Praised be Jesus and Mary, now and forever. 
Today we're continuing our reflections on Franciscan spirituality and the fruit of perfect joy, which is a hallmark of a healthy Franciscan spirituality. We'll just share a few thoughts on St. Francis in this respect. The seed of joy was already fermenting in the young soul of Francis Bernadone when he was the king of the joyful young brigands of Assisi before his conversion. Those times of his youth were flashes of a hidden nostalgia for the infinite that we all experience in this life at different times. That seed for endless joy, which was planted and eventually died through penance, lost everything in it which was purely fallen and human.
And by means of grace, it gave birth to the new tree of perfect joy in the life of our seraphic father. Francis's conversion made him change the source of joy from which he drew. It was no longer from the evening revelries and songs of love. It wasn't from dreams of knighthood crowned with glory. The crystalline waters of joy began to spring from sources that the world doesn't know and does not appreciate.
This metamorphosis happened when Francis found the quote-unquote spouse that would make him happy, the spouse that is known as Lady Poverty. When he rested his eyes on that singular spouse, the veil that darkened his vision fell off, or was lifted, you could say, and the worldly spell he had been living under for many years was broken. In renunciation and in detachment from everything, an ineffable joy crept into his heart, so much so that he felt himself to be, as he called himself, the herald of the great King, to put it in his own words. His old friends, seeing Francis's mind was elsewhere when they were partying, asked him, "Are you thinking about taking a wife, Francis?" And Francis responded, "I will take the most noble and most beautiful spouse that anyone has ever seen, a spouse that will surpass all others in beauty and in wisdom." He was referring to Lady Poverty. 
The poverty which doesn't suffer melancholic money dreams, which frees from preoccupations of defining and defending what is mine, which frees from envy of what is yours, and frees from vainglory and hypocrisy?" The poverty that men don't love and don't esteem became the source of spiritual joy for the Franciscan soul, and for St. Francis himself.
And pools of joy flow from the fertile valley of humility, who is the sister of poverty. And humility makes the soul unafraid of being hidden, despised, and going out to beg, as Francis confidently did. Perfect joy will come forth also from the daily work offered to God as a means of purification and expiation, from the battle against temptation and against disordered passions, a battle that elevates the activity of the spirit and frees us from sin and strengthens our union with God.
Perfect joy also comes from fulfilling our daily duties well, that monotonous work which, to the soul united with God, presents itself as an expression of the will of God. Perfect joy springs forth from the consciousness of happiness and joy, from having a pure heart. At times it can be inebriating as well. But that which is most singular and marvelous is that it will spring forth especially from suffering embraced for love of Jesus.
Perfect joy will come from tribulations of which St. Paul says is the only thing that we can glory of, that we can glory in. He says that in Romans 5:3, and in 2 Corinthians 12:9. So life's difficulties actually procure for us an honor of participating in the passion of Jesus. And the noted fioretto of perfect joy, which you find in the flowers of St. Francis, is the highest hymn to it. And it's the most beautiful commentary on the Pauline expression when he says, in 2 Corinthians 7:4, that, "With all of our affliction, I am overjoyed," says St. Paul.
From the cross comes the joy that makes the soul young again. The cross that brings us together with Jesus in the redemption. The Franciscan soul with sublime simplicity unites these two antithetical terms that pagans and superficial people believe to be unreconcilable or irreconcilable. Joy and suffering. From pain embraced and suffered for the love of God comes forth perfect joy.
And in this way, the Franciscan soul knows how to rise, remaining close to the miseries of every person. And it knows how to hide its admirable spiritual ascensions under the aspects of the most ordinary, simple life. 
So let's ask Our Lady for that grace and for this fruit of perfect joy, which comes especially from embracing the crosses that our loving Lord sends to us and the monotony of everyday life, the monotony that is part of God's will for us in this land of exile. 
Praised be Jesus and Mary, now and forever.