Saint Francis of Assisi is known for his affinity and love for creation and all of God’s creatures. One such story of Saint Francis involves the taming of a tyrant wolf who terrorized a small village in Italy named Gubbio. The town was deeply afraid of the wolf who killed them and their livestock. Besieged in their own homes, the citizens of Gubbio needed someone to deliver them from the monster that threatened their destruction. Saint Francis, upon encountering their plight, went out to meet the wolf. Using the power of the sign of the cross, Saint Francis tamed the wolf and reconciled the people of Gubbio with this creature.
It is said that no other saint has lived the Gospel as unfiltered and dynamically as Saint Francis of Assisi. His charismatic, missionary faith inspires all Christians to a joyful, simple and unwavering faith in the Gospel. The paradox of the cross is that Jesus was made sin for us that we might have life. It was Jesus’ death that conquered death, and his cross which made peace with fallen humanity. Gubbio reflects this fundamental truth. There is no evil too great that the Cross of Christ cannot conquer and reign victorious. God’s justice is creative through His mercy and grace to cause the source of our sin, our pain, or the evil in our lives to be transformed into the very sign of our victory.
