St. Francis and the Wolf

The most beloved saint in Christianity is St. Francis of Assisi. He is considered the one person who, through his life and devotion, became a model Christian and the embodiment of the teachings of Jesus Christ.  

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     St. Francis was born in 1182 into a wealthy family of cloth merchants. He had a happy childhood and was known for his cheerfulness and good nature. As he grew older, he began to question the importance of material possessions and became interested in religion.

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     According to legend, St. Francis was praying in a church when he heard a voice telling him to "rebuild my church." He took this to mean that he should rebuild the physical church, which was in disrepair. However, he soon realized that the real meaning of the message was that he should rebuild the church of Christ in his own heart and in the hearts of others.

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     St. Francis gave up his wealth for a life of poverty. In 1209, he founded the Order of Friars Minor, also known as the Franciscans. Today, he is renowned for the simplicity of his life as well as for his love of children and animals.

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     One day,  St. Francis was on his way to the town of Gubbio. He had heard that a ferocious wolf had been terrorizing the area and he wanted to see if he could help.

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    When St. Francis arrived in Gubbio, he was met by a crowd that told him the wolf had already killed several people and livestock and that they were living in constant fear.  St. Francis asked the people to gather in the town square where he stood up to speak. He said that he knew the wolf was a dangerous animal, but he also knew that it was a creature of God. St. Francis believed that if he could talk to the wolf, he could reason with it and convince it to stop its violence. The people were skeptical, but they agreed to let him try.

 

     St. Francis walked out of the town and into the forest. In the middle of a clearing he met the wolf. The wolf was huge, with sharp teeth and claws. It looked at St. Francis with its yellow eyes and he could see that it was angry. But St. Francis stood his ground, and spoke to the wolf in a calm voice.

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     "Brother Wolf," St. Francis said, "I know you are hungry. But I also know that you are a creature of God and that God loves you. I want to help you if I can."

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     The wolf growled, but it did not attack. St. Francis continued to speak to the wolf, telling it about God's love and compassion. He told the wolf that it did not need to be afraid and that it could find food and shelter in Gubbio without having to hurt anyone.  The wolf listened to St. Francis and slowly, its eyes began to soften. Finally, it lowered its head and wagged its tail. Francis reached out and touched the wolf's head and it licked Francis's hand.

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     St. Francis led the wolf back to the town square where the people were waiting. They were amazed to see the fearsome creature walking peacefully beside St. Francis. When Francis told them what had happened, they cheered.

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     St. Francis made a deal with the people of Gubbio: the wolf would never harm them again, and in turn, they would feed it. The people agreed, and the wolf lived peacefully in Gubbio for many years.

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     The story of St. Francis and the wolf is a reminder that we are all creatures of God and that we should treat one another with kindness and respect.  Because even the most dangerous creatures can be redeemed through love and compassion.