The Return to Asceticism

Many years ago lived an extraordianry man. He spoke to the animals and talked to fire. He begged for food and lived on the streets with nothing but a shabby cloak. His name was St. Francis of Assissi. This man brought a new view upon his world. Bringing back beauty and losing materials was his mission. This man acted as an antidote for his world. Can he act as an antidote for our society?

Francis emphasized the idea of dependence. He stated that we are dependent upon God for our every breath. He viewed the world as hanging upside down, but it wasn't hanging on anything. The only person holding it was God himself. He begged for his daily bread, and he thanked God for providing it through the givers. Today, many people are so independent and self centered that they forget where all their blessings come from. They act as if they built their own wealth, but there is something beyond. They need to return and realize that they are dependent.

Once they realize that they are dependant upon a supernatural being, they will be thankful like Francis. Francis thanked God for all that he had. Because he was dependant upon God for everything, he was thankful for his every belonging which was not much. He was also thankful for the people around him and for creation. He loved to be around nature and animals. He was very thankful for the whole world. Many today don't have this attitude. Why should they be thankful, they weren't given anything, right? Wrong. They actually have been given the most wonderful gift of all. That is Jesus Christ. Maybe they haven't recieved this gift yet.

Since everything thing was a gift for Francis, he saw everthing as beautiful. "A good thing looks better when it is a gift." When your whole life and everything with it is a gift, one will go through life more thankful and happy. Why can't people realize that? Many who have all they ever wanted are not happy at all. They do not understand that everything is a gift.

Francis is a gift today for our world. He is a man that we should all learn from. We should return to the asceticism of the world. Everything should have a wonder about it. Why go through life seeing everything as dull and old. The Lord's creation should make us turn back to him. We should be in awe of this Awesome God. Please look at the world through the eyes of St. Francis.