Birds in Heaven: the Saint Francis story
Tue Oct 4, 2011 4:48 pm (PDT)
St. Francis of Assisi is known as the patron saint of animals
and it is customary for Catholic and Anglican churches to hold
ceremonies blessing animals on his feast day of October 4.
Birds in Heaven: the Saint Francis story
Saint Francis loved all the birds and animals of the world. They
were his special charges. Daily he would sit in the garden and
the birds would perch on his shoulders , the squirrels would
cuddle on his lap. The rabbits and foxes and the animals of
the forest would sit at his feet. All the animals adored him.
Saint Francis was especially fond of a small bird who would
sit in his window and wake him in the morning with his sweet
song. In the evening the little bird would again sit in the
window and his sweet song would lull Saint Francis to sleep.
Each day St. Francis would save the crumbs from his breakfast for
his good friend, the little bird. The little bird would accompany
St. Francis on his daily chores and would cheer him up
with a song when St. Francis seemed sad. The little bird would
sing with joy when St. Francis smiled.
One day the little bird went to the window to waken his friend
with a song, only to find that St. Francis was not there.
Puzzled, the little bird asked of the squirrels, "Where is our
good friend?" The squirrels did not know. The little bird asked
of the rabbits, "Where is our good friend?" The rabbits did not
know. Then the little bird asked the wisest of creatures… the
owl. "Where is our good friend?" The owl looked sadly on the
little bird and said "He has gone to join his Father." The
little bird smiled and said "Then I shall go and join him also!"
The owl told the little bird "No, my little friend. St. Francis
has gone to Heaven. Only humans can go to heaven. You must
stay here on the earth with us."
The little bird drooped his wings and began to cry, so sad to
think that he would never see his friend again.
Suddenly, he lifted his head and dried his tears. "There must be
some way that I can get to Heaven , too!", he said. "Tell me,"
he asked the wise owl, "where is Heaven?" "Oh, little bird,"
said the owl, "it is so far up in the sky that you could never
reach it with your tiny wings!"
"I can do it!" whispered the little bird to himself. "I MUST do
it!"
The little bird gathered all his energy together and flew up into
the sky. Higher and higher he flew. He went up above the clouds
and still he flew on. Higher and higher until he had no strength
in his wings. With a sob he said "If I cannot be with my friend,
I will just die!"
With that, he folded his wings and started plummeting to the
ground. He closed his eyes in resignation, ready to give up his
life. Suddenly, a bright light shown down from above the little
bird. A puff of wind lifted the little bird up. He opened his
eyes and saw far, far above him the face of his dear friend.
Little bird rejoiced, and with renewed vigor he started flying
again. Higher and higher until he reached the hand of his
friend, St. Francis.
The two rejoiced in their reunion with one another. "Owl told me
that birds cannot go to Heaven", the little bird said. "Your
devotion to me has earned your right to join me here in my
Father’s Home." St. Francis said, "from now on, all the birds and
animals of the world will have a place here in Heaven with us."
And, to this day, whenever a little bird who loves his owner
dies, whenever a dog or cat or other pet loses his grip on this
world, St. Francis of Assisi reaches down from above and lifts
the little one up to Heaven, there to await the arrival of their
dear friend.
-anonymous-
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