THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI
PART ONE HERE BEGIN THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI
CHAPTER II OF BROTHER BERNARD OF QUINTAVALLE, THE FIRST COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS
CHAPTER XIV HOW THE LORD APPEARED TO ST FRANCIS AND TO HIS BRETHREN AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH THEM
CHAPTER XV HOW ST CLARE ATE WITH ST FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS
CHAPTER XXI OF THE MOST HOLY MIRACLE OF ST FRANCIS IN TAMING THE FIERCE WOLF OF GUBBIO
CHAPTER XXII HOW ST FRANCIS TAMED THE WILD DOVES
CHAPTER XXIV HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TO THE FAITH THE SULTAN OF BABYLON
CHAPTER XXX OF THE BEAUTIFUL SERMON WHICH ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER RUFFINO PREACHED AT ASSISI
CHAPTER XXXI HOW ST FRANCIS WAS ACQUAINTED WITH THE SECRETS OF THE CONSCIENCES OF ALL HIS BRETHREN
CHAPTER XXXII HOW BROTHER MASSEO OBTAINED FROM CHRIST THE VIRTUE OF HUMILITY
CHAPTER XXXVI HOW ST FRANCIS EXPLAINED TO BROTHER LEO A BEAUTIFUL VISION THAT HE HAD SEEN
CHAPTER XLV OF THE CONVERSION, LIFE, MIRACLES, AND DEATH OF THE HOLY BROTHER JOHN DELLA PENNA
CHAPTER XLIX HOW CHRIST APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA
OF THE SACRED AND HOLY STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS AND CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS THEREON
OF THE FIRST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE SECOND CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE THIRD CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED HOLY STIGMATA
OF THE FOURTH CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
HOW JEROME, WHO AT FIRST BELIEVED NOT, SAW AND TOUCHED THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS
OF THE FIFTH AND LAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA
CHAPTER LVI OF A HOLY FRIAR WHO SAW A WONDERFUL VISION OF A COMPANION WHO WAS DEAD
HERE BEGINNETH THE LIFE OF BROTHER JUNIPER
CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER JUNIPER CUT OFF THE FOOT OF A PIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER
CHAPTER II AN INSTANCE OF BROTHER JUNIPER’S GREAT POWER AGAINST THE DEVIL
CHAPTER III HOW, BY THE CONTRIVANCE OF THE DEVIL, BROTHER JUNIPER WAS CONDEMNED TO THE GALLOWS
CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER JUNIPER GAVE ALL THAT HE HAD TO THE POOR FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
CHAPTER VI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER KEPT SILENCE FOR SIX MONTHS
CHAPTER VII HIS REMEDY FOR TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH
CHAPTER VIII HOW BROTHER JUNIPER MADE HIMSELF CONTEMPTIBLE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD
CHAPTER IX HOW BROTHER JUNIPER, IN ORDER TO BE DESPISED, PLAYED AT SEE-SAW
CHAPTER X HOW BROTHER JUNIPER ONCE COOKED FOR THE BRETHREN ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A FORTNIGHT
CHAPTER XI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER WENT ONE DAY TO ASSISI FOR HIS OWN CONFUSION
CHAPTER XII HOW BROTHER JUNIPER FELL INTO AN ECSTASY DURING THE CELEBRATION OF MASS
CHAPTER XIV OF THE HAND WHICH BROTHER JUNIPER SAW IN THE AIR
CHAPTER XV HOW ST FRANCIS COMMANDED BROTHER LEO TO WASH THE STONE
PART THREE THE LIFE OF THE BLESSED BROTHER GILES, COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS
CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER GILES, WITH THREE COMPANIONS WAS RECEIVED INTO THE ORDER OF FRIAR’S MINOR
CHAPTER II HOW BROTHER GILES WENT TO ST JAMES THE GREAT
CHAPTER III OF BROTHER GILES’S MANNER OF LIFE WHEN HE WENT TO THE HOLY SEPULCHRE
CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER GILES PRAISED OBEDIENCE MORE THAN PRAYER
CHAPTER V HOW BROTHER GILES LIVED BY THE LABOUR OF HIS HANDS
CHAPTER VII OF THE DAY OF THE HOLY BROTHER GILES’S DEATH
CHAPTER VIII HOW A HOLY MAN, BEING IN PRAYER, SAW THE SOUL OF BROTHER GILES PASS TO ETERNAL LIFE
CHAPTER X HOW GOD GAVE SPECIAL GRACES TO BROTHER GILES, AND OF THE YEAR OF HIS DEATH
PART FOUR HERE BEGIN THE CHAPTERS OF CERTAIN INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTABLE SAYINGS OF BROTHER GILES
CHAPTER I OF VICES AND VIRTUES
CHAPTER IV OF THE HOLY FEAR OF GOD
CHAPTER VII OF THE CONTEMPT OF TEMPORAL THINGS
CHAPTER XII OF HOLY SPIRITUAL PRUDENCE
CHAPTER XIII OF KNOWLEDGE USEFUL AND USELESS
CHAPTER XIV OF GOOD AND EVIL SPEAKING
CHAPTER XV OF HOLY PERSEVERANCE
CHAPTER XVI OF TRUE RELIGIOUS LIFE
As St Francis and Brother Elias were living together in a convent, it was revealed by God to St Francis that Brother Elias was damned, seeing he was about to apostatise, and that he would die out of the Order. In consequence of this revelation, the saint took such a dislike to him that he neither spoke to him nor conversed with him; and when Brother Elias went towards him, he turned away and took another direction, in order not to meet him. Now Brother Elias perceiving, and seeing that St Francis disliked him, was anxious to know the reason. He therefore accosted him one day in order to speak with him, the saint endeavouring, as usual, to avoid him; but Brother Elias retained him courteously, and begged him to say why he avoided his company, and refused to speak to him. St Francis answered: “This is the reason: it has been revealed to me by God that thou wilt apostatise, and die out of the Order; also that, because of thy sins, thou art damned.� On hearing this Brother Elias said: “My reverend father, I implore thee, by the love of Christ Jesus, not to despise me for this reason, nor send me from thee; but like a good shepherd, following the example of thy Master, to seek and save the lamb which will perish without thy help. Pray to God for me, that, if possible, he may revoke the sentence of my damnation; for it is written, that the Lord will forgive the sinner if he repent of his sin; and I have such faith in thy prayers that were I even in hell and thou wert to pray for me, I should find refreshment, I implore thee, then, that thou recommend me, a sinner, to God, who came into the world to save sinners, that he may have mercy on me.� This request Brother Elias made with so much fervour and so many tears, that St Francis had compassion on him, and promised to pray for him, which he did; and as he prayed most devoutly, the Lord revealed to him that his prayer was granted; that the sentence of damnation pronounced on Brother Elias had been revoked; that his soul would be finally saved; but that he would leave the Order and die out of it; and so it happened. For Frederick, King of Sicily, having rebelled against the Church, was excommunicated by the Pope, with all those who gave him aid or counsel. Brother Elias being looked upon as one of the most learned men in the world, King Frederick sent for him, wishing to see him. He obeyed the summons, and thus rebelled against the Church; for which reason he was excommunicated by the Pope, and deprived of the habit of St Francis. Soon after the excommunication he fell dangerously ill; and a lay brother who belonged to the Order, a man of holy life, having heard of his illness, went to visit him, and amongst other things said to him: “My dear Brother, I grieve to see thee thus excommunicated and out of the Order, and that probably thou wilt die in this state. If there is any way by which I can deliver thee from this danger, most willingly would I undergo any trouble and fatigue to help thee.� Brother Elias answered: “My Brother, I see no other way but that thou go to the Pope and entreat him, for the love of God and of St Francis his servant, upon whose teaching I gave up the world, to absolve me from this excommunication, and restore to me my religious habit.� And the lay brother said he would most willingly undertake the journey for his salvation; and taking leave of him, he went to the Pope, and humbly kneeling before him implored him to take pity on Brother Elias, for the love of Christ and of St Francis his servant. And it pleased God that the holy Father granted his request, telling him to return to him, and if he found him alive to tell him in his name that he was absolved from the excommunication, and that the habit of his Order was restored to him. He hastened back to Brother Elias with this joyful news, and, finding him on the point of death, gave him the message of the Pope, telling him that he was absolved from the excommunication, and that his habit was restored to him. On this Brother Elias departed from this world, his soul being saved by the merits and prayers of St Francis, in which he had placed such great faith.