The Franciscan family commemorates the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of St Francis, received at La Verna in Italy. Brother Piermarco, of the Custody of the Holy Land, helps us to understand the meaning of this gift that Francis received and how we can welcome it into our lives. Br PIERMARCO LUCIANO, ofm Vice-Master of Formation The request Francis makes on La Verna is precisely to participate fully in the life of Jesus, which is a life of passion. In Italian ‘passion’ doesn't primarily mean pain, it primarily means a love that doesn't reckon, a love that if you like is even reckless, without criteria, that throws itself totally. Francis believed deeply in this truth of God's passionate love for him and for all humanity. In the Franciscan sources, Thomas of Celano tells us how he lived his daily life in the manner of Christ. Br PIERMARCO LUCIANO, ofm Vice-Master of Formation The friars who lived with him know very well how every day, indeed every moment, the memory of Jesus surfaced on his lips. How sweetly and gently he spoke to him, with what tender love he talked with him. His mouth spoke from the fullness of his heart and that spring of enlightened love that filled him inside also overflowed outside. He was really very busy with Jesus, Jesus always carried in his heart, Jesus on his lips, Jesus in his ears, Jesus in his eyes, Jesus in his hands, Jesus in all his other limbs. From a passionate love to a sharing of self, with the very heart of God. Br PIERMARCO LUCIANO, ofm Vice-Master of Formation On the Verna, in fact. Francis asked ‘that I may, as far as is possible to the human heart, live that pain and love that led you to die for us.’ So, to celebrate the Stigmata of St Francis, is to understand, sometimes unfortunately only on a cerebral level, that our life is hidden with Christ in God. Br PIERMARCO LUCIANO, ofm Vice-Master of Formation I had a wonderful experience as chaplain at the Gemelli Hospital in Rome. I used to go and visit the sick, and in the morning I would take communion. One day I thought, what am I doing, I'm bringing Jesus to Jesus, because if he didn't bring Jesus to them, how can they be Jesus? Well, sometimes there is not this awareness even in carrying the cross, because it is difficult, because the cross is heavy. But where there has been a cross on one side there is undoubtedly a crucifix, but on the other side there is always Jesus! In some shrines in the Holy Land, such as Nazareth, Bethlehem and in the church of St Saviour, at the Custody of the Holy Land, celebrations were held. As a Franciscan community, they experienced the intensity of this grace of St Francis' passionate love for the life of Christ. Br IBRAHIM FALTAS, ofm Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land Celebrating the 800th anniversary of the stigmata of St Francis was certainly a great feast! Yesterday we celebrated with all the friars and today we also celebrated with our young people, students and children. I asked them about the life of St Francis and they knew and they all responded. In fact, they are living this feast with us and this is our Franciscan mission. That we must also make our mission flourish with our students who are both Muslim and Christian. For the feast of St Francis, a relic of his blood is to arrive in the Holy Land on 4 October, says Brother Ibrahim. A sign of sharing in the face of the suffering and fear that war continues to sow among peoples. But it is also a sign of a presence that never tires of bringing peace and hope to new generations. One student, being aware of this possibility,’ Brother Ibrahim tells us, ’expressed his deep desire for it to be a sign of peace. Br IBRAHIM FALTAS, ofm Vicar of the Custody of the Holy Land Let us hope that with the feast of St Francis and his relic arriving in this land. As the young people said: who knows that when the relic arrives the dream of peace will become reality. That is what we all want. And blessing the Lord for the gift of the Stigmata of Francis, who welcomed the mystery of Christ in his flesh: from his birth in Bethlehem, in poverty and humility; in the pure and simple life in Nazareth and up to Jerusalem, where with his total sacrifice, Jesus surrendered himself to the will of the Father, giving all of himself for humanity.