San Francesco non era quello che vi raccontano
Don Leonardo Maria Pompei
29,494 views
Behind the often sugarcoated and distorted image of the Poverello of Assisi lies a saint radically in love with Jesus Christ crucified, marked by prayer, penance, evangelical poverty, and an extraordinary veneration for the Most Holy Eucharist.
In this homily for the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Father Leonardo Maria Pompei retraces some essential traits of authentic Franciscan spirituality: the stigmata, the humility that drove Francis to avoid becoming a priest, the poverty lived ad litteram sine glossa, the preaching of conversion and penance, his intense life of prayer, and his love for the decorum of God's house.
A paradox now almost forgotten: Francis wanted to be extremely poor for himself, but he desired everything that was most precious for the worship of God and for the Eucharist. This is a very different concept from the "Franciscan simplicity" that has sometimes been used to justify the neglect of sacred things.
But Saint Francis also points to a concrete path for our conversion. From the kiss of the leper, he learned that when, for the love of Christ, we find the courage to conquer ourselves, something wonderful can happen: what was once bitter becomes sweet.
The Gospel of the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost finally offers a stern warning: God continues to invite us to his wedding feast through graces, opportunities for conversion, corrections, retreats, and interior calls. We can accept them or find a thousand excuses to reject them.
"Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart."
The yoke of Christ seems heavy, but becomes sweet; that of the world seems light, but ends up becoming a slavery.
A homily to rediscover the true Saint Francis of Assisi and ask God for a revival of the authentic Franciscan spirit: Cross, Eucharist, poverty, penance, prayer, and zeal for the salvation of souls.
Homily by Don Leonardo Maria Pompei
Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi – October 4, 2026
*#SaintFrancis #SaintFrancisOfAssisi #FrancisOfAssisi #DonLeonardoMariaPompei #Homily #CatholicTradition #CatholicFaith #Eucharist #MostHolyEucharist #Stigmata #Cross #Penance #Conversion #EvangelicalPoverty #FranciscanSpirituality #Prayer #SpiritualLife #CatholicChurch #Saints #VetusOrdo*
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San Francesco non era quello che vi raccontano
Don Leonardo Maria Pompei
29,494 views
Behind the often sugarcoated and distorted image of the Poverello of Assisi lies a saint radically in love with Jesus Christ crucified, marked by prayer, penance, evangelical poverty, and an extraordinary veneration for the Most Holy Eucharist.
In this homily for the feast of Saint Francis of Assisi, Father Leonardo Maria Pompei retraces some essential traits of authentic Franciscan spirituality: the stigmata, the humility that drove Francis to avoid becoming a priest, the poverty lived ad litteram sine glossa, the preaching of conversion and penance, his intense life of prayer, and his love for the decorum of God's house.
A paradox now almost forgotten: Francis wanted to be extremely poor for himself, but he desired everything that was most precious for the worship of God and for the Eucharist. This is a very different concept from the "Franciscan simplicity" that has sometimes been used to justify the neglect of sacred things.
But Saint Francis also points to a concrete path for our conversion. From the kiss of the leper, he learned that when, for the love of Christ, we find the courage to conquer ourselves, something wonderful can happen: what was once bitter becomes sweet.
The Gospel of the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost finally offers a stern warning: God continues to invite us to his wedding feast through graces, opportunities for conversion, corrections, retreats, and interior calls. We can accept them or find a thousand excuses to reject them.
"Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble of heart."
The yoke of Christ seems heavy, but becomes sweet; that of the world seems light, but ends up becoming a slavery.
A homily to rediscover the true Saint Francis of Assisi and ask God for a revival of the authentic Franciscan spirit: Cross, Eucharist, poverty, penance, prayer, and zeal for the salvation of souls.
Homily by Don Leonardo Maria Pompei
Feast of Saint Francis of Assisi – October 4, 2026
*#SaintFrancis #SaintFrancisOfAssisi #FrancisOfAssisi #DonLeonardoMariaPompei #Homily #CatholicTradition #CatholicFaith #Eucharist #MostHolyEucharist #Stigmata #Cross #Penance #Conversion #EvangelicalPoverty #FranciscanSpirituality #Prayer #SpiritualLife #CatholicChurch #Saints #VetusOrdo*
LEONARDO MARIA POMPEI