Chapter LXV How he was minded to go humbly into distant parts in like manner as he had sent other brethren, and how he taught the brethren to go humbly and devoutly through the world Whenthe Chapter was ended wherein many brethren were sent to
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter LXV How he was minded to go humbly into distant parts in like manner as he had sent other brethren, and how he taught the brethren to go humbly and devoutly through the world Whenthe Chapter was ended wherein many brethren were sent to
certain provinces beyond sea, the Blessed Francis, remaining with
certain of the brethren, said unto them: “My best beloved brethren, meet it is that I should be the pattern and example of all the brethren. If, there- fore, I have sent the brethren into far-off parts to undergo travail and shame, hunger and thirst, and other necessities, it is only just, and holy obedience doth require, that I in like manner should go to some distant province, to the intent that the brethren should the more patiently endure their adversities when they shall hear that I also undergo the same. Go, therefore, and pray the Lord that He grant me to make choice of the province that shall be most to His praise and the profit of souls and a good example of our Religion.”
For it was the wont of the most holy father when he was minded to go to some province, first to pray the Lord, and to send brethren to pray that the Lord would direct his heart to go thither where it was best pleasing unto Him.
The brethren, therefore, went to pray, and when they had made an end of praying they came back unto him. And straightway with joy he said unto them: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ and of the Glorious Virgin Mary and of all saints, I choose the province of France, wherein is a Catholic folk, and the more for that among other Catholics they do manifest a special reverence toward the Body of Christ, the which is right grateful unto me, wherefore with them will I most willingly hold converse.”
For the Blessed Francis had so great reverence and devotion toward the Body of Christ, that he would it should be written in the Rule that the brethren in the provinces wherein they sojourned should have a great care and solicitude in this matter, and should admonish clerics and priests that they should set aside the Body of Christ in an honorable and decent place, the which, if they neglected to do, the brethren were to do it for them.
He would, moreover, it should be set in the Rule, that wheresoever the brethren should find the names of the Lord and the words whereby the Body of the Lord is made not well and honorably put into safe keeping, they themselves should collect the same and put them away worshipfully, honoring God in His words. And albeit these things were not written in the Rule, for that it seemed not good to the ministers that this should be an injunction to the brethren, yet in his will and in other of his writings he was minded to leave to the brethren his will in these matters.
At one time, indeed, he was minded to send certain brethren through all the provinces, that should take with them a number of pyxes fair and clean, and wheresoever they should find the Body of the Lord dishonorably set away, they should place the same with all honor in these pyxes. He desired, moreover, to send certain other brethren throughout all the provinces with good and fair moulds of iron for shaping of the Hosts fair and cleanly.
When, therefore, the Blessed Francis did choose those brethren that he wished to take with him, he said unto them: “In the name of the Lord go ye two and two by the way humbly and worshipfully, and, above all, with strait silence from early morning until after tierce, praying unto the Lord in your hearts, and let idle words and useless be not so much as named amongst you. For albeit that ye walk abroad, let your conversation be not less humble and beseeming than if ye were in a hermitage or a cell. For we, wheresoever we be, or whithersoever we may walk, have always the cell with us. For brother Body is our cell, and the soul is the hermit that abideth within the cell to pray to the Lord and meditate upon Him. Whence if it be that the soul abideth not quietly in her cell, of right little avail is the cell of the Religious built with hands.”
And when he had come as far as Florence, he found there my Lord Ugolino, Bishop of Ostia, that was afterward Pope Gregory, who, when he had heard from the Blessed Francis that he was minded to go into France, forbade him to go thither, saying: “Brother, it is my will thou go not beyond the mountains, for many prelates there be that gladly would hinder the good work of thy Religion in the Court of Rome. But I and the other Cardinals that love the Religion will right gladly protect and help the same if thou wilt abide within the circuit of this province.”
And the Blessed Francis saith unto him: “My lord, great shame is it unto me, seeing that I have sent others of my brethren into provinces far away, if I myself remain in these parts, and partake not in the tribulations that they for the Lord’s sake are about to endure.”
But the Bishop said unto him, as it were reproving him: “Wherefore hast thou sent thy brethren so far away to die of hunger and to suffer other tribulations?”
The Blessed Francis made answer unto him with great fervor and in the spirit of prophecy, saying: “My lord, thinkest thou that the Lord hath sent the brethren for the sake of these provinces only? Yea, I tell thee of a truth that God hath chosen and sent the brethren for the profit and salvation of the souls of all the men of this world; not alone in the lands of the faithful, but even in the lands of the infidel shall they be received, and many be the souls that they shall win.”
And the Lord Bishop of Ostia did marvel at his words, affirming that he spoke the truth, yet even so he would not allow him to go into France; but the Blessed Francis sent thither brother Pacifico with many other brethren. Howbeit, he himself went back to the Vale of Spoleto.