India, Sept. 28 -- It may just be a coincidence that Gandhi Jayanti is celebrated on October 2 and the feast of St Francis of Assisi on October 4. They have much in common, especially their extreme form of renunciation and humility. I group these two virtues because I don't think either can stand alone. Renunciation is a sine qua non for humility and vice versa.

Francis was born six centuries before the Mahatma. But the latter was definitely influenced by the former. That is why Francis' prayer, "Make me a Channel of Your Peace," is included in Gandhi's inter-religious daily prayer book. Since I strive to be both a Gandhian and a Franciscan, the comparisons, and sometimes the contrasts, fascinate me. However, in this piece I will focus ...