In praise of St. Francis

For it is his day.  Technically the Orthodox do not recognize Saint Francis as a saint, but I told them outright he was my patron saint before I had a patron saint, and I would still continue to turn to him no matter where I went.

As an Orthodox I accepted Saint King David.  It makes it easier for our priest who, when distrusting communion, calls us each out by our taken name.  Plus, King David was a man who had great potential and did great things, but often messed up and squandered what could have been more.  And he was a man whose fights for the kingdom ultimately excluded him from building God's temple for the Ark.  That's a saint with whom I can identify.

But Saint Francis?  I'm not even in the town in which is the stadium that holds the playing field I'm nowhere near.  Yet he was always an inspiration for me.  I wonder what he thinks of the Church's perils now.  Not that he had not seen the Church in dire straights in his own days.  But the Church faces the great heresy of its age in the world, and you can't help but wonder how many will be left faithful when the winds die down.

But beyond that, today is the day set aside to remember this man who has inspired millions in and out of the Catholic Church.  Here are a couple posts, including one of the earlier posts from the beginning of my blog, celebrating the good saint.