A Child of Francis

Yesterday was the feast of Blessed Michelina of Pesaro.

I think she was on St. Francis's radar as one of his true children from the day she was born. She was very much like him in the beginning of things. But he had to wait a while to claim her as his daughter. He waited patiently from heaven. He probably always remembered how long it had taken HIM to turn to the Lord with all his heart.

Michelina was born in 1300 to wealthy, indulgent parents. She lacked for nothing and could wish for much more - it was always granted. She had a sunny personality, though, and enjoyed life to the full. She loved "stuff" - clothes, jewels, parties, wonderful food and witty people. Her parents surrounded her daily with all of it. At twelve (!) she was married to a young man from another wealthy family and found great happiness setting up her house and inviting guests and drinking wine out of exquisite goblets. This I so understand!

Together they had a little son. All was going to plan for Michelina. And everyone loved her charming and witty personality. She was a great favorite. At the top of her social ladder. And then it came. Francis sent a calling card from the Most High King. Her husband suddenly died.

She was left alone with her little boy. She was filled with a surprising and deep sorrow for the first time in her life, and did not know what to do with it. So, she did what she probably always did when she felt sad. She tried to fill the sadness with gaity and MORE stuff, and MORE wine, and MORE people surrounding her. She distracted herself and ignored the sorrow that dwelled within. She left her son with nurses and ignored him. Perhaps he looked and acted too much like her husband. But sorrow kept whispering rather insistently - "this won't be enough. Sorrow cannot be borne this way". She covered the ears of her soul and probably cried loudly "YES it CAN be! I will make it be!" But she could not. She had no idea what to do or why she had to suffer this. Wasn't she kind, cheerful, witty, and generous with her entertainment? She was stubbornly baffled and did not want to quiet her heart for fear of what it would hear.

The tenacious mother gene gradually took hold and made her ready for the grace to come. Never underestimate the power of the mother gene! She began to see that her son needed her and she needed to take care of him herself. That came first. Over time, as she got used to the fact that this wasn't all going to change, she became more serious and diligent. She always had her son with her and she took care of him - her life became more quiet and humdrum. She learned to accept it. But she STILL loved her dresses and her things.

Enter now one of those delightfully eccentric and wonderful "holy women" who wandered through Medieval times like spiritual fairy god mothers of the soul. Her name was fantastic. Syriaca.

Syriaca wandered through Pesaro on one of her pilgrimages. She met Michelina by "chance". She thought Michelina was quite lovely and knew for certain that she had a beautiful heart under all that stuff. She saw a spark in her. I think Francis sent Syriaca, as she was a tertiary of his order.

She went slowly. She taught Michelina about the spiritual life. She taught her about suffering and how to bear it. She prayed with her and answered her doubts and questions with her own hard won wisdom. She was always there as a friend. Never surprised by failures or set backs. Always. In a very real way, she helped bear the burden that Michelina carried. She slowly brought Michelina along. And Michelina went because she knew she was loved.

Eventually she became holier and holier because Syriaca had been patient and helped her to form daily habits. Because Syriaca had been observant and had seen something of God's Spark in her. We need more Syriacas in this world. She was another of God's saint whisperers.

Alas, Michelina's son also died. It was a mercy that God waited for her to become more used to suffering before he took the boy. God is so good. After his death, Michelina became a Third Order Franciscan and did all the things Francis had done: she hugged lepers, she fed them, listened to them and prayed with them. AND she never lost her joy, her wit, her party loving spirit. Francis must have gloried in her from heaven!! But she gave it away to anyone who needed it.

When she died at the age of 56, the people of the town had grown to love her so much that they kept a lamp burning in her home to remind them of her joyful spirit. Later her home was turned into a Church. And there was celebrated the BEST of feasts. And the guests were all brothers and sisters of the Most High King. She had "arrived" at last. I think Francis met her, smiled and said, "I knew you were one of mine".

May Michelina be drinking of the .wine of heaven, if there be such a thing, from an exquisite goblet and toasting her friend Syriaca with the great gratitude of saint for saint, this woman who taught her how to face suffering with joy and never abandoned her.

And I say, Long live the Syriacas of this world! Huzzah.