LOF4 – The Dream of Knighthood and the Grace of Wisdom – St. Francis of Assisi: His Life and Spirituality with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcasts

!https://www.discerninghearts.com/catholic-podcasts/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Anthony-300x300.jpg ## Episode 4: The Dream of Knighthood and the Grace of Wisdom – St. Francis of Assisi: His Life and Spirituality with Dr. Anthony Lilles In this episode, Dr. Anthony Lilles and Kris McGregor continue their conversation on St. Francis of Assisi through St. Bonaventure’s account of his early conversion. They reflect on the dream in which Francis sees a palace filled with arms and military standards, all marked with the Cross of Christ. Francis believes at first that he is being called to earthly knighthood, but Christ begins to teach him a deeper wisdom. Dr. Lilles explains that Francis receives a true grace, even though he does not yet know how to interpret it. His misunderstanding does not mean the grace was false. Rather, as Francis takes action, suffers disappointment, and remains open to correction, Christ begins to form him for another kind of service, one marked by poverty, mercy, and the love of the great King. The conversation also turns to Francis’s encounter with the leper, his love for the poor, and his visit to St. Peter’s in Rome, where he gives his clothes to a poor man and remains among the poor in joy. Through these moments, Bonaventure shows that Christ is already teaching Francis, not only in prayer, but through the poor, through suffering, and through the people placed along his path. * * * ## Excerpts from Chapters One and Two of *The Life of St. Francis of Assisi* by St. Bonaventure: > *Chapter 1 excerpt:* > > “…he was going forth one day, as was his custom, in clothing suited to his state. He met a certain soldier of honorable and courageous bearing, but poor and poorly clothed. Feeling tender and sorrowful compassion for his poverty, he immediately took off his new clothes and gave them to the poor man-at-arms, thus fulfilling at once two offices of mercy by covering the shame of a noble soldier and relieving the poverty of a poor man. > > The following night, while he was asleep, the Divine mercy showed him a spacious and beautiful palace filled with arms and military standards, all marked with the cross of Christ, to make known to him that his charitable deed done for the poor soldier for love of the great King of Heaven would receive an unspeakable reward. When he asked for whom all these things were reserved, a Divine voice answered him that they were for him and for his soldiers.” > > * * * > > “When Francis awoke early in the morning, not yet accustomed to understand and interpret Divine mysteries, nor through visible signs to ascend to invisible truths, he thought this strange vision betokened some great earthly prosperity. Therefore, still ignorant of the Divine will, he resolved to go into Apulia, to enter the household of a certain count of great magnificence and generosity who lived in that country, hoping in his service to acquire military honor and renown according to what he supposed to be the meaning of the vision. > > A little while later, when he had traveled for some days with the count, he came to a certain city. There the Lord spoke to him in the night with the familiar voice of a friend, saying, “Francis, who can do most for you, the Lord or the servant, the rich man or the poor?” And when Francis replied that the Lord and the rich man could do more for him than the poor man, the voice said, “Why, then, do you leave the Lord for the servant, and the God of infinite riches for a poor mortal?” Then Francis said, “Lord, what will You have me do?” And the Lord answered, “Return home, for the vision which you have seen prefigured a spiritual work which you shall bring to pass, not by human counsel, but by Divine disposition.” > > * * * > “Now, as he was riding one day over the plain of Assisi, he met a leper whose sudden appearance filled him with fear and horror. But immediately calling to mind the resolution he had made to follow after perfection, and remembering that if he wished to be a soldier of Christ, he must first overcome himself, he dismounted from his horse and went to meet the leper, that he might embrace him. When the poor man stretched out his hand to receive alms, Francis kissed it and filled it with money. > > Having mounted his horse again, he looked all around over the wide and open plain, but nowhere could he see the leper. Filled with wonder and joy, he began devoutly to give thanks to God, resolving within himself to proceed to still greater things.” > > * * * > > *Chapter 2 excerpt:* > > “Throughout all the time of which we have spoken up to now, this great servant of God had no master or teacher to guide or instruct him except Christ our Lord. In addition to the gifts already bestowed upon him, Christ was pleased to visit him with the sweetness of the revelations of His Divine grace.” * * * # Discerning Hearts Reflection Questions 1. What does Francis’s dream of knighthood reveal about the way God may begin teaching a soul before it fully understands His will? 2. Have you ever misunderstood a grace or prompting from God, only to understand its meaning more clearly later? 3. Why is Francis’s willingness to take action important in the way Christ teaches him wisdom? 4. What does the encounter with the leper reveal about conversion becoming visible through concrete acts of mercy? 5. How does Francis putting on the poor man’s rags at St. Peter’s deepen your understanding of Gospel poverty? 6. What does it mean to say that Christ is the true teacher of the soul? * * * **About Dr. Anthony Lilles** Dr. Anthony Lilles is Professor of Spiritual Theology at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University in Menlo Park, California. A longtime friend and contributor to **Discerning Hearts**, he has helped form countless listeners through his podcast series, retreats, and spiritual conferences exploring the wisdom of the saints and the Catholic spiritual tradition. An accomplished author of numerous books on the spiritual life, including Hidden Mountain, Secret Garden, and Fire from Above*.* Dr. Lilles is widely respected for making the profound riches of spiritual theology accessible to everyday Catholics. In this series, he guides listeners through the life and spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi using St. Bonaventure’s classic biography as a trusted companion. The post LOF4 – The Dream of Knighthood and the Grace of Wisdom – St. Francis of Assisi: His Life and Spirituality with Dr. Anthony Lilles – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.