Saint Francis of Assisi

Saint Francis of Assisi came from money.

His father, Pietro di Bernardone, was in the garment business.

The common term for it today would be the rag business. He imported most of his fabric from France. He loved France, because he made so much money there.

For that reason, he named his son Francesco, in honor of France.

Pietro’s god was money, and he embraced that god with a passion. His wife, Pica, on the other hand, was a very spiritual lady.

She was Francesco’s spiritual influence during his youth.

The Lord used the strength of his mother to create a balance in his life, and to bring Saint Francis of Assisi to Him when the time was right.

Pietro had great hopes for his oldest son, Francesco, even though he was a frail and sickly boy. In those days, merchants were not nobility, nor were nobility merchants. Pietro could probably have bought and sold many of the elite in Assisi, but that still did not make him aristocratic. He counted on this son to bring him into that exalted circle of the town.

Francis was groomed all his life to be a knight. He wore the finest clothes. He learned to play five musical instruments. He was the life of the party. There were many parties. That was part of the training.

Young Francesco di Bernardone was the party-planner of his time, and the most sought-after party guest of his clique.

And he loved it! He enjoyed learning the role he was to play. Signor, che cosa vuole? (Lord, what do you want?)

Although there was not much to wage war over in the little village of Assisi, shiny coats of armor were the fashion statement of the time, and naturally, the son of Pietro di Bernardone had to have the best coat of armor available.

He had a handsome horse. He did everything that was required of an up-and-coming member of a noble society.

The proper course of action for a young man of Francis’ station was to go off to war, somewhere, anywhere. He looked for a battle to fight, a cause to champion.

A controversy arose between Assisi and Perugia, a nearby town. Francis leapt to the challenge.

He went off to war. But the Lord’s plan was not for Francis to be a warrior, by the world’s standards.

He was destined to be a warrior for the Gospel. So Saint Francis of Assisi was captured early in the game. He avoided being killed, but was imprisoned, until such time as a ransom could be paid.

It took almost a year before he was released. He went back to Assisi, sick, but not deterred. He was going to find a war, if it was the last thing he did.

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