IN  500  WORDS  OR  LESS

INTRODUCTION

The title of my homily is, “In 500 Words or Less.”

ST FRANCIS OF ROME

Today is the feast of St. Francis of Rome. 

I looked up the Life of St. Francis of Rome in the Catholic Encyclopedia and a few books that give short lives of saints.

Descriptions of her life are roughly the same.

What struck me was the story of her life or any saint’s life could be summed in 500 words or so.

Then it hit me: Why not try to sum up everyone’s life in 500 words or less?

Born – died – and what happened in between.

Place of birth – place of death.

People in one’s life.

Key events in one’s life.

SUMMING UP THE LIFE OF ST. FRANCIS OF ROME

Born in Rome – died in Rome.

Dates: 1384 to 1440

Died this day – March 9, 1440.

Wife, mother, founder of a religious community of Oblates – who lived in common without religious vows.

She had an arranged marriage. She was only 12 years old when they married. He was older – rich – a soldier.

She had 3 sons. 2 died early.

I loved one line about her that is in one of these 500 words or less type biography. “Although the marriage had been arranged, it was a happy one, lasting for forty years, partly because Lorenzo admired his wife, and partly because he was frequently away at war.”

Like many saints she was very caring for the poor, the sick and the stuck.

Wouldn’t be a great sentence to hear in someone’s obituary or at their funeral?

Her life as a saint has the typical legends and miraculous material.

She’s listened to her guardian angel and is reported to have a wonderful connection with that guardian angel.

BENEFIT IN DOING THIS

In reading another’s life, we become aware of our own life.

In making it short and to the point, we are apt or able to pick out the key ingredients in another’s life – and hopefully our own.

CONCLUSION

Just do it.