800 Years of St. Francis · Day 9 of 31 · Friday, October 9, 2026
Francis took the words literally. He went back to Assisi and begged for stones, carried them down the hill himself, and began rebuilding San Damiano with his own hands. Then he repaired another small church, and then the little chapel of the Portiuncula. Only later did he understand that the “house” was larger than any building, and that he was being asked to help renew the whole Church.
I find this enormously consoling. Francis did not wait until he understood the call before he answered it. He began with what was in front of him: one stone, one wall, one afternoon. The larger meaning came to him while he was working, not before.
People often ask me on retreat where or when they should begin their spiritual life, as if they must first climb a mountain or master a library. My answer often surprises them: you have already started. You are standing on the path right now. The spiritual path isn’t a destination you travel toward. It is a way of seeing the journey you are already on. Francis’s first repairs were small, literal, and a little clumsy. They were also exactly enough.
Notice today: What small, literal repair could you begin today, without waiting to understand where it leads?
The path is under your feet. The meaning often arrives while you are carrying the stones.
Tomorrow at San Damiano: Saturdays with St. Francis — “Do You Picture St. Francis as Smiling or Frowning?” with Bro. Mark Schroeder, OFM. Saturday, October 10, 10:00 am – 2:00 pm. Details
Day 9 of 31 · 800 Years of St. Francis: A Daily October Companion · spiritualbreak.com
Reflection © 2026 Michael J. Cunningham OFS.
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