This morning I was in New York City (for work) and before my train to Virginia took off I visited St. Franciscan on 31rst street. It looked like a small chapel from the street but once I got in I was awed by how beautiful and big it was. They have a heart melting statue of the Divine Infant and the most touching statue of the death of St. Anthony I've ever seen and they have confession from 8AM to 6 PM on Saturdays.
Looking at the portraits and statues of St. Francis I was struck by how our modern era gets the saint so wrong. When I was in high school our teacher showed us a horrible movie-- a one man musical about St. Francis' life. He was presented as the Middle Ages version of a dreamy, high on something flower child. I was repulsed and I think a lot of other girls were too. St. Franics was no flake. He was a mighty man of God.
I saw this "motivational poster" on the Anathema Sit blog. Too bad I can't track down my old teacher and send this to him.
PS, New York is great for a quick trip but I'm so glad to be home in my beloved Virginia. The late Lewis Grizzard once wrote a book about the time he left his Southern home and followed a career in Chicago. He called it, If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground. That's how I feel about Virginia. Plus I missed Rocky something fierce. Life, even for a few days, without that man is like tofu that's been substituted for Angus beef.