Importance of Poverty to Francis' Conversion (Essay Sample)
After reading Thomas of Celano's Life of St. Francis, Book I, answer ALL of the following questions in 130-150 words, using complete sentences each.
1. Why is poverty so important to Francis's conversion? What role did poverty come to play in his relationship to God?
2. Consider the narrative of Francis's restoration of the Church of San Damiano (Chapter VIII). What exactly is "the Church" for Francis? How might this related to Peter Kreeft's discussion of the Church in Catholic Christianity, Chapter 7?
3. Consider Francis's ministry of preaching. What characterized his preaching? What was the effect of his preaching?
4. Consider the narrative of Francis re-enactment of the Nativity (Chapter XXX). Thomas switches from the past tense to the present tense in his description of the event. Why do you think he does this?
Importance of Poverty to Francis's Conversion
Francis was poor at the time of his conversion because it played a significant role in his choice to forgo a lavish lifestyle in favor of one based on the Gospel. He saw his life of austerity as a chance to put his faith into practice and serve God by serving his fellow man. Francis built a stronger relationship with God due to his poverty since he came to view God as someone who cared for the poor and downtrodden due to his experiences.
Francis saw the problem of poverty as having both a moral and a political dimension. He observed that affluent and influential people sometimes took advantage of others who were less fortunate, and he decided that he would use his position to aid those trying to make ends meet. In this way, Francis's conversion was not simply a personal spiritual journey but also a statement about society and politics at the time.
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