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Brother Rufino had become such a contemplative, so constantly absorbed in God, that he never spoke and rarely considered the world outside. He had never had the ability or gift of public speaking. Regardless, St. Francis instructed him one day to go into Assisi and preach to the people with the inspiration of God.
“But father, please excuse me. Don’t ask me to do this. As you know, I don’t have the gift for preaching,” Rufino pleaded with Francis.
“You should have obeyed at once, and since you did not, now I tell you: Go into Assisi wearing only your underwear. Find a church and preach to the people naked!”
And so Rufino did as he was told; he undressed and went in his underwear to find a church in Assisi. First, he knelt before the altar and then he ascended to the pulpit and began to speak.
The people who were there began to twitter with laughter. “They are a bunch of crazy penitents!” someone said.
Now, after Rufino had gone, Francis began to recount in his mind how Rufino had obeyed him. He remembered that Rufino had once been a gentleman of Assisi, and he considered what a difficult thing he had asked him to do. Considering all of this, Francis grew deeply sorry for what he had done. He accused himself, saying, “You are the son of Peter Bernardone. You little wretch! Who are you to order the noble Brother Rufino to go naked and preach like a crazy man?
“You should do to yourself what you make others do,” he muttered. And so he did.
Immediately, Francis removed his habit and began to make his way fervently into Assisi. Brother Leo quietly carried the habit, as well as Brother Rufino’s, and followed behind. Francis found the church where Rufino was preaching. He heard Rufino saying these words, “Leave the world behind, my friends, and give what belongs to others back to them. Keep God’s commandments and love your neighbor. Do penance. Do all of these things for the love of heaven, because God’s kingdom is coming soon.”
Then Francis climbed into the pulpit. The people began to call him crazy too. But then he began to preach such that the men and women who were there soon began to weep. Before long, with devotion in their hearts, the people began to ask God for mercy, and nearly every listener that day was converted to Christ and turned away from the world. Throughout the town people honored Christ’s Passion and it was said that never before had such weeping been heard in Assisi in a single day.
When they were all done, St. Francis put Brother Rufino’s habit back on him. Only then did he also get dressed. Wearing their clothes once again, they returned to the Portiuncula thanking God for allowing them to forget themselves long enough to be an example for Christ of how the world is to be left behind.
It was on that day that they first saw people reach to touch the hem of their garments in order to receive a blessing.
[#30 of 53]