The Third Consideration: Saint Francis Receives the Stigmata

Throughout history, hundreds upon thousands of men have endeavored to imitate the lives of important spiritual leaders. Many saints throughout history have attempted to be like Jesus Christ, and many have achieved success, but few have achieved success in the way that Saint Francis of Assisi did. Saint Francis dedicated his life to Jesus Christ by the actions of poverty, preaching, and total humility. At the end of his life, Saint Francis received the stigmata. The Little Flowers of Saint Francis is a book filled with stories of the life and miracles of Saint Francis and his disciples, with the climax occurring when Saint Francis receives the stigmata. Whether the stigmata were received in the way it is depicted in this book, or whether it was self-inflicted is not relevant, but instead the idea in itself serves as a powerful statement of a man who perfectly imitates Christ and received this mark as a testament of purity and the completion of the humility of Christ. The stigmata ...