St. Francis of Assisi, known as an animal lover and a great preacher, once delivered a sermon to a very special congregation: A flock of birds. Yes, a flock of birds! He called them down to the branches near him and he told the birds about their gifts from God. According to this legendary story, St. Francis closed his sermon with these words:

“Although you neither know how to spin or weave, God dresses you and
your children, for the Creator loves you greatly and He blesses you abundantly.
Therefore … always seek to praise God.”

This story captures St. Francis’ basic belief. He saw God in everything.
And because of that, he treated everyone equally, whether he was speaking to a sparrow or a king. His goal was to share this unique insight. He wanted the entire world to see the glory of God and the connection between all living things.

Although he was born into luxury and he believed in war as a young man,
St. Francis was called by God to leave all of his entrapments behind. Adopting a life of strict poverty, he wandered barefoot through the countryside, sleeping under the open sky. He responded to Christ’s call to carry nothing on his journey and to take up the cross daily.

Some people believed St. Francis was mad. When questioned about his self-inflicted harsh living conditions, he replied, “If we had any possessions we would need laws and weapons to defend them.”

St. Francis did not want to abolish poverty. He saw poverty as holiness. Poverty was freedom. With few corporal needs, St. Francis could truly focus upon spiritual needs. This did not go unnoticed, and soon many men followed his example. They joined him in poverty to preach the Word of God.

St. Francis’ joy, his warmth, and his unending kindness have made him one of the most popular saints of our day. His message of love is just as fitting for Christians today as it was for a flock of birds… “Always seek to praise God.”