Have You Grown Weary?

I received an e-mail from a friend today, written to several Franciscans. She shared some of her struggles which are so similar to mine lately that I could have written it myself. She writes: “As we near the end of Lent, I pray that you have all had a fruitful journey. For me it has been a rough, dry walk. I have grown weary. Friends have told me that it is because I stretch myself too thin. I’m sure that’s true because I’ve always been a ‘Martha’ and find it hard to just ‘sit and know.’”

Does this sound familiar to you? It does to me. Yesterday (Saturday), after work, I started driving to Mass and was so overwhelmed with fatigue and pain that I turned around, went home and went to bed. These problems are ongoing.

For God's people, there is comfort in reading the lives of the saints who struggled with illness, various trials and had periods of dryness. For example, in reading about St. Francis, we are reminded about the period during his youth, when he went to fight with Assisi against Perugia and how Assisi lost the Battle of Collestrada in 1202. Francis was wounded and taken prisoner. He was 20 years old and spent a year in prison in Perugia. He was not well when he returned home. He spent weeks in bed and was ill for a long time.

Thomas of Celano, in The Life of Saint Francis, wrote:

• "When he had recovered a little and, with the support of a cane, had begun to walk about here and there through the house in order to regain his health, he went outside one day and began to gaze upon the surrounding countryside with greater interest. But the beauty of the fields, the delight of the vineyards, and whatever else was beautiful to see could offer him no delight at all. He wondered at the sudden change in himself, and considered those who loved these things quite foolish."

How unlike the St. Francis we know - the lover of all creation! And then, there were other illnesses and sorrows to come. Probably he was sick all of his life from his 20's on, and as the numbers of Little Brothers grew, so did his sorrows as they drifted from his dreams for the Order.

At the end of his life, he wrote his great Canticle of the Sun and added his final verses as he embraced Sister Death and gave praise to God: "Praise and bless my Lord, and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility."

Just as the Lord had plans for St. Francis, he has plans for us as well. Do not despair for the Lord is with us, and the Blessed Mother prays for us.

O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures for ever.
Psalms 118:1

BOOK RECOMMENDATION

Francis