Reclaiming Our Children: A Blog About Healing After Abortion

"If we had any possessions we should need weapons and laws to defend them."  Possessing something was the death of love for Francis. Also, Francis reasoned, what could you do to a man who owns nothing? You can't starve a fasting man, you can't steal from someone who has no money, you can't ruin someone who hates prestige. They were truly free. (CatholicOnline.com)

For me, the main thing with St. Francis is not his stigmata, but his total surrender to God, although I am sure he received the stigmata because of his surrender. He became nothing, in order to have everything, Jesus Christ.

I do not know about you, but I have a tendency to cling to things without even realizing that I am doing so.  It is hard to get it through my head that it is not good to cling to even things that are good. I tend to focus on the external, when in fact the only thing that is important is the internal and my relationship with God. 

"Possessing something was the death of love."  Why? Because when we posses, when we cling, we are not free to love, but it is so hard to do.

During my healing from abortion, St. Francis helped teach me to keep my eyes fixed on Christ, not an easy thing to do.  Keeping my eyes on Christ took the focus off of me and the distorted belief that I could somehow heal myself of my abortion, or the refusal to believe what I had done as if I was not capable of this particular sin. Instead of obsessing about my abortion day and night, St. Francis also taught where my healing truly could be found, Jesus Christ and the fact that He died for all our sins.

Of course, that does not mean that I did not have to look at my abortion experience, but instead of that being an obstacle, it became a tool for me to repent and change my life.  I do not think I ever would have been able to do that if I had not first learned of God's great love and mercy and what He had done for me. He had already won my healing through His suffering, death, and resurrection!

St. Francis kept things simple .  He is also a reminder that our world is filled with the blessings of God that we so take for granted, and to stop and appreciate each one.

Although I am not as close to him as the other saints we celebrate this week, St. Francis' total surrender, his giving up all that is of this world to free his heart for God and to love others is something that has always touched me.

One of my favorite prayers is the beautiful Canticle of St Francis which is sung at the Transitus each year:

Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, all praise is yours, all glory, all honor,and all blessing.
To you, alone, Most High, do they belong.
No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.
All praise be yours, my Lord,through all you have made,and first my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day;and through whom you give us light.
How beautiful is he, how radiant in all his splendor; Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.
All Praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them,bright, and precious, and fair.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brothers wind and air, and fair and stormy,all the weather's moods,by which you cherish all that you have made.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Water, so useful, humble, precious and pure.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Brother Fire,through whom you brighten up the night.
How beautiful is he, how cheerful!
Full of power and strength.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains us and governs us,and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through those who grant pardon for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial.
Happy are those who endure in peace, By You, Most High, they will be crowned.
All praise be yours, my Lord, through Sister Death, From whose embrace no mortal can escape.
Woe to those who die in mortal sin!
Happy those she finds doing your will!
The second death can do them no harm.

Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks and serve Him with great humility
St. Francis of Assisi, Pray for Us!

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For more information about post abortion healing,
visit the Lumina Website.