Assisi flowers

Superabundant wild flowers flanked the path through the fields yesterday as I walked towards Assisi, the magnificent Basilica of San Francesco straight ahead. Birds sang in the hot sunshine that bathed the surrounding hills. Surely much of all that I was seeing had changed little, if anything, since the days when Francis and Clare also walked the same path, perhaps both of them, individually and unknown to the other, pondering their future direction in life.

Surely the wild flowers in their hues of blue, white, yellow and purple, were also there when Francis was born and when he died. Morning Glory, so deeply blue that it was almost purple, grew in untidy and beautiful confusion through the branches of a small bush, whilst other flowers, some of which I could identify and others that I couldn't, simply raised their faces towards their Lord.

Later on in the course of the day, walking the path towards San Damiano and the church that Francis rebuilt after his conversion, a different profusion of growth and colour revealed itself. Abundant golden berries added their own unique loveliness to a scene that shouted out to the world the greater fruitfulness of a loving God.

"Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs."

God bless,

Sr. Janet