Today I learned something really worth sharing. This holy
man had fought in a war between Assisi and Perugia and had been taken prisoner.
In his older years he became a fearless peace maker. After the 5th
Crusade he was sent to Egypt. Before and after the 13th century it
was said that he was living his life more “Christ-like” than any man that
walked the face of this earth since Christ himself. He with others lived in
poverty and extremely simple. He was noted as one of the humblest of all the
reformers during the Medieval Ages. In Egypt, he crossed over the Saracen lines
and charmed Sultan al-Kamil. As a test of his faith in Christ, he offered to
walk barefoot on hot coals. The sultan wouldn’t let him. At first the Muslims
in Egypt were very skeptical; then, they realized he must be mad. From then on
they treated him with great respect because they felt God must have in habited
his soul far more than they could understand. He did not accomplish peace
between King John of Brienne (King of Jerusalem) and Sultan al-Kamil. The 5th
Crusade continued. (Source: The Roots of American Order, Russell Kirk.)
The holy man that I speak of was St. Francis of Assisi
(1181-1226). His full name was Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone. One of his
prayers is the “Prayer for Peace”:
“Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is
hatred let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt,
faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light, and where
there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be
consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to
love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are
pardoned; and it is during that we are born to eternal life.”
After reading this, I was so moved to tears. Within
ourselves we are all instruments of peace. We have all known hatred, love,
injury, pardon, doubt, faith, despair, hope, darkness, light, sadness and joy.
We have all consoled each other and have been consoled. As we understand life,
we want to be understood. I had heard of St Francis but today I learned just
part of his story in history.
None of this makes any sense unless we are born to eternal
life. That eternal life is the easiest
to obtain because it only takes just one step; but, it is the hardest road to
walk. We can be re-born at anytime that we so chose; but, today is that time.
“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with
one another in love.” (Ephesians 4:2)
Keep in prayer each other. Still continue to keep Corey
Reynolds in prayer on a slight medical procedure and that he heals. Keep those
in prayer during this Arctic blast of snow that is upon so many this evening.
God bless each and everyone this evening and keep you all
safely in His arms.
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