Act IV scene 3

ACT IV

scene 3 “An Exultation of Larks”

Setting: The forest (left side); San Damiano (centre); forest with larks (right side)

CURTAIN or spotlight opens on the forest

SHEPHERD: What have you heard anything more about Saint Francis since he got back from the Holy Land?  What’s he doing these days?

WOLF: Didn’t you know?  Didn’t you hear? 

SHEPHERD: Me?  Oh, I hardly ever get any news.  I’m usually out in the fields with my sheep, you know. 

WOLF: Of course.  I suppose you wouldn’t hear much out there.  I like to prowl around  outside San Damiano and the various hermitages of the friars, so I overhear some stories.  Some were stories of miracles and some were about his ministering to the sick and the poor.  Even though, towards the end not many people were sicker or poorer than he was.

SHEPHERD: The end?  You mean, Saint Francis is....

WOLF: Yes.  Brother Francis died last October.  Before he died, though, God gave him one last wonderful gift.  Have you ever heard of the Stigmata?

SHEPHERD: Um.  I think so, but I’m not sure.  It has something to do with sore spots on the body that look like the wounds Jesus had.  Is that right?

WOLF: Right.  Brother Francis spent many hour—even days—in retreat, praying.  He still heard voices from Jesus.   And he saw visions, too.  One really frightened him.  He tried to keep it a secret from the friars, but it wasn’t easy.  In fact it was impossible.  That was the stigmata.

SHEPHERD: Is it as painful as it looks?  What do you think?  Did he ever tell anyone about that?

WOLF: It must have been painful, but he didn’t talk about it, except to a few of the  friars.  And he didn’t show the wounds.  But we think that it was during one of those retreats that he received them, right after he saw Jesus in the last vision—Jesus on the cross, with an expression of love and sorrow on his face.  After the vision vanished, Saint Francis said he felt a wonderful glow.  He couldn’t keep it a secret forever.  Not when the blood seeped through his tunic and he had to wipe his hands and feet frequently. 

SHEPHERD: That’s amazing.  Really amazing.

WOLF: Yes.  Excuse me a moment.  I get a little choked up when I think about that.  I wish I could have seen it while he was alive.  But I did see Brother Francis one more time.  I think that was even more wonderful.  I was present when he said farewell to Sister Clare at San Damiano before going to die at home at Portiuncula. 

CURTAIN or spotlight closes on the forest; opens on San Damiano

SHEPHERD: Tell me about when you saw him last.

WOLF: I went to see him while he was in Siena, for the best medical treatment the bishop’s doctors could provide. He was too weak for us to talk.  I think he recognized me, though.  It was clear that Sister Death was coming for him quickly.  I followed as the friars carried him to San Damiano so Sister Clare could see him through the grating where she usually received Holy Communion from the priest.  It was evening, and larks were singing above the trees.  Some friars came in procession, with candles, singing hymns and waving olive branches.  Someone was reading a psalm.  Brother Francis raised his hand in blessing and farewell for the nuns and friars.  That exposed his stigmata wounds and everyone, especially Sister Clare, gasped when they saw them.   And that’s when I saw them, too.

CURTAIN closes on San Damiano; only the forest scene, filled with animals and the birds.

SHEPHERD: Oh, I wish I could have been there.  It’s no wonder he’s a saint.  In fact, everyone has known for years that he is one.  One thing I’d like to ask you, though.  Did you ever get your fourth order of Franciscans, for the animal kingdom?

WOLF: No, but I’ll try to live by a Franciscan Rule of Life anyway.  Just like Sister Clare has been doing all these years.   She is still waiting for her Rule to be approved by the Pope.  He still doesn’t like women vowing to live in poverty.  There’s hope for that, though, since he’s seen her lifelong dedication.  The rumor is that the Pope might get the approval to her before she dies.  She, too, is waiting for Sister Death.

SHEPHERD: It seems this story has a very sad ending.

WOLF: Sad?  Oh, no!  It isn’t sad at all.  In fact, we can all learn from the birds that Brother Francis taught in the forest.  The birds followed Brother Francis to Porziuncula, and I’m told that as the saint’s soul left his body, the larks accompanied it almost all the way to heaven.  They soared up, with a song of praise and in exultation, as Brother Francis went home to his heavenly father.  That’s the happiest ending there is!

~~THE END~~

Act II scene 2

ACT II

Scene 2 “Lady Poverty”

The forest near Assisi

CURTAIN REMAINS CLOSED

WOLF & FRANCIS standing centre-stage

WOLF: I suppose your year in prison was what changed you into the holy man you are now.

FRANCIS: I wasn’t that wise.  No, as soon as I was well, I wanted to go back to war again.  I wanted to wear armour and wield a sword and ride a fast horse.  As I told you before, it was not easy for me to change my ways.  And my father still gave me everything I wanted.  There was another war starting up, this time in Rome.  The pope was calling for volunteers to fight for his cause.  Again, my father came through with wonderful clothes, armour and a sword, and a great horse.  Oh, I was sure I was an impressive sight, and I made sure everyone knew I was off to become a war hero.  Instead, I came home in disgrace.

WOLF: You ran away from the fighting?

FRANCIS : Well, yes and no.  But that’s how my friends and family saw it.

WOLF: Oh dear!

FRANCIS: It was the best thing that ever happened to me—almost. 

WOLF: I don’t understand.  What happened?

FRANCIS: It’s hard to explain, because people sometimes don’t understand.  But I think it won’t be a problem for you.

WOLF: Why should I be any different?

FRANCIS: Because you aren’t a human being.  No offence!  In this case, I mean it is an advantage.  It’s simply that I heard a voice.  Not an out loud voice.  It’s a bit like the conversation you and I are having.  Not many people would believe that a man and a wolf could chat the way we do. 

WOLF: True.  I hardly believe it myself.  So where did this voice come from?

FRANCIS: I heard the voice of Jesus, but I heard it more in my heart than in my head.

WOLF: Oh.  Yes.  I think I do understand.

FRANCIS: You see, I was heading for Rome to serve the Pope.  As pope, like any other priest, he’s a servant of God.  So, my ambition was to be a servant of a servant.  Jesus pointed this out.  He asked me which was better, to serve the lord or the servant of the lord.  Of course, I answered that it was better to serve the lord.  So, Jesus asked me why I was going to serve the servant. 

WOLF: Good question.  What did you answer?

FRANCIS: I had no answer.  So, I asked Jesus what he wanted me to do.  It was really hard, because he told me to go home.  I knew how it would be.  Everyone would call me a coward.  They would think, just as you did, that I was running away from the fighting.  Really, though, I think it took more courage for me to go home like that than it would have done for me to face the most ferocious warriors.  So, I exchanged clothes with a soldier who didn’t have any armour, and I gave him my horse, and walked back to Assisi.

WOLF: Uh-oh!  You gave away your horse? 

FRANCIS: I know.  I would be in trouble for that, no doubt. At first, though, I was more worried about the disgrace of coming home.

WOLF: But your friends and family would believe you, wouldn’t they?  You just had to tell them that Jesus was talking to you, and...

FRANCIS: Oh sure!  Like they’d believe that!  No, all my friends laughed at me, and called me a coward.  That was my first lesson in humility.  That’s one of the most important lessons I’ve ever learned. I’ve had refresher lessons, frequently.  I always look forward to learning more about humility.  I love it almost as much as poverty.  I love poverty so much that I married her.

WOLF: You did WHAT???  Did I hear you right?  Did you say that you’re married?  I didn’t know that.  Who’s Lady Poverty? 

FRANCIS: My bride.  I can’t imagine living without her.  She’s my life.  My friends noticed my distraction.  They asked me if I was in love, so I told them I was.  I said I was planning to take a bride, and that she was the most noble and beautiful bride in the world.  They didn’t understand.

WOLF: Okay.  I don’t understand either, but I’ll bite.

FRANCIS : You’ll what?  Sister Wolf, did you say you’ll bite?

WOLF: I didn’t mean that.  I’d never bite you, Brother Francis!  I meant, I’ll go along with you, even if I don’t get it.  So, all right.  Where did you meet this, um, bride called Lady Poverty?

FRANCIS: I’d seen her many times in my life.  You know, beggars and lepers.  But when I got back from my attempt to go to Rome to be a knight, I continued to hang around with my friends.  We continued our pranks and partying.  But, one day I was helping my father at the cloth stall.  Remember, I did that before.  But I always had my father with me.  This time, he had gone on one of those business trips, and I was in charge.  Just me, all by myself, in charge of all his merchandise and all the money.  Other than that, it was just the same as the last time.  You know, when I sent away the beggar who asked me in the name of Christ for alms. 

WOLF: Did the beggar come back?

FRANCIS: I don’t know if he was the same one, but that didn’t matter.  It was Lady Poverty I recognized.  I knew her immediately and fell in love.  At first, I sent the beggar away the way I did the first time.  Then, as he was walking away, I was determined not to lose him in the crowd again.  I got on my new horse and followed him, taking the money box with me.  I gave him all the money and I even gave him my horse, the one my father had just given me to replace the last one, and exchanged clothes with beggar.  Then to make it worse, if that’s possible, I went back to the stall and gave away all the cloth to everyone who asked for it.  It was so freeing, so liberating, an amazing feeling that I’d never felt before.  It changed me.

WOLF: It changed you?  But I thought you went back to your old ways.

FRANCIS: Well, I told my friends that I was going to marry Lady Poverty.  They really laughed at me.  My father wasn’t laughing, though. He was sure I was going to drive him into Poverty.  So, when I was giving all the money and things to the beggars, especially when I gave away the horse and my wonderful clothes, then that was the last straw.

WOLF: I bet your father was furious!  What did he do?  Did he beat you?

FRANCIS: Yes.  Eventually.  And worse than that. 

WOLF: What did you do?

FRANCIS: Well, at first, I was so scared that I ran away.  I hid in the woods for several days, hoping he would go away again on one of his business trips.  It was really hard.  It isn’t easy to stay for days at a time in the woods, you know.

WOLF: It’s not so bad.  I’ve done it.  Most of my friends do it all the time.

FRANCIS: I’m not a wolf.

WOLF: Oh. Right.  I guess that makes a difference.  So how long did you stay in the woods?

FRANCIS: A short time only.  I knew about a little church.  Do you know San Damiano?  It’s about a twenty-minute walk from Assisi, on the way to Gubbio. 

WOLF: I know the place. 

FRANCIS: Well,  I had found that little church some months before.  The first time I went in, I knelt in front of the altar and prayed.  There wasn’t much there, you know.  It was just pile of stones, really.  There was a priest in charge, but everything was a mess.  So, I knelt in front of the crucifix that was above the stone altar.  I was alone and scared, wondering what my father would do to me when he got home.  So I had a lot to pray about.  But then, I found myself saying  something like this:   “Great and glorious God, and you my Lord Jesus Christ, I ask you to illuminate the darkness of my heart, and give me pure faith, firm hope and perfect charity, that I may know you and always act according to your holy will.” 

WOLF: Very nice prayer.  Do you think God will answer your prayer? 

FRANCIS: Jesus answered right away.

WOLF: More voices in your heart?

FRANCIS: This time Jesus spoke from the Crucifix above the altar, and I heard his voice.  He said very plainly that he wanted me to repair his church because it’s in ruins.

WOLF: And you did that.  I remember hearing all about that.  You used to beg for stones, didn’t you?

FRANCIS: Um.  Yes.  But in the beginning, I just used my father’s money.

WOLF: He gave you money for repairing the church?

FRANCIS: Um. Not exactly.  Remember, I told you that I am a sinner like everyone else.  I confess that I stole that money from my father.  I didn’t think of it as stealing because I believed that the money really belonged to God and so it was all right to use it to repair God’s house.  Now, of course, I realize that I should have asked my father for that money.  He always gave me everything I wanted.  I’m sure he would have given it to me if I had asked.  Maybe everything would have been different if I had asked him.

WOLF : Everything?  Why is that?

FRANCIS: Well, if he had given me all the money I needed to repair the church, then I wouldn’t have stolen it, and he wouldn’t have been angry with me, and maybe I wouldn’t have taken the road I’m on.  I might just be a cloth merchant like my father.

WOLF: Possibly.  Do you really think you could have done that?  Would you be as successful as he is?

FRANCIS: Probably not.  I think I just would have given everything away.  Maybe I’d have married Lady Poverty anyway. (laughs)  That would be fine with me.

WOLF: No, I can’t see you as a successful businessman.  But you say you went back home?  What happened then?

FRANCIS: I didn’t exactly go home willingly.  I went into Assisi to beg for more building stones, thinking my father was out of town.  What a mistake that was!  *He was in Assisi and he saw me begging.  I don’t know what made him angrier, my having stolen from him or my begging in the streets.  He’s a proud man, you know.  He always treated me like a prince.  And there I was begging.  He grabbed me by the neck and dragged me home.  There’s a cellar under the house, and he locked me in there.

WOLF: You mean for an hour or two.  That must have been boring.

FRANCIS: An hour or two?  Try a week or two!  It was exactly like being in prison again.  I don’t know how long he thought he could keep me locked up.  It’s a good thing he had to go away on business again, because my mother let me out as soon as he was out of town.  I ran away again, back to San Damiano and went back to begging for stones so I could repair the church.  Only now, I had to beg for my food, too.  I couldn’t risk going back home for anything.

WOLF: You never went home again?

FRANCIS: That’s how it turned out.  I saw my father only once again.  I saw him watching me while I was begging.  What I didn’t see was that he had sent a few of his men to catch me.  This time it was really serious.

WOLF: More serious than being locked away in a cellar?

(CURTAIN OPENS onto Assisi town square; Bishop, Pietro & Pica Bernadone, villagers and teenage Francis in rich clothes [removable])

FRANCIS: Yes.  More serious than that.  My father took me to court.  He knew he couldn’t win a civil suit against me, so he took me to the ecclesiastical court.

WOLF: The what?

FRANCIS: Ecclesiastical...um, church court.

WOLF: I didn’t know the church had a court.

FRANCIS: Oh yes. Trying me in the church court meant that instead of being tried by a judge or magistrate, I was to be judged by the bishop.

WOLF: Were you found guilty?

FRANCIS: Well, of course.  I was guilty.  My father didn’t want me punished.  He was suing me for the return of his money, the merchandise I’d given away, and the horse I’d given to that beggar.  The bishop had no choice but to agree that I should pay it all back.  And, to be honest, I had to agree.

WOLF: What did you do?

FRANCIS: When my father was declared the winner, I promised I would make good everything I owed him.  Then  I went one step further, and surprised everyone.

WOLF: Everyone?  Who was there?

FRANCIS: We were in the main plaza of the town. Everyone was there. My friends and their families, my parents’ friends, my father’s customers, everyone.  So, you can see my father was thoroughly embarrassed.  At first, when I was called before the court everyone was against me.  People were jeering at me.  But when it was over, my poor father was the one being jeered.

WOLF: If he won the court case, why did people jeer him?  Were they really on your side?

FRANCIS: It seems they approved of my actions.  They were very dramatic, I suppose.  Shocking, in fact.

WOLF: What did the bishop think of all this?  What did he say?

FRANCIS: I don’t remember that he said anything at all.  But the bishop was a little disturbed that I’d taken off all my clothes, because he quickly wrapped me up in something and told my father that I was now answerable only to the church.  And it’s been that way ever since.

(CURTAIN CLOSES)

WOLF: What about you and your father and your family?

FRANCIS: That’s the sad part.  I haven’t had any contact with any of them.  I miss them, but that’s the sacrifice I had to make.  You see, I couldn’t promise not to give money to beggars.  I didn’t want to have anything to do with making money and more money just for the purpose of making money.  Money is fine if it’s to help other people.  But money really isn’t worth anything at all.

WOLF: I can’t say I’ve ever had any use for it.  But what did you do?  Where did you live?  Did you go and live with the bishop?

FRANCIS: No.  The bishop understood that I didn’t want to live in a bishop’s palace.  I left Assisi.  I walked away, down the hill and into the field to San Damiano.  I slept there in the rubble.  It wasn’t very comfortable, but I was free.

WOLF: Free to do what?

FRANCIS: (yawn)  It’s getting late.  Why don’t I tell you about that in the morning? I promised you dinner, didn’t I?  You’ll find something behind the church.  See you tomorrow, Sister Wolf.

(Wolf & Francis leave the stage on opposite sides.)