December 23, 2024
St. Francis and Poverty
St. Francis embraces Sister Poverty, which
for him is true joy: he does not help the poor; rather, he himself needs help
for the very little he consumes (alms). The Church, on the other hand, which
aims to help the poor, must have the means to do so.
For St. Francis, true fulfillment lies in poverty; for other Christians, it is
in helping the poor and the suffering, which requires resources— as abundant as
possible.