Welcome to our daily rosary meditation. Let's begin in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Let's call to mind all those we've promised to pray for.

Today is the Feast of Saint Francis of Hisisi.

When Francis was a young man, he had a dream that his home changed into a great palace,

filled with shields, armor, swords, and banners. On all this war equipment glittered a Red Cross. As he wandered

the halls, a beautiful but poorly clad young woman appeared and clasped his hand tightly and said to him,

Francis, my beloved, all this is for you and for your companions.

Take up your arms.

Now, Francis misinterpreted the dream.

The poorly clad young woman was Lady Poverty. The companions would be the Franciscans. And the

weapons? Well, God had other weapons in mind, prayer, penance, and preaching, but Francis missed the point

and went off to war and was captured. Thankfully, God in his providence can turn all things, even our dumb decisions, to our benefit.

Later, Francis came to the broken down church of St. Damien,

barely more than rubble.

He fell on his knees before the crucifix and in silence Jesus spoke saying

rebuild my church, it's falling down. And again, Francis misunderstood and he began rebuilding the little stone chapel out of stones.

I love how Providence has patience with us because he was wrong again.

What God had in mind was to rebuild the entire Catholic Church, really on the shoulders of Francis and

Dominic at a time when the church was struggling.

Men began following Francis and his way of life,

and when there were 12,

...