The 74 best phrases of Saint Francis of Assisi

San Francisco de Asis (officially and in Italian, Francesco d'Assisi, born Giovanni di Pietro Bernardone) was an Italian-born saint, deacon, and founder of the Franciscan Order.

Born in 1181, he is considered one of the essential figures in the Christian spirituality of the Middle Ages.

• Related article: "The 40 best religious phrases"

Great phrases and thoughts of Saint Francis of Assisi

In today's article We are going to delve into the philosophy of this Christian icon through the best phrases of Saint Francis of Assisi.

If you think we have forgotten any of his famous quotes, do not hesitate to write it down in the comments section and we will add it to the post soon.

1. It is by dying that one rises to eternal life.

Phrase that summarizes his vision of the afterlife.

2. There is nothing else we have to do but be diligent in following God's will and pleasing him in all things.

According to Saint Francis of Assisi, humans must hear and reproduce divine mandates.

3. When spiritual joy fills hearts, the serpent pours out its deadly poison in vain.

Nothing better to alleviate hatred than a dose of happiness and company.

4. All the good that we do must be done for the love of God, and the evil that we avoid must be avoided for the love of God.

A philosophy based on approaching goodness.

5. What you do may be the only sermon some people hear today.

Actions are worth more than words, according to this phrase from Saint Francis of Assisi.

6. While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, take care to keep it even more fully in your heart.

On the need to avoid hypocrisy.

7. Without prayer no one can progress in divine service.

A ritual that makes the difference between believers and practicing believers.

8. I need few things and the few that I need, I need very little.

An austere vision that was one of the ethical bases of the Franciscan Order.

9. Blessed is he who has no more joy and joy than the words and works of the Lord.

Sentence that summarizes his love and devotion to God.

10. Jesus Christ called the one who delivered him a friend and offered himself spontaneously to those who crucified him.

On the infinite goodness of God's envoy.

11. Animals are my friends and I don't eat my friends.

A vegan phrase that clashes with the medieval context.

12. Man should tremble, the world should vibrate, the whole heaven should be deeply moved when the son of God appears on the altar in the hands of the priest.

A few words of thanks to God's envoy.

13. It is by forgiving that we are forgiven.

Only when we are capable of being humble do others forgive us for our failures.

14. God created all creatures with love and kindness, large, small, in human or animal form, all are children of the Father and it was so perfect. It is useless to walk anywhere to evangelize unless our path is our gospel.

A reflection of Saint Francis of Assisi on the gospel.

15. Preach the gospel at all times and when necessary use words.

A maxim to apply to your day to day.

16. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone.

Omnipresent and omnipotent.

17. Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you.

Phrase of Christian spirit in which good must take precedence over adverse circumstances.

18. With how much more love can one of us love and nurture his brother in spirit.

Reflection about sharing love.

19. The true teaching that we transmit is what we live; and we are good preachers when we put into practice what we say.

The practice and experience of each one are basic to be a moral example.

20. Where stillness and meditation reign, there is no place for worry or dissipation.

On calm and its psychological benefits.

21. He is giving himself as he is received, he is forgetting himself as one finds himself.

Self-actualization is a process that can last for years.

22. He who works with his hands is a worker.

Worker par excellence.

23. He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman.

Creativity at the service of society.

24. He who works with his hands, his head and his heart is an artist.

The culminating point of cultural production: art.

25. The defeated temptation is, in a way, the ring with which the Lord preaches.

A sentence to make us reflect.

26. Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.

Spiritual redemption must begin with oneself.

27. May the peace that you announce with your words be first in your hearts.

Another of those phrases from San Francisco de Asís in which he emphasizes the importance of the word.

28. We have been called to heal the wounds, to unite what has fallen apart, and to bring home those who have lost their way.

The Italian saint, on the mission of the Christian people.

29. Entertaining yourself in looking for defects in your neighbor is proof enough of not taking care of your own.

It is better to focus attention on what we ourselves can improve.

30. If there are men who exclude any of God's creatures from the shelter of compassion and mercy, there will be men who will treat their brothers in the same way.

Kindness must be preached generously and constantly.

31. Praying daily makes us kind.

Another phrase about constancy in Christian devotion.

32. Prayer is a true rest.

Only in that ritual, according to Saint Francis of Assisi, our soul rests.

33. The devil rejoices, above all, when he manages to snatch joy from the heart of the servant of God.

Sadness and anger are incompatible with Christian devotion.

34. He is happy who retains nothing for himself.

Austerity is the best guide to happiness.

35. Remember that when you leave this world, you cannot take anything you have received with you; only what you have given

Beautiful phrase of San Francisco de Asís.

36. May the peace that you announce with your words be first in your hearts.

Never say something you don't mean.

37. For a small reward something invaluable is lost and the giver is easily provoked into giving no more.

Timely reflection from which to think about the damages of selfishness.

38. Prayer makes us close to God, although He is always close to us.

A great phrase to understand the omnipotence of the superior being.

39. Let's start serving, do our best. What we have done so far is little and nothing.

You can always do more and better.

40. Let us love God and adore him with a simple heart.

Without big fuss, loving God has a simple path.

41. Evil and false spirits, do in me everything you want. I know well that you cannot do more than the hand of the Lord allows. For my part, I am prepared to gladly suffer whatever he leaves.

A phrase directed at evil, in a defiant tone.

42. Every creature in disgrace has the same right to be protected.

Goodness should not be deprived of anyone.

43. God created all creatures with love and goodness, large, small, in human or animal form, all are children of the Father and it was so perfect in his creation he gave each his own environment and his animals a home full of streams, trees and meadows as beautiful as his own paradise.

On the incredible logic of nature.

44. Man, possessing nothing of his own, belongs to God.

A curious conception of human property.

45. All brothers must preach through their works.

Actions speak for us clearly and transparently.

46. Just like some animals feed on others to survive, God told man that he could take animals that he needed only until he found a better solution, not for capricious dresses or making them his slaves or entertainment.

Feed on animals only if there is no more reasonable option.

47. Terrible is death!, but how appetizing is also the life of the other world, to which God calls us!

Ambivalent view of death.

48. Where there is charity and wisdom, there is no fear or ignorance.

The "magic" potion against misfortune.

49. All the darkness in the world cannot put out the light of a single candle.

Metaphor that we can apply to different contexts.

50. He begins by doing what is necessary; then do the possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.

Great philosophy to develop projects of all kinds.

51. Wisdom is achieved based on experience and lessons learned.

There is no other way to develop.

52. It is in giving that we receive.

Phrase about the importance of sharing.

53. He is a faithful and prudent servant who, for every fault he commits, rushes to spy on them: internally, by contrition and externally by confession and satisfaction of deed.

On the virtues of a faithful believer.

54. If you, servant of God, are worried, you should immediately turn to prayer and prostrate yourself before the Lord until he returns your joy.

According to Saint Francis of Assisi, concerns are resolved by returning to prayer.

55. There is nothing else we have to do but be diligent in following God's will and pleasing him in all things.

Thanksgiving to God is a way of being humble and kind.

56. Oh Lord, that I do not seek so much to be consoled, how much to console, to be understood, how much to understand, to be loved, how much to love.

Another phrase about the importance of offering without expecting anything in return.

57. Above the grace and gifts that Christ gives to his loved ones, is surpassing oneself.

Absolute veneration of Jesus Christ.

58. Let's strive to achieve the serenity to accept the inevitable things, the courage to change the things we can and the wisdom to be able to distinguish one from the other.

A maxim to apply to our daily life.

59. Whoever obeys should not look above him at man but at the one for whose love he has given himself to obedience.

A sign of respect and veneration.

60. He didn't canonize me too soon. I am perfectly capable of fathering a child.

An ironic phrase about canonization while alive.

61. Lord, to me, a sinner and unworthy, you have sent me this consolation and sweetness from heaven; I return them to you so that you reserve them for me, for I am a thief of your treasure.

An ode to the goodness of God.

62. He searches above all else; and let us always make habitation and dwelling in them to him who is the Lord God Almighty, Father, and Son, and Holy Spirit.

Another maxim addressed to the attention of God.

63. The devil rejoices, above all, when he manages to snatch joy from the heart of the servant of God. Fill with dust the smallest crevices of conscience that can dirty the candor of the spirit and the purity of life. But when spiritual joy fills hearts, the serpent pours out its deadly poison in vain.

About the devil and his vices.

64. Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hate sow love; where there is offense, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.

Eliminate the negative to restore the positive.

65. The servant of God must shine for his life and holiness.

Example is the best virtue of a devotee.

66. When your mouth fills proclaiming peace, try to have your heart even fuller.

Another of those phrases by Francisco de Asís in which he reinforces the honesty of the heart.

67. Courtesy is the sister of charity, which quenches hatred and fosters love.

Cordiality, generosity and good manners always add up.

68. There is no use walking everywhere preaching, unless our walking is our preaching.

By example we set the path for others.

69. Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.

A way of communicating religiously.

70. Do not fight with each other and with others, but try to respond humbly by saying, "I am a useless servant."

From humility we can resolve all conflicts.

71. A ray of sunshine is enough to drive away many shadows.

A metaphor that we can apply to many contexts.

72. Be patient with all things, but especially with yourself.

A reflection that should make us value calm and serenity before ourselves.

73. March, dear ones, two by two through the various parts of the earth announcing peace and penance to men.

Supplication addressed to people with a good heart.

74. His acts may be the only sermon some people hear today.

Another famous quote from Saint Francis of Assisi on the relevance of setting an example with actions.