This image of Saint Francis of Assisi caught my eye.
He is holding two things. In one hand, a small blue Cross. In the other, a white Dove resting calmly. You can see the wounds on his hands, but his face is still peaceful.
It made me think about two things that go together — sacrifice and peace.
Many people want the Dove without the Cross. We want peace in our home, peace in our heart, peace in Nigeria, but we don't want to carry anything. Saint Francis shows us you cannot hold the Dove if you are not ready to hold the Cross.
He left everything — rich family, fine clothes — to follow Christ in simplicity. He called the birds his brothers, the sun his brother, because when you have nothing, you see God in everything.
Look at the Dove on his hand. It is not afraid. Animals were not afraid of Francis because he had peace inside. That is the lessoon for me tooday.
When my heart is noisy with worry, even small problems make me shake........ But when my heart is at peace with God, even big problems can sit on my hand like that Dove and rest.
Francis did not preach with big English. He preached by his life — small, humble, kind to all creatures.
Today I am asking myself: Can I carry my small cross with love?..... If I do, maybe the dove of peaace will finally rest on mee too.
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