It's all about Jesus Christ! A Capuchin friar follows Jesus Christ first and always. In fact he is a friar because of his love for our Lord, and he is a son of St. Francis because he sees in the Poor Man of Assisi a wonderful way to follow Christ. When Francis awakened to God's love for him, he realized that God's love is shown best and completely in his Son, Jesus Christ.

Francis was overwhelmed by that love and dedicated his life to becoming more like the Savior who died for us. When others joined him, St. Francis insisted that their way of life would be shaped by the Gospel. It became their Rule of life. The words of the Son of God and the life, suffering, death and resurrection of the Savior would be the standard that guided their lives.

Although imperfectly and always striving to be better, today's friars are no different. They dedicate themselves to following the Gospel and growing in their love for Christ and the determination to become more like Him, in the way that Francis did 800 years ago in the small Italian city of Assisi.

Until his conversion Francis was a man accustomed to the finer things of the privileged class of Assisi. His father was a clothier and provided for his family in ways that many could not. Francis did not know material need, and he avoided contact with those who were in need or suffered.

Lepers were abhorrent to him; he could not even stand to look at them. Lepers looked and smelled horrible. One day he summoned his God-given courage, dismounted his horse, approached a disfigured leper and kissed him. According to Francis himself, this was the moment when everything changed for him. He writes in his Testament, "When I was in sin, the sight of lepers nauseated me beyond measure; but then God himself led me into their company, and I had pity on them. When I had once become acquainted with them, what had previously nauseated me became a source of spiritual and physical consolation for me."

In the early days of his new life in Christ, Francis was praying in the small, dilapidated chapel of San Damiano. As he prayed the Crucified Christ called to him, "Francis, repair my church."

At first he thought he was commanded to repair that particular chapel. He did. But he soon understood that it was about more than bricks and mortar; it was about the Church. He now knew that love for Christ also meant a great love for the Church. For the rest of his life there was no separation between Christ and the Church; following Him meant being a faithful son of the Church.

When he went to Rome to gain the Church's approval for the way of life that he and his followers had chosen, the Pope also knew that Francis was called to bring new life to the Church. In many places Christians had become apathetic and indifferent. Indeed, St. Francis did bring a renewal of faith to many Christians. He did repair the Church of Jesus Christ. Those who have been called to follow St. Francis know that they must be women and men of the Church and do their part in always rebuilding the Body of Christ.

It is impossible to comprehend Francis without understanding his devotion to Christ Crucified. From that moment when Jesus spoke to him from the cross at San Damiano until his last earthly moments, the cross was central to Francis' life. Whenever he entered a church he prayed "We adore you, O Christ, and we praise you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world."

The complete self-giving love of Christ on the cross spoke more eloquently and profoundly to Francis than anything else. In fact, in the last years of his life he was blessed with the very wounds of Christ Crucified. On Mount Alvernia he received the sacred stigmata.

Capuchin friars understand that we know Jesus Christ best when we gaze upon him on the cross. It is the foundation of his prayer, ministry and life. That Christ would give himself totally for us is overwhelming, and friars participate in that sacrifice on Mt. Calvary at daily Mass, in their service to others and in living in the community of brothers.