The Passion: St. Francis’s Ordinary Subject of Meditation

Source: Jacques d’Autun, Capuchin preacher (d. 1678)

It is no wonder that Saint Francis spoke only of the Cross; it was his highest and most sublime Philosophy. Every object presented him with its image; he could not see lambs being led to the slaughter without recalling at once the most gentle and most innocent Lamb, JESUS CHRIST, who had been put to death to give life to sinners. And moved with compassion for these poor animals which were its figure, he even gave his cloak to redeem them.

One day, passing through the March of Ancona, he met a Peasant carrying two lambs to sell, and having learned that those who would buy them would have them slaughtered, he gave a brand-new cloak that had been given to him as alms to save their lives; for after having paid their value, he returned them to the Villager on the condition that he would no longer kill or sell them.

Passing from Ancona to Aximo, he met a shepherd driving a herd of goats, with a single sheep among those vile animals. His heart immediately softened, and touched with compassion he said to his Companion: Thus was the innocent and most gentle JESUS among the Scribes and Pharisees; let us deliver, for love of him, this poor sheep from such bad company. But as he had nothing with which to pay the shepherd for it, the Servant of God wept hot tears—not for the sheep, but for the One whom it represented.

A Merchant, having learned the cause of his tears, paid the shepherd for the sheep, who gave it to the blessed Father, and he entrusted it to the Nuns of Saint Severin.

Thus this great Spiritual Man formed from all sensible objects an image of the Passion of Jesus Christ; thus through compassion he shared in his sufferings, and as if he had already been transformed into the One who was to suffer, when he read or heard of the mortal wounds of his Passion, he also shared in the delights of his glory, for he found all consolation and his joy in the Meditation on the sufferings of the Savior.

One day when he was extraordinarily afflicted by the pains caused by his continual illnesses, he was urged to think of some pleasant object to divert the force of his suffering and find some relief: Know, my Brothers, replied the Servant of God, that I have nothing sweeter nor more pleasant than the remembrance of the Passion of my Savior, which is the subject of my ordinary Meditation; and if I were to live until the end of the world, I would need no other reading.