St Frances of Rome: God's Generosity

 Today we read about St Frances of Rome in the book In Caelo et in Terra. She is an inspiration to us in many ways.

First, she was raised in a godly family. Her mother taught her how to raise a family to seek God's will, and to care for the poor while being a good wife and mother. Frances, from her mom's example, wanted to become a religious sister. But her father explained that he had already arranged for her to be married to the captain of the pope's secret service, a very Italian man named Lorenzo Panziani. She was heartbroken, but her spiritual director guided her to accept this as God's will, and with humility she did so, marrying Lorenzo and having three children. 

As a wife and mother, she followed her own mother's example, and helped the poor in her city. She housed and fed refugees from various wars in Rome. She set such a great example for the other wives in Rome that they formed an oblate of the Benedictine order. After her husband passed away, Frances finally realized her life-long dream of becoming a religious sister. God didn't deprive her of the desire of her heart, He just gave her a husband and wonderful children in addition to what she asked for.

He's generous like that.

You can read more about her here.

God, thanks for the wonderful example of this godly woman, who demonstrated Your amazing faithfulness. St Frances of Rome, pray for us.