Natus in Via
Born on the Way
September 1, 2020
Eremo di Carceri – Part One
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory,
and the honour, and all blessing.
– St. Francis (Canticle of the Creatures)
Saint Francis of Assisi loved the hidden places, the “tucked away” where no one could find him. In fact, one Lent he spent on an island, telling no one of where he was going. Early on, he found the old jail set upon the mountain of Subiaso. From this vantage point, it was likely Francis watched over Clare in her stopover at San’Angelo in Panzo, for the valley runs straight down to it. Likely, then, the water from the mountain of Francis’ prayer flowed down to stop the family from taking Catherine away from following Christ the Lord. This may also explain the short amount of time Clare, and the newly named Agnes, spent before their departure to San Damiano. An interesting find is that Pietro Bernadone, the father of Francis, owned a piece of property butting up to San’Angelo; that likely explains how Francis knew about this small community of women who would later take the rule of the Sisters of San Damiano.
This video is a meditation, and is part one of two. Pray with me, with Francis, with Clare, to the Most High to Who alone is Good.
Fr. Paschal Mary, MFVA