Today we remember and celebrate the day that St Francis of Assisi was marked physically by the wounds of the cross in his body in the final years before his death. We call that the stigmata. Francis had a vision of a six-winged fiery seraph angel that transformed into Christ on the Cross. Then his own body was transformed physically by the fire into the image of the Cross by the impression of Christ’s wounds. Francis lived passionately conforming his life to the will, teachings, and example of Christ, Christ on the Cross.
He gave up all the cultural ideals and role models that he had been actively seeking during the time of his adolescence and youth. He gave up being the center and organizer of parties. He gave up being a troubadour. He gave up being a wealthy merchant. He gave up being a glorious warrior. He gave up his friends and his weekend drinking buddies. He gave up his family name. He gave up all economic stability. He stopped signing his own name. Instead, as a signature he used the sign of the tau, the sign of the Cross. He gave up good health and concerns for himself. In the last years of his life, he even gave up the administration of the brotherhood of the friars and left that to the Holy Spirit. He gave up everything.
The reading today delineates for us the process of Christian conversion and conformity of our lives to the image of the Cross. The taking up our cross and living as Christ lived is a process of peeling away all of ourselves. That is to say our sin, violence, greed, and selfishness. When we have done that there will be nothing left but the image of how God created us, the image of Christ on the Cross, the image of each of us living confident in the action of our heavenly Father through the Holy Spirit. The Cross calls us to eliminate everything from ourselves, our plans, our personal stability, our protections and to trust in our heavenly Father. Living for the good of the other and for our communion with God is the way of the Cross.
Francis lived that way in his life and spirit. And in the final years of his life he was sealed physically in his body with the sign of the Cross.
Whoever wishes to be my follower must deny very self,
take up his cross each day and follow in my steps.
Image: CANVA CJ Dunn 16 September 2026 AI Generated.