Take Nothing on the Journey

"...take nothing on the journey..." Mark 6:8

When St. Francis of Assisi heard the gospel on taking nothing for the journey on Feb. 24, 1208, he was overjoyed. I can't imagine anyone being overjoyed at Jesus' instructions to the 12 Apostles to go out preaching but to take nothing but a walking stick! But Saint Francis had been feeling the pull of God in dreams and visions, and he felt that this was the clear direction he had been seeking. Although he had been a rich young man, with a taste for luxurious clothes and good food, he had renounced his possessions to the dismay of his father, and embarked on begging for food and for stones to rebuild a small church.

St. Francis really obeyed Jesus’ instructions to walk from place to place and preach the good news. In Cannara, Italy, he was known to have preached to thousands of birds. The birds actually listened to his instructions, “My little sisters the birds, Ye owe much to God, your Creator, And ye ought to sing his praise at all times and in all places, Because he has given you liberty to fly about into all places; And though ye neither spin nor sew, He has given you a twofold and a threefold clothing for yourselves and for your offspring.”

When Francis reached the Umbrian city of Gubbio, the townspeople entreated him to help them with this ferocious wolf that was terrorizing the town. It not only ate animals but people too. Even the armed soldiers were terrified to leave the city walls. 

One day St. Francis announced he would speak to the wolf. When he walked out from the safety of the gates, the people climbed the roofs and walls to see what would happen. They were appalled when the wolf lunged at the saint, and relieved when Francis stopped him with the sign of the cross. 

St. Francis spoke to the wolf calling him Brother Wolf and convincing him to stop terrorizing the town. “In Christ’s name, I forbid you to be wicked. If you agree to make peace, I will ask the townspeople to feed you for the rest of your life, for I know it is hunger that has driven you to these crimes.” 

The wolf put his paw into Francis’ hand and the Saint led the now placid animal into Gubbio. Francis walked into the town square with the wolf and he urged the people to repent. He convinced them to forgive the wolf, and feed him as long as he lived and the wolf would not kill anyone anymore. This they did for the next two years until the wolf died. 

Like Saint Francis, we too are pilgrims on a journey. We take different paths, but we go to the same God. We may not be able to speak to birds and wolves, but every day we encounter our fellow men. Let us remember to go forth and spread God’s good word to all we meet.