LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS.

Shannon News, 10 August 1928, Page 4

LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS.

Founder of the" uion'astic order of Franciscans, St. Francis led a life that Was one of the most beautiful ever recorded. . He has been called a "morning star

of.the Eenaissance." For, in the words of Mrr G. K. Chesterton, he "anticipated all that is most liberal and sympathetic in the modernmood; the love of nature ;the love of animals, the sense ofHsocial compassion;, the sense of the spiritual dangers' of prosperity and even of property. All those things that nobody understood before Wordsworth were familiar to St. Francis."

His life, at first a. life of worldly pleasure was later one of extreme saintliness.. The Little Flowers was,a book compiled by an unknown hand in the fourteenth century from the Latin Actus B. Francisci et sociorum ejus, and these extracts, given belOw, are from the translation of Mr. T. Okey. \ The author tells of the companions

of St. Francis, cf his ways and penances, of how, by reason of an evil thought he cherished against Friar Bernard, he commanded, the said Friar that he should tread thrice on his neck and mouth; how St. Francis kept Lent on' an island in the lake of Perugia, where he fasted forty days and forty nighty, and ate ho moro than half a loaf. He tells how he began to preach, hoW he preached to the. birds and made the swallows llold their peace. Here is 3uch a scene:— Congregation of Birds.

And so, leaving the people of Bahurmuch comforted and well disposed to penitence, St. Francis departed thence and came to a place between : Cannara and Bevagna.' And journeying on in that same f ervouf of spirit, he .lifted up" his eyes and beheld some trees by the wayside whereon were ah infinite multitude of birds; so that he marvelled and said to his companions: "Tarry here for me by-the way and I will go and preach to my little sisters the -birds." ■'••'-' '

And he entered into tlie field and began to preach to the birds that were on the ground; and anon those that were on the trees flew down to hear him/and all stood still the while St. Francis made an end of his sermon; and even then they departed not until he

had given them his blessing. And according as Friar Masseo and Friar James of'Massa thereafter related> St.- Francis went among them, touching them with the hem of his garment, and not one stirred.' And the substance of the sermon St. Francis preaehedwas this:— • "My little sisters the birds, much are ye beholden to God your Creator, nad alway.and in every place ye ought ta praise Him for that He hath given "you'a >double and a triple vesture; He hath, given you freedom to go into every place, and*' also did preserve the seed of you in the ark of Noe, in order that your kind might not perish from the earth. Again,-ye are beholden to Him for the element of air which He hath appointed for you; moreover, ye sow. not, neither do ye reap, and God feedeth you and giveth you the rivers and the fountains .for. your, drink. "He giveth you the mountains and the valleys for your refuge, and the

vail trees wherein to Jauild your nests, and forasmuch as ye. can neither spin ■ nor sew God clothe.th, you, you and your children; wherefore your Creator ioveth you;much, since He hath dealt so bounteously with-you; and therefore beware, little sisters mine, of; the sin of ingratitude, but ever strive to praise God," While St. Francis Was uttering these words, all those birds began to open •' th.eir beaks, and:,. stretch their necks, and Bpread their.; wings, and reverently to bow their .heads: to the ground, showing by their, gestures and songs " that the holy father's words gave them greatest joy; and ; St. Francis was glad and rejoiced with them, and marvelled much at so great a multitude of birds and at their manifold loveliness, and at their attention.and familiarity; for which things he-devoutly praised the Creator in them. .. Finally, his seririon ended, St. Francis made, the sign of "holy cross-over . them and gave them l°» xra depart; and all those birds.soared up into the air in one flock with wondrous songs, ." and then divided themselves into four parts after the form of the cross St. Francis had made over them; and one part flow towards the east; another towards the west; the third towards the south, and the fourth towards the north. How He Converted the Wolf. In the days when St. Francas abode in the city of Gubbio, a huge wolf, terrible and fieree, appeared in the neighbourhood, and not only devoured jmimals but men also; in such wise that all the citizens went in great fear of their lives, because oftimes the wolf came close to the city., And when they went abroad, all men armed themselves as were they going-forth to battle; and oven so none who chanced on the wolf alone could defend himself; and at last it .camo to such a pate that for fear of this wolf no man durst leave the city walla. Wherefore St. Francis had great compassion for the men of that city, and purposed to issue forth, against that wolf, albeit the citizens, with .one accord, counselled him not to go. But he, "making the sign of holy cross, and putting all his trust in God, set forth from the city with his companions; but they * fearing to go farther, St. Francis went his way alone towards the place where the wolf was.

Gentle as a Lamb.

And 10l the wolf, in the sight of much ; ', folk that had come to behold the miracle, leapt towards St. Francis with gaping jaws; and St. Francis, drawing : " nigh, made to him.the sign of most holy gross and colled him, speaking thus, "Come hither, friar wolf; I command / .th'ee in the name of Christ that thou ■' do hurt neither to me nor to any '■„ ', man," X- Marvellous to tell! no sooner had St. #-'.-' Francis made the sign of holy cross fV; than the terrible wolf closed his jaws 'f ' and stayed his course; no sooner was %} :■

the command uttered than he came, gentle as a lamb, and laid himself at the feet of St. Francis.

Then St. Francis speaks to him thus: "Friar wolf, thoir workest much evil in these parts, and hast wrought grievous.ill, destroying and slaying God's creatures without His leave. But, friar wolf, fain would I make peace with them and thee, so that thou injure them no more; and they shall forgive thee all thy past offences, and neither man nor dog shall pursue thee more." Vow of the Beast. Now when St. Francis had spoken these words, the wolf, moving his body and his tail and his ears, and bowing his head, made signs that he~at.2opted what had been said, ann would,abide thereby. Then said St. Francis: "Friar wolf, since it pleaseth thee to make and observe this peace, I promise to obtain for thee, so long as thou livest, a cintinual sustenance from the men of this city, so that thou shalt no more surfer hunger, for well I ween that thou hast wrought all this evil to satisfy thy hunger. But after I have won this favour for thee, friar wolf, I desire that thou promiso me to do hurt neither to man nor beast. Dost thou promise me this?" Aid the wolf bowed his. head and gave clear token that he promised these things. And St. Francis said: "Friar wolf, 1 desife that thou pledge thy faith to mo to keep this promiso, that I may have full trust in thee." And when St. Francis held forth his hand to receive this pledge, the wolf lifted up his right paw and gently laid it in the Francis, giving him thereby such token of good faith as ho could. Then said St. Franeis: "Friar wolf, I command thee in the name of Jesus Christ to eome with me; fear naught, and we will go and confirm this pcaee in the name "of God." And the wolf, obedient, set forth by his side even as a pet lamb; wherefore, when the men of the city beheld this, they marvelled greatly.