Gospel 10-4-24. Matt 11:25-30. St Francis of Assisi, Confessor
25 At that time Jesus answered and said: I confess to thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to the little ones.
In illo tempore respondens Jesus dixit : Confiteor tibi, Pater, Domine caeli et terrae, quia abscondisti haec a sapientibus, et prudentibus, et revelasti ea parvulis.
26 Yea, Father; for so hath it seemed good in thy sight.
Ita Pater : quoniam sic fuit placitum ante te.
27 All things are delivered to me by my Father. And no one knoweth the Son, but the Father: neither doth any one know the Father, but the Son, and he to whom it shall please the Son to reveal him.
Omnia mihi tradita sunt a Patre meo. Et nemo novit Filium, nisi Pater : neque Patrem quis novit, nisi Filius, et cui voluerit Filius revelare.
28 Come to me, all you that labour, and are burdened, and I will refresh you.
Venite ad me omnes qui laboratis, et onerati estis, et ego reficiam vos.
29 Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls.
Tollite jugum meum super vos, et discite a me, quia mitis sum, et humilis corde : et invenietis requiem animabus vestris.
30 For my yoke is sweet and my burden light.
Jugum enim meum suave est, et onus meum leve.
The Seraphic Patriarch of Assisi was a man especially raised up by God in the Middle Ages with a mission to reconvert the world to Christ. Francis was born in a stable, and heralded into the world by angelic song; he commenced his work with twelve followers, whom he sent two by two to preach the Gospel. He espoused most high Poverty, and received in his own body the marks of the Sacred Passion on Mount Alvernia. Francis' message of charity, peace and justice was heard by men and women of every grade of society, and thousands in consequence desired to leave and follow Francis in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Therefore he founded the Order of Friars Minor, the Second Order or the Poor Clares, and the Tertiaries or Third Order, which will bear his name. St Francis died about sunset on Saturday, 3d October 1226.
