MINOR LIFE OF ST. FRANCIS By St. Bonaventure

 

MINOR LIFE OF ST. FRANCIS

By St. Bonaventure

 

CHAPTER I

The Beginning of St. Francis’ Religious Life

 

`1 First lesson: The grace of God our Savior has dawned in our times in his servant Francis; our merciful Father, the source of all that gives light, came to meet him on his way with a plentiful share of his choicest blessings. We see in the course of Francis’ life that God was not. Content merely to lead him from the obscurity of the world into the light, bringing him renown by his gifts of exalted virtue and merit; he did more – he proved Francis’ claim to fame by the mysteries of the Cross which he accomplished in his so strikingly.

 

2 Second lesson: Even as a young man, Francis’ spirit was one of gentle kindliness and generous compassion for the poor. This seemed to have been implanted in the depths of his being by God and it remained with him all his life, so that his heart overflowed with goodness. He would not turn a deaf ear to the Gospel and he made a resolution never to refuse anyone who asked him for an alms, especially if it was for love of God. When he was at the very peak of his youthful career, he solemnly promised God that he would never turn away from anyone who begged an alms from his for love of God, as long as he had anything to give. He kept this generous resolution all his life and it led him to an ever higher degree of grace and love for God. This fire of divine love was never extinguished in his heart, but as a young man he was taken up with the cares of this world and could not grasp the hidden message contained in God’s words. Then the hand of God came upon him; he suffered a prolonged and distressing illness, while his heart was enlightened by the infusion of the Holy Spirit.

 

3 Third lesson: After he had recovered his strength to a certain extent and undergone a change of heart, he happened to meet a knight who was of noble birth, but completely destitute. He was reminded of Christ, the generous King who became so poor, and he felt such pity for the man that he took off the new clothes he had just got for himself and clothed him with them, keeping nothing for himself.

The following night, as he slept, Christ for love of whom he had come to the aid of the poor knight showed him a vision in his goodness; he saw a beautiful palace, full of armor, all emblazoned with the Cross. And he promised him that everything he saw would belong to him and to his knights, if he took up the standard of the Cross and bore it faithfully. After that, Francis began to withdraw from the rush of business; instead, he sought out lonely places where he could mourn for his sins. There he gave himself over unceasingly to groans beyond all utterance, imploring God to show him the way to perfection, and after prolonged and insistent prayer, he was found worthy to hive his request granted.

 

4 Fourth lesson: one day as he was prying in solitude, Jesus Christ appeared to him, hanging on his Cross. He made Francis realize so vividly the force of the Gospel words, “If any man has a mind to come my way, let him renounce self, and take up his cross, and follow me” (Mt 16,24) that his heart was filled with compassion and burned within him with the fire of love. His soul melted at the sight of the vision, and the memory of Christ’s passion was impressed so intimately on the depths of his heart that the wounds of his crucified Lord seemed to be always before his mind’s eye, and he could scarcely restrain his sights and tears. Now that he no longer had any regard for all that he owned in the world, and thought nothing of it for love of Jesus Christ, Francis felt that he had found the hidden treasure, the brilliant pearl of great price, mentioned in the Gospel. He was eager to make it his own and he decided to give up everything he had; in a business deal worthy of a saint, he would renounce his position as an earthly trader and become like the trader in the Gospel.

 

5 Fifth lesson: He left the town one day to meditate out of doors and, as he was passing by the church of San Damiano, which was threatening to collapse with age, he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to go in and pray. He knelt there before an image of our Lord on his Cross and he felt great pleasure and consolation in his prayers, so that his eyes were full of tears as he gazed at the Cross. Then, with his own ears, he heard a miraculous voice coming to him from the Cross, saying three times, “Francis, go and repair my house. You see, it is all falling down.” At first he was terrified at the divine command expressed in these extraordinary words; but then he was filled with joy and wonder, and he stood up immediately, prepared to put his whole heart into obeying the command and repairing the material building. However, the message really referred to the universal Church which Christ bought with the price of his Precious Blood, as the Holy Spirit afterwards made him realize, and he himself explained to his close companions.

 

6 Sixth lesion: For love of Christ Francis disposed of everything he had there and then, to the best of his ability, and offered the money to the poor priest who was attached to the church, that he might use it to repair the building and give alms to the poor. He also entreated him earnestly to let him stay with him for a while. The priest agreed to let him stay, but for fear of his parents, he refused to take the money; in his sincere disregard for worldly wealth, Francis threw the crude metal on a window-sill, and had no more regard for it than if it were dust.

When he heard that his father’s rage had been aroused against him by what he had done, he tried to avoid his anger, and he hid in an obscure cave for a number of days, where he fasted with prayers and tears, Eventually, however, he was clothed with power from on high and his heart overflowed with spiritual joy; he came out bravely into the open and went into the town, without the slightest fear. When the children saw his haggard looks, they thought that he was out of his mind and had gone mad. They threw mud from the streets at him, as if he were a half-wit, and shouted after him insultingly; but no insults could break or change him, and he passed through it all as if he could not hear a thing.

 

7 Seventh lesson: His father was beside himself with rage and he behaved as if he had become a stranger to all human pity. He dragged his son home and beat him, putting him in chains, in the hope that by wearing him down with physical punishment, he could turn his heart to the attractions of the world. However, the only result of his efforts was to make it clear beyond all doubt that Francis was more than willing to endure any torture for Christ. When he realized that he could not change his mind, he insisted vehemently that Francis should go before the bishop of the diocese with him and renounce into his hands his right of succession to the family property. Francis was only too glad to obey and as soon as he reached the bishop’s presence, he made no delay, he never hesitated for a moment, or said or listened to a word from anyone; instead, he tore off all his clothes, including even his trousers, and stood there naked before them all. He seemed to be beside himself in his fervor, and he was not ashamed to be stripped naked for love of Christ who hung naked for us on the Cross.

 

8 Eighth lesson: Now that he was free from the bonds of all earthly desires in his disregard for the world, Francis left the town; he was free and without a care in the world and he made the forest resound, as he sang Cod’s praises in French. As the herald of the great King, he refused to be terrified when he met a band of thieves, and he continued to praise God. He was a pilgrim, half-naked and penniless, and he was glad to suffer tribulation, like the apostles.

In his love of utter humility, he now dedicated himself to the service of the lepers; by devoting himself to the care of such pitiful outcasts, he would learn to disregard the world and his own self, before attempting to teach such self-contempt to others. He had always had a horror of lepers, above any other class of human beings; but now grace was infused into him in greater measure, and he devoted himself to waiting on their needs with such humility of heart that he washed their feet and bound their sores, drawing out the pus and wiping away the corrupt matter. In the excess of his indescribable fervor, he did not even hesitate to kiss their ulcerous sores, kissing the dust with his mouth (cf. Lam 3, 29). H would expose himself to every kind of indignity, that he might bring his rebellious lower nature into subjection to the rule of the spirit; so he would gain complete control of himself and be at peace, once he had subdued the enemy that was part of his own nature.

 

9 Ninth lesson: Now that he was firmly established in the lowliness of Christ and had become rich in his poverty, Francis set about repairing the church in obedience to the command he had received from the Cross. He had absolutely nothing to start with, but he devoted himself to the task wholeheartedly, loading his own back with stones, although he was worn out with fasting. He begged help in the form of alms from those among whom he had lived as a wealthy young man, and he was not ashamed. People eventually came to help him in their devotion to him, because they could see already that his was no ordinary holiness. With their cooperation he repaired the church of San Damiano and another dedicated to the Blessed Virgin, all of which were abandoned and in ruins. In this way the work which God afterwards planned to accomplish through him on a spiritual plane was mysteriously foreshadowed in a visible, material fashion. Like the three churches he repaired, the universal Church of Christ was to be renewed in three different ways under his guidance and according to his directions, his rule and teaching. The voice which he heard from the Cross, which repeated the command to repair God’s house three times, was a prophetic sign which we now see fulfilled in the tree Orders which he founded.

 

CHAPTER II

The Foundation of the Order – the Power of Francis’ Preaching

 

1 First lesion: When he had finished the work on the three churches, Francis went to live at the one dedicated to the Blessed Virgin. There by the merits and intercession of the Mother of God who gave birth to the Price of our redemption, he was found worthy to be taught the way to perfection, by the spirit of Gospel truth which was infused into him from above. one day at Mass the passage of the Gospel was read which recounts how our Lord sent his disciples out to preach and laid down the form of the Gospel life for them, telling them that they were not to have gold or silver or money to fill their purses, nor a wallet for their journey, no second coat, no spare shoes or staff (cf. Mt 10,9). The moment Francis heard these words, the Spirit of Christ came upon him and clothed him with such power that he adopted the way of life described, not only in mind and heart, but also in his daily life and dress. He took off his shoes there and then, threw away his staff, and discarded the purse with his money. He kept only one tunic to wear, and exchanged his leather belt for a rope. His only anxiety of mind now was to discover how he might practice what he had heard and conform perfectly to the rule given to the apostles for their guidance.

 

2 Second lesson: Like a second Elias, Francis now began to take up the defense of truth, all inflamed as he was with the fiery ardor of the Spirit of Christ. He invited others to join him in the pursuit of perfect holiness, urging them to lead a life of penance. His words were full of the power of the Holy Spirit, never empty or ridiculous, and they went straight to the depths of the heart, so that his hearers were astonished beyond measure and hardened sinners were moved by their penetrating power. As his high and holy ideals became more widely known by the force of his sincerity and his straightforward teaching, together with his personal life, a number of others were encouraged to follow his example and lead a life of penance. They left all behind and came to join him, sharing his way of life and dress. In his humility, Francis decided that they should be known as Friars Minor.

 

3 Third lesson: By God’s calling the number of friars soon grew to six and, like a devoted father and shepherd, Francis sought out a lonely place where he could weep over the misspent years of his youth, which had not been free from sin, in the bitterness of his heart. There he implored mercy and grace for himself and his sons the friars, whose father he had become in Christ. Then his whole being was bathed in an excess of joy and he was given the assurance that all his sings were completely forgiven to the last farthing. He was rapt in ecstasy and completely absorbed in a sort of light which seemed to give life, so that he could see clearly what the future held in store for himself and his friars, as he afterwards told them confidentially, in order to encourage his little flock. Then he foretold the future growth of the Order and how it would expand, by God’s providence.

After a brief delay, they were joined by a number of newcomers, so that their number grew to twelve, and Francis decided to present his inexperienced band of followers to the Apostolic See. He had set down briefly in writing the way of life which God had shown him in all humility, and he was anxious to have it approved by the Holy See with the fullness of the Apostolic authority.

 

4 Fourth lesson: As Francis was on his way with his companions, determined to carry out his plan and gain an audience with the Supreme Pontiff, Innocent III, Christ, the power of God. Christ the wisdom of God, in his merciful condescension, came to meet him on his way. By means of a vision he instructed his Vicar on earth to give a peaceful hearing to this poor beggar man and grant his petition with good grace. In his vision the pope saw the Lateran basilica threatening to collapse and being held up by a poor, wretched-looking individual of slight stature who put his back to it, to prevent it from falling. When Francis appeared before him, the learned pontiff was struck by the purity of his heart and his disregard for the world, and he was deeply impressed by his love for poverty and his determination to be perfect, as well as his zeal for souls and the burning fervor of his will. “Beyond doubt,” he exclaimed, “this is the man who will uphold Christ’s Church by his work and teaching.” From that moment, he became completely devoted to the saint and he bowed graciously to his request. He approved the rule and gave the saint and his companions a mission to preach repentance, granting all their petitions there and then and promising generously to make even further concessions in the future.

 

5 Fifth lesson: With God’s grace and the authority of the Supreme Pontiff to support him, Francis now felt completely confident and he took the road towards the valley of Spoleto. He had conceived true Gospel perfection in his heart and professed it solemnly by his vows, and now he was eager to practice it in his own life and teach it to others by his preaching. Together with his companions, he discussed the question whether they should go out among the people or live in solitude, and he begged God in persevering prayer to make known his will in this matter. Then he was enlightened by a revelation and he realized that he had been sent by God to win for Christ the souls which the Devil was trying to snatch away. And so he concluded that he should choose to live for others, rather than for himself alone. Thereupon, he went to live in an abandoned hut near Assisi, where he could share a life of poverty and strict religious discipline with his friars, and preach the word of God to the people, whenever he had the opportunity. He became a herald of the Gospel and he went about the towns and villages, preaching the kingdom of God “not in such words as human wisdom teaches, but in words taught him by the Spirit” (1 Cor 2, 13). And God guided him in his speech by his revelations, and “attested his words by the miracles that went with them” (Mk 16, 20).

 

6 Sixth lesson: Francis was spending the night in prayer on one occasion, as was his custom, and he withdrew from the company of the friars. Then about midnight, as some of the friars slept and others prayed, a brilliant chariot of fire came through the door of the hut. It was surmounted by a ball of light which shone like the sun, and it turned here and there three times about the room. The friars who were awake were dumbfounded at the sight of the miraculous splendor, while those who were asleep woke up terrified. The shining light seemed to illuminate their hearts, just as it lit up their surroundings, and their consciences were laid bare to one another by its extraordinary powers of penetration. As they looked into one another’s hearts, they all realized at once that it was their father Francis whom they had seen under the appearance of this vision. God had revealed him to them as one who came “in the spirit and power of an Elias” (Lk 1, 17), and had been made a leader of his spiritual army, “a chariot and a charioteer” (cf. 4 kgs 2, 12) for his chosen people. When the saint rejoined the friars, he took occasion from the vision they had been shown from heaven to encourage them. He probed the depths of their consciences and foretold the future; his miracles brought him such renown that it was clear that the twofold spirit of Elias rested upon him in abundance. There could be no doubt that it was perfectly safe for anyone to follow his life and teaching.

 

7. Seventh lesson: At this time ㅁ religious of the Order of the Crucigeri who was called Moricus was lying ill in a hospital near Assisi. It was a long drawn-out illness and he was faring so badly that they thought he was at the point of death. Then he recommended himself to St. Francis by means of an intermediary and begged him to be so good as to pray to God for him. In his compassion the saint agreed willingly; he gave himself to prayer and then he took some bread-crumbs and mixed them with oil from the lamp which burned before our Lady’s altar, making a sort of pill out of them. This he sent by the friars to the sick man saying, “Take this medicine to our brother Moricus. In his power, Christ will restore him to perfect health by means of it, and when he is ready for the fray, he wll bring him into our company for the rest of his life.” The moment the sick man took the prescription which had been made up under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he stood up, completely cured. God gave him such strength of body and soul that he joined St. Francis’ Order a short time afterwards. For years he wore a hair-shirt next to his skin and never ate cooked food, refusing to drink wine or touch anything that had been boiled.

 

8 Eighth lesson: At this time, too, a priest from Assisi, Father Silvester, a man of good life and dove-like simplicity, had a vision. He saw the whole countryside being swallowed up in the embrace of a huge serpent which seemed to threaten the various regions of the world with destruction, it looked so horrible and disgusting. Then he saw a shining cross of gold coming from St. Francis’ mouth. The top of it reached up to heaven and its arms stretched far and wide and seemed to reach to the ends of the earth, and the mere sight of it in al its glory was enough to put the terrible serpent to flight. Father Silverster was a religious-minded man and after he had seen this vision for the third time, he realized that St. Francis had been chosen by God to take up the standard of the Cross and crush the wicked serpent’s power. This he would do by enlightening the hearts of the faithful by the glorious witness of his life and teaching. He told the saint and his friars what he had seen and a short time afterwards he left the world; after Francis’ example, he followed in Christ’s footsteps with such perseverance that his life in the Order only served to confirm the vision he had seen while he was still in the world.

 

9 Ninth lesson: Another friar called Pacificus, when he was still a layman, met St. Francis at San Severino, where he was giving a sermon in a monastery. There the power of God came upon him and he saw the saint signed with the sign of the Cross in the form of two swords of fire, one of which reached from his head to his feet, while the other crossed his chest from hand to hand. He did not know St. Francis by sight, but he realized that the person pointed out to him by such a miracle could be no other. He was overcome with amazement; the power of the saint’s words moved him to sorrow for his sins and left him terrified, as if he had been transfixed with a spiritual sword coming from his mouth. He said goodbye to worldly popularity and joined the saint by professing his rule.

He afterwards made great progress in religious perfection and became provincial in Francis, where he was the first to hold that office. Before he left to take up his post, he was found worthy to have a vision of a great Cross which appeared in different colors on St. Francis’ forehead and lit up his whole face with a beautiful radiance. Francis always had great reverence and affection for this particular sign and he often spoke in its praise; he made it before starting to do anything and the letters charity demanded he should write he signed with it in his own hand. His only desire seemed to be to mark the brows of those who weep and wail and are truly converted to Jesus Christ with this sign of the Cross, as we read in the prophet Ezechiel (Ez 9, 4).

 

CHAPTER III

St. Francis’ Outstanding Virtues

 

1 First lesion: As a loyal follower of Jesus crucified, St. Francis crucified his lower nature with all its passions, from the very beginning of his religious life, by practicing strict self-discipline; he restrained the impulses of sensuality with such rigid self-control that he scarcely took enough food or drink to keep himself alive. As long as he was in good health, he scarcely ever ate cooked food; when he did, he occasionally mixed ashes with it, so that he got no pleasure out of eating it. As a rule, however, he was content to destroy the taste by adding water. He was particularly strict when it was a question of having anything to drink; he refused to let his fallen nature enjoy the use of wine, so that his spirit might be occupied with the light of wisdom. It should help us to realize this all the more clearly when we remember that he would scarcely drink enough ordinary water, even when he was almost dying with thirst. More often than not, the bare earth was the only bed his tired body had to lie on, and his pillow was a stone or a piece of wood. His clothes were simplicity itself – nothing more than a coarse, rough covering to protect him. He knew for certain from his own experience that poor, uncouth dress put his wicked enemies to flight, while soft or expensive clothes only gave them courage to attack all the more fiercely.

 

2 Second lesion: While keeping watchful guard over himself with rigid self-discipline, St. Francis was especially careful in his efforts to protect the inestimable treasure of chastity, which we carry in a shell of perishable earthenware. By practicing the most perfect interior and exterior thing holy and held in honor. In the early years of his religious life, in the courage and fervor of his spirit he often threw himself into a ditch full of ice or snow in the depths of winter. He did this to gain complete control over the enemy which was part of his own nature and to preserve the white robe of purity from the heat of passion. As a result of such strenuous efforts his lower nature was completely subject to him and his attractive purity was so evident in his use of all his bodily senses that he seemed like “a man that had bound his eyes over by covenant” (Jb 31, 1). He was not content merely to avoid looking about him in a way which would pander to his lower nature; he studiously renounced the slightest glance which could only satisfy idle curiosity.

 

3 Third lesson: St. Francis had attained perfect purity of heart and soul, and the height of sanctity was within his grasp. However, in his great longing for the unstained brilliance of heavenly light, he never ceased trying to sharpen his spiritual vision with floods of tears, and he made no account of the fact that it was costing him his eyesight. As a result of his continual weeping, he developed serious eye-trouble, but when the doctor advised him to restrain his tears, if he wanted to avoid losing his sight, he refused to obey. He would prefer, he asserted, to lose the sight of is eyes than to restrain his devotion and stop the tears which cleansed his spiritual vision and enabled him to see God.

Francis was at peace in his utter loyalty to God and he felt a heavenly joy in his heart which showed in his face, even in the midst of his tears. In the purity of his blameless conscience, he experienced such an infusion of happiness, that his spirit was continually lost in God, and he rejoiced without interruption in the works of his hands.

 

4 Fourth lesion; St Francis was completely imbued with profound humility, the guardian and the crowning glory of all virtue. By the range of virtues which shone forth in his life, he stood heard and shoulders above all others, but humility seems to have reached the highest degree of all in him, and he was the least of all. In his own opinion, he was the greatest of sinners, and he believed that he was nothing more than a frail and worthless creature; yet, in reality, he was an example of holiness, chosen by God and shining by his manifold gifts of grace and virtue, and consecrated by the sanctity of his life. He did everything he possibly could to appear worthless in his own eyes and before others; he would confess his secret faults publicly and hid God’s gifts in the depths of his heart; he refused to expose himself to human praise, for fear it might be an occasion of falling. In his eagerness to practice humility perfectly, not only was he submissive to his superiors – he even obeyed his inferiors as well; he used to bind himself to obey his companion in his travels, no matter how ordinary a friar he was. St. Francis had no desire to wield authority life a superior; in his humility he preferred to obey those who were subject to him, as their minister and servant.

 

5 Fifth lesson: Sublime poverty is the companion of humility and so, as a perfect follower of Christ, St. Francis espoused it in undying love. For poverty’s sake he left his father and mother and abandoned everything he had. No one was so greedy for gold as he was for poverty; no one ever guarded a treasure more carefully than he guarded this Gospel pearl. From the first moment of his religious life until his death, his sole wealth consisted in a habit, a cord, and a pair of trousers. Destitution seemed to be by only thing in which he took any pride, penury his only source of joy.

If he saw anyone who seemed to be more poorly dressed than he, he immediately fell to reproaching himself and roused himself to imitate him. He was jealous of his poverty and it seemed as if his noble spirit was afraid of being surpassed in his efforts to practice it. He had chosen poverty as the pledge of his eternal inheritance and preferred it to every temporal thing; he thought nothing o the deceitful riches of this world which are only loaned to us for a brief interval and he loved poverty above any form of wealth. He was anxious to outdo everyone in the practice of poverty; and it was poverty that had taught him to regard himself as the last of all.

 

6 Sixth lesson: St. Francis’ love of absolute poverty won for him a share in the wealth to which true, spiritual simplicity is the key. In the whole world he had nothing he could call his own; yet everything in the world seemed to belong to him in God, the Creator of the world. His attitude towards creation was simple and direct, as simple as the gaze of a dove; as he considered the universe, in his pure, spiritual vision, he referred every created thing to the Creator of all. He saw God in everything, and loved and praised him in all creation. By God’s generosity and goodness, he possessed God in everything, and everything in God. The realization that everything comes from the same source made him call all created things – no matter how insignificant – his brothers and sisters, because they had the same origin as he. However, he reserved his most tender compassion for those which are a natural reflection of Christ’s gentleness and are used as figures of him in Sacred Scripture. So it was that God’s divine power the brute beasts felt drawn towards him and inanimate creation obeyed his will. It seemed as if he had returned to the state of primeval innocence, he was so good, so holy.

 

7 Seventh lesion: St. Francis was filled with such a spirit of gentle compassion, which came to him from the Source of Mercy itself that he seemed to have a mother’s tenderness in caring for the sufferings of those in misery. He was kind by nature and the love of Christ merely intensified this. His whole soul went out to the sick and the poor, and where he could not offer material assistance he lavished his affection; the poverty or deprivation he saw in anyone he immediately referred to Christ in his heartfelt compassion. In every poor person he met, he saw the image of Christ and he insisted on giving them anything which had been given to him, even if he had urgent need of it; indeed, he believed that he was bound to give it to them, just as if it belonged to them. He spared nothing – cloaks, habits, books, or altar cloths – as long as he was in a position to do so, he gave them all to the poor. He wanted nothing more than to spend and be spent himself, in order to fulfill the duty of being compassionate towards others.

 

8 Eight lesson: Like a sharp sword all on fire, zeal for the salvation of others pierced the depths of Francis’ heart in his burning love; wounded by the grief of his compassion, he seemed to be on fire with eagerness, and it penetrated his whole being. If he saw a soul redeemed with the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ being stained with sin, he would be overcome with sorrow, and weep so compassionately that he seemed to be in travail over hem continually, like a mother in Christ. This was the reason why he was so energetic in prayer, so active in preaching; this was why he went beyond all limits in giving good example was why he went beyond all limits in giving good example – he would not think himself Christ’s lover if he did not compassionate the souls whom he redeemed. His innocent body which had voluntarily become subject to the spirit needed no punishment for sin; yet, for the sake of good example, he inflicted frequent penances and burdens on it. It was for the sake of others that “he kept to the paths that are hard to follow” (Ps 16, 4). Christ gave himself up to death for the salvation of others, and Francis desired to follow in his footsteps to the last.

 

9 Ninth lesson: We can appreciate the fiery strength of the perfect love by which Francis was borne towards God, in his love for Christ his Bridegroom, when we remember that he longed to offer himself to God as a living sacrifice by the sword of martyrdom. Three times he took the road towards pagan lands with this end in view, but on two occasions Divine Providence stood in his way. The third time, with God’s help, he succeeded in gaining an audience with the sultan of Babylon, but only after he had been insulted, beaten, put in chains, and had endured severe ill-treatment. There he preached Jesus Christ with such convincing proof of spiritual power that the sultan was lost in admiration; by God’s will he became gentle and gave the saint a kind hearing. When he saw his spiritual fervor and his courage, together with his disregard for this earthly life, and the power of his disregard for this earthly life, and the power of his divine words, he became completely devoted to him. He treated him with great honor and offered him valuable presents, begging him to stay with him a little while. However, in his genuine self-contempt and disregard for the world, Francis scorned the gifts as if they were so much dust. When he saw that he could not achieve his goal, despite the fact that he had done everything he possibly could, he made his way back to Christian territory, after receiving a warning from God. So it was that Christ’s lover longed to die for him with all his heart, but never succeeded. In this way, his life was preserved, so that he might later be decorated with a unique privilege, without losing the merit of the martyr’s death for which he longed.

 

CHAPTER IV

Francis’ Devotion to Prayer – His Spirit of Prophecy

 

1 First lesson: St. Francis felt like an exile, as long as he remained in this earthly life separated from God and, at the same time, his love of Christ had left him insensible to all earthly desires. Therefore, he tried to keep his spirit in the presence of God, by praying to him without intermission, so that he might not be without some comfort from his Beloved. Whether he was walking or sitting, at home or abroad, whether he was working or resting, he was so wholeheartedly intent on prayer that he seemed to have dedicated to it not only his heart and his soul, but all his efforts and all his time. He was often taken right out of himself in such an excess of devotion that he was lost in ecstasy. Then he experienced things which were beyond all human understanding, and he would be completely oblivious of all that went on about him.

 

2 Second lesson: In order to prepare for the infusion of spiritual comfort in greater peace, he would seek out some lonely spot or an abandoned church where he could go to pray at night. There he often had to endure frightful attacks from the devils who fought with him hand-to-hand and tried to withdraw him from prayer. However, he always succeeded in putting them to flight by the unfailing power of his fervent prayers; that he would be left alone and at peace, and he would make the groves re-echo with his sighs and bedew the ground with his tears, as he beat his breast in sorrow. Here, in hidden secrecy, he defended himself before his Judge; here he pleaded with his Father; here he enjoyed the company of his divine Bridegroom; here he spoke with his Lover. Here, too, he was seen raised up from the ground and surrounded with a shining cloud, as he prayed at night with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross. The raising of his body from the ground, with the miraculous light which accompanied it, was a sign of the marvelous elevation and enlightenment which took place in his soul.

 

3 Third lesson: By the supernatural power of his striving after God, the secrets of divine wisdom were made known to him; there is clear proof of this, although he never revealed it unless the salvation of others demanded it, or he was commanded to do so by divine revelation. He had never studied Sacred Scripture under any human teacher, but unwearied application to prayer and the continual practice of virtue had purified his spiritual vision, so that his intellect was bathed in the radiance of eternal light and could penetrate its depths with its pure gaze. The spirit of the prophets rested upon him, in all its different forms, with an overflowing abundance of grace. By its miraculous power the saint often appeared to those who were far away and knew what went on at a distance; he could read the secrets of men’s hearts and foretell what the future was to bring. There are many examples which prove this beyond doubt and I shall now describe a few of them.

 

4 Fourth lesson: In a provincial chapter at Arles St. Anthony, who was then a famous preacher and is now one of Christ’s saints, preached an eloquent sermon to the friars on the proclamation Pilate wrote on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” There St. Francis, who was then living far away, appeared at the door of the chapter hall; he was standing in mid-air with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross, blessing the friars. He brought them all such spiritual comfort that their own interior witness was enough to convince them that his miraculous appearance was endowed with heavenly power. The saint himself was not unaware of this, so that it is clear that his spirit was penetrated with the light of that eternal Wisdom of which we read. “Nothing is so agile that it can match wisdom for agility; nothing can penetrate this way and that, ethereal as she; she finds her way into holy men’s hearts, turning them into friends and spokesmen of God” (Wis 7, 24, 27).

 

5 Fifth lesson: When the friars were assembled in chapter as usual one day at St. Mary of the Portiuncula, one o them, under some pretext or other, refused to submit to obedience. St. Francis was praying in his cell at the time, interceding before God for the friars, and he became aware in spirit of what was happening. He had one of the friars summoned to him and told him, “Brother, I saw the Devil on that disobedient friar’s back, holding him tightly by the neck. With a wicked spirit like that in control, he refused to be guided by obedience and gave rein to the Devil’s suggestions. Go and tell that friar to submit to obedience immediately. The person who sends him this message is the person whose prayers made the Devil take flight in confusion.” When he heard the message, the friar was seized with remorse; he was enlightened by the light of truth and he cast himself on the ground before the saint’s vicar. He acknowledged his guilt and begged forgiveness, accepting the penance which was imposed upon him and performing it willingly, so that he always obeyed humbly after that.

 

6 Sixth lesion: When St. Francis was living in his cell on Mount La Verna, one of his companions had a great desire to have some short phrases of the Bible in the saint’s own hand-writing. He was being assailed by a violent temptation of the spirit and he was sure the writing would put an end to it, or at least make it easier to bear. He was worn out with longing and he was all on edge; but he was so humble, so self-effacing and unassuming, that he was overcome with shyness and did not dare to tell St. Francis about it. However, Francis learned from the Holy Spirit what his companion was afraid to tell him. He told the friar to bring him a pen and paper and then he wrote out some verses in praise of God with his own hand, as the friar wished, and added him blessing at the end. He gave the friar what he had written and immediately his temptation vanished. The sheet of paper was afterwards preserved and it restored innumerable people to health, showing the whole world how high a place the saint who wrote it held in God’s eyes, that he should be able to give such efficacious power to a written message.

 

7 Seventh lesson: Another time a noble lady who was a very religious person came to St. Francis, confidently asking his help. Her husband treated her cruelly and tried to prevent her from serving Christ, and she begged the saint by his grace. When Francis heard what she wanted, he spoke to her and encouraged her in her good desires. He promised her that she would soon enjoy the consolation she longer for, and he told her to tell her husband from him and from God that this was the time of mercy, afterwards of justice. The woman put her trust in the words which the saint spoke to her and when she had received his blessing, she returned home without delay. There she met her husband and told him what the saint had said, expecting her wish to be granted without hesitation, as she had been promised. The moment her husband heard the words, the spirit of grace came upon him; his heart was touched, so that he allowed his wife to serve God freely and offered to serve him with her. At his wife’s suggestion, they lived a life of continence for many years, and they died the same day, she in the morning, “a morning sacrifice,” he in the evening, “an evening offering” (cf. Nm 28, 8, 23).

 

8 Eighth lesson: When the saint was lying sick at Rieti, a loose living and worldly cleric named Gedeon became seriously ill. He was brought to St. Francis, lying on a stretcher, and together with those who were present he begged him tearfully to bless him with the sign of the cross. But the saint replied, “You have lived a life of sinful indulgence, without a thought of God’s judgment. I shall make the sign of the cross over you, not for your own sake, but because of the sincere petition of those who are pleading for you. But I tell you here and now that if you go back to your old ways, after you have been cured, you will infallibly have worse to suffer.” Then he made the sign of the cross over him from his head to his feet and they all heard his bones cracking like dry wood being broken. The sick man stood up there and then, completely cured, and he gave praise to God saying, “I have been saved.” After a short time, however, he forgot God once more and gave his body over to impurity. Then one evening he had supper at the house of one of the canons and spent the night there. That night the roof of the house collapsed on them all without warning; the others escaped death, but he was killed. So it was that this one event revealed the severity of God’s justice for those who are ungrateful, and the accuracy and truth of the spirit of prophecy which filled St. Francis.

 

9 Ninth lesson: When St. Francis went to preach at Celano after his return from overseas, a knight begged him insistently to come to dinner. Francis was reluctant, but his host almost forced him to come, in his devotion to him. Before they sat down to eat, the saint offered praise and prayers to God as usual, like the truly spiritual man he was. There he learned in spirit that his host must die in the very near future, and he remained standing with his mind fixed on God and his eyes raised up to heaven. When he had finished praying, he drew his host aside and told him that he was going to die soon, advising him to go to confession and encouraging him to do what good he could. The knight took his advice and confessed all his sins to the saint’s companion. He put his affairs in order and entrusted himself to God’s mercy, doing everything he could to prepare for death. They were all beginning their meal when the knight, who seemed quite strong and well, suddenly passed away, as the saint had foretold. He was carried off by a sudden death, but he was clad in the armor of repentance, thanks to St. Francis’ spirit of prophecy. So he escaped eternal damnation and entered the dwelling-places of heaven, as our Lord promised in the Gospel.

 

 

CHAPTER V

Creatures Obey St. Francis – God’s Condescension towards Him

 

1 First lesson: The Spirit of God who had anointed him, together with “Christ the power of God, Christ the wisdom of God” (1 Cor 1, 24), was always with St. Francis. By his grace and power, hidden secrets were revealed to the saint and the elements were made subject to him. on one occasion, he was advised by his doctors to allow a cauterization in the hope of curing his eye-trouble. The friars begged him to agree and the saint humbly gave his consent. He knew that it would be an opportunity to practice virtue, as well as a remedy for his bodily ills. However, he recoiled instinctively at the sight of the searing-iron which was red hot; then he addressed the burning fire, calling it his brother, and commanded it in the name of God the Creator and by his power to temper its heat and burn gently, so that he could bear it. The sizzling iron was plunged into the soft flesh and drawn from his ear to his eyebrow. Full of God as he was, Francis was overjoyed in spirit. “Give praise to the Most High!” he told the friars. “I can truthfully say that the heat of the fire did not harm me and I felt no pain.”

 

2 Second lesson: St. Francis was seriously ill one time at the hermitage of Sant’ Urbano and he felt the need of something to build up his strength. He asked for a glass of wine, but they told him there was none to give him. Then he told them to bring some water, and when it was brought, he made the sign of the cross over it and blessed it. Immediately, what had been ordinary water became excellent wine; Francis’ holiness procured what the poverty of a lonely friary had not been able to provide. At the taste of the wine, he improved rapidly and it was clear beyond all doubt that God, the generous Giver, had enabled him to enjoy the drink he longed for, not because the taste appealed to him, but because it would restore him to health.

 

3 Third lesson: Another time, while traveling to a hermitage where he planned to devote himself to prayer, St. Francis rode an ass belonging to a poor laborer, because he was weak. It was summertime and, as the owner of the animal followed the saint into the mountains, he was exhausted by the long and grueling journey. Fainting with thirst, he began to cry out insistently, saying that he would die immediately, if he did not get something to drink. Francis dismounted there and then and knelt on the ground with his hands stretched out to heaven, and there he prayed until he knew that he had been heard. When he had finished, he said to his benefactor, “Go to that rock and there you will find running water. In his goodness Christ has made it flow from the solid stone just now for you to drink.” The man ran to the sport Francis pointed out and he had his fill of water which had been produced from a rock by the power of one man’s prayer, a drink which God offered him from solid stone.

 

4 Fourth lesson: When St. Francis was preaching on the seashore at Gaeta on one occasion, the multitude crowded about him in their eagerness. He was anxious to avoid their demonstrations of enthusiasm and he stepped into a small boat which was close by the shore. While the crowd looked on in amazement, the boat moved out from the land without the aid of oars, as if it were being guided by some intelligent power. When it had gone a short distance out to sea, the boat stopped and remained there in the same position, despite the waves, while the saint preached to the people standing on the beach. When he was finished, he gave his blessing to the crowd who had seen the miracle, and pleaded with them to disperse. Then the boat moved in to land once more under the impulse of a divine command. Creation, which obeys its Author so well, was completely submissive to Francis who worshipped the Creator perfectly, and obeyed him without hesitation.

 

5 Fifth lesson: When St. Francis was staying in the hermitage at Greccio one time, the local people were in a very bad way because of a series of disasters which had struck them. Every year the corn and the vineyards were laid waste by hailstorms and ravenous packs of wolves had been known to attack human beings as well as livestock. St. Francis had pity on them in their misfortune, and he promised them in a sermon that all their troubles would be at an end, if they went to confession and were genuinely sorry for their sins, adding that he would guarantee it himself. They repented as a result of his exhortation and the moment they did so, the danger passed and they suffered no more calamities; neither the wolves nor the hailstorms did any further damage. In fact, hailstorms which swept over neighboring areas and were approaching their territory either died away or changed course.

 

6 Sixth lesson: on another occasion, St. Francis was journeying about the valley of Spoleto preaching, when he came to a place near Bevagna in which a huge flock of birds of various kinds had gathered. The moment he saw them, the Spirit of God came upon him and he hurried to them. He greeted them cheerfully and told them to be quiet and listen to the word of God attentively. He spoke to them at length about the benefits God bestows on his creatures and the praise which they owe him. The birds showed their pleasure in a wonderful manner; they stretched out their necks and flapped their wins, opening their beaks and looking at him closely. They seemed to be trying to feel the marvelous power of his words. It was only right that St. Francis, who was so full of God, should have felt such tender affection for these irrational creatures; in their turn, they were so attracted towards him that they listened as he taught them and obeyed when he commanded them. They flocked about him quite tamely, when he came to them, and they stayed with him without any encouragement when he wanted them to listen to him.

 

7 Seventh lesson: When St. Francis tried to go overseas in search of the prize of martyrdom, he was prevented from achieving his goal by bad weather at sea. There the Ruler of all came to his aid and provided for him in his goodness; he worked a miracle for him when he was at sea, so that he was saved from the danger of death, together with a number of others. Francis was trying to make his way back from Dalmatia to Italy and he boarded a ship without any provisions whatsoever. Even as he stepped on the vessel, a man was sent by God bringing the food which Christ’s beggar would need. He called a member of the crew who was a religious man and gave it to him, telling him to give it to the friars who had nothing, when the time came. The ship was unable to make any headway because of the gale-force winds and they ran out of supplies, so that only a small portion of the alms St. Francis received from heaven was left. By his merits and prayers this small supply increased so much with God’s help that it provided for all their needs, as the storm continued for several days before they reached Ancona, the port which was their destination.

 

8 Eighth lesion: on another occasion St. Francis was on a missionary journey with a companion and, as they were traveling from Lombardy to the Marches of Treviso, they were overtaken by night. It was a dangerous journey in the dark because of the river and the marshes, and his companion implored him to ask God to help them in their necessity. Francis replied with complete confidence, “God has power to banish the darkness and grant us the gift of his light, if it pleases him in his goodness.” The words were scarcely out of his mouth when they were surrounded with such a brilliant light that, by God’s power, they could see their way clearly; they could even see a large part of the country on the other side of the river, although it was dark everywhere else.

 

9 Ninth lesson: It was only right that a brilliant light from heaven should go before Francis in the darkness; this of itself would be enough to prove that those who follow in the footsteps of the light of life can never be engulfed in the darkness of death. Although they still had a long way to go, the light guided their steps miraculously with its brightness and gave them spiritual comfort, so that they arrived safely at the place where they were to stay, singing hymns of praise to God.

What a wonderful, what an outstanding person St. Francis was! Fire lost its burn, and water its taste, at his command; a rock produced water in abundance and inanimate creatures waited upon him; savage animals became tame and brute beasts listened to him eagerly. God himself, the Lord of all, bowed to his wish in his goodness; he supplied him generously with food and guided his steps with his light. Francis was a man of indescribable holiness and so all creation was subject to him, and the Creator of all condescended to him.

 

CHAPTER VI

The Stigmata of St. Francis

1 First lesson: St. Francis was a faithful and devoted servant of Christ and two years before he died he observed a forty-day fast in honor of St. Michael the Archangel on a mountain called La Verna, where he lived in complete solitude. There he experienced an extraordinary infusion of divine contemplation; he was all on fire with heavenly desires and he realized that the gifts of divine grace were being poured out over him in greater abundance then ever. The fervor of his seraphic longing raised him up to God and, in its compassionate tenderness, made him like Christ who chose to hang upon the Cross in the excess of his love. Then one morning about the feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, as he was praying on the mountainside, Francis saw a Seraph with six fiery wings coming down from the highest point in heaven. The vision descended swiftly and came to rest in mid-air quite near him; then he saw that the Seraph was nailed to a cross although he had wings. His hands and feet were stretched out and nailed to the Cross, while the wings were arranged about him wonderfully; two of them were raised above his head and two were stretched out in flight, while the remaining two were joined to his body and covered it.

 

2 Second lesson: Francis was dumbfounded at the sight and his heart was flooded with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He was overjoyed to see how graciously Christ regarded him, as he appeared to him so intimately in this miraculous vision. But the sight of the cruel way he was nailed to the Cross pierced his soul with a sword of compassionate sorrow. Then Christ who appeared to him visibly, grated him spiritual enlightenment and Francis realized that, although the agony of the passion was not in keeping with the state of a seraphic spirit which is immortal, his vision had a deep meaning for him. It was set before his eyes that, as Christ’s lover, he might know he was to resemble Christ crucified perfectly, not by physical martyrdom, but by the fervor of his spirit. As the vision disappeared, after they had conversed mysteriously in great intimacy, it left his heart ablaze with seraphic eagerness and marked his body with the visible likeness of the Crucified. It was as if the fire of love had first penetrated his whole being, so that the likeness of Christ might be impressed upon it like a seal.

 

3 Third lesson: There and then the marks of nails began to appear in his hands and feet, the heads of which were in the palms of his hands and on the instep of each foot, while the points protruded on the opposite side. The heads appeared black and round in his hands and feet, but the points were long and bent back; they rose above the surrounding flesh and jutted out above it. The curved portion of the nails on the soles of his feet was so big and stood out so far that he could not put his foot firmly on the ground; a man could put his finger through the loop without difficulty, as I have been told by people who saw the stigmate with their own eyes. His right side was marked with a livid scar which often bled, and it looked as if it had been pierced with a lance. His habit and trousers used to be soaked with blood, so that the friars who washed them knew at once that Christ’s servant bore the likeness of the Crucified in his side, just as he bore it in his hands and feet.

 

4 Fourth lesson: Full of God as he was, Francis realized that he could not possibly conceal from his intimate companions, the stigmata which had been imprinted so plainly on his body. At the same time, he was afraid to make God’s secret publicly known and he was thrown into an agony of doubt – should he reveal what he had seen, or keep silent about it. His conscience was pricking him and he eventually gave a full account of the vision, although very hesitantly, to the friars who were closest to him. He told them, too, that Christ had revealed a number of secrets to him, at the time of the apparition, which he would never communicate to any human being, as long as he lived. True love of Christ had now transformed his lover into his image, and when the forty days which he had intended spending in solitude on the mountain were over and the feast of St. Michael the Archangel had come, St. Francis came down from the mountain. With him he bore a representation of Christ crucified which was not the work of an artist in wood or stone; it had been inscribed on the members of his body by the hand of the living God.

 

5 Fifth lesson: In his humility and genuine sanctity, Francis did his best and took the greatest care to hide the sacred marks, but it was God’s good pleasure to work a number of public miracles by means of them, for his own glory. This he did in order that Francis might shine like a brilliant star in the midst of the thick darkness, as the hidden power of the stigmata became publicly known through these miracles. Before St. Francis went to stay on La Verna, it often happened that dark clouds would form over the mountain and violent hailstorms would devastate the crops. After his vision, with its happy consequences, the hail stopped, much to the joy and amazement of the local people. The unusually clear skies were to proclaim the extraordinary nature of his vision and the power of the stigmata which he received there.

 

6 Sixth lesson: Another time there was a serious outbreak of disease in the province of Rieti which affected sheep and cattle to such an extent that there seemed to be no remedy. Then a devout man was told in a vision at night to go immediately to the friars’ hermitage where St. Francis was staying; there he was to obtain some of the water with which the saint washed his hands and feet and sprinkle the sick animals with it, which would put an end to the disease. The man did exactly as he was told and God granted miraculous power to the water which had touched the sacred wounds. The moment the affected animals felt even the slightest drop of it, their deadly illness was completely cured and they recovered their usual strength, so that they trotted off to pasture, as if there had never been anything wrong with them.

 

7 Seventh lesson: After he had received the stigmata, St. Francis’ hands enjoyed such extraordinary power that their saving touch restored the sick to perfect health, and gave back life to limbs which had been paralyzed and withered. What is more, they even restored to life people who had been fatally injured. By way of anticipation, I shall mention two of the many miracles he worked and describe them briefly. At Lerida a man named John, who had great devotion to St. Francis, was wounded so badly one night that no one could believe he would survive the night. Then St. Francis appeared to him in a vision and touched his wounds with his sacred hands. There and then he restored him to perfect health, so that the whole countryside was loud in its praise of the standard-bearer of the Cross, saying that he was worthy of everyone’s veneration. Who would not be surprised to see an acquaintance of his cruelly injured and then enjoying perfect health, at almost one and the same time? Who could remember that, without being moved to give thanks? Certainly, no one could recall such a miracle of power and goodness in a spirit of faith, without feeling some increase of devotion.

 

8 Eighth lesson: At Potenza in Apulia there was a cleric named Roger who entertained frivolous thoughts about St. Francis’ stigmata. Then without warning, he suffered a hit by an arrow from a crossbow; the glove itself, however, was completely untouched. For three days he was tormented by agonizing pain, so that he was heartily sorry for what he had done, and he appealed to St. Francis, pleading with him to help him by his glorious stigmata. He was cured so completely that all his pain disappeared and no trace of the injury remained. This is a clear indication that the stigmata were impressed on Francis by the power of Christ and shared his virtue, because it is he who punishes by inflicting injury, and cures by applying remedies, crushing the rebellious and restoring the brokenhearted (Lk 4,18 ).

 

9 Ninth lesion: It was only right that St. Francis should be decorated with this extraordinary privilege; all his efforts, whether they were known to others or made in secret, were directed towards our Lord’s Cross. What was his extreme gentleness, his austerity, his deep humility, his ready obedience, his absolute poverty, his perfect chastity; what were his bitter contrition, his gift of tears, his heartfelt compassion, his ardent zeal, his longing for martyrdom, his unlimited charity; what were all the outstanding virtues which made him so like Christ, if not the signs of an ever-increasing likeness to him and a preparation for the reception of his stigmata? The whole course of his life from the very beginning was marked with glorious mysteries of Christ’s Cross. Eventually, at the sight of the majestic Seraph and of the abjection of Christ crucified, he was completely changed into the likeness of what he saw by a transforming fire of divine origin. For this we have the testimony of those who saw the stigmata and felt and kissed them; they took an oath that this was true, asserting that they had seen them with their own eyes and so made their testimony more certain.

 

 

CHAPTER VII

St. Francis’ Death

 

1 First lesson: Francis now hung body and soul upon the Cross with Christ; the fervor of his seraphic love raised him up to God and he was consumed with zeal for souls, so that he shared his Lord’s thirst for their salvation. He could no longer walk because of the nails protruding from his feet, and so he had himself carried, half-dead as he was, about the towns and villages. Like “the second angel coming up from the east” (Ap 7,2 ) of whom St. John speaks in the Apocalypse, he enkindled the hearts of God’s servants with a divine fire, and set their feet on the way of peace, marking their brows with the seal of the living God. He longed with all his heart to return to the humble beginning he had made at first, and to nurse the lepers once more, as he had done before, making his body which was already worn out with toil, serve him once again, as it had served him before.

 

2 Second lesson: With Christ for his leader, he proposed to achieve great victories, and even as his limbs bordered on collapse, he hoped to triumph over his enemy the Devil once again, because he was fervent and courageous in spirit. Merit, as we know, is crowned by patient endurance, and so, as Christ’s poor, worthless servant, Francis began to suffer from a variety of illnesses, that his treasure of glory might be increased. His suffering was so great that there was not a single part of him which did not have its share of agony; he had no flesh left and his skin seemed to cling to his bones. He was hemmed in with agonizing pain, but he called his cruel sufferings his sisters, not his pains. He bore them joyfully and praise God, thanking him for everything; the humble and happy way he could rejoice in his sufferings reminded the friars who were looking after him of St. Paul, while the courage of his steadfast spirit made him seem like a second job.

 

3 Third lesson: St. Francis knew the day of his death a long time beforehand and, as it approached, he told the friars that he must soon fold his tent (cf. 2 Pt 1, 14), as Christ had revealed to him. Two years after the reception of the sacred stigamata – that is twenty years after the beginning of his religious life – he asked to be brought to St. Mary of the Portiuncula; it was there that he had first received the spirit of holiness and grace, through the Virgin Mother of God, and it was there that he would pay the price of his mortality and so win the prize, an eternal reward. When he arrived there, he was anxious to show that he had no longer anything in common with the world, after the example of Eternal Truth. In his last serious illness, which was destined to put an end to all his suffering, he had himself laid naked on the bare earth; he wished to struggle naked with his naked enemy, in that last hour which is given him to vent his wrath. As he lay there in the dust on the ground, like an athlete stripped for the arena, he covered the wound in his right side with his left hand, to prevent it being seen, and fixed his clear gaze on heaven. He was lost in the contemplation of its glory and he praised God for enabling him to go to him freely, stripped of everything in this world.

 

4 Fourth lesson: As the moment of his death drew near, the saint had all the friars who were there called to his side; he spoke to them gently with fatherly affection, consoling them for his death and exhorting them to love God. He bequeathed to them poverty and peace, a possession which was theirs by right of inheritance, entreating them earnestly to aim at an eternal goal and be on their guard against the dangers arising from the world. And with all the eloquence he could command, he implored them to follow in the footsteps of Jesus crucified. He was the father of the poor, and the friars sat grouped about him, as he lay there, his eyes already dim from weeping, not from old age. He was half blind and at the point of death, and he stretched out his arms over them in the form of the Cross, the sign he loved so well, and blessed all the friars both present and absent, in the power and in the name of Christ crucified.

 

5 Fifth lesson: Then he asked them to read the passage of St. John’s Gospel which begins, “Before the paschal feast began” (Jn 13, 1); only a partition of flesh now separated him from his Beloved and he would listen to the beat of his voice in the Gospel phrases. All God’s mysteries had been finally accomplished in him and he died quietly, praying and singing a psalm. His holy soul was freed from his body and absorbed in the abyss of eternal glory.

That very moment one of the friars, a disciple of the saint who was well known for his sanctity, saw his soul being borne on a white cloud over many waters straight to heaven, under the appearance of a radiant star. It shone with the beauty of a pure conscience, clad in the glory of his outstanding merits; the abundance of grace he had received and the Christ-like virtues he had practiced bore it aloft so surely that nothing could delay its entry into the vision of eternal light and glory.

 

6 Sixth lesson: The provincial minister of the friars in the Terra id Lavoro, Brother Augustine, a man who was very close to God, was at death’s door at that time. He had been unable to speak for a long time, but now those who were with him suddenly heard him cry out, “Wait for me, father. Wait! I am coming with you.” The friars were amazed and asked him to whom he was speaking. He told them he could see St. Francis going to heaven, and the moment he said it, he died peacefully.

The bishop of Assisi was on a pilgrimage to the shrine of St. Michael on Monte Gargano at the time, and St. Francis appeared to him at the moment of his death. He seemed happy and told the bishop that he was overjoyed to be leaving the world and going to heaven. When he got up in the morning, the bishop told his fellow pilgrims what had happened. on his return to Assisi, he investigated the matter carefully and discovered beyond all shadow of doubt that St. Francis had left the world the very moment he appeared to him in his vision.

 

7 Seventh lesson: In his infinite goodness God showed what St. Francis had been when he lived on earth by the prodigies and miracles which took place after his death. By his merits and intercession, God restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb; he made the lame walk and enabled the paralyzed the feel and move about; he cured those who had withered or crippled limbs or were suffering from hernia; he rescued prisoners from captivity and brought those in danger of shipwreck to port and safety; he grated a safe delivery to women who were in childbirth, and cast out the Devil from those who were possessed; he cured those suffering from a hemorrhage and cleansed the lepers, healed people who had received fatal injuries; he even restored the dead to life, which is the greatest miracle of all.

 

8 Eighth lesson: All over the world Gods’ gifts are still being bestowed in abundance, through Francis’ intercession; I who have written this life know this from my own experience. When I was still only a child, I became seriously ill and my mother made a vow to St. Francis, so that I was snatched from the jaws of death and restored to perfect health and strength. I remember it well and I put it on record now, for fear that I might be condemned for ingratitude, if I failed to mention such a favor.

Holy father, receive my poor thanks, such as they are, so unequal to what you deserve and the gifts you have given me. Receive our offering and forgive us our shortcomings. Pray for those who are devoted and loyal to you, that you may save them from the dangers of the present life and lead them to eternal happiness.

 

9 Ninth lesson: Nothing remains now but to say a few words by way of conclusion to all that we have written. The person who has read the whole story up to these words should meditate on one last point, which is this: St. Francis’ wonderful life from the very beginning, his efficacy in preaching, and his outstanding virtues; his spirit of prophecy and his grasp of Sacred Scripture, together with the obedience shown him by irrational creatures; the reception of the stigmata and his marvelous passage fro this life to heaven, are so many testimonies – seven in all – which proclaim him before the whole world as the glorious herald of Christ, bearing in his own body the deal of the living God (Ap 7, 1). They prove that he is worthy of all veneration by reason of his office, that his teaching is true, and that his holiness should arouse our admiration.

Those who abandon the Egypt of this world can follow Francis with complete confidence; the Cross of Christ will part the waters of the sea for them like Moses’ rod, and they will traverse the desert to the promised land of the living, where they will enter by the miraculous power of the Cross, having crossed the Jordan of our human mortality.

May our Savior and Leader, Jesus, bring us there, through the intercession of St. Francis. To him be all praise and honor and glory, with the Father and the Holy Spirit in perfect Trinity, for ever and ever. Amen.