St. Francis, in the initial stages of his conversion had great aversion towards the lepers. He couldn't even bear the sight of a leper. One day, as he was walking on the road he sees a leper coming opposite to him and Francis wanted to close his eyes so that he wouldn't even see him. But then, he wanted to overcome his natural instinct and goes to the leper and begins to embrace him and kiss him in his wounds. The leper, in tears now, cries out in a loud voice: "You smell Christ, you smell Christ".
What do I smell
like? As a Christian and all the more as a religious I am called to carry with
me the “aroma of Christ”. St. Francis of Assisi once said,
"Preach the Gospel at all times; only if necessary use words." He was
talking about the aroma of Christ. Can people smell Christ in me? A question to
ask myself on this feast day of St. Francis.
