Di Last Years
Lesin 45—How the Order Grow Fast Well-well
Wetin We Dey Learn: For 1220, after Francis finish im journey to make di sultan become Christian, e return to Assisi to help im order wey dey face problem among di members. When di Order of Friars Minor start for 1209, na only 12 brother dey. By 1220, di friar dem don reach about 5000. Because dem plenty so fast, disagreement come dey among di friar dem about how dem suppose live, especially concerning di strict life of poverty wey Francis love well-well. For di first ten years, Francis imself continue to uphold di first rule for their way of life through im example and teaching. But now wey di brother dem don plenty so, Francis no fit always use im personal influence and inspiration make everybody follow di same way. Even though part of dis na challenge to di kind life of poverty wey Francis get for mind, another part na because di different ministries of di friar dem dey grow, and dem don open plenty new houses for different countries wey their weather no be di same. For example, some of di friar dem begin dey take more active part for city life, including parish work and teaching and learning for university dem. Some of di new places where dem dey live alone for prayer dey for colder countries, and dis make am harder to waka without shoe.
For di first General Chapter meeting of di Friars Minor, wey dem hold for 1217 for di Portiuncula, dem divide di order into two province so dem fit govern am better. Dis two province dey oversee several mission dem; among dem na missions for Tuscany and Lombardy for Italy; Provence, France; Spain; and Germany. Around 1221, di friar dem hold one General Chapter meeting wey people later call di “Chapter of Mats.” For dis meeting, more than 5,000 brother gather, and dem stay for small mud hut dem and tent dem wey dem use mat make. Na so di name Chapter of Mats take come. Di people for di town and di nearby village dem give dem food generously.
For dat meeting, Francis resign from im position as Minister General of di order. With humility, e hand over di leadership to person wey get better qualification to manage di order. Francis also present one new rule for their way of life to di order, and dis rule get more details than di Rule of 1209. Even though di friar dem first approve di rule, dem no ever present am to di Holy Father because of concerns wey come up di following year among some leaders for di order and for di wider Church. So, for di next two years, Francis withdraw to spend plenty time for prayer, as e still dey work to prepare one new and final rule. Even though e no be di General of di Order again, dem often still treat am like say na im, because na im found di order and na im be di main person wey dey inspire all of dem.
Wetin We Go Reflect On: Saint Francis, like all of us, need to accept change. As im order dey grow, e discern say time don reach for am to trust God pass as e trust imself. E no fit manage di order again, and e know am. So God inspire am to leave di role of Minister General of di order and take up di responsibility of one humble brother.
Even though e leave di office of Minister General, na im still found di order, and na im be di main person wey dey inspire im brother dem. So, for im humble role, God continue to use am for new and different ways, including for di work wey still dey go on to put di Rule of di Friars Minor together.
For each of our lives, change na something wey must happen. For family life, e dey often hard for parents as their children dey grow and begin make decisions for themselves. For workplace, for friendship, and for almost every part of our lives, change go dey necessary as wetin God want dey unfold.
For Saint Francis and im brother dem, di changes wey dem experience come from something wey good well-well. Their number dey grow faster than anybody fit ever imagine. Their missionary work dey expand, dem dey face challenges for di life wey dem dey live together, and God dey use di Friars Minor for plenty new ways. Change dey necessary, but to trust God as E dey guide dem through those changes dey even more necessary. Saint Francis follow God voice and accept di changes wey e sense say God dey call am to make, so dat God fit continue di good work wey E don start.
Today, reflect on anything for your life wey need change. You dey resist am? You dey try hold on to di old ways when God dey call you to something new? No fear change. Instead, when e be like say change dey necessary, trust God plan more deeply and open yourself to di new and glorious ways wey God want use you.
Saint Francis, God do wonderful things through you when you dey alive and even after your death. As your order dey grow, you trust God enough to hand over di care of your brother dem to Am. You no fear change, but you accept am with hope and confidence for God. Abeg, pray make I always trust God as changes dey happen for my life. Make I always dey open to di plenty new ways wey God want use me for Im glory. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesin 46—Dem Approve the Second Rule
Wetin We Go Learn: As Francis dey pray and work to write the new Rule for the Friars Minor from 1221-1223, some historians talk say that period hard for am. As the order grow well-well, different opinions dey inside am, and Francis im own health dey fail, all these things become heavy crosses wey e get to carry. This one make the Cross of im Lord come dey even more central for im life and prayer. Some people believe say na around this time Francis discuss the matter of joy wey complete with Brother Leo. Remember say, according to the inspiration wey Francis receive, na to endure every suffering, even when im own brothers reject am, be where person go finally find joy wey complete. All this na for love of Christ, so that person go imitate Christ im sufferings. E clear say the divisions wey Francis see dey grow inside the order wey e just start don too much for am. So e withdraw for these two years of prayer as e dey seek inspiration from God for the final Rule.
At last, for the year 1223, Francis finish the final Rule with help from Cardinal Ugolino, and the brothers later approve am. After that, dem submit am to Pope Honorius III, and e approve am on November 29, 1223. For the main things, this Rule na the same as the first Rule, but dem add different things wey dem don see say dey necessary over the ten years before that time. These additions make things clearer for the order as e dey expand and take on new apostolic work. Dem also use more technical language and language of canon law so that the Church go approve am. Francis believe say na God inspire the Rule, and say e no be any other thing but to embrace the Gospels with all im heart.
Reflection: Saint Francis no give up. When new challenges face am, e continue to trust God im care and guidance, and e allow God to use am and inspire am to do His will. As the Holy Father approve the new Rule of the Friars Minor, Saint Francis surely go don rejoice well-well. That approval confirm God im care and guidance to am, and e see the good fruit of all im hard work.
For our own lives, to do God im will no dey easy every time. But if we no give up and we remain faithful reach the end, sometimes we go see the good fruit of all that hard work. Other saints no give up throughout their lives, but dem no see the good fruit wey go come from their service to God until after dem don die. We must always dey willing to work and serve, whether we dey see the good fruits of our hard work or not.
As you look your life now, any work dey wey you feel say God dey call you to do, but e be like say e dey bear only small good fruit or no good fruit at all? If na so, continue. No lose courage. Remain faithful to God im will, and know say your service dey make the Heart of Christ happy. If any work wey hard and dey make you fear don dey wey you feel say God dey call you to do through hard labour and difficulty, and later you see God bring good fruit from am, rejoice say you receive the blessing to see the fruit of your labour.
Today, reflect on how Saint Francis remain faithful to God im will as e dey care for im order wey dey grow. Think about the hard temptations wey e fit don face as e dey struggle to put together the more final form of im Rule for im friars. Ponder how e no give up, and thank God for the good fruit wey come from im hard work. And if you dey struggle with any difficult work, know say na to remain faithful to God im will be wetin matter pass.
Saint Francis, you pass through hard time for your life as you face the many challenges wey your order go through when una dey put your Rule together. Through everything, you no give up, and you remain faithful to God im will. That faithfulness bear plenty good fruit. Abeg, pray make I too no give up when hard times come for my life, and make I always remain faithful to God im will, even when I no see the fruits of my labour. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesson Forty-seven—Greccio
Wetin We Go Learn: For the time wey the Holy Father approve the final Rule wey Francis submit, Francis dey stay for one hermitage for the town of Greccio. E remain there for the seasons of Advent and Christmas for 1223. When Francis hear say dem don approve im Rule, joy full im heart. One way wey e celebrate this joy during that Advent season na to celebrate the birth of the Child of Bethlehem for one very special way.
Francis always get deep love for the Incarnation, because e see am as an act of the greatest humility and poverty. The Son of God Himself, the Second Person of the Most Holy Trinity, empty Himself, and dem born Am as one poor baby for the town of Bethlehem. This poverty and humility of the Son of God na one of the parts of the Holy Gospel wey inspire Francis pass. E see im own call to live for complete poverty without holding anything back as true imitation of Christ Himself im poverty.
To show im love for Christ wey be small Pikin, Francis ask one friend to help am arrange wetin go become the first Nativity scene wey dem use living beings act. To do this thing, dem gather animals inside one cave near the place wey Francis dey stay alone to pray. Then Francis and im friend put manger for the middle of the scene and fill am with dry grass. Plenty people from the town gather for Christmas Eve, and dem carry candles and torches to give light for the night. Dem sing fine songs, and then one priest celebrate Mass over the manger. During that Mass, Francis imself—wey be deacon—read the Gospel and preach the sermon with deep devotion and love for the Pikin of Bethlehem. Dem leave the manger empty because na the Mass make the Pikin present. The consecration of the bread and wine bring the Son of God present. So, Bethlehem truly become present to dem, no be only as symbol, but also for real. For the centuries wey follow, this first Nativity scene become one important devotion for the whole world.
After the Christmas celebration finish, people talk say the dry grass wey dem use become source of plenty miracles. Sick animals wey chop am recover, women wey dey struggle to born touch the dry grass and receive healing, and people talk say plenty other miracles happen because sick people touch that dry grass.
Reflection: We must always rejoice for the work wey God dey do! Saint Francis full of joy as e see how God provide for im brothers and am through the way dem draw up their final Rule, and e praise God through one special celebration of the Birth of Christ.
Too many times for our own life, when e clear say God dey care for us and provide wetin we need, we no dey rejoice as we suppose or give Am our praise and thanks. One way to praise God na to honour Am through our devotions and prayers. For Saint Francis, this one mean to honour the Incarnation with Nativity wey dem use living beings act. For us, e fit take different forms.
As you look at the ways wey God don bless your life, think well whether you don truly get grateful heart or not. If you don get grateful heart, you don show that gratitude through things wey you do? Even though God no need our praise, we need to praise Am. We need to honour Am and show Am our deep care and love for everything wey E don do.
Today, reflect on this joyful Advent celebration wey Saint Francis use honour, praise and thank God because God remain faithful to im friars and am. Think well too about Saint Francis love for the Incarnation and the humility of God, wey enter our human weakness as one poor and humble Pikin. As you dey do so, look back at the blessings for your own life. If times dey when you no thank and praise God as you suppose for Im goodness to you, try to put that one right through one clear act of devotion and praise.
Saint Francis, you see the good fruit wey come from your work, and this one fill you with plenty joy. Because of this, you give God special thanks and praise as you honour wetin E do through the Incarnation. Abeg, pray make my heart always full of gratitude and praise, and make I always show that gratitude as I dey honour our Lord through my acts of love and devotion. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesson Forty-eight—Stigmata
Lesson: About nine months after dem arrange the first Christmas Nativity scene, Francis enter the last two years of im life for this world. For these last two years, e pray plenty, e sick and e suffer. For 1224, on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Francis begin one retreat of fasting and prayer for forty days on Mount Alverna. The retreat end on the Feast of Saint Michael the Archangel.
Before that retreat start, Francis turn to the Gospels to get inspiration and guidance on how e go live the rest of im life. E open the Gospels three times, and each time, e open to one of the accounts of the Passion of Christ. So, Francis enter the retreat with strong determination to devote imself more fully to meditation on the Passion of im Lord.
During Francis retreat, e see one angel, one seraph, for vision, wey stand above am. This angel get six wings, and dem fasten am to one cross. The angel truly full of glory and grace to look at, but to look at am still bring sorrow because the great suffering wey e dey suffer clear. So, when Francis come out of that vision, sorrow and joy mix together for im heart.
After the vision end, something wey hard to understand happen for Francis body. Marks appear for im hands, feet and side. For im hands, dark flesh appear wey get the shape of nails, and the heads of the nails dey inside im palms. The same thing appear for im feet, with the heads of the nails for the top of im feet. And for im side, one wound dey wey resemble wound wey spear pierce. This wound dey often bleed, and im own blood dey stain im clothes.
Francis guard this gift of stigmata with plenty care, and na only some of im closest companions im allow to know about am. E keep the wounds covered for the last two years of im life, as e use prayer enter deeper into the mystery of the Passion of Christ.
Reflection: Because Saint Francis don give imself completely to im Lord, and im inner life don take the likeness of Christ love wey dey offer itself as sacrifice, God also choose to make im body take that likeness by marking am with the wounds of Christ Passion. Saint Francis no boast about this gift; e no use am take find praise for imself. Instead, e accept am from God as gift wey help am share more fully for the sufferings of im Lord.
Even though we fit no receive the physical wounds of Christ stigmata for our bodies, we must receive them for our souls. The main aim of our lives must be to become like Christ for every way. This especially mean say we must become like Him for the love wey make Him offer Himself as sacrifice during His Passion.
Sufferings dey wey you dey endure for life? If so, how you dey respond to those sufferings? Dem dey repel you, you dey find remedy, or you dey try run from them? Even though God sometimes want make we find remedy for the different kinds of suffering wey we dey face, the gift of stigmata wey God give Saint Francis suppose teach us say to carry the marks of holy suffering na one of the greatest gifts we fit receive.
We dey take on the wounds of Christ Passion every time we accept our sufferings with patience and joy, and join them to the sufferings of Christ. The mystery of accepting the Cross with our own free will na mystery wey hard for many people to understand. Why anybody go want accept suffering with im own free will? Saint Francis understand the answer to that question, and e accept all suffering with joy.
Today, think deeply about every kind of suffering wey you dey endure now for your life. E fit be pain for body, or e fit be something for your inside. Mortification wey person choose for imself, like fasting, na also act of accepting the Cross with free will. Pray for the wisdom of Christ Cross, so that you go discover the same glorious mystery wey Saint Francis discover, and become more fully like God for His love wey dey offer itself as sacrifice.
Saint Francis, you love the Cross of Christ so deeply that God give you the special gift to carry Christ wounds for your own body. You accept those wounds with love because you discover their power to transform your life. Abeg, pray make I too enter deep into the great mystery of the Cross and endure everything with patience because of love, so that I go become more fully like Christ for His love wey dey offer itself as sacrifice. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesson Forty-nine—To Prepare for Death
Lesson: For the last two years of Francis life, im health bad well-well. The many years of strict fasting, the cold and harsh weather wey e dey regularly face, and the many sicknesses wey e don suffer, finally begin weigh am down. For that time, e nearly blind, e hardly fit waka, e dey vomit blood regularly, and im whole body dey pain am all the time. During these years, Francis brothers carry am go meet many doctors to find cure, but dem no fit find any. Even so, e never see im many bodily sicknesses as things wey e no want; instead, e dey call them im sisters.
As Francis know say e dey die, e ask im brothers make dem carry am back to Assisi. No be only Francis want return to im hometown; the people of Assisi too want make e come back. For that time, the people know say Francis go soon die and the Church go declare am Saint. Dem fear well-well say e fit die for another town, and dem dey worry say im body go remain for where e die. So, when the people hear say Francis dey come home, dem send one group of knights from the town make dem follow am bring am home safely, so that dem go dey sure say the saint of Assisi die and dem bury am for their town.
When e reach Assisi, the people rejoice. Dem carry Francis go bishop house, and the brother dem care for am. Even though e hardly fit move and e no fit see, e talk to the friar dem with love, and e bless each one as dem come meet am. E ask make dem play music and bring some sweet cake for am. Later, as im death dey draw near fast, Francis ask make dem carry am go back to Saint Mary of the Portiuncula church outside the walls of Assisi, the church wey Francis repair with im own hands. Na there Francis ask make dem remove all im clothes and lay am naked for ground, so that e fit resist the enemy with one last act of humility and poverty. Like that, e go die as our Lord die, when dem remove His clothes. After some time, the Holy Spirit inspire one of the brother dem to lend Francis one religious habit and cord to wear. The brother command am to wear am in obedience, and Francis obey with great joy. E know say e don remain faithful to holy poverty, and now e must remain faithful to holy obedience.
Reflection: Even with all the many miracles wey God do through Saint Francis during im life, God allow the last two years of Saint Francis life to be time of great suffering. This na gift from God. This last act, as e freely accept serious suffering, help Saint Francis to unite imself more fully with Christ.
One of the main lessons wey we fit learn from the end of Saint Francis life na the example wey e show us about how to remain steadfast. E remain steadfast for im love of poverty. E remain faithful to holy obedience. And e continue to make im life resemble the love of the Cross wey dey offer itself as sacrifice. God no only call each one of us to remain faithful to Am, but to remain faithful reach the end. Our mission never finish until we breathe our last breath and leave our body to dey fully with God.
As you dey think deeply about how Saint Francis remain faithful reach the end, think about how you too dey remain faithful. Sometimes, when we first turn to God, we get plenty zeal and the love of God dey “burn like fire” for our heart. But as time dey pass, e fit easy for us to begin lose focus and allow our zeal to grow weak.
Today, think deeply about how well you dey remain steadfast for this point of your life. If today na the end of your life for this earth, you go ready to meet your Lord? Any part of your life dey where you don grow careless and turn away from wetin God want? Remember those main ways to holiness wey God don call you to follow as you dey love Am.
Saint Francis, after you turn to God, you come love God deeply and embrace life of prayer, poverty and apostolic zeal wey no hold anything back. You continue to remain faithful to your calling until the moment wey you enter Heaven to receive your eternal reward. Abeg, pray for me make I too remain steadfast for the mission wey God don give me. Make I follow your example of faithfulness and, one day, share for your reward. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesson Fifty—To Fall Asleep in Christ
Lesson: As Francis prepare to leave im body, the brother dem continue to sing God praises with loud voices. As Francis request, dem also read the Gospel of John aloud, starting from the part wey tell how Jesus return to Jerusalem, six days before Passover. Then Francis ask make dem put cloth wey dem make with rough animal hair on am as one last act of penance, and make dem sprinkle ashes on am to show say im body go soon turn to dust and ashes. On October 4, 1226, when e dey 44 years old, just 20 years after e turn to God, this holy man of God sleep for the Lord. As e die, one of the brother dem see im soul leave im body, and dem carry am go Heaven on top of white cloud. Even though na evening, groups of birds fly round the church with joy, as dem dey praise God for this kind great saint.
For the moment wey Saint Francis die, e appear to another holy friar for another town, wey im too dey for im deathbed. The friar call Francis make e wait for am so that e fit follow am go. Then the holy friar soul leave im body and follow Francis go. Francis also appear to the Bishop of Assisi, wey no dey town, and tell am say e don leave this world.
Even though sorrow fill the brothers and the people for the town as he die, dem receive special comfort and confirmation say Saint Francis na holy person. The wounds for im hands and feet come dey shine bright white, and the wound for im side red and begin bleed. Everybody fit see the nails for im hands and feet, and dem fit move the nails go front and back. This one clear every doubt from the hearts of the people wey see am. Im face begin shine, and im whole body come fresh and fine like baby own. As dem look im dead body wey carry the wounds of Christ, dem use prayer enter into that moment when dem bring Christ Himself down from the Cross and put Am for the arms of Im Blessed Mother.
That night and the next day, the whole town dey rejoice and cry at the same time. Dem carry Saint Francis waka through the town for procession, and dem stop for Saint Damian church so that Clare and her sisters fit honour am. After that, dem celebrate im funeral and bury am for Saint George Church.
Reflection: Saint Francis go stay with God forever after he live life wey full of great glory. Every sacrifice wey he make, every suffering wey he endure, every sermon wey he preach, and every prayer wey he pray no waste. God use am do mighty things, and now God go continue to use am from Francis place for Heaven.
After you comot from this life, wetin people go talk about you? Wetin dem go take remember you? As e suppose be, our lives go don help plenty people for good, and the people wey love us go both mourn and rejoice when we die. Dem go mourn because dem go miss us, but dem go rejoice because our lives bring blessing to dem.
Even though most people no dey like to think deep about death, to always keep am for your mind say you too go die na good spiritual practice. You dey do this? The thought of death dey frighten you? Or you dey look forward to am with holy hope, as you dey wait for wetin dey come?
Today, think deep about your own death. Try spend time dey think about the legacy wey you go leave behind. Think deep about your funeral, wetin people go talk about you, and the people wey you go touch their lives forever from Heaven. Na today be the day to continue to build that holy legacy as we dey wait for that glorious day wey go come for all of us.
Saint Francis, the legacy wey you leave na one of the legacies wey get the greatest glory ever. You give yourself completely to the will of God, and God use you touch the lives of plenty people in the most powerful way. Your legacy great so tey even today, God still dey work powerfully through you. Abeg pray for me make I too fit dedicate my life for this earth to serve the will of God with all my heart. Make everything wey I do prepare me for that day of great glory when I go comot from this life. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesson Fifty-one—Miracles after Francis Don Die
Lesson: Saint Francis don go, but by the grace of God, na only im body no dey again, no be im spirit. Even after im death, im ministry to the people of God continue. Miracle upon miracle happen through im intercession, and people hearts continue to turn to God one after another.
After Saint Francis die, some people begin doubt whether im stigmata na real. Na through these wounds Saint Francis come resemble Christ wey dem crucify for im body, just as he already resemble Am for im inner life. One of the people wey begin doubt na the pope himself, Pope Gregory IX, wey be close friend of Saint Francis. One night, Saint Francis appear to the pope for dream and show am im side. He ask the Holy Father to put cup near im side to collect the blood as e dey pour out. Once the glass don full reach the brim with blood, the pope heart change, and he dey talk about this vision regularly. Other people too doubt the stigmata, and miraculous signs and visions clear their own doubts too.
Plenty other miracles still happen. One man dey wey im name na John, and he get strong devotion to Saint Francis. One day, as this man dey waka for road, one person attack am because the person mistake am for another person. John get plenty wounds. The wounds serious so tey infection later enter dem and dem begin smell very bad. This one make everybody believe say he go soon die. But John continue to ask Saint Francis to intercede for am. To im great joy, the saint appear to am, touch im wounds, and heal am. When John stand up and show himself to im wife and neighbours, all of dem wonder well-well and give praise to God.
One time, one woman die, and dem dey bury am. But as the burial ceremony dey go on, she siddon come call one of the priests make e hear her confession. She talk say when she dey alive, she hide one particular sin wey she no confess, and because of this, when she die, dem carry am go one dark underground prison. But she talk say Saint Francis pray for am, and his prayers bring am back to life so that she fit confess that sin. As soon as she finish her confession, she lie down again come die inside the Lord.
Another time, one young girl die from serious sickness. Her parents sorrow well-well because na their only pikin, wey go inherit their property, die. But for the burial, Saint Francis appear to the girl mama come tell am say e don pray for the girl so that she go come back to life. The mama then tell everybody about this vision come forbid dem to bury the girl. Instead, the mama hold her daughter hand, pray to Saint Francis, and the girl come back to life for everybody front.
These ones na only small part of the plenty miracles wey happen through Saint Francis prayers from where e dey for glory for Heaven. Other people come back to life, escape from shipwreck, gain freedom from prison, survive difficult childbirth, receive healing from blindness, and receive healing from plenty other sicknesses.
Reflection: E really dey wonderful say God no only choose to use us when we dey alive, but even after we don die. After we die, He dey use the life wey we live to continue to inspire people wey know us, and He still dey use us through prayers for us from Heaven.
The prayers wey the saints dey pray for us get power. Na because God choose to use dem for this purpose. For this reason, e dey important make we dey always depend on the prayers of people wey dey Heaven. You dey do this? You dey ask the saints make dem pray for you?
The plenty miracles and answers to prayers wey Saint Francis obtain after e die suppose encourage us to turn to am and every other saint for prayer. To pray to God through the saints wey dey intercede for us na sign of humility, and na something we all suppose dey do. To pray to God through the saints na act of faith too, because na one way to acknowledge say God don choose to use dem.
Today, reflect on how often you dey turn to the countless saints and angels for Heaven make dem pray for you. If you no dey do this regularly for your life, make up your mind to change am. Humble yourself before God by turning to those wey dey intercede before Him for Heaven. We no deserve God mercy, and to ask the saints make dem pray for us na one way to admit say we no worthy to stand before God Himself. Pray especially to Saint Francis, and ask am make e pray for you so that you fit do wetin God want. This na prayer wey dey make God Heart glad, and na prayer wey He always want to answer.
Saint Francis, as you now dey stand before God glorious throne for Heaven, I come meet you with humility and trust, and I ask you make you pray for me. Abeg, pray to God make I always remain faithful to do His holy will for my life. Make I no only learn from the glorious example wey you give, but make I also benefit from the prayers wey you continue to pray to God. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.
Lesin Fifty-two—Canonization
Lesin: The miracles wey happen through Saint Francis prayers after e die plenty well-well. Because of this, the Holy Father himself, Pope Gregory IX, soon hear about these plenty testimonies. The Holy Father tell the cardinals for the curia make dem investigate these miracles to find out whether dem genuine. Even though some of the cardinals doubt at first, after their investigation, all of dem fully satisfy say the miracles genuine.
When Pope Gregory hear say the cardinals support the matter, e decide to go ahead with the canonization of this saint. Normally, the canonization process need plenty witnesses wey know the saint personally to give testimony. But Pope Gregory don be Saint Francis personal friend for many years. When e be cardinal, dem appoint am as Cardinal Protector of the order, and e help Saint Francis with the final Rule wey dem approve for 1223. Then, one year after Saint Francis die, dem elect Cardinal Ugolino as the Supreme Pontiff, something wey Saint Francis don prophesy to am years before. So, after dem confirm say the plenty miracles wey happen through Saint Francis prayers genuine, together with the Holy Father own personal relationship with Francis and the very strong devotion wey plenty people get towards am, the Holy Father decide to canonize Saint Francis only two years after e die. Dem never canonize anybody so quickly before.
On July 16, 1228, Pope Gregory IX personally go on pilgrimage to the town of Assisi and declare Saint Francis as saint. The next day, the Holy Father lay foundation stone for wetin go later become the Basilica of Saint Francis. Dem finish to build the church for 1230, and dem move the saint body go the final place wey dem lay am to rest, where im earthly body still dey today.
Reflection: Francis of Assisi don now become saint wey Church officially canonize! That day na day of great joy. No title wey person fit get dey greater than “saint!” Church dey officially canonize men and women for two main reasons: first, so that the whole world go know say their lives worthy for people to imitate. Second, dem dey canonize saints to invite us to turn to them make dem pray for us.
True true, plenty men and women dey Heaven wey be saints, but Church for earth never officially canonize them. Try imagine this cloud of holy witnesses wey people no know, wey all stand before God throne for all eternity. E dey wonderful to think of the mothers and fathers, the priests and people wey take religious vows, the hermits, and all those wey live for God and die inside His grace. Saint Francis truly inspire everybody, and e still dey do so. The witness wey im life bear go continue to touch people lives until the end of the world.
As you dey finish this short book of reflections on Saint Francis life, use prayer take think deeply about the call wey you don receive to become saint. To become saint fit look difficult. E fit look like goal wey you no fit reach. But no be so. Na your calling. Na your main mission. Whether Church go canonize you one day or not, na God will say make you dey among the cloud of witnesses for Heaven for all eternity.
Today, think deeply about where you go spend eternity. Remember say eternity no dey ever end. The short life wey we dey live here for earth no be anything when we compare am with the eternity wey dey wait for us. Think deeply whether you dey spend more time to worry about your short life for earth or about your eternity for Heaven. Look for ways to increase your glory for Heaven by living holy life here and now. This one must be the main aim of everything wey you do today and until the day wey you go die.
Saint Francis, your eyes always dey turn towards Heaven. You love God, you love His holy will, and you use all your strength try to embrace am. Abeg pray for me make I always keep eternity for mind as e suppose be. Make I work hard every day of my life towards that glorious goal of increasing the glory wey God don call me to share for Heaven. Saint Francis, pray for me. Jesus, na You I trust.