Freedom and Joy with “The Poor”

St. Francis was in a heap of trouble. After an unsuccessful stint as a soldier, and ill, he returned home to recover. One night he was praying and sleeping in the ruins of the Church of St. Damian, and had a vision. In his vision God said to him, “Francis, do you see my house in ruins? I want you to restore my house.”

Francis was fun-loving, a troubadour, an entertainer, and probably, an Enneagram Type Seven — a party boy. He impetuously rushed out and sold his horse to raise money for the church. He also sold some of his father’s expensive silk cloth. Father was not pleased and had Francis imprisoned for stealing.

The conflict between them dragged on, and Francis’ reputation was lost in the process. He retreated to a cave or cellar — we don’t know which — and dealt with his crumbling persona: no longer popular, a failure as a soldier, and a failure as a follower of God. His ego container had crumbled, we would say today.

But, G. K. Chesterton wrote, Francis emerged from his cave as if he were walking on his hands — he saw the world upside down: the rich were actually poor and the poor rich. Ever the jester, he was now a jongleur de Dieu — a jester for God.

Francis renounced his father’s wealth and he became a mendicant — a beggar for God. He asked for food and stones so he could rebuild the church with his own hands. Others were inspired by his example and joined him. That was the beginning of the Franciscan orders.

Francis experienced poverty of the Self. His Ego crumbled. He found joy, freedom and compassion within himself. Jesus said, “blessed are the poor.” What a blessing it is to drop our denial about who we really are. We find the freedom to follow our hearts into freedom and joy. And into compassion, service and solidarity.

When the walls of our Ego Containers begin to break down, we come face-to-face with The Others and see them as persons. Our relationships become “I-Thou,” rather than “I-It” or “I-Other.” We find, as St. Francis and Pope Francis did, that we are one with the poor. We are two, but first, we are one. Just as we are one with Creation.

Jesus said, “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Our spiritual practice takes us through loss and sometimes suffering, into freedom and joy. Indeed, blessed are the poor.

If you want to know more about working with the poor, you can start by looking up Shane Claiborne and reading his book, The Irresistible Revolutionary.