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So then learned men entered the Order of Friars Minor, as St. Francis had foretold; and this is the reason why he recommended that prayer should be joined to study, lest learning should obliterate piety. The indulgence granted to St. Mary of the Angels, or the Portiuncula, two years previous to this time, had not yet had the day fixed on which the faithful could gain it.
Clare had been untiring in working, in his spirit, among women, she, too, would obey the call which had come to her saint in Portiuncula, and prove herself for the first time, according to the Scripture, "a fisher of souls." Now she gladly anticipated the meeting; for though her sister did not understand her, the abbess must know how to sympathise with what was passing in her mind.
Finally the morning came; and through the winding valley they drove fifteen miles, until they arrived at the church Santa Maria degli Angeli, situated on a plain at the foot of the hill on which sits Assisi. This immense church contains the Portiuncula, that little chapel so dear to St.
S. Francis begins his Third Order of Penance Draws up the rule for it What his idea was in founding this Order He returns to S. Mary of the Angels Sends Agnes, the sister of Clare, to Florence, to be Abbess there He obtains from Jesus Christ the Indulgence of S. Mary of the Angels or of the Portiuncula Pope Honorius III. grants him the same indulgence Clare and others, hearing him talk of God, are ravished in ecstasy He cannot bear the distinction of persons which Brother Elias made Makes a terrible prediction He gives his blessings to seven of his brethren, to go and preach the faith to the Moors, and they are martyred He makes a journey, which is attended with remarkable circumstances Cures a cripple Mixes with the poor, and eats with them Foretells of an infant, that he would one day be Pope He changes the bed of thorns into which S. Benedict had thrown himself, into a rose-bush, and performs other great miracles Goes to honor the relics of S. Andrew, and those of S. Nicholas Discovers a trick of the devil He visits Mount Garganus His presence silences a demoniac He learns at S. Mary of the Angels the success of the German mission Bids Antony preach Gives Antony permission to teach theology to the brethren Alexander Hales enters the Order Jesus Christ appoints the day for the Indulgence of the Portiuncula He obtains from the Pope a confirmation of the same day Promulgates it, with seven bishops He has a revelation about his Rule God makes known to him that he must abridge it The Holy Spirit dictates it to him Some entreat him to moderate it Jesus Christ tells him it must be kept to the very letter His brethren receive it He declares it comes from Jesus Christ, and speaks in praise of it He obtains a bull from the Pope, in confirmation of the Rule Is attacked by devils Celebrates the feast of Christmas with much fervor Our Lord appears to him as an infant His sentiments on the celebration of feasts Discovers a stratagem of the devil He commands one of his dead brethren to cease working miracles Draws up a rule for Clare and her daughters Appears with his arms stretched out in the form of a cross while S. Antony was preaching Foretells a conversion which immediately came about He goes into retreat on Mount Alvernus His contemplation and raptures Jesus Christ promises him special favors He fasts rigorously A piece of his writing delivers his companion from a temptation What he had to suffer from the devil He prepares for martyrdom He receives extraordinary favors in prayer His perfect conformity to the will of God Jesus Christ crucified appears to him under the figure of a Seraphim Receives the impression of the wounds of Jesus Christ He composes canticles full of the love of God Tells his brethren of the Stigmata They are seen and touched He leaves Mount Alvernus, to return to S. Mary of the Angels Cures a child of dropsy Other miracles which he performed on the way He strengthens himself with new fervor in the service of God His patience in great sufferings His desires for the salvation of souls His prayer in suffering God assures him of his salvation He thanks Him in a canticle He learns the time of his death, and rejoices at it He has various illnesses, and suffers extreme pain He multiplies the grapes in a vineyard God gives him sensible consolation A heated iron is applied to the temple, and he feels no pain from it He weeps incessantly, and says he does so to expiate for his sins He prefers the danger of losing his sight to restraining his tears His gratitude towards his physician A miracle is worked by some of his hair, in favor of this physician He miraculously heals a canon His sufferings diminish Goes to preach Drives away a devil Foretells a sudden death, and it comes about Cures St.
Mary of the Angels, or of Portiuncula, which he had put into repair, but he added this condition, that, if the Institution became more extended, this church should be always considered the place of its origin, and the chief monastery. Francis received the present, and accepted the condition with great thankfulness.
But when he came to himself again, he became aware that it was entirely owing to the prayers of Francis. On his return from his last journey in 1218, which was much longer than any of the others had been, Francis found that another building, large and commodious, had been erected in his absence, close to the Portiuncula convent.
Clare had been untiring in working, in his spirit, among women, she, too, would obey the call which had come to her saint in Portiuncula, and prove herself for the first time, according to the Scripture, "a fisher of souls." Now she gladly anticipated the meeting; for though her sister did not understand her, the abbess must know how to sympathise with what was passing in her mind.
One day, when he had come to the Convent of Portiuncula, as he frequently did, he wished to go at once into the cell where the Saint was at prayer; but scarcely had he seen him in that attitude, when he was pushed back by an invisible hand, his body became stiff, and he was unable to speak.
He refused her his leave for some time; but his companions having represented to him that he treated a virgin whom he himself had consecrated to Jesus Christ, with too much harshness, he consented to what she wished. An appropriate day was fixed on, and she came to the convent of Portiuncula, accompanied by some of her nuns, and some Friars Minor who went on purpose to the convent of St. Damian.
These sorts of suppositions, which might be stumbling-blocks to the weak, are very useful to those who aspire to perfect humility. The Friars Minor assembled for the general chapter of their Order at the Convent of St. Mary of the Angels, or Portiuncula, near Assisi, at the Feast of Pentecost, and their number exceeded five thousand.
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