Saint Francis of Assisi | BROTHER FIRE EP. 14 - The powerful sultan | Christian cartoons

St. Francis of Assisi presents The Powerful Sultan Hurry up! Come on! This one's still alive! Hurry up! Come on! This one's still alive! Just wait and I'll help him. We should get out of here quickly before the Saracens see us. Let's go and get them! Hurry up! They're coming! I think we have to stop! It's useless! Charge! We've got to save our wounded! Let's retreat! They won't get me! This is the frontier. Whoa! Hold on! Stop! Nobody is able to set foot on Saracen soil. But we can. Don't worry. Take it easy. What? Take this. We have permission from the Pope to pass. Okay. You can come in. It has the delegate stamp. Thank you. You may pass in peace. Thank you. Yes, but I feel sorry for you. As soon as they see you, they're going to want to cut off your heads. Oh, don't worry. Our heads are well stocked to our necks. At least tell me where you're going. Of course. I go to the Sultan. Of course you can't be talking seriously. We will try to convert him if God wants it so. Then the war isn't going to finish immediately, is it? I have my doubts about your sanity. Your mission's an impossible task. Soon both of you will be without a head. Go ahead at your peril. Peace and love, my brother. Look! Let's go! Come on! Let's get them! Francis, look! Where are you going, Christian brothers? Toward where Allah guides our steps. May his name be always praised. I'm very glad to hear you praise his holy name, but if you don't want me to kill you with my sword, you have to tell me where you're going. Got it? To Farasuk. To Farasuk? But that's the Sultan's camp. Oh, we know that. In fact, we're going there to visit him. Well then, there's no need for me to cut off your heads, because he will do it. You can be completely sure. We are going to escort you to Farasuk. Come on, let's go. Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Forgive us our trespasses. These bracelets are too small. For who are you making them? They have been ordered by the vizier to chain two Christian monks that he just captured. They have very small wrists and ankles. Then you'd better move quickly. The vizier is always impatient. And did they tell you the nature of their mission? No. They only want to talk to you, Excellency. My only fear is that they want to kill you, my Sultan. Were they armed? Absolutely. On what did you draw that conclusion? There's no particular reason. It's only a suspicion. Yes, a suspicion. Have you been watching him closely? Of course we have, Sultan. When they hear the call of the crier, they also go on their knees like we do. It's strange. They also pray to Allah, acting as though they were Saracens. It doesn't seem to me that strange. We all pray to the same God. But, sir, I don't believe in all of the gods. Well, in any case, they are Christians. And certainly they are no better than all the others whose heads we have cut off. Enough. Now go remove their chains and bring them here to me. Really? What's the matter? Don't you want to drink anything that I offer you? And every day you eat just a piece of bread and drink only a jar of water. I didn't know that there were Christians like that. Are there any moderate Christians? I didn't want to offend you, Sultan, but my father Jesus has ordered me to live in poverty. And that is what I do with this friar, along with all the other friars waiting for me in the chapel in Assisi, Italy. So you're saying all of you are poor and starving. Yes, they live like that. And they're happy, because all they have they give to the poor. And there are many friars who do. It's absurd. What you're doing is absurd. You are like the fruits that accompany the Christian crusaders that tomorrow we are going to attack. They prepare tables bigger and fuller than mine, though they have sacked our houses and stores to do so. I can demonstrate that it is not absurd. Leave us. I want to be alone with these men. You can see that there's no danger. You have my attention, friar. Jesus has come to bring all men of all countries in the world eternal salvation and the forgiveness of their sins in the name of the same God that you adore. If they want, they can refuse the salvation of Jesus. They can continue sinning. But later the fire of hell will wait for them. And then they'll burn like the wood fire you use to cook and keep warm. Instead, all those who listen to his word become his friends. And at the end of the days, they will seat at the right side of the Eternal Father. And also Muhammad teaches the same thing. I regret that you're not one of his faithful. And it is written in the Koran that Jesus is a prophet, one of the most important. They say that Francis has died and that soon they will nominate his vicar. Who told you that? It's been said around in Assisi. That is not true. He went to see the sultan. There has been no news. He'll come soon, I'm certain. I hope that's so. It seems that there's a family of wolves in the forest. We have to eliminate them. The road is not safe. And now that Francis is not here, we have no other option than to call the hunters. I can't recall when he left, but it's been a long time. Much too long, according to the church. And it is true that it has been over a year since the church has last seen him. Where is he going? To the Saracen camp. Perhaps they captured him. But then where would Francis be now? We have no idea. Nobody does. Only the Eternal Father could give you the answer to that question. Instead, all we know is that here, what we are left with is a community without a father. But it is not like that. Francis named his vicar before leaving on his trip. And besides, we have our rules that guide us. My brothers, listen. The problem is something else. Here, there's a need to make decisions. Even if he is not here, the decisions must be made. The church, like a mother, wants you to have a better life. It's not necessary to be as poor as you are in order to be faithful and spread the gospel of Christ. In many monasteries, monks eat well and want for nothing. The people are generous. I've decided to live in absolute poverty. I speak not of wealth, but of balance. I was 40 years old when I started to live according to the rule, and nobody is going to force me to go back. If that's what you want, keep doing it. Now we pray, and later we decide. Oh, hi. What are you doing here? And why are you here, Genevro? You should be in church. There's no need to stay and listen to them. Our poverty scares rich people. You can be confident that I know just what they want. I've prepared this sack of food. The ranchers are starving, and I'm going to feed them. Why? He's pack? No, I'm going to look for him in the Holy Land. Why are you talking crazy? I'm sure you're right, but I pray I find him. Why do you suddenly feel the need to pray in front of me? Please bless me, Genevro, because you are good and poor like him. May God bless you and protect your steps, Stephen. And so, Brother Francis, what exactly is the new law that Jesus announced to all men? It's the law of love. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your might. And you will love your neighbor as you will love yourself? Yes, that's exactly what he taught. The prophet Mohammed also teaches mercy. He said you will love your neighbor, and you will hate your enemies. But Jesus has taught us, love your enemies, pray for your persecutors, for they are also children of our Father who is in heaven and worthy of his mercy. That I do not understand. Because if you love only those who love you, what merit is there in it? Yes, but that is difficult. For all men this is difficult, and also for Christians. But this is the word of our Father Jesus. With the force of his love for all of us, we should be capable to love our neighbor without distinguishing between friends and enemies. Go bring me Francis and his friars. As you wish, Sultan. Today you will leave. And you, Sultan, will you save your soul? I am the sovereign of a great country, but I am also its prisoner. Before you leave, Francis, I have one request. Can you show me how to save my soul when I confront death? When sister death comes, trust in the name of the Holy Father. I will. But you must not be afraid, Sultan. Right after my death, my friars will come to you, and with them you will receive the baptism in Christ. Very well. From this moment forward I hereby order that your friars shall be free to walk my lands wherever they choose, and their presence shall be brought to my attention. These two birds will accompany you during your entire trip. When you can see your own lands, you will have to free them. They will come back to me, and I will know that you have arrived healthy and safe. We have two men in sight! We can see two men, sir. Well, look who's coming. Welcome back. I can see that you still have your heads above your necks. Let's give thanks to God, for also Al-Kamil is a child of God. Is it true that you saw the Sultan? We saw him, we talked to him, and we've even prayed with him. Then I will ask you if you can also pray for me, my brother. Of course I will. Brother Stephen! What are you doing here? Where have you been? I traveled here from Assisi, Francis. Nobody told me you were coming. I came here to tell you that you have to go back. Without you, everything is falling apart. But here I'm fulfilling God's will. I can't. Well, read these documents. They saw him going to the camp of the Saracens, and I think that unfortunately, maybe they captured him. But then where would Francis be now? We have no idea. Nobody does. Only the Eternal Father can answer that question. We must trust in faith and in God. And besides, we have our rules that guide us. In this house of God, we are without a confessor. The Church is like a mother and wants you to have a better life. Nobody will change the rules of my friars. This will be the last sip of water I drink. But soon you will be with angels in Paradise. I can see them. They're coming for you. What was the name of this poor man? His name was Mateo. He died like all the others. You creatures of God, go and announce the Gospel. Oh, Francis, you came back. Oh, did you see those friars? Yes, of course I did. The first one was Francis. The stories I heard said he died in the Holy Land. But no, I saw him gesture to me. Please wait a minute. Francis, is that you? Yes. It seems like Francis has come back. I know. Go and ring those bells with force, sister. Oh, praised is our Father. Genepro. Francis. Let's go inside. Brother, you're here. What I have in my hand are the only rules the friars must obey. In the name of our Father Jesus Christ, I have approved your rule. And I order you to be completely obedient to the Church and to be obedient to its pastor. Our rules are composed of words that are very clear. We must show love and respect for one another, as Christ loved us, and embrace poverty in a way that reflects the poverty of Christ. We will love the poor because we are poor and we understand them. In this way we will be seated in heaven next to our Lord Jesus.