Feast of the Stigmata of St. Francis

On this beautiful feast day I want to share a couple thoughts from our priest's Sunday homily.  The sermon was on humilty and that only those who are humble go to Heaven.  The world thinks humility is weakness and cowardice but true humility requires great heroism. 
The World:  "Be yourself!"
The Saint:  "Oh no! I don't want to be myself, I want to be another Christ!"

I just thought that was such an beautiful way to put it!  I might add, "why would I want to be myself"? Ugh!  St. Francis of Assisi was a perfect example of humility. I am currently and once again, reading The Perfect Joy of St. Francis.  There is a scene in it where he is trying to decide what he should do.  He was yearning to be drawn away from the world so totally that he was desiring to live the life of a hermit somewhere away from it all. But in his concern for his ever-growing community, he was not certain this is what God wanted of him.  St. Claire came to his mind and he decided to ask her as she contained in her a virtuous level of clarity of mind.  But when he went to leave to speak with her he stopped and said he could not go to her as she would dote on him.  hahaha Apparently, in his humility he did not wish to be thought of so highly so he sent one of his brothers.  That was my main point, about humility, but you probably want to know what she said, "Preach!"  :)