_____
St. Francis and his companions arrived very late one evening at the house of a venerable gentleman. They were treated with courtesy, reverently given a resting place for the night—so much so that they were made to feel like angels arriving from heaven. The nobleman embraced Francis with a kiss of peace and washed his feet, kissing them too. He lighted a warm fire and set a table of many foods, serving the friars by his own hand, and with joy. These extraordinary kindnesses warmed Francis’s heart.
“Father,” the nobleman asked Francis, when the meal was done, “I offer you all that I have. And if you need to purchase anything—habits or clothing or anything else—buy it and I will repay you. I want to provide for your needs out of my abundance.”
And so, later, when Francis was leaving this man’s house with his companions, he remarked to them, “That nobleman would make an excellent member of our Order. Someday, I would like to return here and find that God has touched him further, making him want to join us in serving God. Let’s pray that God might further spark his heart by that grace.”
A few days later, St. Francis said to one of his companions, “Let’s go back to the noble gentleman’s house because I feel that God has worked in his heart.” And so they took to the road that led to the man’s house, but before they could arrive at his door, Francis said to his brother, “Wait here for me. I want to ask God to make our journey a success. I want to ask Christ to give those of us who are weak the ability to snatch strong prey away from the world!” Saying this, he went off in private to pray—but not so privately that he couldn’t be seen clearly by the gentleman himself.
The gentleman saw Francis devoutly praying to Christ; and he saw Christ himself standing with Francis beautifully enwrapped in a bright light. Francis was even rising off the ground—both spiritually and physically.
The hand of God came upon the gentleman as he viewed these happenings, touching his heart and inspiring him to leave the world completely behind. He left his mansion and ran to St. Francis. There he found Francis still standing in prayer, and so he too began to pray, and then he knelt before Francis and pleaded with him to show him the way to penance and to join him permanently.
“What should I do, father?” the man said to Francis. “I am ready to give everything to those in need and to run with you after Christ.”
This is how it happened that such a nobleman became a Friar Minor and gave all that he had to the poor.
[#37 of 53]