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The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi by Brother Ugolino
CHAPTER IX HOW ST FRANCIS WOULD TEACH BROTHER LEO WHAT TO ANSWER, AND HOW THE LATTER COULD NEVER SAY AUGHT BUT THE CONTRARY TO WHAT ST FRANCIS WISHED
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Once, as the beginning of the Order, St Francis was with Brother Leo in
a convent where they had no books wherewith to say divine office. So,
when the hour of Matins arrived, St Francis said to Brother Leo: "My
beloved brother, we have no Breviary wherewith to say Matins, but in
order to employ the time in praising God, I will speak, and thou shalt
answer me as I shall teach thee; and beware thou change not the words I
shall bid thee say. Thus will I begin: O Brother Francis, thou hast
done so much evil, and hast committed so many sins in the world, that
thou art only worthy of hell'; and thou, Brother Leo, shalt answer: It
is very true thou art worthy of the nethermost hell.'" And Brother Leo
said, with the simplicity of a dove, "Right willingly, Father; begin,
then, in the name of God." St Francis therefore began thus: O Brother
Francis, thou hast done so much evil, and hast committed so many sins
in the world, that thou art worthy of hell." And Brother Leo made
answer: "God will work so much good through thee, that thou wilt
certainly go to heaven". Do not speak thus, "Brother Leo," said St
Francis; "but when I say, Brother Francis, thou hast committed so many
iniquities against God, that thou art worthy to be cursed by him,' thou
shalt make answer: Yes, indeed, thou art worthy to be numbered among
the cursed.'" And Brother Leo answered: "Most willingly, O my Father."
Then St Francis, with many tears and sighs, striking his breast, cried
with a loud voice: "O Lord of heaven and earth, I have committed
against thee so many sins and so great iniquities, that I deserve to be
cursed by thee." And Brother Leo answered: "O Brother Francis, among
all the blessed the Lord will cause thee to be singularly blessed." And
St Francis, much surprised that Brother Leo answered quite the contrary
to what he had ordered him, reproved him for it, saying: "Why answereth
thou not as I taught thee? I command thee, under holy obedience, so to
do. When I say, O wicked Brother Francis, dost thou think God will have
mercy on thee, when thou hast so sinned against the Father of mercies
that thou art not worthy of finding mercy,' then thou, Brother Leo, my
little lamb, shalt answer: Thou art not worthy of finding mercy.'" But
when St Francis began to repeat, "O wicked Brother Francis," and so on,
Brother Leo answered: "God the Father, whose mercy is infinitely
greater than thy sin, will show great mercy upon thee, and will grant
thee likewise many graces." At this answer St Francis, being meekly
angry, and patiently impatient, said to Brother Leo: "How canst thou
presume to act against obedience? Why hast thou so often answered the
contrary to what I ordered thee?" With great humility and respect
Brother Leo answered: "God knows, my Father, that I had resolved in my
heart each time to answer as thou didst command me, but the Lord made
me to speak as it pleased him, and not as it pleased me." Then St
Francis, being greatly astonished, said to Brother Leo: "I entreat
thee, beloved, this time to answer as I command thee." And Brother Leo
said: "Speak, in the name of God; for this time most certainly I will
answer thee as thou desirest." And St Francis, weeping, said: "O wicked
Brother Francis, dost thou think that God will have mercy on thee?" And
Brother Leo answered: "Not only will he have mercy on thee, but thou
shalt receive from him especial graces: he will exalt thee and glorify
thee to all eternity, for he that humbleth himself shall be exalted;
and I cannot speak otherwise, because it is God that speaketh by my
lips." After this in humble contest, they watched till morning in many
tears and much spiritual consolation.
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