Reflect
According to St. Bonaventure, once after St. Francis happened upon a leper and an initial sense of revulsion turned to compassion, he felt light and peaceful. Francis then longed for solitude—opportunities to be alone with God. After some time of prayerful solitude, he had a vision of Jesus nailed to the cross. This vision brought the holy man to tears, and prompted a desire to let go of possessions, take up his cross, and follow Jesus.
Pray
St. Francis, not all are invited to live the level of poverty that you were.
However, please pray for me that I may have my moments alone with God,
that I may feel God’s presence,
that I might get a strong sense of God’s particular call for me.
Amen.
Act
Solitude can be tough for many. Most of us have great responsibilities, creating a cacophony of noise and troublesome thoughts. Nonetheless, try today to take a just few moments to pray—to find a bit of time alone with God.
