Chapter CXXI And first, how he made answer to brother Elias that did rebuke him for showing so much joy W
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Part XIII The Thirteenth Part, of His Death, and the Joy that He Showed When He Knew for Certain that He was Nigh unto Death Chapter CXXI And first, how he made answer to brother Elias that did rebuke him for showing so much joy W
hilsthe was lying sick in the palace of the bishopric at Assisi, and
the hand of the Lord did seem made heavier than of wont upon
him, the people of Assisi, fearing in case he should die in the night, lest the brethren should take away his most holy body and carry it away unto another city, made ordinance that every night diligent watch should be kept by their men in the circuit without the palace-wall.
But the most holy father, that he might comfort his spirit lest he should at any time swoon by reason of the violence of the pain wherewith he was continually afflicted, did oftentimes in the day make theLaudes Dominibe chanted throughout by his companions. The same also did he by night for the edification and comfort of the lay-folk that were keeping watch without the palace on his account.
But brother Elias, perceiving that the Blessed Francis in his sore sickness did thus comfort himself and rejoice in the Lord, said unto him: “Dearest father, of all the cheerfulness thou dost manifest in this sickness on behalf of thyself and thy companions have I great comfort and edification, but albeit that the men of this city do reverence thee as a holy man, nevertheless, for that they do firmly believe thee to be full nigh unto thy death by reason of this thine incurable malady, when they hear Lauds of this kind chanted by day and night, they may haply say among themselves: ‘How cometh this man to manifest such cheerfulness when he is nigh his death? He ought rather to be thinking about his death.’”
The Blessed Francis said unto him: “Rememberest thou, when thou didst see the vision at Foligno, how thou didst say unto me that a certain man had told thee that I should not live but two years longer? Before that vision, thou sawest how by the grace of God, that doth suggest every good thing unto the heart and doth set the same in the mouth of His faithful, I did oftentimes by day and night bethink me of mine end. But from the hour that thou didst see the vision, even yet more anxious was I to bethink me daily of my dying day.” And straightway with great fervency of spirit saith he: “Give me leave, brother, to rejoice in the Lord and in His praises and in mine own infirmities, seeing that by the grace of the Holy Ghost, I am so joined and made one with my Lord, that by His mercy, well may I be glad in Him, Most Highest.”