed most because without that reassurance, living by the rules would be very difficult. To give up everything in life couldn’t have been
Francis thought of money as a drug, one that could not be used moderately without it enslaving the soul (Galli, 2002, p.95-96). This I understand. Money does cause lots of problems because with money many things are possible. Money buys food, clothes, shelter, all things Francis lived without. Without money, or any possessions, I see why Francis believed he was free. Not having such items to create problems or cause tension between others would be ‘freeing’. He did not have a care in the world, other than serving God. He did not worry about a wife or children, money to buy material items, or a job. This to him was freeing. Francis had to trust God to give them what they needed to live. I think the rules Francis had set were needed to allow the focus to be on God. Francis and his followers needed to be obedient and follow the newly founded rules. Without these rules, the main focus would not be on serving God. Prayer was big in their group. They prayed often. That talk with God is important. Being in touch with God, would keep Francis and his followers on track and to keep them understanding why they chose to devote their life to Him. Prayer would reassure them. I think that is needed most because without that reassurance, living by the rules would be very difficult. To give up everything in life couldn’t have been