“My calling”, the Friar said, “is to be with the poor – not to tidy the streets.”
Posted Feb 1, 04:50 PM
Yesterday dawned without a cloud in a sky and, while it wasn’t warm (14 degrees), the light was spectacular all day. My sister and I drove the 50 kilometres from Spoleto to Assisi – north, along a valley of vineyards, pasture and olive groves – overlooked by hanging villages and the majestic hill towns of Umbria.
The Portiuncula, where Francis began his world movement in 1208, sits in the valley – with Assisi 4 kilometres up the hill. I have a natural aversion to religious shrines (mumbo jumbo) but sitting in this tiny original chapel got to me – powerful connection. The only problem is that it now sits inside a gigantic basilica – like a hut inside a hanger – bizarre! You might expect that the economics of mass tourism would smother the simple Franciscan message but – not so – the power of it can still be felt here – and around the world.
I recall the story of an American social entrepreneur – he told how the banking district in central Manhattan was cluttered with street people sleeping rough. This guy persuaded the banks to pay him an annual ‘tax’ – to provide an overnight shelter for the homeless. The one thorn in his side was an all night soup kitchen operated by a Franciscan priest – which he refused to move. “My calling”, the Friar said, “is to be with the poor – not to tidy the streets.” The guy was telling us the story to show the irrelevance of old fashioned charity – but I just thought, good for you brother – your boss would be proud of you.
source-senscot