Saint Francis and cute images we are graced with on television

(journey in a Broken world)

Article by Marc Aupiais 1193 1212

Fulling up 18 and a large bit pages of Butler's lives of saints- is (pages 1193 to 1212 Volume 3),
saint Francis- who preached to and loved animals- all the while restoring firstly a local church from ruin, and following this- the Universal church. He founded the Franciscans- and lived a virtuous life. He was the first recorded to get stigmata- huge scars, with nails in on his limbs- and was always wise, holy and forgiving. It is only when faced with a zealous Muslim, who refused to see a miracle- by allowing Saint Francis and his priest into a burning inferno, that this zealous man could not convert someone.

Now I am the first to wish for more focus on a man's life than the animals he loved, and for more to focus on the doctrinal points of faith, but also one of the first to feel their heart melt as the BBC shows images of animals being splashed and encompassed with Holy Water from monks in brown robes!

So, when images of blessings make the secular press- with cute animals it is a blessing.

I often see priests and their cat or dogs, or dog, or cats- and think- wow that is so special. I have even had a cat join me in confession before- while it enjoyed my attention- having been sneaking in with the previous confessor.

My favourite priest, while I enjoy many priests' sermons- is one whose dog, his best friend for many years died- and who said he had private revelation that it was in heaven, or thought it was there anyway.

What Saint Francis teaches us is the value of all life. Animal souls (soul is the same meaning as life), as with human bodies- are temperal- but if human bodies are to be remade in eternity, to encompass our aeviternal souls- surely- will God not remake our animals- perhaps many theologians are right. C.s. Lewis (a non-Catholic in actuality at least) presented me with a conundrum- and my answer was- whatever has ever happened is the present to God- surely animals always exist- if not only in his memory, and ours. Other than that- what prevents these beautiful wonders from being remade with our new bodies when we rise to life at the end of the age?

Today's saint- Saint Bruno- who founded the Garthusian monks, also shows us what a fascination with life can do to aid the spiritual. This man- who also accused a superior of simonry and much else in a Church court- was fascinated by knowledge- and many books- yet eventually- as ingenious as he was, as profound and loved, and loving- he left society for the barren wilderness to obey God in his eternity there.

Now we know- we do not often want our friends to find loneliness- but in loneliness- we find an ultimate peace- with God who is lonely himself- though he has all he desires- yet he is lonely for every soul he does not have- our value there always- in that God used his own breath to bring us about!

What lesson is to be learned- but how vital every life is- for to be alive in to manifest Life himself- and Life is our creator, and the mediator of our existence!

Further information on these saints.

Search Saint Francis

http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q=Saint+Francis&sa=Search

Search Saint Bruno
http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q=saint+bruno&sa=Search

Saint Fides

http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q=saint+fides&sa=Search


Augusts 6th

http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q="august+6th"+OR+"6th+August"+saint+feast+day&sa=Search

Animals in heaven

http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q=animals+heaven&sa=Search

Aeviternity

http://scripturelink.googlepages.com/search?cx=001763116401597409521:f7idlv7awxw&cof=FORID:11&q=aeviternity&sa=Search