St Francis of Assisi

The aspect of Francis’ spirituality, which this paper will try to explore, is the Eucharist and the enormous significance this sacrament held for him. In chapter CL11 of “The Second Life of St Francis” Celano writes that “Francis burned with a love that came from his whole being for the sacrament of the Lord’s body…”. Celano goes on to tell us that Francis attended Mass daily whenever possible and received Holy Communion frequently, “…with such devotion that he made others also devout.”
There can be no doubt that the Eucharist was the central part of Francis’ spirituality for in this sacrament he encountered the reality of Christ and his love for mankind; in addition, the Mass was important to him because he heard the Gospel proclaimed and participated in the commemoration of Christ’s death on the cross.
Francis of Assisi (1182-1226) was a medieval man who had a limited formal education; for instance he probably composed his letters rather than...