FROM THE LITTLE FLOWERS OF SAINT FRANCIS – Chapter VIII
The Perfect Joy
Once, when Saint Francis was coming from Perugia to Saint Mary of the Angels with Brother Leo, during the winter season, and the very great cold was causing him much suffering, he called Brother Leo, who was walking ahead, and said:
“Brother Leo, although the Friars Minor in every land give a great example of holiness and good edification, nevertheless write and note carefully that perfect joy is not found in this.”
And as Saint Francis went farther, he called him a second time:
“O Brother Leo, although the Friar Minor should give sight to the blind and heal the lame, cast out demons, restore hearing to the deaf and walking to the crippled, speech to the mute, and, what is even greater, raise the dead after four days; write that perfect joy is not found in this.”
And walking a little farther, Saint Francis cried out loudly:
“O Brother Leo, if the Friar Minor knew all languages and all sciences and all Scriptures, so that he could prophesy and reveal not only future things but also the secrets of consciences and of human hearts; write that perfect joy is not found in this.”
Going a little farther still, Saint Francis again called out loudly:
“O Brother Leo, little lamb of God, although the Friar Minor should speak with the tongue of an angel and know the courses of the stars and the virtues of herbs, and all the treasures of the earth were revealed to him, and he knew the properties of birds and fish and of all animals and of stones and waters; write that perfect joy is not found in this.”
And continuing still farther, Saint Francis called out loudly:
“O Brother Leo, although the Friar Minor should know how to preach so well that he converted all unbelievers to the faith of Christ; write that perfect joy is not found there.”
And as this conversation continued for about two miles, Brother Leo, greatly astonished, asked him:
“Father, I beg you, for the love of God, tell me where perfect joy is found.”
And Saint Francis answered him:
“When we shall arrive at Saint Mary of the Angels, soaked through by the rain and frozen by the cold, covered with mud and suffering from hunger; and we knock at the door of the place, and the doorkeeper comes angrily and says: ‘Who are you?’ And we say: ‘We are two of your brothers.’ And he says: ‘You are not telling the truth; rather, you are two scoundrels who go about deceiving the world and stealing the alms of the poor. Go away!’ And he does not open the door to us, but makes us remain outside in the snow and the rain, in the cold and hunger until nightfall.
Then, if we endure such injury and such cruelty and such rejection patiently, without being troubled and without complaining about him, and we humbly think that this doorkeeper truly knows us, and that God makes him speak against us; O Brother Leo, write that here is perfect joy.
And if we persist in knocking, and he comes out disturbed and, treating us as troublesome scoundrels, drives us away with insults and blows, saying:
‘Go away from here, you most vile little thieves! Go to the hospital, for you shall neither eat here nor find shelter!’
If we endure this patiently and with joy and with good love; O Brother Leo, write that there is perfect joy here.
And if, still compelled by hunger and cold and the night, we knock even more, call out and beg, for the love of God, with many tears, that he open to us and let us come inside; and he, even more offended, says:
‘These men are troublesome scoundrels! I will give them what they deserve!’
And he comes out with a knotted staff, takes us by the hood, throws us to the ground, rolls us in the snow, and beats us again and again with that staff; if we endure all these things patiently and joyfully, thinking of the sufferings of blessed Christ, which we must endure for love of Him; O Brother Leo, write that here and in this is perfect joy.
And therefore listen to the conclusion, Brother Leo.
Above all the graces and gifts of the Holy Spirit, which Christ grants to His friends, is the gift of conquering oneself and willingly, for the love of Christ, enduring sufferings, injuries, insults, and hardships.
For in all the other gifts of God we cannot glory, because they are not ours but God’s. Therefore the Apostle says:
‘What do you have that you have not received from God? And if you received it from Him, why do you glory as if you had received it from yourself?’
But in the cross of tribulation and affliction we can glory, because the Apostle says:
‘I do not wish to glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.’”
To the praise of Jesus Christ and of the poor man Francis. Amen.
Saint Francis of Assisi
