This is the fourth in a series of posts sharing information and perspectives on the lives of Saints Francis and Clare, life in Assisi and seeking to follow Franciscan values in today's world.
Gospel Quote - Matthew 5:3. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus' first words to His disciples from the Sermon on the Mount.
***
Umbrian Adventures - This post, updated from May of last year, describes visiting the Eremo delle Carceri, on Mount Subasio.
The Eremo delle Carceri (Hermitage of the Prisons) is a beautiful forested area on the side of Mount Subasio where Francis and his early followers went to pray in silence. Like hermits in earlier centuries, they would retire into tiny caves, or "prisons", to spend quiet time in contemplation. Following the time of Francis, the hermitage building was expanded, while the surrounding forest remains a place of peaceful trails, small caves and natural beauty. The Eremo is a popular destination for Assisi visitors. Often, by midday, the area outside the entrance gate is crowded with parked cars, taxis and small buses, while many more are hiking the two-plus mile steadily uphill road from Assisi. At such times, while inside is still a peaceful place, the Eremo paths tend not to be quite as tranquil.
For those seeking something closer to what Francis experienced, there's an early morning alternative for visiting. If you set out from Assisi's Porta Cappuccini around 6:00 a.m. and start walking up the road at a moderate pace, it takes only about an hour to reach the Eremo entrance gate. Carry water. On the upper part of the road, there are three switchbacks, the first of which is just over halfway there. (Those unable to make the vigorous uphill climb may want to arrange for an early morning - about 6:50 a.m. - taxi ride from town.)
Upon arrival, the gate should be open, with few if any people about. Walk through and continue along the path to the hermitage building. If it is before 7:10 a.m., you may have arrived in time for morning prayers with the friars and nuns who live at the hermitage. If it's a bit later, morning Mass begins at 7:30 a.m.
Proceed down the walkway and through the door.
From this point on, no cameras, no pets, no phones, no food and drink, and no noise. In a word, silence. Just to your right, as you enter onto a small piazza, there is an entry to a hallway. At the end of the hallway is a small church, built into the side of Mount Subasio, with rock actually projecting into the nave area. Here, the six or seven Franciscan occupants of the Eremo, plus any early morning visitors, celebrate Mass in an intimate and inspiring setting. Don't hesitate to enter when Mass is about to begin, as those inside are very welcoming.
After Mass, you may continue through hermitage rooms and stairways, past settings from centuries past, coming out onto the forest trails. Now, on most days at this hour, you may find a path to walk and pray in silence, with few if any other persons about.
In prior posts I've quoted French philosopher Simone Weil, writing about her visit to Assisi in the 1930's, descriptive words worth repeating,“When I got to Assisi, Milan, Florence, Rome and all the rest completely disappeared from my memory, so captivated was I by the gentle landscape, so miraculously evangelical and Franciscan, by the delightful churches, by a wealth of happy memories and by those noble examples of humanity- the Umbrian country folk, rich in beauty, physical strength, joy and kindness. Little had I dreamt such a marvelous place existed. I would have stayed for the rest of my life – if only women were accepted - at the tiny monastery of the Carceri, an hour and fourteen minutes walk up the mountainside from Assisi. No more heavenly and tranquil sight exists than Umbria as seen from up there. Saint Francis certainly knew how to choose the most ravishing spots to practice poverty: He was far from being an ascetic….”
Finally, if by mid-morning you are not quite ready to return to town, more trails and natural wonders await on Mount Subasio.
***
Reflections - Simone Weil also thoughtfully observed,"One cannot imagine Saint Francis of Assisi talking about rights." How is it that one of the most caring souls who ever lived, who gave away all he had to the poor, who loved society's outcasts and embraced lepers, was not an outspoken advocate for human rights? How is it that he begged goodness from others rather than demanding respect and equality? Why did he choose a different path than so many other famous leaders and promoters of social change? Perhaps Saint Francis humbly realized that the rights established by a society, good or otherwise, are temporary, worldly values, a reflection of fallible human efforts, not to be confused with one's obligations in a deeper, more-personal relationship with God. To Saint Francis, societal rights would be secondary to God's all-encompassing love for humanity, and would gain or lose merit within the context of our true calling to love everyone, including our enemies. The humility of Saint Francis suggests we have few inherent rights beyond the perfect freedom to love, a right given to us through God’s infinite mercy. In the end, souls are not saved through the establishment of societal standards, but through love.In a world of jumbled demands for conflicting rights, Catholics are wise to focus, as Saint Francis did, on God's call to love everyone, especially the least among us. There is a beautiful consistency in the message that all life is precious. All justifications for war, exploitation, abortion, capital punishment, and other forms of violence crumble before the humble belief that each and every soul is a special creation of God. And there is a true fairness and equality in an ethic based not on the latest trends or opinion polls, but on a divine message as old as mankind. For the humble, the right that matters most is the right to love, a right society has the ability neither to impart nor to take away. (adapted from a 2012 essay in U.S. Catholic Online)
***
Something Franciscan - Earlier I wrote about Dante Alighieri as one of history's third order Franciscans. Others include Michelangelo, King Louis IX of Francis, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, Joan of Arc, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain, Christopher Columbus, St. Thomas More, Franz Liszt, Louis Pasteur, and Arlo Guthrie. It is heartening to consider that each, regardless of earthly notoriety or fame, sought in their life to follow the humble Poverello of Assisi.
Pax et bonum.
No comments:
Post a Comment