St. Francis, Über Missionary

I came across an article in the local paper, the San Luis Obispo Tribune, about the San Miguel mission. The author, Dan Krieger, was explaining about the work of the missionaries, friars and priests of the order of St. Francis; whom we know as the Franciscans. As an aside, the Franciscans were selected over the original order, the Jesuits, as the Jesuits were known to be upstarts, and the King of Spain knew the Franciscans to be more missions focused, and less politically charged.

Krieger goes into the background of the Franciscans, and there modeling of Francis’ simple, Gospel orientation in all circumstances, but especially when meeting Saladin, one of the Muslim leaders targeted in the Crusades.

Francis was able to do what no other Westerner / Christian could do; that by the simple application of preaching the Gospel, he found a favorable audience in an otherwise hostile climate.

He simply gave them Jesus.