TRUSTING IN GOD'S PROVIDENCE

In honor of St. Francis of Assisi, one of my favorite saints, whose feastday is today, I dedicate this blog because of his decision to marry the woman so rich, so noble and so beautiful that no one like her could be found in the world.  He married  Lady Poverty.  He was enamoured by the beauty of renouncing everything in order to reproduce in himself the perfect image of the poor Jesus. Francis, in dirty rags would go about the city to help the poor and the sick with his father's money.  Seeing this, his father Peter Bernadone got angry, took him to the Bishop and demanded restitution for all the money that Francis had spent for alms. When the Bishop told Francis to return his property, he took off his clothes saying that he was returning all that he had, including his clothes, the only thing he possessed. Then, Francis declared:  "Hear ye all and understand.  Until now I have called Peter Bernadone my father, henceforth, I can boldly say 'Our Father who art in heaven' , in Whom I have placed all my treasures and all my hopes". Bishop Guido gave his cloak to the naked Francis and he wore it.  (Reference:Lives of Saints compiled by Daughters of St Paul pp. 88-89).

A homeless wanderer, Francis spent his life in prayer, penance, meditation and service of the poor.
(Reference:  Lives of Saints complied by daughters of St. Paul).

I might as well invite St. Francis to help me in the farm because he is very kind to animals and even to the stones,  Himself, he called Brother Ass. All the rest of the creatures he'd call Brother or Sister.

He has the charism to make the fiercest wolf to become meek as a lamb and crouched by his feet when the wolf heard him speak:  "Brother Wolf, I command you in the name of the Most High, do not harm me or any other person."

 The animals listened and obeyed him.  Together with St. Francis they sing praises to the Lord, cicada, nightingale, many more, each in his own way. (Reference:Francis and the Animals  by Pino Madero Translated by Sr. Veronica Varona,FSP).

The Song of St. Francis

Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring Your love
Where there is injury, Your pardon, Lord
 And where there's doubt, true faith in You

Make me a channel of Your peace
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness, ever joy

O Master, grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
In giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we're born to eternal life

Among all the saints, it is St. Francis who inspired me to embrace Lady Poverty, depending only on Divine Providence.  His life, summarized in his song, helps me to carry on with this life I've chosen:
simple living and living life simply for the love of God and neighbor.

Our neighbor includes not only the persons next to us but also the things and animals around us.


The chicken and plants in the farm which I tend need feeds as people need food.  It seemed to me,
St. Francis interceded for us to make Brother Sun to shine brightly today just as long as I finished dressing the chicken and harvest the fruits and veggies.

 To lessen expenses on chicken feed, I chop leafy veggies and patola, ripe guavas and kitchen scraps to mix with a little amount of laying mash.

 I plant veggies and herbs to have an ample supply for both people and animals alike. 

Today, I arrived home safely and contentedly despite of the heavy rainfall which is why I had to
leave the farm earlier as usual.. The dressed chicken can't wait, it has to rest safely in the fridge
or the ants will bring the whole chicken piece by piece to their headquarter.  Hahaha!

I trust in God's Divine Providence, because the more I  trust the more He will provide.  Do you?

Thank You, Eternal and Loving Father, for all the people who helped me with my heavy load on my way back home, thanks for the money for fare, for all the harvests from the farm, for the rain and the sunshine.  Thank You for St. Francis who serves as my model in the practice of poverty and all those
contained in his song.  I say this in Jesus' name.  Amen.

St. Francis, pray for us now and at the hour of our death. Amen.