Celebrate St. Francis of Assisi with the top 10 quotes from and for him

Today is St. Francis of Assisi's feast day!

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - St. Francis Assisi was born Giovanni de Bernardino to a wealthy merchant in Assisi, Umbria, in 1181.

As a youth, St. Francis lived a lavish life of wealth, feasts and joy.

Because of his rich lineage, he was kidnapped and held in captivity for a year before he was ransomed. Soon afterward, he set out for battle but that night God spoke to him and told St. Francis to return home.

For the next 25 years, St. Francis spent time in prayer and asking forgiveness for his sins.

His turnaround was extremely inspirational and influential in his time - and continues to be an inspiration to this day.

St. Francis' birthday is celebrated September 26 and he is often remembered for his commitment to the Lord. The following are ten quotes commonly attributed to St. Francis that should be considered.

Take a moment to really think about the quotes, provided by Christian Today, and compare them to the way you're living your own life:

1. "Start by doing what is necessary, then what is possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible."
2. "It is no use walking anywhere to preach unless our walking is our preaching."
3. "While you are proclaiming peace with your lips, be careful to have it even more fully in your heart."
4. "All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle."
5. "If God can work through me, he can work through anyone."

The following quotes are taken from The Peace Prayer of St. Francis, "which embodies the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi's simplicity and poverty," according to the Franciscan Archive.

1. "Lord, grant that I might not so much seek to be loved as to love."
2. "For it is in giving that we receive."
3. "Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is doubt, faith."
4. "It is in pardoning that we are pardoned."