Matthew 11:28-29 “Come unto me. All ye that labour and are
heavy laden, and I will give you a rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me;
for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

The bronze of “Saint Francis” is caught up in prayer. The
hood of his monk’s robe has been taken off and his head is directed toward God
in heaven. The left hand reaches out as he receives God’s blessings. The rosary
with the prominent cross reminds the viewer of Christ who made this kind of Holy
Communion with God possible. Who knows what Saint Francis is thinking or what
is being revealed to him as he prays? He was innovative and creative, and
founded the Franciscan order, known for its simple lifestyle and vow of
poverty. The idea of the nativity scene to remember the birth of Christ came
from Saint Francis and he was the first person to receive the stigmata, the
miraculous appearance of the wounds of Christ.