SOME PROPHECIES OF THE HOLY FATHER ST. FRANCIS*
* ‘The spirit of prophecy,’ says St. Bonaventure, ‘was so resplendent in St Francis that he foresaw the future, and penetrated the secrets of hearts, beholding things absent as if they were present’ Those given above are but few out of the many prophecies uttered by the Saint
I. He Prophesies that he will found a Religious Order, and take it for his Spouse.
While St. Francis was still living in the world, he was invited by his friends to a sumptuous banquet. But he withdrew into a corner, and appeared as if rapt in thought. His companions asked him of what he was thinking, and whether he were considering about taking a wife. ‘ Yes,’ he replied, ‘and one so beautiful that you have never seen her equal;’ meaning the holy Order, which by the inspiration of God he was about to found.
II. He Asserts that he will be a great Prince.
Although St. Francis was at one time given to the vanities and pomps of the world, he always had in his heart a little flame of Divine love, which disposed him by degrees for greater things, and which was shown principally by his great charity for the poor. Once when he had bestowed abundant alms on them, he met a poor soldier, and immediately gave him the new clothes he was wearing. The following night he saw in his sleep a vast and magnificent palace, full of arms all marked with the sign of the Cross, and he was told that all he saw was for himself and his future soldiers. This filled him with extreme joy ; and when asked the cause of his gladness, he replied : ‘ I know that I shall one day be a great Prince.’
III. He Foretells his Love for the Poor, and that he will be their Father.
Once at the beginning of his conversion, his mother, Pica, was preparing the table for his dinner, when Francis placed on it a great many loaves. His mother, being astonished, asked him why he placed so much bread on the table, when there were so few guests. Francis replied that it was for the poor. ‘But where,’ said Pica, ‘are the poor ?’ He answered : ‘ They are in my heart.’
IV. That he would be Renowned throughout the World.
When the citizens of Perugia were at war with those oi Assisi, Francis was taken prisoner, together with others of his fellow-townsmen. In his captivity he was so filled with Divine consolations, that the interior sweetness overflowed to the exterior, and caused him to show outwardly his intense joy. One of his fellow-captives said to him : ‘Why, I pray thee, when we are weeping and overwhelmed with sadness, dost thou alone rejoice in this manner ? If, on account of the levity of youth, thou dost not feel thy imprisonment, at least out of compassion condole with us in our misery.’ Francis replied : ‘ The captivity of my body does not afflict me, because my soul enjoys a great liberty. I truly feel for your afflictions, yet I must rejoice still more at my own happiness. Do you not now think very little of me? Believe me, him whom you now behold a prisoner in fetters, you will see hereafter renowned throughout the whole world.’
V. He Prophesies the Foundation of a Convent of Poor Clares at St. Damian’s.
When St. Francis, in obedience to the voice and command he had heard from the Crucifix, that he should repair the house of God, had begun the restoration of the little Church of St. Damian, near Assisi, before he had yet entirely given up the world, he used to beg alms of those who passed by, to help him in his work, saying, or singing in French : ‘Come and help me to rebuild this church, for there will be here a Monastery of poor ladies, who by the fame of their life and sanctity will glorify our heavenly Father throughout the whole world.’
VI. The Friars Minor are sent by God for the Salvation of the whole World
The Cardinal Hugolino once asked the holy Father why he sent his Children and Brethren into such remote parts of the world, where they had to endure so many sufferings from hunger, thirst, and fatigue. The Saint replied : ‘My lord, you think that the Lord has sent the Friars Minor only for the good of this country, but I tell you in truth that God has chosen and sent them for the profit and salvation of souls throughout the whole world. And they will be well received, not only by the faithful, but also by pagans and infidels, and will win many souls to God.’
VII. That Hospitality to the Poor is very Pleasing to God.
When the holy Father was preaching at Celano, a certain soldier out of devotion humbly invited him to dinner. He consented, and his family rejoiced much at the coming of their poor guest. Whilst the meal was being prepared, the man of God, according to his wont, retired into a secret place, and there, with his eyes and hands lifted up to heaven, offered his prayers and praises to the Lord. Having finished his prayer, he called his kind host aside, and said to him : ‘I have, my friend, entered into this house to dine with thee, according to thy desire. But listen now, and attend at once to my advice, for thou wilt not eat here, but elsewhere. Confess thy sins quickly with true contrition and penitent sorrow ; do not allow anything to remain which thou dost not truly confess. God will give thee this day thy reward for the charity with which thou hast received His poor ones.’ The soldier followed his advice, and at once confessed to the companion of the Saint, arranged the affairs of his house, and prepared himself for death as well as he could. They then sat down to table, and the rest indeed began to eat, but the host, as the man of God had predicted, expired. Thus he received the reward of his hospitality, according to the words of truth. ‘He who receives a prophet, shall receive the reward of a prophet ;’ for by means of the Saint’s warning, he escaped eternal death, and entered into everlasting life.
VIII. The Punishment for Relapse into Sin is most Severe.
The holy Father was once ill in the city of Rieti, when a certain worldly and immoral priest, named Gideon, who was afflicted with a grievous malady, was brought to him, and besought him with many tears to make over him the sign of the Cross. St Francis said to him: ‘O Gideon, strong by name, but weak in thy soul, thou livest entirely according to the desires of the flesh, not fearing the judgments of God. How, then, can I sign thee with the Cross ? However, on account of the devout prayers of the bystanders, I will sign thee in the Name of the Lord. But know that thou wilt suffer much greater evils, if, being delivered from thy infirmity, thou returnest to thy vomit ; for on account of the sin of ingratitude, worse things than the first shall come upon thee.’ The Saint therefore made the sign of the Cross over the priest as he lay paralysed, and he was at once restored to perfect health ; and rising up, he began to praise God, saying, ‘ I am cured.’ But after a few days, forgetting God, he returned to his sins ; and one evening, being at supper in the house of a certain canon, and intending to sleep there that night, the roof suddenly fell in. All in the house escaped death except the wretched man, who was killed. This was the just judgment of God, according to the prophetic words of St. Francis: *the last things of that man shall be worse than the first,’ on account of his ingratitude, which is a vice most odious to God; for he ought to have been grateful for the pardon received, and doubly careful not to displease Him in future.
IX. The Saint Prophesies the Reconciliation of a certain Man with his Wife, and that now is the Time of Mercy, but hereafter of Justice
A CERTAIN noble lady, who had a great devotion to the man of God, came to him in deep sorrow on account of the cruelty and hard-heartedness of her husband, who contradicted her in all her good works; and she begged him, as her father and friend, to obtain of God that her husband’s heart might be softened. The Saint, touched by the grief and devotion of the lady, said to her : ‘Go in peace, and believe me, that very shortly thou shalt receive consolation from thy husband/ And he added : ‘Tell him from me on the part of God, that now is the time for mercy, but later for justice.’ Having received his blessing, the lady returned home, and repeated these words to her husband. Then the Holy Ghost fell upon him, and being completely changed into a new man, he gently replied: ‘Lady, let us serve God, and save our souls.’ Having from that time led a holy life together, they both on the same day happily departed to Our Lord.
X. That Singularity and Hypocrisy are Bad and Pernicious in a Religious.
There was a certain Brother who appeared exteriorly to be a great Saint and of most holy conversation, but who was very singular. He was wholly intent on prayer, and observed silence so strictly, that he was accustomed to confess by signs instead of words. It happened that the holy Father came to the Convent where this Friar was, saw him, and spoke of him to the others. The Brethren all commended and praised him very highly ; but the Saint said: “Be silent, my Brethren, and do not praise to me what is a temptation of the devil, and a fraudulent deception.’ The Brethren were vexed at this, thinking it impossible that so many signs of perfection could be a deception. But before long the Brother left the Order, thus plainly showing how clear was the insight of the man of God into the secrets of the heart.
XI. He Foretells that the Cardinal of Ostia will be Pope
St. Francis predicted many times to the Cardinal of Ostia, Hugolino, whose intimate friend he was, that he would be made Pope, and he always addressed the little notes he used to send him in these words : ‘To the future Father of nations, and most venerable Bishop of the whole world.’ The event proved the truth of this prediction, for the Cardinal succeeded Honorius III., under the title of Gregory IX.
XII. Apostates from the Order will Perish miserably.
When St. Francis was passing through Apulia, a certain man who had apostatized from the Order met him, and throwing himself at the feet of the holy Father, earnestly begged pardon for his apostasy. The man of God, pointing to a gallows that was erected on a hill close by, said to him : ‘I will forgive thee this offence, and thou mayest return to the Order ; but take care, if thou shouldst again cast off the habit and forsake the religious life, thou wilt be hanged on these gallows.’ The apostate returned to the Order, but he did not remain long in it A few days after he had left it the second time he committed some crime, on account of which he was hanged on that very gibbet, according to the Saint’s prediction, and thus miserably and infamously ended his life.
XIII. The Saint Prophesies great Schisms and Tribulations in the Church.
A SHORT time before the holy Father’s death, he called together his Children and warned them of the coming troubles, saying : ‘ Act bravely, my Brethren ; take courage, and trust in the Lord. The time is fast approaching in which there will be great trials and afflictions; perplexities and dissensions, both spiritual and temporal, will abound ; the charity of many will grow cold, and the malice of the wicked will increase. The devils will have unusual power, the immaculate purity of our Order, and of others, will be so much obscured that there will be very few Christians who will obey the true Sovereign Pontiff and the Roman Church with loyal hearts and perfect charity. At the time of this tribulation a man, not canonically elected, will be raised to the Pontificate, who, by his cunning, will endeavor to draw many into error and death. Then scandals will be multiplied, our Order will be divided, and many others will be entirely destroyed, because they will consent to error instead of opposing it. There will be such diversity of opinions and schisms among the people, the religious and the clergy, that, except those days were shortened, according to the words of the Gospel, even the elect would be led into error, were they not specially guided, amid such great confusion, by the immense mercy of God. Then our Rule and manner of life will be violently opposed by some, and terrible trials will come upon us. Those who are found faithful will receive the crown of life ; but woe to those who, trusting solely in their Order, shall fall into tepidity, for they will not be able to support the temptations permitted for the proving of the elect. Those who preserve their fervour and adhere to virtue with love and zeal for the truth, will suffer injuries and persecutions as rebels and schismatics; for their persecutors, urged on by the evil spirits, will say they are rendering a great service to God by destroying such pestilent men from the face of the earth. But the Lord will be the refuge of the afflicted, and will save all who trust in Him. And in order to be like their Head, these, the elect, will act with confidence, and by their death will purchase for themselves eternal life ; choosing to obey God rather than man, they will fear nothing, and they will prefer to perish rather than consent to falsehood and perfidy. Some preachers will keep silence about the truth, and others will trample it under foot and deny it. Sanctity of life will be held in derision even by those who outwardly profess it, for in those days Our Lord Jesus Christ will send them not a true Pastor, but a destroyer.’
XIV. That Pride and Ostentation are Pernicious to Religious, and that Brother Elias will Die out of the Order.
Brother Elias of Cortona, or as some say of Piedmont, who was appointed Vicar-General on the death of Blessed Peter of Catania, and who was afterwards elected fourth General of the Order, was a man of such great worldly prudence, that he seemed made for important enterprises, and there was no one in Italy equal to him in such matters ; therefore he was much esteemed and honoured by princes and nobles. When he saw St. Francis inviting some simple and humble Brothers to sit by him at table, and leaving him and other wise and learned men at a distance, he took it very ill, and could not refrain from saying within himself: *Alas! Francis, thou simple and illiterate man, why art thou so foolish and indiscreet ? Thou puttest to shame the great men who are the pillars of thy Order, and through this foolish conduct thou wilt ruin us.’ But the blessed Father, knowing the secret murmurs of his heart, said to him : ‘ Indeed, Brother Elias, thou wilt ruin thyself and the Order through thy pompous ostentation and worldly prudence. Thou, and those like thee, will bring the Order to nothing ; but alas ! miserable man, thou wilt not be allowed to die in it.’ This indeed came to pass ; for Brother Elias, swelling with human pride when he was elected General, caused the Order to become relaxed, and attempted to introduce many things contrary to the purity of the Rule ; in consequence of which he was deposed from his office by Pope Innocent IV., excommunicated, and deprived of his habit : thereupon he became so enraged, that he attached himself to the Emperor Frederick. But when he was ill at Cortona he sent his brother to the Pope, beseeching him to absolve him from the sentence of excommunication, which favour innocent, moved by his prayers and tears, granted.
* Mark of Lisbon and others think that this prophecy received its accomplishment in the great schism which desolated the Church Sifter the election of Urban VL in the year 1378. But it may also partially refer to other calamities which have befallen the Church, in the latter ages.
XV. That frequently, on account of the Merits of the Saints, God refrains from Punishing Sinners.
St. Francis, when dying, predicted to Brother Leo a great famine which should desolate the whole of Italy, saying : ‘ Alas ! my Brother, because of the sins of the people, God will send a great famine in the world ; but on account of the merits of a certain poor man (I know not whom), now living, God delays sending this chastisement ; yet after his death the famine will be so severe that innumerable men will miserably perish with hunger.’ He told Brother Leo he had heard this on Mount Alvernia. (as mentioned in the 23rd Colloquy), together with other things which he was not to reveal until the hour of his death. Immediately after his departure this prophecy was fulfilled ; for such a famine prevailed throughout the whole of Italy that the wretched people eat not only roots, but even the bark of trees, and the mortality was so great that nothing but death was seen everywhere. The holy Father, St. Francis, appeared during this time to Brother Leo, and told him that he was the poor man on whose account God had delayed this scourge.