Ilia Delio, OSF

Saint Francis was foremost a follower of Jesus, but he recognized and loved God’s work in creation.

Compassion flourishes when we have nothing to protect and everything to share.

Trust in God requires not the felt experience of God but the handing over of one’s life to God in darkness and silence, realizing that one’s life is not one’s own but belongs entirely to God.

Franciscan prayer, lived to its full, is to set the human heart on fire.

The mystery of being human lies in the mystery of desire, which shapes our lives and can change us.

Spiritual desire is the longing of the heart for relationship with God that brings happiness and peace. Francis of Assisi was a passionate person, a dreamer, a lover and a person of desire. When he felt his desire filled in hearing the gospel, he found the answer to his deepest longings and changed his life accordingly. He became a follower of Christ. Francis’ life shows us that we must be attentive to our desires if we are to find the fulfillment of our lives in God.