Lessons from St. Francis and the Good Shepherd

We often think of spiritual danger as something far away, but as St. Francis of Assisi discovered, the greatest threats often begin with a single, uncharitable thought. Today, we conclude our journey through John 10 by examining how the Good Shepherd protects us—not just from external trials, but from the internal "poison" that threatens our souls.Through a dramatic account from Franciscan tradition, we hear how a single friar’s desire for revenge allowed a demon to enter an otherwise holy place. It took the intervention of a faithful "sheep"—St. Francis—and the mercy of the Good Shepherd to deliver him from the hands of the beast.May we always heed the voice of the Shepherd, who doesn't just watch over us from afar, but intervenes to save us from ourselves.