I have written about the story of Saint Francis and about the places in and around Assisi that we visited in my earlier blogs. But how can we petition to Saint Francis?
I believe that we have beautiful spirits, saints and angels all around us, all willing to help us, if only we ask. Petitioning is asking help from one of these spirits by meditation or prayer. I like to petition to a spirit that I most resonate with or that I believe has an influence in the area I am asking. To do this, read about the saints. See if you feel deep love and a connection when you think about them.
I always thought of Francis as being just a sweet beautiful loving energy. A healer of animals and people. But he is more than that. When you start to read his story you learn that he was particularly strict on himself. His way of life was to submit totally to God. He did not believe in owning possessions. In fact he rid himself of all earthly possessions and forbid himself earthly pleasures. There was a story that on a pilgrimage he stayed at a cardinal’s house. The cardinal’s house was very lavish. Afterwards he whipped his back to punish himself for having indulged in sleeping in a comfortable bed.
Perhaps Saint Francis teaches us to trust that everything we need will come to us. It is not easy to feel completely free of worry and concern. Especially when it comes to finances. It is not easy to trust so completely. Saint Francis teaches us not to worry about the future but to live in the NOW. Trust that the future will be taken care of. Trust that what we need will come to it as we need it. Trust that we can give our things away and give to others and that we don’t need to cling to things. These are difficult lessons for most of us but if that is what you strive for Saint Francis will certainly be the one to guide you.
If you are truly poor without basic needs he would be the Saint to petition to or if you are asking on behalf of others in need. He is not the one I would ask for help with some big business deal!
Francis was known to heal people of their ailments. As he met people he would place his hand over them and they would be healed. But a letter he wrote was also passed over someone and would heal. So items touched or blessed by the saint have that healing affect too. He always said that healing was not of the physical it was of the emotional. If he met a person with a physical condition he was not concerned with healing that physical condition, rather on healing their soul. Spiritual healers are more aware of this today. That is that all physical ailments are not really physical ailments at all, rather a misalignment of the energy, either emotionally or physically. Therefore to address a physical healing needs to be done on a soul level. Petition to Saint Francis for healing but be prepared to release emotional issues too.
And of course Saint Francis is mostly known for the healing of animals. Saint Francis had a special connection to animals. He was known to talk to the animals when animal communication was not accepted like it is today. Where ever he went animals would come to greet him, to talk to him and for healing. There are many many stories of Francis arriving at a town and all the children coming to him with their animals. One of the most famous is that of the wolf that was terrorizing a town. It had killed a lot of livestock and even attacked people. Francis came to the town and the wolf walked up to greet him. He stood with him and petted him like a tame dog. The wolf never bothered the town again.
Petition to Saint Francis if you have a pet that needs healing or if you see a wild animal in need. Animals love energy healing and respond very well to a prayer to Saint Francis. Place something from Saint Francis near your pet’s bed or where they eat or even put a Saint Francis tag on their collar.
I have a few Saint Francis items from Italy, blessed by the priests,
and the Holy water in Assisi, click here