Original Innocence St Francis of Assisi

I thought I would add this extra extract from the video Brother Son and Sister Moon which builds on a previous recent post from here.

It is the final scene, where Francis goes before Pope Innocent III for some advice. The pope - played  by Alec Guinness - receives Francis and his companions and hears their words to be "like the larks of the fields," in imitation of the Gospel.

He tells them, "I too started my vocation long ago in much the same way as you. But with time, all that enthusiasm passed, and the responsibilities of Church governance took hold of me, as you see." In his words, I can hear that sense of regret that he feels at having lost that "original innocence" that he tells Francis never to lose. He needed Francis  to remind him of who had called him to that life in the first place.

A recent blog I visited written by a careerist priest who likes to move in high ecclesiastical circles contained the words I don't want my blog to become a Sunday homily. In fact very little of what he says has anything to do with the love of Christ.  I can sympathise but it is the love of the Gospel - and especially the love of Christ - that is at the heart of who we are.

It is a noble task to preach the Gospel to every creature - a task that belongs to all of us.

I know it may seem a bit idealistic but I always find myself moved to tears by this video..