On the evening of October 3, 1226, Francis of Assisi died on the bare ground of a small chapel below the town he had once scandalized. This October 3 marks eight hundred years.
To walk with him through the anniversary, I have written a short daily companion for the month of October. Each day brings one moment from Francis’s life, a brief reflection, and a single question to carry into your own day. Each takes about two minutes to read. It isn’t a course, and there is nothing to keep up with. It is simply a companion for the road.
Two ways to follow along
Read on the website. All thirty-one reflections are gathered on one page, Francis@800, where you can read each day, catch up on days you’ve missed, or find a particular reflection to share.
Receive it by email each day. If you would like each day’s reflection delivered to your inbox, sign up here for the daily emails. They begin on Thursday, October 1, and end on October 31. This is a separate list just for the month, so you will only receive the daily emails if you choose to sign up. Your regular weekly Spiritual Break will continue as usual.
The path we’ll walk together
- The Passing (October 1–4): Francis’s last days, the 800th anniversary of his death on October 3, and his feast on October 4.
- Rebuild My Church (October 5–11): the leper on the road, the cave on Mount Subasio, the San Damiano cross, and the square in Assisi.
- The Canticle (October 12–18): Brother Sun, Sister Water, and every kind of weather.
- Peace and Encounter (October 19–25): the Sultan’s tent, the wolf of Gubbio, perfect joy, and Clare at San Damiano.
- The Footprint He Left, and Yours (October 26–31): Greccio, La Verna, and the footprint each of us leaves behind.
Join us at San Damiano
If you are near Danville, you are warmly invited to the Blessing of the Animals on Saturday, October 3, from 1:00 to 2:30 pm, and to the Evening Prayer Service for the Transitus of St. Francis, marking the 800th anniversary of his death, that evening from 6:00 to 7:00 pm. Details here.
Share it freely
If you edit a parish bulletin or a newsletter, you are welcome to reprint any day’s reflection, unchanged and with credit. See how to reprint it. And if you know someone who loves Francis, or who simply needs a quiet two minutes each day this October, please pass this along.
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Peace and all good,
Michael
Michael J. Cunningham, OFS · San Damiano Retreat Center · spiritualbreak.com
You're welcome to share this reflection — see how to reprint it.