St. Francis of Assisi: A Prophetic Voice for a World in Crisis

In an age drowning in noise, greed, and moral confusion, one man from the 13th century continues to speak with startling relevance: St. Francis of Assisi.

He gave up riches to embrace holy poverty, lived without power to preach radical love, and rebuilt the Church through obedience and simplicity. Eight centuries later, his voice still echoes—not as a relic of the past, but as a prophetic call to our wounded world.

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Art and Holiness: The Legacy of a Saint

Dante found in Francis the subject of his most poetic verses. Giotto and Cimabue immortalized him on chapel walls. Architects raised churches in his honor—like the majestic Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli, where miracles still unfold. Pilgrims flock to Assisi, not for tourism, but to encounter the poor man who carried heaven in his soul.

Why such admiration? Because Francis stripped himself of all to be filled with God—and that is what our restless age craves.

Yesterday’s Crisis, Today’s Reflection

In 1882, Pope Leo XIII, alarmed by the rise of secularism and class warfare, turned to the legacy of St. Francis. He saw in the Franciscan way a healing balm for society—then and now.

The Pope described a world much like ours:

• Growing indifference to faith

• Confusion between truth and ideology

• Violence disguised as social justice

• Loss of charity and family values

• The illusion of universal brotherhood without conversion

Sound familiar? Our crisis isn’t new—it’s the old disease of forgetting God.

The Franciscan Cure for Modern Ills

Francis didn’t escape the world. He entered its brokenness with peace, penance, and Gospel power. That’s why he founded the Third Order, inviting lay people to live the Gospel wherever they are—without abandoning their families, jobs, or cities.

This lay path brings:

Gospel-centered daily living

Simplicity over consumerism

Reconciliation over division

A living Church rooted in love, not power

As Leo XIII said: If Francis' spirit returns, Christian civilization will flourish once more.

A Prophetic Invitation to You

Maybe you feel it—the longing for something deeper.

A life not wasted on things that fade.

A heart that serves, prays, and truly lives.

This is your call: Be another Francis in your time.

Return to the Gospel. Feed the poor. Turn off the noise. Embrace silence. Serve the Church. Be faithful in the small and the hidden. Rebuild, soul by soul.

“Start by doing what is necessary; then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” – St. Francis of Assisi

What You Can Do Today

Learn about the Franciscan Third Order (for lay people)

Start reading the Rule of St. Francis

Begin each day with a simple prayer: “Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.”

The world needs saints—not celebrities.

Be the voice of peace. Be a sign of hope.

Be a Francis for our times.

By: Wander Venerio - Escritor e Teólogo.