Spiritual guidelines - By bike – a leisurely sacral route
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you
and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my
yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Mt 11: 28-30)
Even before his conversion, St. Francis never refused to give something to anyone who asked him
"for the love of God". There were many beggars and he was rich at the time, and he could afford to
do so. But the empathy of Francis' heart only deepened after conversion. Although he himself did not
own anything, he would never have passed by a beggar without giving him something, even a part of
his habit. It is natural for us humans to be compassionate by the plight of others. We consider
ourselves good and noble, when we successfully respond to someone’s need, but also come up with
really good excuses when we fail to react. Probably in that ratio we balance very well in our favour.
A beggar asks in the street for alms from St. Catherine of Siena. The saint replied that she had
nothing to give him. "But you can give me your cloak," replied the beggar. The saint handed it to him
without a word. "How could you be on the street without a cloak?", they asked her later. "I'd rather
be without a cloak than without love.", replied the Saint.
It may be hard to be radical like St. Francis or St. Catherine, or maybe it is impossible… However, it is
difficult in this world, in everyday life, to recognize the limits of goodness and giving. But not only
material, as some situations require time, energy, patience, our availability… So many things press us
that sometimes we feel like beggars who need some kind of alms. Where did St. Francis and St.
Catherine get the strength to joyfully give something of themselves, when they themselves had
almost nothing? Maybe it’s not about the property, maybe it’s about the attitude? Where did they
get such an attitude? God invites us to enter into his dynamics, to take his positions to rely on him
and that He will do it for us. Jesus, gentle and humble in heart, make our hearts according to your
heart!
