Chapter XXIII How he went for alms before he would go in to the Cardinal’s table O
Complete three-work composite: CCEL Fioretti; Salter 1904 Life and Miracles; Evans 1899 / Goretti 2025 Mirror
Chapter XXIII How he went for alms before he would go in to the Cardinal’s table O
na time when the Blessed Francis was visiting the Lord Bishop of Os-
tia, that was afterward Pope Gregory, at the hour of eating together
he went as it were by stealth from door to door for alms, and when he was come back the Lord Bishop of Ostia had already gone in to meat with a number of knights and nobles. But the Blessed Francis, drawing nigh the table, did set thereon before the Cardinal such alms as he had found and took his seat next him at the table, for he would that the Blessed Francis should always sit near him. And the Cardinal was thereby some little ashamed that he should have gone for alms and set them on the table, but as at that time he said nought unto him on account of them that were there present seated. And when he had eaten some little, the Blessed Francis took of his alms and sent a morsel thereof to each of the knights and the chaplains of my Lord Cardinal on behalf of our Lord God. Who all receiving the same with great gladness and devotion, did spread out their hoods and cassocks, and some did eat thereof and some did set it aside out of devotion to him. But my Lord Cardinal of Ostia did greatly rejoice thereat on account of their devotion, and most of all for that those alms were not of wheaten bread.
After meat, he went into his chamber, taking with him the Blessed Francis, and lifting up his arms did embrace the Blessed Francis with exceeding gladness and rejoicing, saying unto him: “O most simple brother mine, wherefore hast thou done me shame this day, insomuch as that coming to my house, which is the house of the brethren, thou shouldst go forth for alms?”
The Blessed Francis made answer: “Verily, my Lord, I have shown thee the greatest honor, for that when a liege subject doth his duty and fulfilleth his obedience unto his lord, he doth honor unto his lord, and,” saith he, “meet it is that I be the pattern and example of your poor men, and most of all for that I know in this religion of the brotherhood there are and will be brethren Minor in name and in work that for the love of the Lord God and for the anointing of the Holy Spirit, who shall teach them in all things, shall humble themselves to all humility and subjection and service of their brethren. Some, moreover, there are and will be among them that either held back by shame or by reason of evil habit disdain and will disdain to humiliate and lower themselves by going forth for alms and to do other menial works, wherefore it is meet that I teach by my work them that are and shall be of the religion, so as that in this world and in the world to come they may be without excuse before God.
When, therefore, I am sojourning with you, that are our Lord and Pope, or with other worshipful and rich men of the world, that for the love of our Lord God do not only receive me with much devotion into your houses, but do even compel me to come in, I am fain not to be ashamed of going forth for alms; nay, rather, I am fain to have and to hold this as towards God for the highest nobility and a royal dignity, and in honor of Him who, being Lord of all, was willing for our sakes to become servant of all, and who, when He was rich and glorious in His majesty, did come as one poor and despised in our humility. Whence I desire that the brethren, both they that now are and they that shall be hereafter, should know that I hold it for a greater consolation both of soul and body when I sit at the sorry table of the brethren, and behold before me the sorry alms that are obtained from door to door for the love of our Lord God, than when I sit at your board or that of other lords plentifully laid out with divers dainty meats. For the bread of alms is holy bread, that the praise and love of the Lord God doth hallow, forasmuch as whensoever a brother goeth forth for alms, he ought first of all to say: ‘Praised and blessed be God our Lord.’ Afterwards he ought to say: ‘Do us an alms for the love of our Lord God!’”
And by the setting forth of words of this kind by the Blessed Francis was the Cardinal greatly edified, and he saith unto him, “My son, do whatsoever is right in thine own eyes, forasmuch as God is with thee and thou art with Him.”
For the will of the Blessed Francis was thus, and many a time he said that a brother ought not to stand long upon going forth for alms on account of the great merit thereof, and lest he should be shamed to go forth afterwards. Yea, the more noble and better off in the world was the brother, by so much the more was he rejoiced and edified as concerning him when he went forth for alms and did other menial works that the brethren did as at that time.