每週聖人分享 Saints of the week

2024-09-29
	按此詳閲: 今週聖人 按此详阅: 今周圣人 Saint of the week, read more...

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今週聖人: 聖方濟各．亞西西

生平

聖方濟各在1181年生於亞西西，父親是布商，方濟各年輕時喜好與朋友宴樂，後來他自稱這段時期活在罪惡之中，他希望成為高貴的騎士，於是從軍，幾乎立即戰敗被擄走，與一些貴族被囚禁一年後，獲贖回家，生了一場重病，康復後繼續以往生活，他高價買了鑲金的盔甲準備再度參戰，路上遇見一個戰敗而衣衫不整的武士，便把自己的盔甲武器送給他。當夜做夢身處一座華麗的堡壘，牆上掛滿刻有十字聖號的兵器，有聲音說：「這些武器屬於你和你的兵士。」他誤解應繼續從軍，卻忽然病倒，在病床上聽到：「快些回去，侍候主人比侍候普通人來得好。」方濟各有所領悟，取道回家。他開始對參與宴樂和騎士生活再無興趣，反而喜歡獨自祈禱。一天在路上遇見一個痳瘋病人向他行乞，方濟各一面拿出錢來，一面親吻痳瘋病人的手。從此方濟各親手侍候醫院的病人及街上的癩病人，遇到窮人傾囊相助，甚至送出自己身上的衣服，令他的父親十分惱怒。

一天，方濟各在破爛的聖達彌盎堂祈禱，聽見苦像說：「方濟各，你去修理我正在倒塌的房子吧！」他以為命他修理聖堂（其實指的是教會），就回去賣掉父親的布匹，送錢給神父。方濟各的父親知道後大發雷霆，把他痛打一頓後，拉到主教面前評理，主教表示應該把錢歸還。方濟各聽命，並把所有東西，包括身上的衣服也脫下來交還父親，再也沒有回家。之後數年方濟各行乞來修葺聖堂。一天，他看到聖經說：「你們去講道，告訴眾人：天國近了…你們白白地獲得的，你們白白地送給別人。不要有金子…也不要有兩件外衣、鞋子、手杖。」（瑪10：7－19）於是他更喜樂地擁抱神貧，以後他只穿粗布衣、赤著腳，以愛心傳揚福音。上主賜他顯神蹟的恩寵，但更為人稱道的是他的愛心，例如一個病人面部生了潰爛不堪的腫瘤，方濟各用口親他的臉，那人立即痊癒。方濟各不只愛人，他亦愛護大自然，動物都聽從他，他亦視牠們為兄弟姊妹，他勸告野狼與人和平共處，甚至對鳥兒講道。很多人追隨方濟各，他寫了會規後求見教宗希望創立新修會，教宗夢到方濟各及道明扶住搖搖欲墜的拉特朗大殿，於是准許了。方濟各會迅速發展。1224年方濟各獲賜耶穌五傷的印痕。聖方濟各於1226年安逝，享年45歲。教會封他為環保主保。他也是動物的主保。

反省/效法

聖方濟各沒有解決貧窮的問題，但他令貧窮變得神聖。他推崇神貧，一切儘量簡樸，沒有外物的牽累，人便得到真正的自由。對他來說，自己擁有財富而漠視別人衣食不繼就是欠缺愛心的表現。聖方濟各挑戰我們放下物質慾望的追求，改而關心身旁弱小兄弟的需要，憑愛心分享來建立天國。

祈禱

聖方濟各覺得大自然和人類都是天主所創，情同手足，故此不論太陽、月亮以至鳥兒野狼他都稱為兄弟姊妹，整個宇宙就是一個大家庭。他在死前身體很差，眼睛畏光十分痛苦，但在此時他卻寫了著名的《太陽歌》，內容是因普世萬物都顯示造物主的美好而頌揚上主。讓我們也學習聖方濟各開啟心目，默觀大自然的美好，由衷讚頌造物主的美善與智慧。

願我們學習聖方濟各的神貧精神，以愛心分享來建立天國。並默觀大自然的美好，衷心頌揚上主。

聖方濟各．亞西西，為我等祈。

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今周圣人: 方济各．亚西西

生平

圣方济各在1181年生于亚西西，父亲是布商，方济各年轻时喜好与朋友宴乐，后来他自称这段时期活在罪恶之中，他希望成为高贵的骑士，于是从军，几乎立即战败被掳走，与一些贵族被囚禁一年后，获赎回家，生了一场重病，康复后继续以往生活，他高价买了镶金的盔甲准备再度参战，路上遇见一个战败而衣衫不整的武士，便把自己的盔甲武器送给他。当夜做梦身处一座华丽的堡垒，墙上挂满刻有十字圣号的兵器，有声音说：「这些武器属于你和你的兵士。」他误解应继续从军，却忽然病倒，在病床上听到：「快些回去，侍候主人比侍候普通人来得好。」方济各有所领悟，取道回家。他开始对参与宴乐和骑士生活再无兴趣，反而喜欢独自祈祷。一天在路上遇见一个痳疯病人向他行乞，方济各一面拿出钱来，一面亲吻痳疯病人的手。从此方济各亲手侍候医院的病人及街上的癞病人，遇到穷人倾囊相助，甚至送出自己身上的衣服，令他的父亲十分恼怒。

一天，方济各在破烂的圣达弥盎堂祈祷，听见苦像说：「方济各，你去修理我正在倒塌的房子吧！」他以为命他修理圣堂（其实指的是教会），就回去卖掉父亲的布匹，送钱给神父。方济各的父亲知道后大发雷霆，把他痛打一顿后，拉到主教面前评理，主教表示应该把钱归还。方济各听命，并把所有东西，包括身上的衣服也脱下来交还父亲，再也没有回家。之后数年方济各行乞来修葺圣堂。一天，他看到圣经说：「你们去讲道，告诉众人：天国近了…你们白白地获得的，你们白白地送给别人。不要有金子…也不要有两件外衣、鞋子、手杖。」（玛10：7－19）于是他更喜乐地拥抱神贫，以后他只穿粗布衣、赤著脚，以爱心传扬福音。上主赐他显神迹的恩宠，但更为人称道的是他的爱心，例如一个病人面部生了溃烂不堪的肿瘤，方济各用口亲他的脸，那人立即痊愈。方济各不只爱人，他亦爱护大自然，动物都听从他，他亦视牠们为兄弟姊妹，他劝告野狼与人和平共处，甚至对鸟儿讲道。很多人追随方济各，他写了会规后求见教宗希望创立新修会，教宗梦到方济各及道明扶住摇摇欲坠的拉特朗大殿，于是准许了。方济各会迅速发展。1224年方济各获赐耶稣五伤的印痕。圣方济各于1226年安逝，享年45岁。教会封他为环保主保。他也是动物的主保。

反省/效法

圣方济各没有解决贫穷的问题，但他令贫穷变得神圣。他推崇神贫，一切尽量简朴，没有外物的牵累，人便得到真正的自由。对他来说，自己拥有财富而漠视别人衣食不继就是欠缺爱心的表现。圣方济各挑战我们放下物质欲望的追求，改而关心身旁弱小兄弟的需要，凭爱心分享来建立天国。

祈祷

圣方济各觉得大自然和人类都是天主所创，情同手足，故此不论太阳、月亮以至鸟儿野狼他都称为兄弟姊妹，整个宇宙就是一个大家庭。他在死前身体很差，眼睛畏光十分痛苦，但在此时他却写了著名的《太阳歌》，内容是因普世万物都显示造物主的美好而颂扬上主。让我们也学习圣方济各开启心目，默观大自然的美好，由衷赞颂造物主的美善与智慧。

愿我们学习圣方济各的神贫精神，以爱心分享来建立天国。并默观大自然的美好，衷心颂扬上主。

圣方济各．亚西西，为我等祈。

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Saint of the week: Saint Francis of Assisi

Life

Saint Francis was born in Assisi in 1181. His father was a silk merchant. Francis liked to feast with friends when he was young. Later, he claimed to live in sin during this period. He hoped to be a noble knight, so he joined the army, but was almost defeated right away and was captured. After being imprisoned with some nobles for one year, he was freed and returned home but he got seriously ill. On recovery, he continued to live his life as in the past. In preparation to go to war again, he acquired a golden armour with a large sum. On the way, he saw a poorly clad defeated knight, and he gave his armour to him. That night, he dreamt of himself in a gorgeous fortress, and weapons with a cross on each hung on the walls. A voice was heard saying: "The weapons are for you and your soldiers”. He misunderstood that he should continue in the army, but he suddenly fell ill and heard in his bed: "Go back quickly, it is better to serve the Lord than the ordinary people." Francis somehow understood and immediately returned home. He began to lose interest in feasting and be a knight, but began to pray alone. One day on the road, he met a beggar who was a leper. Francis kissed the hand of the leper while taking out money. From then on, Francis personally waited on patients in the hospital and those with leprosy on the street, helped the poor generously, and even gave out his own clothes, which made his father very angry.
One day, Francis prayed in the tattered church at San Damiano and heard a voice from an icon of the crucified Christ, “Go Francis, and repair my house, which as you see is falling into ruin”. He thought he was ordered to repair that church (in fact, it referred to the universal church of God), so he went home to sell his father's fabrics and sent money to the priest. Francis' father was furious after finding this out, beat him up and dragged him in front of the bishop to reason this out, and the bishop stated that he should return the money. Francis complied and returned everything, including the clothes he was wearing to his father, and never went home again. In the following few years, Francis begged in order to repair churches. One day, he read this from the Bible: "As you go, make this proclamation: ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand …Without cost you have received; without cost you are to give. Do not take gold …..or a second tunic, or sandals, or walking stick.’” (Mt 10: 7-19) So he joyfully embraced poverty of spirit, and only wore rough clothing in barefoot to spread the gospel with love. The Lord gave him the grace of working miracles, but his loving heart made him more popular. For example, a patient had an ulcerated tumor on his face and after Francis kissed his face, the man was immediately cured. Francis not only loved people, he also loved nature; even animals obeyed him and he regarded them as brothers and sisters. He advised wild wolves to live peacefully with humans, and even preached to the birds. Many people followed Francis. After writing out the rules of a proposed new religious order that Francis hoped to create, he requested to meet with the Pope for his approval. The Pope dreamt that Francis and Dominic (refer to St. Dominic) had supported the crumbling Lateran Basilica, so he endorsed his request. The Franciscan Order flourished rapidly. In 1224, Francis received the stigmata. St. Francis died in 1226 at the age of 45. The church named him as the patron saint of ecology. He is also the patron saint of animals.

Reflection/Imitation:

Saint Francis did not solve the problem of poverty, but he made poverty sacred. He promoted poverty in spirit, simplicity in everything and non-materialism, so humans can acquire real freedom. For him, to possess wealth but ignore other’s lack of food and clothing is the lack of love. Saint Francis challenged us to let go of the pursuit of material things, and instead care about the needs of the least of our brothers around us, and share our love to build a kingdom of heaven.

Prayer

Saint Francis felt that both nature and humans are created by God. Therefore he called the sun, the moon, and even the birds and wolves his brothers and sisters. The entire universe is a big family. Before he died, he had very poor health and had photophobia which caused him severe pain in his eyes, but at that time he wrote the famous "Canticle of the Sun”. The content was that all things in the world praised God for his goodness. Let us also learn from Saint Francis to open our minds, contemplate the beauty of nature, and sincerely praise the beauty, goodness and wisdom of the creator.

May we learn from St. Francis’ poverty in spirit, share with love and build the Kingdom of God.  May we also contemplate the beauty of nature and sincerely praise the Lord.

Saint Francis of Assisi, pray for us.

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