Saint Francis of Assisi

Today is the Feast of my Confirmation saint: Francis of Assisi. In this month of October, dedicated to Mary, Our Lady of the Rosary, it seems fitting to include this painting by Rubens. It shows Our Lord ready to punish the earth with the thunderbolts of His justice on account of the widespread evil present almost everywhere. The Prince of this world is coiled like a serpent around the globe. Our Lady seeks to restrain her Son; she exposes her virginal breast as if to recall the tender babyhood of her Son, imploring mercy for us all. St Francis too, shielding the earth, seeks to protect us by praying that Our Lord in His mercy should stay His hand. The rainbow appears over Mary's figure, sign of the Covenant between God and mankind:

"And the bow shall be in the clouds, and I shall see it, and shall remember the everlasting covenant, that was made between God and every living soul of all flesh which is upon the earth." [Genesis 9:16]

Below is a prayer to Our Lady which is attributed to St Francis : Ave Domina.

The Virgin Mary and Saint Francis Saving the World from Christ's Anger. 1614. Peter Paul Rubens. Musées Royaux des Beaux Arts de Belgique. CC BY. 

St. Francis' Prayer to Our Lady

Hail Lady, Holy Queen, Holy Mary Theotokos,
who art the Virgin made church
and the one chosen by the Most Holy Father of Heaven,
whom He consecrated with His Most Holy Beloved Son
and with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete;
in whom there was and is all fullness of grace and every good.

Hail His Palace; Hail His Tabernacle; Hail His Home.
Hail His Vestment; Hail His Handmaid; Hail His Mother
and hail all you holy virtues,
which through the grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit
are infused into the hearts of the faithful,
so that from those unfaithful you make them faithful to God.

Salutatio Beatae Mariae Virginis

Ave Domina, sancta Regina, sancta Dei genetrix Maria,
Quae es virgo ecclesia facta et electa a sanctissimo Patre de caelo,
quam consecravit cum sanctissimo dilecto Filio suo
et Spiritu sancto Paraclito, in qua fuit et est omnis plenitudo gratiae et omne bonum.

Ave palatium eius,
Ave Tabernaculum eius;
Ave domus eius.
Ave vestimentum eius;
Ave ancilla eius;
Ave mater eius;

et vos omnes sanctae virtutes,
quae per gratiam et illuminationem Spiritus Sancti
infundimini in corda fidelium,
ut de infidelibus fideles Deo faciatis.

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.