Transformed eyes

"...the whole philosophy of St. Francis revolved 'round the idea of a new supernatural light on natural things, which meant the ultimate recovery not the ultimate refusal of natural things."

- G.K. Chesterton, in St. Francis of Assisi

This is the grace of the Holy Spirit, that transforms the very way we perceive the world around us. To live with eyes that are transformed by grace--that will really be something incredible. To see all things as sacred, simply because they are God's creation, will transform the very meaning of pleasure and joy in how we experience them. It would let us see the good creation of God that is waiting to be redeemed.

Having now finished Chesterton's biography of St. Francis, I am inspired by the life of this great saint. Chesterton described him as a Jongleur de Dieu, a Tumbler of God, a court jester of the King who sees life upside down while he's standing on his head. Francis saw the world differently than most people, and that allowed him to have a love and joy for the natural things in life that most people don't. He truly lived his life in the light of Jesus, looking first to God, and then seeing all else around him from that perspective, and then acting out of that love and joy that naturally (supernaturally) came as a result.

If I, if we, lived our lives like this...how different things could be. How much more like Christ we could be. How much more of a powerful witness to the world of radical transformation by the  Holy Spirit we could be.

Lord, transform and sanctify my eyes, so that I might see all around me in light of Your love and grace, to be filled with joy and the pleasure that only comes from You, and in doing so, find greater joy and pleasure in Your creation, taking part in the redemption of the whole world that You are working. Amen.

The Courage and Love of St. Francis

From G.K. Chesterton's biography of St. Francis of Assisi, this excerpt records an event early on in Francis' life:

      An incident occurred which is perhaps the shortest and sharpest summary that could be given of a certain curious things which were a part of his character, long before it was transfigured by transcendental faith. While he was selling velvet and fine embroideries to some solid merchant of the town, a beggar came imploring alms; evidently in a somewhat tactless manner. It was a rude and simple society and there were no laws to punish a starving man for expressing his need for food, such as have been established in a more humanitarian age; and the lack of any organised police permitted such persons to pester the wealthy without any great danger. But there was, I believe, in many places a local custom of the guild forbidding outsiders to interrupt a fair bargain; and it is possible that some such thing put the mendicant more than normally in the wrong. Francis had all his life a great liking for people who had been put hopelessly in the wrong. On this occasion he seems to have dealt with the double interview with rather a divided mind; certainly with distraction, possibly with irritation. Perhaps he was all the more uneasy because of the almost fastidious standard of manners that came to him quite naturally....Anyhow Francis was evidently torn two ways with the botheration of two talkers, but finished his business with the merchant somehow; and when he had finished it, found the beggar was gone. Francis leapt from his booth, left all the bales of velvet and embroidery behind him apparently unprotected, and went racing across the market place like an arrow from the bow. Still running, he threaded the labyrinth of the narrow and crooked streets of the little town, looking for his beggar, whom he eventually discovered; and loaded that astonished mendicant with money. Then he straightened himself, so to speak, and swore before God that he would never all his life refuse to help a poor man. The sweeping simplicity of this undertaking is extremely characteristic. Never was any man so little afraid of his own promises. His life was one riot of rash vows; or rash vows that turned out right. 

Chesterton goes on to talk about the courage of St. Francis, not only in battle (he was a soldier for a while), but in love and service, not being afraid to give to the needy or hug the leper.

I want to be like that.