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The Little Flowers of Saint Francis of Assisi by Brother Ugolino
CHAPTER XXVII HOW AT BOLOGNA ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TWO SCHOLARS WHO BECAME FRIARS, AND HOW HE DELIVERED ONE OF THEM FROM GREAT TEMPTATION
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St Francis coming one day to the city of Bologna, all the inhabitants
went out to meet him, and the crowd was so great that it was with much
difficulty he made his way to the market-place, which was filled with
men, women, and scholars. And St Francis, on arriving there, stood upon
an elevated spot, and began to preach that which the Holy Spirit put
into his mind to say; and he preached so wonderfully that he appeared
to be an angel, not a man; and his words were like sharp arrows, which
pierced through the hearts of those who listened to them. And many men
and women were brought to repentance through that sermon; of this
number were two noble students of the March of Ancona - one named
Pellegrino and the other Rinieri. These two being touched in their
hearts by divine inspiration, through the said sermon, went to St
Francis, saying that they wished to leave the world and become friars
in his Order. And it having been revealed to St Francis that they had
been sent by God to be examples of virtue in the Order, he received
them joyfully, on account of the great fervour they showed, saying to
them: "Thou, Pellegrino, shalt follow in the Order the ways of
humility; and thou, Rinieri, shalt serve the brethren" - and so it fell
out; for Brother Pellegrino would never be treated as a cleric but as a
layman, though he was a learned man and deeply versed in the Sacred
Canons; and through his humility he reached a high degree of perfection
in virtue; so that Brother Bernard, the first son of St Francis, said
of him that he was one of the most perfect friars in the world; and
finally Brother Pellegrino passed from this world full of virtue,
having wrought many miracles both before his death and after. And
Brother Rinieri served the brothers most devoutly and most faithfully,
living in great sanctity and great humility, and becoming very intimate
with St Francis. And having been named Minister of the province of the
March of Ancona, he governed it for a long time with much discretion
and most peaceably; and St Francis revealed to him many secrets. Now
after some time the Lord allowed a great temptation to take possession
of his soul, which greatly grieved and troubled him; he observed severe
penance, subjected himself to much rigorous discipline, and endeavoured
day and night, with prayers and tears, to drive away the temptation,
but not succeeding he believed that God had abandoned him. Being in a
state of great despair he determined as a last remedy to go to St
Francis, thinking thus within himself: "If the saint receives me kindly
and is familiar with me, as he is wont, I may hope that God will have
pity on me; but if not, this will be the sign that I am abandoned by
the Lord." And setting out, he went to St Francis, who at that time was
lying grievously ill, in the palace of the Bishop of Assisi; and God
revealed to him the whole temptation which had assailed Brother
Rinieri, and his intention of coming to him. Then St Francis, calling
immediately Brother Leo and Brother Masseo, said to them: "Go forth to
meet my beloved Brother Rinieri, and having embraced him salute him
from me, and tell him that of all the brothers scattered abroad in the
world I love him most particularly." And they set out, and meeting
Brother Rinieri in the way, they embraced him, telling him what St
Francis had ordered them to say. The message brought such sweetness and
such consolation to him, that he was quite beside himself with joy; and
thanking God with all his heart, he reached the place where St Francis
was lying ill. Now though St Francis was grievously ill, yet when he
heard that Brother Rinieri was approaching, he arose and went to meet
him; and embracing him with much affection he said to him: "My very
dear Brother Rinieri, of all the brothers in the world I love thee most
especially"; and making the sign of the holy cross on his forehead, he
kissed him, adding: "My beloved son, the Lord hath permitted this
temptation that thou mayest gain a great increase of merit; but if thou
dost not wish this gain, the temptation shall be removed"; and, O
miracle! no sooner had St Francis pronounced these words than
immediately the temptation left him, and it seemed to him as if in all
his life he had never been tempted, and he was greatly comforted.
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