B
Belshazzar
Guest
Today is the feast of one of the original Franciscan friars; Juniper, Servant of God. The story of Juniper is one worth telling (or reading).
I think it’s somewhat ironic that after the feast of the seraphic Father Thomas Aquinas, is the feast of one of the simplest, most humble of all saints. We only know him as Juniper and his willingness to serve his fellow man was remarkable. He was assigned to care for the sick and the elderly in the province where he lived. He reportedly looked after St. Clare in her last days. One day he was caring for a very sick man who was near death. He told Friar Juniper that he had a craving for pig’s feet, which he hadn’t enjoyed in years. Friar Juniper went off to find a pig and located one in a nearby field. He captured the pig, cut off one of his feet, and prepared a pig’s feet meal for the elderly man. When the owner of this pig discovered what had happened he was livid with rage. He approached St. Francis and his brothers and called them thieves and just about every name in the book and Francis severely reprimanded Juniper and ordered him to apologize for his deed. Juniper didn’t know why he should be sorry for doing such a kind work for a sick man, nevertheless he went to the farmer and apologized.
Juniper was puzzled why the farmer reacted angrily when he told him what he had done, and, thinking the farmer misunderstood him, he repeated the story and further suggested that he donate the pig to their community. The farmer then had a change of heart in an instant and did so.
Despite such occurrences, he was greatly loved by St. Francis and the other brothers. “Were that I had a forest full of these Junipers!” he would say. The recently canonized St. Junipero Serra was named after him.
I think it’s somewhat ironic that after the feast of the seraphic Father Thomas Aquinas, is the feast of one of the simplest, most humble of all saints. We only know him as Juniper and his willingness to serve his fellow man was remarkable. He was assigned to care for the sick and the elderly in the province where he lived. He reportedly looked after St. Clare in her last days. One day he was caring for a very sick man who was near death. He told Friar Juniper that he had a craving for pig’s feet, which he hadn’t enjoyed in years. Friar Juniper went off to find a pig and located one in a nearby field. He captured the pig, cut off one of his feet, and prepared a pig’s feet meal for the elderly man. When the owner of this pig discovered what had happened he was livid with rage. He approached St. Francis and his brothers and called them thieves and just about every name in the book and Francis severely reprimanded Juniper and ordered him to apologize for his deed. Juniper didn’t know why he should be sorry for doing such a kind work for a sick man, nevertheless he went to the farmer and apologized.
Juniper was puzzled why the farmer reacted angrily when he told him what he had done, and, thinking the farmer misunderstood him, he repeated the story and further suggested that he donate the pig to their community. The farmer then had a change of heart in an instant and did so.
Despite such occurrences, he was greatly loved by St. Francis and the other brothers. “Were that I had a forest full of these Junipers!” he would say. The recently canonized St. Junipero Serra was named after him.
