«By going all over the world, preach the Gospel to every creature» (Mk 16:15).

The Risen Jesus, before ascending to the Father, entrusted the disciples with the universal mission of proclaiming the Gospel to every creature, emphasising how the proclamation would be confirmed by signs, an anticipation of that full salvation that is awaited in God's future.

Francis gave the measure of all this when he set out on a mission to the East, to meet the Sultan.

The Sources read as follows:

"In the thirteenth year of his conversion, he set out for Syria, and while bitter battles raged between Christians and pagans, taking a companion* with him, he did not hesitate to present himself before the Sultan*.

Who could describe the confidence and courage with which he stood before them and spoke to them? [...]

Before he reached the Sultan, his assassins seized him, insulted him, lashed him, and he feared nothing [...] and although invested with the brutal hatred of many, he was received by the Sultan with great honour!

He maintained that the preacher called to proclaim the Gospel "must first draw in the secret of prayer what he will then pour out in his speeches. First he must warm himself inwardly, so as not to utter cold words outwardly [...] they are the life of the body, the adversaries of demons, they are the lamp of the world.

They proclaim salvation, they perform signs, because what they carry in their hearts overflows outwardly and God works in them.

Such a model was what the brothers saw in Francis, as a witness and proclamation of the Risen One.

(FF 422) "The brothers who lived with him also know very well how every day, indeed every moment, the memory of Christ surfaced on his lips; with what gentleness and sweetness he spoke to Him, with what tender love he conversed with Him.

His mouth spoke out of the abundance of the holy affections of his heart, and that spring of enlightened love that filled him inside, overflowed outside as well.

He was really very busy with Jesus. Jesus always carried Jesus in his heart, Jesus on his lips, Jesus in his ears, Jesus in his eyes, Jesus in his hands, Jesus in all his other limbs [...]" (FF 522).

And when a creature disappears, making the image of the Son of God emerge in her, she accomplishes, wherever she is, the most perfect evangelisation, she offers the most convincing proclamation.

Thus Francis, a new man made living Word.

* He was Friar Illuminato, as St Bonaventure informs us.

* St Francis probably came to the Sultan Melek-el- Kamel in the truce of arms between the end of August and the end of September 1219.

S. Mark the Evangelist (Mk 16:15-20)