The Little Flowers Of St Francis Of Assisi

1 INTRODUCTION 2 CHAPTER I IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OUR CRUCIFIED SAVIOUR 3 CHAPTER II OF BROTHER BERNARD OF QUINTAVALLE, THE FIRST COMPANION OF ST FRANCIS 4 CHAPTER III HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING ALLOWED AN EVIL THOUGHT TO ARISE IN HIS MIND AGAINST BROTHER BERNARD, ORDERED HIM TO PLACE HIS FOOT THREE TIMES UPON HIS NECK AND HIS MOUTH. 5 CHAPTER IV HOW THE ANGEL OF GOD PUT A QUESTION TO BROTHER ELIAS, GUARDIAN OF VAL DI SPOLETO, AND HOW, WHEN BROTHER ELIAS ANSWERED PROUDLY, THE ANGEL DEPARTED FROM HIM, AND TOOK THE ROAD TO SAN GIACOMO, WHERE HE MET BROTHER BERNARD AND TOLD HIM WHAT FOLLOW 6 CHAPTER V HOW THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD OF ASSISI WAS SENT BY ST FRANCIS TO BOLOGNA AND HOW HE FOUNDED A CONVENT THERE 7 CHAPTER VI HOW ST FRANCIS, WHEN ABOUT TO DIE, BLESSED THE HOLY BROTHER BERNARD, NAMING HIM VICAR OF THE ORDER 8 CHAPTER VII HOW ST FRANCIS PASSED THE TIME OF LENT IN AN ISLAND, ON THE LAKE OF PERUGIA, WHERE HE FASTED FORTY DAYS AND FORTY NIGHTS, EATING NO MORE THAN HALF OF ONE LOAF 9 CHAPTER VIII HOW ST FRANCIS, WALKING ONE DAY WITH BROTHER LEO, EXPLAINED TO HIM WHAT THINGS ARE PERFECT JOY 10 CHAPTER IX HOW ST FRANCIS WOULD TEACH BROTHER LEO WHAT TO ANSWER, AND HOW THE LATTER COULD NEVER SAY AUGHT BUT THE CONTRARY TO WHAT ST FRANCIS WISHED 11 CHAPTER X HOW BROTHER MASSEO TOLD ST FRANCIS, AS IN JEST, THAT THE WORLD WAS GONE AFTER HIM; AND HOW ST FRANCIS ANSWERED THAT IT WAS INDEED SO, TO THE CONFUSION OF THE WORLD AND THROUGH THE GRACE OF GOD 12 CHAPTER XI HOW ST FRANCIS MADE BROTHER MASSEO TURNROUND AND ROUND LIKE A CHILD, AND THEN TO GO TO SIENA 13 CHAPTER XII HOW ST FRANCIS GAVE TO BROTHER MASSEO THE OFFICE OF PORTER, OF ALMONER AND OF COOK; AND HOW, AT THE REQUEST OF THE OTHER BRETHREN, HE AFTERWARDS TOOK THESE DUTIES FROM HIM 14 CHAPTER XIII HOW ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER MASSEO PLACED THE BREAD THEY HAD BEGGED UPON A STONE NEAR A FOUNTAIN, AND HOW ST FRANCIS PRAISED THE VIRTUE OF HOLY POVERTY, PRAYING ST PETER AND ST PAUL TO MAKE HIM LOVE HOLY POVERTY GREATLY, AND HOW ST PETER AND S 15 CHAPTER XIV HOW THE LORD APPEARED TO ST FRANCIS AND TO HIS BRETHREN AS HE WAS SPEAKING WITH THEM 16 CHAPTER XV HOW ST CLARE ATE WITH ST FRANCIS AND HIS COMPANIONS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS 17 CHAPTER XVI HOW ST FRANCIS, HAVING BEEN TOLD BY ST CLARE AND THE HOLY BROTHER SILVESTER THAT HE SHOULD PREACH AND CONVERT MANY TO THE FAITH, FOUNDED THE THIRD ORDER, PREACHED TO THE BIRDS, AND REDUCED TO SILENCE THE SWALLOWS 18 CHAPTER XVII HOW A LITTLE CHILD WHO HAD ENTERED THE ORDER SAW ST FRANCIS IN PRAYER ONE NIGHT, AND SAW ALSO THE SAVIOUR, THE VIRGIN MARY, AND MANY OTHER SAINTS TALK WITH HIM 19 CHAPTER XVIII OF THE WONDERFUL CHAPTER HELD BY ST FRANCIS AT ST MARY OF THE ANGELS, AT WHICH MORE THAN FIVE THOUSAND FRIARS WERE PRESENT 20 CHAPTER XIX HOW THE VINE OF THE PRIEST OF RIETI, WHOSE HOUSE ST FRANCIS ENTERED TO PRAY, WAS TRAMPLED UNDER FOOT BY THE GREAT NUMBERS WHO CAME TO SEE HIM, AND HOW IT YET PRODUCED A GREATER QUANTITY OF WINE THAN USUAL, AS ST FRANCIS HAD PROMISED; AND HOW T 21 CHAPTER XX OF A BEAUTIFUL VISION WHICH APPEARED TO A YOUNG MAN WHO HATED THE HABIT OF ST FRANCIS SO GREATLY, THAT HE WAS ON THE POINT OF LEAVING THE ORDER 22 CHAPTER XXI OF THE MOST HOLY MIRACLE OF ST FRANCIS IN TAMING THE FIERCE WOLF OF GUBBIO 23 CHAPTER XXII HOW ST FRANCIS TAMED THE WILD DOVES 24 CHAPTER XXIII HOW ST FRANCIS DELIVERED THE BROTHER WHO, BEING IN SIN, HAD FALLEN INTO THE POWER OF THE DEVIL 25 CHAPTER XXIV HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TO THE FAITH THE SULTAN OF BABYLON 26 CHAPTER XXV HOW ST FRANCIS HEALED MIRACULOUSLY A LEPER BOTH IN HIS BODY AND IN HIS SOUL, AND WHAT THE SOUL SAID TO HIM ON GOING UP TO HEAVEN 27 CHAPTER XXVI HOW ST FRANCIS CONVERTED CERTAIN ROBBERS AND ASSASSINS, WHO BECAME FRIARS; AND OF A WONDERFUL VISION WHICH APPEARED TO ONE OF THEM WHO WAS A MOST HOLY BROTHER 28 CHAPTER XXVII HOW AT BOLOGNA ST FRANCIS CONVERTED TWO SCHOLARS WHO BECAME FRIARS, AND HOW HE DELIVERED ONE OF THEM FROM GREAT TEMPTATION 29 CHAPTER XXVIII OF AN ECSTASY WHICH CAME TO BROTHER BERNARD, AND HOW HE REMAINED FROM MATINS UNTIL NONE IN A STATE OF RAPTURE. 30 CHAPTER XXIX HOW THE DEVIL OFTEN APPEARED TO BROTHER RUFFINO IN THE FORM OF A CRUCIFIX, TELLING HIM THAT ALL THE GOOD HE DID WAS OF NO AVAIL, SEEING HE WAS NOT OF THE NUMBER OF THE ELECT OF GOD; WHICH BEING REVEALED TO ST FRANCIS, HE MADE KNOWN TO BROTHER 31 CHAPTER XXX OF THE BEAUTIFUL SERMON WHICH ST FRANCIS AND BROTHER RUFFINO PREACHED AT ASSISI 32 CHAPTER XXXI HOW ST FRANCIS WAS ACQUAINTED WITH THE SECRETS OF THE CONSCIENCES OF ALL HIS BRETHREN 33 CHAPTER XXXII HOW BROTHER MASSEO OBTAINED FROM CHRIST THE VIRTUE OF HUMILITY 34 CHAPTER XXXIII HOW ST CLARE, BY ORDER OF THE POPE, BLESSED THE BREAD WHICH WAS ON THE TABLE, AND HOW ON EACH LOAF APPEARED THE SIGN OF THE HOLY CROSS 35 CHAPTER XXXIV HOW ST LOUIS, KING OF FRANCE, WENT IN PERSON IN A PILGRIM'S GARB TO VISIT THE HOLY BROTHER GILES 36 CHAPTER XXXV HOW ST CLARE, BEING ILL, WAS MIRACULOUSLY CARRIED, ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT, TO THE CHURCH OF ST FRANCIS, WHERE SHE ASSISTED AT THE OFFICE 37 CHAPTER XXXVI HOW ST FRANCIS EXPLAINED TO BROTHER LEO A BEAUTIFUL VISION THAT HE HAD SEEN 38 CHAPTER XXXVII HOW JESUS CHRIST, THE BLESSED ONE, AT THE PRAYER OF ST FRANCIS, CONVERTED A RICH NOBLEMAN WHO HAD MADE GREAT OFFERS TO ST FRANCIS, AND INSPIRED HIM WITH A WISH TO BECOME A RELIGIOUS 39 CHAPTER XXXVIII HOW IT WAS REVEALED TO ST FRANCIS THAT BROTHER ELIAS WAS DAMNED AND WAS TO DIE OUT OF THE ORDER; AND HOW AT THE DESIRE OF THE SAID BROTHER, HE PRAYED TO CHRIST FOR HIM, AND HOW HIS PRAYER WAS GRANTED 40 CHAPTER XXXIX OF THE WONDERFUL DISCOURSE WHICH ST ANTHONY OF PADUA, A FRIAR MINOR, MADE IN THE CONSISTORY 41 CHAPTER XL OF THE MIRACLE WHICH GOD PERFORMED WHEN ST ANTHONY BEING AT RIMINI, PREACHED TO HE FISHES OF THE SEA 42 CHAPTER XLI HOW THE VENERABLE BROTHER SIMON DELIVERED A BROTHER FROM A GREAT TEMPTATION, ON ACCOUNT OF WHICH HE WAS ON THE POINT OF LEAVING THE ORDER 43 CHAPTER XLII OF SEVERAL WONDERFUL MIRACLES WHICH THE LORD PERFORMED THROUGH THE MEANS OF BROTHER PETER OF MONTICELLO, AND BROTHER CONRAD OF OFFIDA. HOW BROTHER BENTIVOGLIO CARRIED A LEPER FIFTEEN MILES IN A VERY SHORT TIME, HOW ST MICHAEL SPOKE TO ANOTHER 44 CHAPTER XLIII HOW BROTHER CONRAD OF OFFIDA CONVERTED A YOUNG BROTHER, WHO WAS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE OTHER BROTHERS, AND HOW AFTER DEATH HIS SOUL APPEARED TO BROTHER CONRAD, BEGGING HIM TO PRAY FOR HIM, AND HOW THROUGH HIS PRAYER HE WAS DELIVERED FROM T 45 CHAPTER XLIV HOW THE MOTHER OF CHRIST AND ST JOHN THE EVANGELIST APPEARED TO BROTHER CONRAD, AND TOLD HIM WHO HAD SUFFERED THIS GREATEST SORROW AT THE PASSION OF CHRIST 46 CHAPTER XLV OF THE CONVERSION, LIFE, MIRACLES, AND DEATH OF THE HOLY BROTHER JOHN DELLA PENNA 47 CHAPTER XLVI HOW BROTHER PACIFICO, BEING IN PRAYER, SAW THE SOUL OF BROTHER UMILE, HIS BROTHER IN THE FLESH, GO UP TO HEAVEN 48 CHAPTER XLVII OF A HOLY BROTHER TO WHOM THE MOTHER OF CHRIST APPEARED WHEN HE WAS ILL, AND BROUGHT HIM THREE VASES OF HEALING OINTMENT 49 CHAPTER XLVIII HOW BROTHER JAMES DELLA MASSA SAW IN A VISION ALL THE FRIARS MINOR IN THE WORLD IN THE FORM OF A TREE; AND HOW THE VIRTUES, THE MERITS AND THE VICES OF ALL WERE MADE KNOWN TO HIM 50 CHAPTER XLIX HOW CHRIST APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA 51 CHAPTER L. HOW BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, WHEN SAYING MASS ON THE DAY OF ALL SOULS, SAW MANY SOULS LIBERATED FROM PURGATORY 52 CHAPTER LI OF THE HOLY BROTHER JAMES OF FALLERONE, AND HOW, AFTER HIS DEATH, HE APPEARED TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA 53 CHAPTER LII OF THE VISION OF BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, BY WHICH HE BECAME ACQUAINTED WITH ALL THE ORDER OF THE HOLY TRINITY 54 CHAPTER LIII HOW, WHILE HE WAS SAYING MASS, BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA FELL DOWN, AS IF HE HAD BEEN DEAD 55 OF THE SACRED AND HOLY STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS AND CERTAIN CONSIDERATIONS THEREON 56 OF THE FIRST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA 57 OF THE SECOND CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA 58 OF THE THIRD CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED HOLY STIGMATA 59 OF THE FOURTH CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA 60 OF THE FIFTH AND LAST CONSIDERATION OF THE SACRED, HOLY STIGMATA 61 CHAPTER LIV HOW A HOLY FRIAR, HAVING READ IN THE LEGEND OF ST FRANCIS OF THE SECRET WORDS SPOKEN TO HIM BY THE SERAPH, PRAYED SO EARNESTLY TO GOD THAT ST FRANCIS REVEALED THEM TO HIM 62 CHAPTER LV HOW ST FRANCIS APPEARED, AFTER HIS DEATH, TO BROTHER JOHN OF ALVERNIA, WHILE HE WAS IN PRAYER 63 CHAPTER LVI OF A HOLY FRIAR WHO SAW A WONDERFUL VISION OF A COMPANION WHO WAS DEAD 64 CHAPTER LVII HOW A NOBLE KNIGHT WHO WAS DEVOUT TO ST FRANCIS WAS ASSURED OF HIS DEATH AND OF THE SACRED STIGMATA 65 CHAPTER LVIII HOW POPE GREGORY IX, WHO HAD DOUBTED OF THE STIGMATA OF ST FRANCIS, WAS ASSURED OF THEIR TRUTH 66 CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER JUNIPER CUT OFF THE FOOT OF A PIG TO GIVE IT TO A SICK BROTHER 67 CHAPTER II AN INSTANCE OF BROTHER JUNIPER'S GREAT POWER AGAINST THE DEVIL 68 CHAPTER III HOW, BY THE CONTRIVANCE OF THE DEVIL, BROTHER JUNIPER WAS CONDEMNED TO THE GALLOWS 69 CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER JUNIPER GAVE ALL THAT HE HAD TO THE POOR FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 70 CHAPTER V HOW BROTHER JUNIPER TOOK CERTAIN LITTLE BELLS FROM THE ALTAR, AND GAVE THEM AWAY FOR THE LOVE OF GOD 71 CHAPTER VI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER KEPT SILENCE FOR SIX MONTHS 72 CHAPTER VII HIS REMEDY FOR TEMPTATIONS OF THE FLESH One day as Brother Giles... 73 CHAPTER IX HOW BROTHER JUNIPER, IN ORDER TO BE DESPISED, PLAYED AT SEE-SAW 74 CHAPTER X HOW BROTHER JUNIPER ONCE COOKED FOR THE BRETHREN ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A FORTNIGHT 75 CHAPTER XI HOW BROTHER JUNIPER WENT ONE DAY TO ASSISI FOR HIS OWN CONFUSION 76 CHAPTER XII HOW BROTHER JUNIPER FELL INTO AN ECSTASY DURING THE CELEBRATION OF MASS 77 CHAPTER XIII OF THE SORROW WHICH BROTHER JUNIPER FELT AT THE LOSS OF HIS COMPANION BROTHER AMAZIALBENE 78 CHAPTER XIV OF THE HAND WHICH BROTHER JUNIPER SAW IN THE AIR 79 CHAPTER XV HOW ST FRANCIS COMMANDED BROTHER LEO TO WASH THE STONE 80 CHAPTER I HOW BROTHER GILES, WITH THREE COMPANIONS WAS RECEIVED INTO THE ORDER OF FRIAR'S MINOR 81 CHAPTER II HOW BROTHER GILES WENT TO ST JAMES THE GREAT 82 CHAPTER III OF BROTHER GILES'S MANNER OF LIFE WHEN HE WENT TO THE HOLY SEPULCHRE 83 CHAPTER IV HOW BROTHER GILES PRAISED OBEDIENCE MORE THAN PRAYER 84 CHAPTER V HOW BROTHER GILES LIVED BY THE LABOUR OF HIS HANDS 85 CHAPTER VI HOW BROTHER GILES WAS MIRACULOUSLY ASSISTED IN A GREAT NECESSITY WHEN, BY REASON OF A HEAVY FALL OF SNOW, HE WAS HINDERED FROM GOING OUT TO QUEST. 86 CHAPTER VII OF THE DAY OF THE HOLY BROTHER GILES'S DEATH 87 CHAPTER VIII HOW A HOLY MAN, BEING IN PRAYER, SAW THE SOUL OF BROTHER GILES PASS TO ETERNAL LIFE 88 CHAPTER IX HOW, BY THE MERITS OF BROTHER GILES, THE SOUL OF THE FRIEND OF A FRIAR PREACHER WAS DELIVERED FROM THE PAINS OF PURGATORY 89 CHAPTER X HOW GOD GAVE SPECIAL GRACES TO BROTHER GILES, AND OF THE YEAR OF HIS DEATH 90 CHAPTER I OF VICES AND VIRTUES 91 CHAPTER II OF FAITH 92 CHAPTER III OF HOLY HUMILITY 93 CHAPTER IV OF THE HOLY FEAR OF GOD 94 CHAPTER V OF HOLY PATIENCE 95 CHAPTER VI OF SLOTH 96 CHAPTER VII OF THE CONTEMPT OF TEMPORAL THINGS 97 CHAPTER VIII OF HOLY CHASTITY 98 CHAPTER IX OF TEMPTATIONS 99 CHAPTER X OF HOLY PENANCE 100 CHAPTER XI OF HOLY PRAYER 101 CHAPTER XII OF HOLY SPIRITUAL PRUDENCE 102 CHAPTER XIII OF KNOWLEDGE USEFUL AND USELESS 103 CHAPTER XIV OF GOOD AND EVIL SPEAKING 104 CHAPTER XV OF HOLY PERSEVERANCE 105 CHAPTER XVI OF TRUE RELIGIOUS LIFE 106 CHAPTER XVII OF HOLY OBEDIENCE 107 CHAPTER XVIII OF THE REMEMBRANCE OF DEATH