Today is the feast of St. Frances of Rome who lived during the Great Western Schism (1378-1417) when there were two competing clerics claiming to be pope. Frances was a wife and mother, married at thirteen to a good man who never tried to curb her austerities and service to the poor. She was charming and kind and well loved, especially by the poor.
One of the amazing things about St. Frances were her visions and mystical experiences. They included being escorted through hell and seeing the punishments inflicted on those who broke the commandments.
The Bible tells us that fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and reading her words and the descriptions of her visions will certainly immerse you in the fear of the Lord! It's better to serve God out of great love for Him than out of fear, of course, but often that begins with recognizing his power and judgment of sin. And don't we acknowledge that when we pray the act of contrition?
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because I dread the loss of heaven and the pains of hell, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all-good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to confess my sins, do penance, and amend my life. Amen
Tan publishes a wonderful little book, The Visions of Saint Frances of Rome. If you're looking for something to read during the second half of Lent, the portion on hell is enlightening. Jesus experienced the Passion to make reparation for man's sins. St. Frances describes in her visions of hell, the horrifying consequences of sin. To reject the sacrifice of Jesus is to choose all the horrors that Frances describes.
One tremendous blessing the saint experienced was to have a guardian angel accompany her throughout her life whom she saw visibly in the person of a young child. In her experience of hell she also was aided by the Archangel Raphael who protected and comforted her as she saw all the horrific torments and heard the cries of the damned.
St. Frances committed herself to her duties and wife and mother. Once when she was at prayer a page came to tell her husband wanted her and she immediately closed her book and responded to him. When she returned to prayer she was interrupted again and than again. Each time she responded without complaint to the need. When she returned, the antiphon she had been reading was written in gold.
What we know about St. Frances was shared by her spiritual director from what she told him under obedience. It is not pious stories made up centuries after she lived. This humble wife and mother was a true servant of God and shows us how a life of faithful service to God never conflicts with the duties of one's state. In fact, women can always be confident if they are faithful to the duties they owe to their husbands and families that they are doing God's will and He will provide them with opportunities to pray and unite themselves to Him.
Which reminds me of the Kitchen Prayer which hung in my mom's kitchen for years and that I love. St. Frances of Rome, pray for us.
Klara Munkres
Lord of all pots and pans and things
Since I’ve not time to be
A saint by doing lovely things or
Watching late with Thee
Or dreaming in the dawn light or
Storming Heaven’s gates
Make me a saint by getting meals and
Washing up the plates.
Although I must have Martha’s hands,
I have a Mary mind
And when I black the boots and shoes,
Thy sandals Lord I find.
I think of how they trod the earth,
What time I scrub the floor
Accept this meditation Lord,
I haven’t time for more.
Warm all the kitchen with Thy love,
And light it with Thy peace
Forgive me all my worrying and make
My grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
In room or by the sea
Accept this service that I do,
I do it unto Thee.
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