The Youth Of Francis Essays - Franciscan Spirituality, Assisi

The Youth Of Francis Essays - Franciscan Spirituality, Assisi The Youth of Francis Giovanni Bernardone was born around September 1182 to Giovanna (Pica) and Pietro di Bernardone. When little Giovanni was born, his father, a very successful cloth merchant, was on a business trip to Champagne, France, to buy fine French cloth. In his absence, his mother had him baptized him John. When his father arrived home, he was outraged to find his son named John, and had it changed to Francesco, or "Frenchman". When Francis was about 10, his wealthy parents sent him to Saint George's, a school near the city walls of Assisi. The school belonged to the Church of Saint George, and was taught by canons. It was here young Francis heard the story of Saint George and the dragon. Then, Francis's heart was set on becoming a Knight. What young boy can resist the story of a brave knight fighting evil dragons in order to save the beautiful princess? Francis turned 14, and then his wild parties began. He and his other young friends would eat and drink themselves sick, at Francis's treat of course. After that, all through the night the large party would dance through the town, Francis leading them and singing his heart out the whole way. Didn?t it disturb the townspeople? Yes, but when they saw it was Francis, everyone would smile and shake their heads. No could not love this charming boy with his looks, generosity, and splendid voice. Of course, all this merry-making cost money. And who was the ever-ready provider? Why, Pietro Bernardone, of course. He and his family were very wealthy, and he kept his boy's pockets well lined. He also made sure Francis wore nothing but the best. He being a clothier, his son wore nothing but the finest fabrics in the newest styles. But still, he would sometimes cringe at the way Francis ridiculously spent money. Or when he gave it away. Francis was very generous, and would give to every beggar. When he had no more, he would give the fine clothes off his back. This pleased his mother, but when would the spending stop? As Francis became older, the dream of knighthood never left him. In January 1200 war broke out with Perugia. For two years, this was nothing more than skirmishes, a game of cat and mouse between the two cities. It wasn't until December 12, 1202, that a true battle was fought. The armies of Assisi were assembled. And where was our young knight? With the knights and nobility. He had been splendidly outfitted by his father, who was anxious to see him with the nobles. With the army, he charged into the fighting plain, along the banks of the Tiber. It was a fruitless massacre. Perugia?s armies slaughtered Assisi?s men. Only knights were taken prisoner, because owning a horse meant one could pay a ransom, horses being a sign of wealth. Assisi?s nobles were put into dark Peruvian dungeons, to be left there for years. Being stuck in a dungeon was not good for Francis, who contracted tuberculosis. He was released early by a charitable organization who cared for sick prisoners. His father paid a ransom, and Francis went home. He was about 19 when he was taken prisoner. He was now 22. Francis?s Calling Francis was having troubles at home. After returning defeated, his father was very disappointed. And upset at the money he spent on fine clothes for Francis. When he was recovering from his illness, he was very quiet and spent much time reflecting and praying. He no longer sang. And Assisi was having a hard time recovering from the war. But after while, things again began to lighten up. Once again, the dream of knighthood was stirred in Francis. It was the time of the Crusades, the Holy Wars. And Francis was drawn to go. This time he would come back victorious. His father spent the equivalent of a large farm fro the armor and horse of Francis. And so Francis went off once again. While on his way to Spoleto, Francis fell ill, and lodged with his squire in an inn. In the silence of the night, a voice called him. The voice asked Francis what he was going to do. When Francis explained,

Comparing and Contrasting in English

Comparing and Contrasting in English Imagine you are participating in a discussion about ideas. Its not small talk. Its a discussion about how you feel about something important, like your beliefs, politics, who you feel is better for a job, and so on. Using the right phrases and grammar structures can help you express your ideas well. Knowing how to compare and contrast is a particularly useful tool to get your point across in an interesting way. Words and Short Phrases Used to Compare The following words or short phrases compare two items or ideas: likelikewisesame asas well asalso, toolikewise Here is a short paragraph using some of these expressions: Time, like money, is a limited resource. You cant buy everything you want, likewise, you dont have enough time to do everything you want to do. Our time is the same as our money: its limited. Also, time is a resource when work needs to be done. Words and Short Phrases Used to Contrast The following words or short phrases contrast two items or ideas: unlikein contrast toas opposed todifferent fromwhereas Here is a short paragraph using some of these expressions to contrast: Unlike time or money, desire is an unlimited resource. Think about it: In contrast to money which can run out, your desire for new experiences and ideas will never end. Whereas there is never enough time to do everything you want, your desire will always come up with something new and exciting. Forms Used When Comparing Ideas The most important form to use when comparing two ideas is the comparative form. For three or more ideas, use the superlative form. Comparative Form These sentences use the comparative form to discuss ideas concerning the difficult economy: Employment issues are more important than political problems at this point in time.Job training is more critical to a sustained well being than food stamps and other welfare programs. Politicians are more worried about reelection than truly improving the economy. As ... as A related form to the comparative is the use of as ... as. The positive form shows something is equal. However, when using as ... as, do not modify the adjective as in the comparative form. The loss of manufacturing jobs is as unfortunate as the drop in pay.Spending on education in my state is as high as in some foreign countries like Korea. The negative form shows that something is not equal. It isnt as easy as you think. The loss in production isnt as great as in the past. Superlative Form These sentences use the superlative form to state what someone feels are the most important aspect of success at university: Dedication is the most important factor in success at University. Opening my mind to new perspectives was the most rewarding part of my time at university. Conjunctions and Connectors Use these  subordinating conjunctions, connecting words, and prepositions to contrast positive and negative aspects. Though, Although, Even Though​ Although the initial cost will be high, we will eventually profit from the time spent. Its important to remember that time is money even though many believe that money is more important. However, Nonetheless We need to improve the local infrastructure. However, we must also respect nature. The government should invest in job training programs. Nonetheless, that would be expensive. Despite, In Spite Of Despite the difficulty, students will soon see the benefit of this topic of study. The situation will improve in spite of the economy. Practice Situations Find a partner and use these suggestions to practice comparing and contrasting ideas, events, and people. Make sure to vary the language you use when practicing rather than using the same phrase over and over again. For practice, you could try the following topics: Discuss the economic situation in your countrySpeak about the positive and negative aspects of a politician or political partyCompare and contrast two different courses at schoolConsider both sides of an important decision such as an investment, a career change, etc.