Anyone who has read the Gospels has encountered stories of Jesus healing people. From exorcisms of demons to the blind receiving sight, the deaf being able to hear, and the dead rising to life, the Evangelists relay to us many stories of healings performed by Our Lord. 

During His ministry, Jesus shared the power of healing with His Apostles, and throughout the centuries, He has entrusted this power to some of the saints, Francis being one of these. 

There is a story from the town of Toscanella of a knight who took the blessed saint into his home. The man had a son who was lame and had no bodily strength. When the knight realized Francis’ holiness, he begged him to heal the boy. For a long time, Francis refused, judging himself unworthy of such a grace. Finally he gave in to the father’s persistence, blessed the boy, and picked him up. The boy immediately stood up, completely healed. 

This is but one story of Francis’ intercession bringing about healing in the name of Christ. He was known to heal many who were sick, blind, and even possessed, through the power of God. 

A fascinating part of Francis’ healing ministry is that it often took effect when he was absent. People would rip off small pieces of his clothes, consume bread he had blessed, and even touch the sick with items that had touched the saint, and they would be healed. 

Francis’ preaching was always in line with the teachings of the Church. This means that he took no credit for any healing. He was but a conduit of God’s power. There are saints among us today who have been given extraordinary gifts of healing. But God can use each of us in His own way, to bring about healing in the world. 

This week, let us trust in the healing hand of God, and ask Him to use us, as He used Francis, as instruments of His grace in the lives of others.