Saint Francis

Saint Francis was born in 1182 to a wealthy Italian family. The early years Francis's life were characterized by privilege and material comfort. His father's success as a merchant blocked him from the ways of Christianity. Thomas emphasizes that Francis fell pray to sin, being that "he was taught shameful and detestable things". Thus the author lays the foundation for a story of redemption, in which Francis overcomes obstacles and achieves a religious awakening. At the age of 23, after suffering from serious illness, Francis began to experience regret and confusion. He found himself disillusioned and emotionally torn over the way he had approached life thus far. His close brush with death had led him to a period of deep introspection. Ultimately he would arrive at the threshold of Christian discipleship. However, at this initial phase of his journey, Francis would have to overcome the first of several obstacles; the obstacle of self.

For Francis, the process of spiritual growth was a painful one. He was regretful of his past indiscretions, but remained uncertain that he would not succumb to temptation in the future. Thomas conveys to us that Francis was torn between his old way of life and the prospect of a new one. In addition, he was confused over how to proceed in his quest for a new manner of living. Initially he sought a military path in hopes of achieving great deeds. It was at this point that he experienced a vision while he slept, that would move him closer toward his eventual conversion. The author explains this vision by saying that Francis had "invoked the Lord's mercy". This notion of divine intervention can also be applied to Francis's bout with illness, which may be interpreted as a blessing in disguise, considering the outcome it produced.

In his struggle to overcome the obstacles of his own sinful practices of excess and squander, Francis often asked God to help him. Finally, he was transformed even further, when his purpose was revealed to him. This part of his story was a source of inspiration, intended to bring other people to the Christian faith. In portraying how God helped Francis to surmount the obstacles set before him, it offers the message that God will do the same for others. In this sense, Francis's triumph over adversity serves as an example, wherein Francis himself acts as the model of blind faith.

In vanquishing his own inner demons, Francis still had to face the challenge of other people's disapproval and scorn; many thought he had gone mad. He first encountered such persecution at the hands of his own father, who beat him and bound him so as to drain Francis's spiritual resolve. The outcome was not as his father had intended, for Francis remained steadfast in his new beliefs and practices, and he renounced his hereditary rights. Such triumph in the face of oppression, this his second obstacle, reinforces Francis's own declaration that "he would gladly suffer anything for the name of Christ." Equally important is the recurring theme of remaining undeterred in the face of adversity. It reflects the standard religious principle of the time; the notion that so long as one stood on the side of God, he should remain unafraid. Another example of this principle was Francis's encounter with bandits.

Francis's fortitude was but one aspect of his overall Pius nature. In addition to his unwavering spiritual strength, Francis's piety was equally characterized by selflessness and humility. This is evinced by his treatment of lepers, wherein he served them and bathed them with extreme compassion. He did this not for the sake of his own conscience, but out of love and respect for his fellow man, with whom he shared a mutual affiliation with the Lord and creator. Thomas suggests that Francis had been made stronger than himself through his relationship with God, by incorporating "the grace and strength of the most high" in to his interactions with others. Clearly there existed a duality within Francis's piety, whereby his quality of strength was able to act conjointly with his humility, so as to reinforce one another.

Similar to the way he helped the lepers was his treatment of the poor. Francis had immense compassion for the impoverished, and placed a high emphasis on charity. "His conversion to God stood out as a model for those being converted in the way he sold his possessions." On the rare occasion that he failed to meet his own standards of generosity and selflessness, Francis would immediately repent for his weakness and shortcoming. His willingness to acknowledge his own faults was yet another component of his piety. His humility was even evident in the way he dressed; outfitting himself in the most meager garb he could find.

Soon, Francis began to preach, and was a powerful and inspirational speaker. Thomas describes his words as being extremely heartfelt, citing that above all else, Francis would always pray for peace. This philosophy was indeed a departure from traditional monastic model at that time, which would often encourage that entire wars be fought in the name of God, and the sake of religion. Francis had a different vision of religious life. Rather than remain confined to a monastery and removed from the outside world, Francis seemed to be constantly moving, in an effort to spread the word of God. He adopted this practice at the onset of his conversion, routinely building and renovating churches throughout the region.

Interestingly enough, Francis's contradictory approach was embraced by the people of Europe, and he began to a develop a small brotherhood of followers. It is also important to note that each of these brothers were said to have joined Francis on their own volition. This contains a subtle message of reciprocity between God and his children, in the sense that the Lord was making the necessary provisions for him "Giving him a needed companion and a faithful friend". This concept of divine mercy and provision reappears in the story with a stranger offering them bread when they had not a thing to eat. The notion that God would provide made Francis confident in his belief of holy poverty.

The arrival of brothers at his side