CHAPTER XIIJESUS AND SAINT FRANCIS
The living Jesus
Love
The Seven Beatitudes
The Letter to the Corinthians
The Canticle to the Sun of Saint FrancisILLUSTRATIONS
Jesus
The Sermon on the Mount
Saint
Francis and the Canticle to the Sun
Ave Maria and Agnus Dei
RECOMMENDED FIRST MEDITATIONS
"The Living Jesus"THE LIVING JESUS
The Son of Man gave but one law: "Love one another," the command of creative love. When man learns to obey this law he will "become perfect even as the Heavenly Father is perfect."
The words of Jesus are simple, clear, living words and cannot be destroyed; when they are uttered life enters the human consciousness and man feels the truth.
So long as these words exist around us, so long will there be hoe that man will find the way, the truth, and the life. Prayer is the creation of currents of thought, powerful enough to overcome the gravitation of earth, and directed tot he eternal boundless ocean of all higher currents of thought and love - which is the Heavenly Father.
"I will be with you always and whatever you ask of your Heavenly Father in my name shall be given to you."
The powerful currents of energies with which Jesus aroused mankind are and eternal living force, an inexhaustible treasure for humanity which will exist so long as man lives upon earth.
THE SEVEN BEATITUDES
Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven
Blessed are they that morn: for they shall be comforted.
Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.
Blessed are the pure of heart: for they shall see God
Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called children of God.LOVE
Though I speak with the tongues o men and of angels and have not love, I am as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, have not love, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing.
Love suffereth long, and is kind; love envieth not; love vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, in not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues they shall cease; whiter there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
And now abideth faith, hope and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
THE CANTICLE TO THE SUN OF SAINT FRANCIS
Praise to Thee, O Lord,
for all Thy creatures,
And especially for our Brother, the Sun,
who gives us the day,
and who shows forth Thy light.
Fairs is he and radiant with great splendor:
To us e is the symbol of Thee, O Lord.Praise to Thee, O Lord,
for our sister the moon
and for the stars.
Thou hast set them clear,
beautiful and precious in the heaven above.Praise to Thee, O Lord,
for our brother the wind,
for the air and clouds.
For the clear sky and for all weathers,
by which Thou giveth life
and the means of life
to all Thy creaturesPraise to Thee, O Lord,
for our brother, fire
by whom Thou givest us
light in the darkness.
He is beautiful and bright,
courageous and strong.Praise to Thee, O Lord,
for our sister, water,
who is so useful to us,
humble, precious and chaste.Praise to Thee, O Lord,
for our mother, the earth,
who sustains us and nourishes up,
bringing forth divers fruits,
flowers of many color, and the grass.
THE PRAYER OF SAINT FRANCIS
O Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there 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 muchSeek to be consoled, as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in the giving that we receive,
It is in the pardoning that we are pardoned,
And it is in dying that we are born of eternal life.