We have all had 'mountain top' spiritual experiences where, like Moses on mount Sinai, we met God, heard Him speak to us (at least in the depths of our hearts) and the experience changed our lives forever. Or maybe our experience was more peaceful like that of King David who wrote the 'Good Shepherd' Psalm (23),'The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want. He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul . . . surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life!"
Francis tells us how we should respond to God when He gives us 'mountain top' blessings. 'When a servant of God is visited by the Lord with some fresh consolation while at prayer, before leaving his prayers he ought to raise his eyes to heaven and say to the Lord with folded hands: 'You have, O Lord, sent unworthy sinful me this consolation and sweetness from Heaven, and I commit it back to You to save it for me, for I am a thief when it comes to Your treasure . . . Lord, take Your good gift from me in this world, and save it for me in the world to come'. That is what he ought to do: so that when he comes away from prayer, he will appear to others as much a poor sinful person as if he had not gained any further grace . . . It happens that an invaluable thing is lost at a cheap price; and that easily provokes the Giver not to give another time."
When God hears our prayer to take back these graces we will probably lose the FEELING of peace or joy that comes with that grace. However, the most valuable part of the gift remains with us: real (experiential) knowledge of God's goodness. As a result of this knowledge our faith has been bolstered so we can 'walk in the Spirit' with greater power. Feelings (emotions) change like the wind but Truth is as immovable as a mountain so our lives should be based on Truth rather than flimsy emotions.
Francis said 'I am a thief when it comes to Your treasure'. A thief is a person who takes something that is not his. Francis understood a gift as being something that someone gives into our possession as a sign of their love. We all know that what makes a gift so wonderful is not so much the 'thing' given as the love of the giver the gift represents. We should enjoy the gifts of God but also never forget that it is the generous heart of God - a heart full of never-ending love for us - that we should truly value. He gave His heart, once and for all, in the person of Jesus who said, "Behold I Am with you always, even to the end of time".
After all, all gifts received in this life (except the gift of eternal life!) are temporary, even those given by God. Francis referred to himself as being a 'thief' because he saw gifts from God as still belonging to God. After all, since our earthly lives are temporary, we don't have the ability to hold on to anything forever. Therefore, reality dictates that all things ultimately belong to God. Clinging to them, despite the fact that we can't have them forever, is to try to hold on to what is (and will always be) God's property. This 'holding on to' God's property is what makes us thieves!
Francis knew gifts are things that exist to be given. Once love is expressed by the giving of the gift the 'thing', the physical gift, is actually no longer necessary. Francis would, after receiving 'things' from God, look around for someone else who might need to be reminded of God's love so that he could pass the gift on. In other words, for Francis, a gift was actually a 'loan' from God, and Francis, who never forgot his obligation as a servant of God (to humanity), always sought out someone needier to pass the gift on to - spreading the love of God everywhere!
Francis refers to himself as 'unworthy sinful me'. Jesus said, 'To whom much is given, much is required' and also, "The servant who knew his Master's will but did not do it shall receive many strokes of the whip". St. James said, "To know to do good and not to do it, is a sin". God's graces have a utilitarian purpose: to draw us close to God and to empower us to show His love to the world. Our sinful nature takes the good gifts of God (including spiritual gifts!) and neglects or abuses them rather than using them as God intends (to bless others).
An example of how a devout person doesn't appreciate, but neglects or abuses, these graces is where he leaves church after Mass totally blessed after worshipping God. However, soon thereafter, he gets cut off on the road and ends up cursing the 'cutter'. St. James said, "How can you, out of the same mouth, bless God and curse your brother, made in the image of God?! This is not right brothers!" This is how we profane spiritual things since we couple God's praises with curses toward those He cherishes enough to die for!
Another good reason Francis gives for wanting to give back God's graces is to save them for the future - for heaven. He said, 'save it for me in the world to come'. Jesus said that 'a man shall receive a reward for the good things done in his life'. Some of these gifts (rewards) are automatically reserved in heaven for us but others God gives to us in this world. Jesus said, "Do not save up good things in this world where they can be stolen or destroyed. Save them up in heaven where they cannot be stolen or destroyed and you can enjoy them forever". Francis showed us that it is possible to save not only earthly things for heaven but spiritual graces as well!
Francis was well aware of how tricky the devil is and how he always uses good things to accomplish evil. As a result of these graces it is apparent to all that we are overflowing with peace, joy and love. Everyone can see our faces shining like Moses' 'coming down from the mountain'. We know that it is the good and faithful that God blesses so the feeling that comes with these graces can be used by the enemy to create jealousy, envy and bitterness in those who see us as well as pride, arrogance and presumption in us who receive them. Francis said this 'is what he ought to do: so that when he comes away from prayer, he will appear to others as much a poor sinful person as if he had not gained any further grace'. He said the blessed person SHOULD do this so that he won't look like (or be treated like) someone special. After all, aside from the grace of God, we are all just 'poor sinful persons'. Jesus said ". . . only God is good" and St. Paul said "There is no one good - not a single person - who does what is right!".
Francis concludes by saying; "It happens that an invaluable thing is lost at a cheap price". Nothing in this world can be compared to heavenly treasures which last forever, never losing their power or glory. The 'cheap price' he talked about was earthly glory which is 'cheap' because it is 'here today and gone tomorrow'. It is 'good' but loses it's value quickly and is usually given for superficial (delusional) reasons.
The 'cheap price' we sell God's gifts for 'easily provokes the Giver not to give another time'. In other words, by considering God's gifts to be inferior to earthly 'things' (since we seem anxious to trade or neglect the heavenly for earthly things) we provoke God to feel it is a waste of time (and blessings) to give anything to us in the future. We prove we don't want it (and so don't deserve it) anyway! How poor we will be without His grace, 'having hope only in this life' - a life destined to end and turn to dust!
Brethren, let us treasure the gifts of God and be careful to neither neglect or abuse them. Like our father Francis, let us ask God to care for and preserve them for us. Using the knowledge of the goodness of God gained from these experiences, let us go from 'faith to faith' and 'grace for grace' as we find our way to God and become better, more faithful, servants of the God of love. This is our calling and . . . how blessed it is!
PRAYER: Father Francis, God gave you the wisdom to know how to properly care for heavenly graces. Pray for us that we, like you, might return these spiritual treasures to God for safe keeping. They are so good and glorious that sinful people like us shouldn't ever presume that they are ours by right or that we can retain them without abusing, destroying or neglecting them. Help us father to walk humbly with our humble Savior and to ever be grateful for all of the gifts of God - especially Jesus in the Eucharist. We cry to you, father, that you might pray that we can be as faithful as you and please Jesus always. We know love is the key to everything important so we pray Jesus that You reveal Your love in us and through us, forever. Amen.
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