Francis heard Jesus speaking to him from the crucifix. Immediately he starts looking about and figuring out where to start. The Portiuncula "little portion" is the perfect place. A small, broken down church that is definitely in need of repair. He starts in with a few rocks and some mortar. We can pretty much assume that Francis as a wealthy young man did not know a whole lot about church building... but he doesn't let that stop him. He starts and just keeps going.

He begs a few stones here, a little mortar there and continues to work. After a while he gets a few helpers and thus it begins... the great Franciscan order originates with a simple person listening to God and hauling around some rocks. Pretty amazing.

Jesus will speak as simply and plainly to us. We must imitate Francis. Maybe we don't quite know what God is saying, maybe we make a few false starts, but if we listen, and then follow as we think we are given to do, amazing things will happen for us as well. God will clear up things as we go along, but first we must dig in and get started. How exciting!