Learn four valuable lessons from the life of St. Francis of Assisi in this episode. Discover the importance of doing God's will, seeking His plan over our desires, letting go of distractions, and fully committing to God. Explore the significance of the Eucharist and how it impacts our spiritual life. Gain insights on prioritizing our spiritual life, letting go of attachments, and embracing sacrifice and love.
Setting aside our feelings is essential to do God's will, even when it is difficult.
Saint Francis of Assisi prioritized the needs of others over his own feelings and personal preferences.
Deep dives
Begging God to Reveal His Will
Saint Francis of Assisi was a man who sought God's will in his life. He didn't just pursue his own dreams and desires, but constantly begged God to reveal his plan. He recognized the importance of surrendering his own will and seeking God's guidance in all aspects of his life. Francis understood that God's plan would always be greater and more fulfilling than anything he could come up with on his own. He humbly turned to God, asking for clarity and guidance, trusting that God's will would lead him to true joy and fulfillment.
Rising Above Feelings to Love
Another important aspect of Saint Francis' life was his ability to rise above his own feelings and emotions in order to love and serve others. He didn't allow his personal preferences or repulsions to dictate his actions. Even when faced with challenging situations, such as encountering a leper, Francis chose to embrace the difficulty and show love and compassion. He understood that true love often requires us to go beyond our comfort zones and to prioritize the needs of others over our own feelings.
Selling the Horse
One of the defining moments in Saint Francis' life was when he sold his horse, symbolizing his complete detachment from worldly desires and ambitions. Francis had a dream where Jesus offered him worldly glory and honor as a knight, but Francis recognized that God's plan was far superior. He willingly let go of his own dreams and aspirations and chose to fully embrace the cross and follow Jesus. This act of selling the horse symbolized Francis' commitment to living a life of selflessness and complete surrender to God's will.
St. Francis of Assisi loved nature and talked to birds, but is there more to him than that? Of course there is! The life of St. Francis of Assisi is filled with incredible examples of doing God’s will and emptying oneself for God’s sake. There is so much we can learn from St. Francis and Dr. Edward Sri outlines four of those lessons in this episode.
Snippet from the Show
It is essential that we set aside our feelings as we strive to do God’s will because more often than not, it will be difficult to do God’s will.
For full shownotes, visit Ascensionpress.com/Allthingscatholic, or text ALLTHINGSCATHOLIC to 33-777 for weekly shownotes sent to your inbox.