October 4th is the day of Saint Francis of Assisi, considered the protector of animals and patron saint of ecology. Born in Umbria (near Assisi), Italy, in 1182, his name was Francisco Bernardone. Son of a rich textile merchant, he had a futile adolescence, living in the company of bohemians and, therefore, at the age of 20, he was imprisoned. After being freed, he gradually felt disinterested in worldly life, converted and embraced the poverty of life.
As a young man with a sensitive soul, full of love for the poor and for God, he knew how to see the face of God reflected in nature, not just in animals, but in everything that God created. This is a lesson we need to learn from Saint Francis: to be enchanted by everything God created, with all the beauty, harmony and perfection. Give glory and praise to God for creation. We pray at Mass: “Heaven and Earth proclaim Your glory”.
“Everything You have created proclaims Your glory.” The psalmist sings with joy: “The heavens sing of God, and the firmament proclaims the work of his hands” (Ps 18:1). Thus, this great saint lived his entire life of prayer, meditation and praise to God, contemplating his work, from the smallest ant to the sun. In his beautiful song to “brother Sun with sister Light”, he calls the sun and light brothers, children of the same Father. “Sister flower, which has barely opened, speaks of the love that has no end. She is a sister who remakes us and leaves the ground singing like this: hallelujah!”
Saint Francis was a universal brother
Saint Francis was admired for his kindness to all living beings. In 1223, he came up with the idea of creating the first Nativity Scene with live animals, on Christmas Day, a tradition that remains alive today. Thus, he wanted to honor the Creator in that divine child.
Francisco was a universal brother. Not only of plants, of the cosmos and of the stars, but also of all men, women and children, and especially the little ones, the poor and the sick. There was no man who was foreign to his heart: lepers, brigands, nobles or commoners; they were all his brothers. No one like him was as close to the universe as he was.
Francisco and the animals
There are many stories of San Francisco with animals. One of the stories about the Saint says that flocks of swallows followed him continuously forming a cross and that, on one occasion, when he was going to preach in Alvino, he said: “Swallow sisters, now I have to talk to myself.”
On another occasion, he tamed a wild wolf by saying: “Come here, Brother Wolf, I command you from Christ, that you do no harm to me or anyone else.” And when he was on the mountain praying, a bird warned him that it was time for midnight prayer. I think this is a good opportunity to learn what teaches her about animals. Pope Benedict XVI once said that “the existence of animals was limited to their life on earth”, since they do not have an immortal soul, created in the image and likeness of God, like our soul.
The Catechism of the Church teaches
§2416 – “Animals are the creatures of God who surrounds them with his providential concern. By his mere existence, they bless him and give him glory. Men also owe affection to them. Let us remember how delicately saints like Saint Francis of Assisi or Saint Philip Neri treated animals.”
§2417 – “God entrusted animals to the administration of the one he created in his image. It is, therefore, legitimate to use animals for food and clothing. They can be domesticated to help with their work and leisure. If they remain within reasonable limits, medical and scientific experiments on animals are morally permissible practices, as they contribute to curing or sparing human lives.”
§2418 – “It is contrary to human dignity to make animals suffer needlessly and waste their lives. It is equally unworthy to spend on them what should, as a priority, alleviate the misery of men. You can love animals, however, you should not direct the affection due exclusively to people towards them.”
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Francisco was also a preacher
Speaking about animals, Pope Francis said: “We must be attentive and not confuse pity with commiseration, which is a superficial emotion. How many times do we see people who take care of dogs and cats, but then don’t help their hungry neighbors? We cannot profess compassion for animals if we are indifferent to the suffering of others.”
We should not think that Saint Francis was only concerned with animals and . His concern was much greater in saving souls for God. In 1207, at the age of 26, he entered the church of Saint Damian, which was practically ruined; upon seeing the image of Christ, he felt that Jesus spoke to him: “Francis, restore my decaying house”. Taken by fright, he went to his father’s store, where he sold all the merchandise to restore the church; When his father saw what he did, he disowned him.
This call from Jesus was for him to restore not the little church of São Damião, but rather the Church Institution, which suffers from the sins of His children. And he knew how to respond to Jesus’ request by founding the great Franciscan congregation, with three segments, one of the largest in the Church. His life was that of a preacher, calling people to conversion.
Francisco, with eleven other companions, became a great preacher, traveling to several countries such as Morocco, Egypt and Israel. It was common to see him preach and, around him, various birds and animals joined him. In 1212, together with , he founded the “Franciscan Order of Poor Ladies”. From then on, the movement began to grow, reaching England and all of Europe. In 1979, Pope John Paul II proclaimed him patron saint of ecologists.
Prayer
One of the most beautiful prayers I know was composed by Saint Francis, and it is worth remembering and meditating on his words:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.
Where there is hate, may I take love,
Where there is offensive words, shall I bring forgiveness.
Where there is discord, may I bring unity.
Where there is doubt, may I take faith.
Where there is error, may I bring the truth.
Where there is despair, I may bring hope.
Where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
Where there is darkness, let me bring light.
O Master, make me seek more to console than to be consoled,
Understanding that being understood,
To love, to be loved.
It is in giving that we receive,
It is by forgiving that one is forgiven,
And it is by dying that one is born to eternal life.
Felipe Aquino
Professor Felipe Aquino is a widower, father of five children. On TV , he presents the program “Escola da Fé” and “Pergunte e Responderemos”, on Radio he presents the program “No Coração da Igreja”. On weekends he holds in-depth meetings throughout Brazil and abroad. He wrote 73 books on Catholic formation for publishers Cléofas, Loyola and. Teacher page: and Twitter: