THE INSPIRATION

Peace and good!

We greet you, pilgrim, with Peace and Good! And we invite you to live the experience of pilgrimage along the paths inspired by São Francisco de Assis and Franciscan life through the landscapes of the Mucuri Valley.

Our wish is that you can feel the spirit of the beatitudes along the way, and be inspired by these two simple words – Peace and Good! May you find a dynamism and a provocation: may the God that you carry in your being be recognized in others and in the world, and that, because of Him, you can live charity – the Good – among us.

“(...) Charity generates peace. Charity is in peace as the spirit of life is in the body. Charity alone holds the children of the Church firmly together in peace; lacking charity, this peace dissolves. Charity vivifies the members of Christ, unites them and makes them harmonious in one body. It is like a cable, on the upper part of which a hook has been applied that connects divinity to humanity, the cord that the Lord placed on earth and with which he lifted man to heaven.”

Mestre Rufino – text extracted from the website www.franciscanos.org

God Supreme Good

God, the Supreme Good, called everyone to participate in his Being, not in the sense of “the sum of all divine goods”, but God, as “the only good”. Therefore, the typical attitude of St. Francis is adoring ecstasy and the decision to be always at the service of this God; a service born of the joy of gratitude. It is the attitude that projects the completeness of oneself onto God, that leads to the renunciation of everything, even to the possession of God. Francis discovers in this “emptiness”, the presence of God, only as a “gift”.

And this is precisely the meaning of the human response, that of conversion to the Good, to the “Supreme Good”: to accept God as the absolute center of one's existence, and to insert oneself in his project by becoming his collaborator. From this experience is born the “sweetness” that fills Francis' life, his need to surrender everything to God (poverty), to give him thanks and praise him without ceasing. From this experience is also born the confidence to risk everything, knowing that God will not leave you helpless.

Inner peace as the foundation of outer peace

“The peace you proclaim with your mouth, the more you must have it in your hearts. Let no one be provoked by you to anger or scandal, but all by your meekness be led to peace, kindness and harmony. For that is what we are called to do: to heal the wounded, to revive the downcast, and to bring back those who are in error.”

(St Francis of Assisi - Legend of the Three Companions)

The blessing of Saint Francis of Assisi

The Lord bless you and keep you, Show you his face and have mercy on you. Turn his gaze to you and give you peace.

The Song of the Creatures

St. Francis wanted to see the whole world in a state of exaltation and praise to God. In the autumn of 1225, almost blind and alone in a thatched hut, he left humanity this song of love for the Father of all creation.

Most High, Almighty, Good Lord, Yours is the praise, the glory, the honor, And every blessing. To you alone, Most High, are they due; And no man is worthy of mentioning you.


Praised be You, my Lord, With all your creatures, Especially the Lord Brother Sun, Who brightens the day And with his light enlightens us.

And he is beautiful and radiant With great splendor: Of you the Most High is the image.


Praised be You, my Lord, for Sister Moon and the Stars, Which in heaven You formed clear And precious and beautiful.


Praised be You, my Lord, Through Brother Wind, Through the air, or cloudy, Or serene, and all the time, By which you give sustenance to your creatures.


Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, Who is very useful and humble, And precious and chaste.

Praised be you, my Lord, for Brother Fire, by whom you light up the night, and he is beautiful and jucundo, and vigorous and strong.


Praised be you, my Lord, for our sister Mother Earth, Who sustains and governs us, And produces diverse fruits And colorful flowers and herbs.


Praised be You, my Lord, For those who forgive for Your love, And endure infirmities and tribulations.

Blessed are those who maintain peace, Who by you, Most High, will be crowned.


Praised be You, my Lord, through our sister bodily Death, From which no man can escape.

Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy are those she finds According to your most holy will, for the second death will not hurt them!

Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks, and serve him with great humility.

Texts inspired or extracted from the website www.franciscanos.org

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