Jubilee Year of St. Francis: "Why St. Francis?"

“Peace in the world must begin with peace in the human heart.” - Fr. Andrew Apostoli, CFR 

A story is told in one of the early biographies of St. Francis: a friar sees him one day and exclaims, “Why you? Why you? The whole world seems to be coming after you, and everyone is seeking to see you, to hear you, and to obey you; you are not a handsome man; you are not a man of great knowledge or wisdom; you are not of noble birth! Why does the whole world come to you?” 

In this Jubilee Year of St. Francis (Jan. 10, 2026 – Jan. 10, 2027) declared by Pope Leo

XIV, we could ask a similar question: Why does the whole world still love St. Francis even 800 years after his death on October 3, 1226? 

St. Francis was known as a man of peace. God was the greatest reality of his life and Francis knew that he was on a journey – a pilgrimage – of ongoing conversion, walking in the footsteps of Jesus. St. Francis was a man at peace with God.  This is why the whole world, whether they realize it or not, is still captivated by this little poor man from Assisi. One early biographer writes, “He was always with Jesus; Jesus in his heart, Jesus in his mouth, Jesus in his ears, Jesus in his eyes, Jesus in his hands, he bore Jesus always in his whole body.” St. Francis reminds us of what really matters: not comfort, wealth, or popularity, but God alone, who is Love and desires us to love Him in return. In St. Francis’s “Letter to the  Entire Order,” he exhorts his friars: “Hold back nothing of yourselves for yourselves, so that He who gives Himself totally to you may receive you totally.”  

St. Francis had three great devotions: the crib, the cross, and the tabernacle. He was fascinated by the poverty and humility of Jesus, the Eternal Son of God, who emptied Himself of all His glory and was born in a stable. He was fascinated by the poverty and humility of Jesus, suffering on the cross for love of us – broken, bruised, and disfigured to save us and heal us.  He was fascinated by the poverty and humility of Jesus, truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. His glory hidden under the appearance of bread in order to fulfill His promise to be with us until the end of time.

Seeing an image of the “Poor, Crucified Jesus” (as St. Francis would affectionately call our Lord) would move him to tears. He would frequently say, “Greatly to be loved is the love of Him who has loved us so much!” Do we see the love of Jesus poured out from the cross as St. Francis did? The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: “The human heart is converted by looking upon Him whom our sins have pierced.” (CCC 1432) God is love and He can do nothing but love.  Healing, reconciliation, and peace flow from the wounds of the Poor, Crucified Jesus. When we look at the cross, we are reminded that He loved us first, and that there is no sin He can’t forgive, no wound He can’t heal. Let us take time to frequently look upon the Poor, Crucified Jesus as St. Francis often did; and let us heed the encouragement of St. Clare of Assisi, most faithful imitator and follower of St. Francis, taken from a letter to one of her sisters, “Look upon Him who became contemptible for you and follow Him . . . gaze, consider, contemplate, desiring to imitate.” May St. Francis intercede for us this Jubilee Year to faithfully gaze and follow Our Savior!

Sr. Catherine, CFR