The Little Flowers and the Life of St. Francis, with the...

Lord’s nativity at the place of the brethren of Rieti, the brethren, by occasion of the minister and the feast, had set out the tables somewhat worshipfully and curiously on the very day of the Nativity, spreading napkins fair and white, with glass vessels thereupon. The Blessed Francis, coming down from his cell to eat, saw the tables raised on a dais and curiously set out. Thereupon he went straightway secretly and took the staff and scrip of a certain poor man that had come that day, and, calling one of his companions in a whisper, he went forth of the door without the brethren of the house knowing it. Howbeit, the companion abided within nigh the door. In the meanwhile the brethren came in to meat, for the Blessed Francis had bidden the brethren never to wait for him when he came not forthwith at the hour of eating together. And, after he had stood a little space without, he knocked at the door, and forthwith his companion opened unto him, and, coming in with the scrip on his back and the staff in his hand, he went to the door of the house, wherein the brethren were eating together, as a pilgrim and a beggar, and cried out, saying: “For the love of our Lord God, give an alms to this poor sick pilgrim!” But the minister and the rest of the brethren did know him again at once, and the minister made answer unto him: “Brother, we also be poor, and for that we be many, the alms that we have be necessary unto us, but for the love of the Lord of whom thou hast spoken, enter into the house, and we will give thee of the alms that the Lord hath given unto us!”

And when he had come in, and was standing before the table of the brethren, the minister gave him a platter, wherein he did eat, and of the bread in like manner. And, receiving the same, he sat humbly by the fire, while the brethren did sit at the table. Then he sighed and said to the brethren: “When I beheld the table honorably and curiously made ready, I bethought me that it was not the table of poor Religious that every day do go from door to door for alms, for, my best beloved, unto us rather is it seemly to follow the example of the humility and poverty of Christ even more than unto other Religious, forasmuch as unto this have we been called and made profession thereof before God and before men. Whence meseemeth it only right that I should sit as a brother Minor, for the festivals of the Lord and of other saints be more honored by the need and poverty whereby the saints themselves did win to heaven, than by the curiousness and superfluity whereby the soul is withdrawn away from Heaven.” Hereat were the brethren ashamed, bethinking them that what he had said was very sooth. And certain of them began to weep sore, beholding how he sat upon the ground, and that he was fain to correct and teach them in such holy and simple wise. He admonished the brethren, moreover, that they should have their tables so humble and cleanly as that they of this world might be edified thereby, and if it should so befall that any poor man should be invited by the brethren, he might sit along with them as an equal, and not, like a beggar, on the ground, while the brethren sat at the high table.