BLESSINGS OF THE HOLY FATHER ST. FRANCIS.
I. Blessing of Brother Leo,
Once, when Brother Leo was strongly tempted on Mount Alvernia, the holy Father sent him the following benediction, written with his own hand, and marked with his special mysterious sign, the letter Tau,* which he always held in high esteem, and by virtue of this benediction the Brother was entirely delivered from his temptation. ‘T. May the Lord bless thee and keep thee, may He show His face to thee and have mercy on thee! May He turn His countenance to thee, and give thee His peace ! May the Lord bless thee. Brother Leo!’
* See Ezech. ix, 4 — 6. This letter Tau of the Hebrew alphabet is in the form of a cross, thus prefiguring the sacred sign in which all benedictions are given.
II. Blessing of the Sacred Convent of Alenquerque,
The five martyrs who suffered death in Morocco, spent some time with their Brethren at Alenquerque, a town of Portugal on the Tagus, whence they were sent, provided with all necessaries, by Queen Sanchia to Lisbon, which was distant about eight leagues from the first-named city, and whence they might proceed to Africa. When the blessed Father heard that they had obtained the much-desired crown of martyrdom from the Moors, and received the account of their constancy in the faith, their courage in torments, their perseverance in holiness ; with great joy of spirit he blessed the little Convent of Alenquerque, which had sent them forth to such glory, in these words : ‘O holy house, sacred temple, thou hast given to God by this martyrdom beautiful flowers of purple hue and most delicious fragrance. These are the first-fruits and most glorious flowers of the Friars Minor, the happy possessors of the heavenly kingdom. May perfect Brethren, who will observe most devoutly the holy Gospel, never be wanting to thee, O house of God !’
III. Blessing of the zealous Observers of the Rule.
When the holy Father heard how his Brethren, who were dispersed all over the world, were drawing many into the paths of virtue by the odour of their sanctity, he rejoiced in spirit, and called down the choicest blessings on them, saying : ‘ Blessed be you of the Lord, who bring back wandering sinners to God, who show them the way of truth, and keep yourselves in the pure and sincere observance of the Gospel rule! May he who blesses you be blessed of God, may he who provides for you or cherishes you receive an eternal reward ! May Satan exercise no power over you, nor tempt you beyond your strength ! May you have power over him and his, to destroy his strongholds, and snatch his prey from him ! May the power of the Father assist you, the wisdom of the Son direct you, and the love of the Holy Ghost console you! Amen.’ On the other hand, St. Francis uttered the following terrible curse from God and from himself on those who, by their spirit of propriety, the reception of money, or any other sin, should injure the purity of the Rule, or should defile with the dust of earthly things the Order whose great glory is the profession of Poverty, or who by their bad example should scandalise others, or relax the observance of the Rule : ‘ By thee, O most holy God, and by the whole court of heaven, and by me, poor little man, may they be cursed, who by their bad example impede or destroy the good which Thou workest, and wilt ever work by means of the holy Brethren of this Order!’
IV. Blessing of the City of Assisi.
When the Seraphic Father was being carried, during his last sickness, from the palace of the Bishop of Assisi to the little sanctuary of Portiuncula, he caused the litter on which he was borne to be set down on the top of a hill, from whence he could conveniently see the city. When he saw it he wept, and then pronounced over it this benediction : ‘Blessed be thou of the Lord, O city faithful to God, for in thee, and by thee, many souls will be saved, many servants of the Most High will dwell in thee, and not a few of thy inhabitants will inherit the kingdom of heaven !’
V. Blessing of all the Friars Minor.
The holy Father was once attacked with so painful and dangerous a disorder, that he seemed on the point of death, and all the Brethren despaired of his recovery. Then one of them, fearing lest he should die suddenly through exhaustion, said to him : ‘Bless us, O Father, and the other Brethren whom thou hast engendered in Christ, and leave us some memorial of thy wishes, which thy children may have always in remembrance for their greater increase in perfection.’ Then the blessed Father, turning his eyes full of tenderness upon his Brethren, said: ‘Call to me Brother Benedict, of Piratro’ (who always attended him in sickness, and said Mass before him), ‘that I may bless you.’ When the Brother came, the Saint said : ‘ Write, O priest of God, the blessing with which I bless all my children, both those who are now in the Order, and those who shall belong to it to the end of the world. But as I cannot well speak, on account of my weakness, I briefly declare my will and intention to all my Brethren present and to come, as a sign of my love and blessing. May all the Brethren love one another, as I have loved them, and do love them ! May they always love and honour my lady Poverty ! And may they always be faithful and obedient to the Bishops and priests of our holy Mother the Church ! May the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost bless and keep them always ! Amen.’
VI. Blessing of Brother Bernard of Quintavalle.
When all the Brethren were assembled round the deathbed of the Saint, weeping for the loss of such a loving Father and watchful pastor, he said to them: ‘Where is my first-born son, Brother Bernard ?’ And When the Friar came, he said: “Come near, my son, that my soul may bless thee before die.’ But Bernard in his humility (fearing to assume a privilege which, on account of his dignity and office, seemed rather to belong to Brother Elias, who was then Vicar-General, and the supposed successor of the holy Father), suggested to Elias that he should go to the right hand of the dying Saint, and obtain the offered benediction. The Vicar-General therefore prostrated himself before the man of God, who, although he was almost blind from excessive weeping, was full of a prophetic light. When he placed his hand on the head of Brother Elias, he exclaimed : ‘This is not the head of my first-born, Brother Bernard.’ Then, crossing his arms, like another Patriarch Jacob, and placing his right hand on the head of Brother Bernard, who was kneeling on his left side, he said : ‘May the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ bless thee with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ! As thou hast been chosen to be the first in this Order, to give good example, and to imitate Christ in evangelical Poverty ; as thou didst offer to Him not only all that thou hadst, but thyself also, as an odour of sweetness, so mayest thou be blessed by the Lord Jesus Christ, and by me. His poor little servant, with everlasting blessings, coming in and going out, waking and sleeping, living and dying ! May he who blesses thee be filled with blessings ; may he who curses thee not go unpunished! Be thou lord over thy brethren, and let them all be subject to thy command. Whomsoever thou desirest should be received into this Order, let him be received; and whomsoever thou desirest should be rejected, let him be dismissed. Let no one have any authority over thee, and mayest thou be free to go and remain wheresoever thou wiliest !’
VII. Blessing of the Friars Minor.
When the hour of his death approached, St. Francis caused all the Brethren, who were then at Our Lady of Angels, to be summoned ; and consoling them for his death with sweet words, he, with paternal affection, exhorted them to Divine love, to patience, to poverty, and to constancy in the faith of the holy
Roman Church. Then he added : ‘Farewell, my children, in the fear of the Lord, and abide always in it. And since the time of tribulation and temptation is approaching, blessed shall they be who shall persevere in what they have begun. I, indeed, go to God, to whose grace I commend you. I have done what I had to do ; may Christ teach you what you ought to do!’