The Poor Man of Assisi knew from experience the magnanimity of God, solicitous towards his children even for a glass of water offered in his Name to those who belong to Christ. And with great faith he lived this truth.
An eloquent episode is recounted in the Sources:
"Francis, a man of God, naked of the things of the world [...] committed himself to serving God in every possible way.
Returning to the church of San Damiano, all happy and fervent, he put on a hermit's habit and comforted the priest of that church with the same words of encouragement addressed to him by the bishop.
Then, returning to the city, he began to walk through the squares and streets singing praises to the Lord with an inebriated soul.
As he finished his praises, he worked to obtain the stones needed to restore the church.
He would say: 'Whoever gives me one stone, will have one reward; whoever gives me two stones, two rewards; whoever gives me three, as many rewards'.
With ardent enthusiasm he made this and similar appeals full of naivety, for this chosen one of God had a candid and childlike soul, he did not have recourse to the learned language of human wisdom, but was simple and straightforward in everything" (FF 1420).
He also feared being a scandal to the people, to his brothers, dishonouring God. In fact we read again:
"He often repeated to his companions:
"In this lies my sorrow, my affliction: the directives that with intense prayer and reflection I obtain from the Mercy of God for the present and future usefulness of the fraternity, and which God assures me are in conformity with his will, here are some brothers who frustrate it, basing themselves on arrogance and on the enlightenment of their knowledge, saying: these directives are to be kept and observed, and these others are not".
But the Saint, as has already been said, was so afraid of scandal that he allowed many things to be done, and adapted himself to the will of the brothers, however much this may have been repugnant to his convictions" (FF 1632).
"He was disturbed by the thought that, as often happens among the elect, there would be some who were proud in their carnal mentality, ready to quarrel and easy to scandal" (FF 609).
Clare, then, in the Rule, addressed to the sisters, says:
"Let them not dare to bring back into the monastery the gossip of the world. And they are bound not to report anything that is said or done inside the monastery that could cause scandal outside the monastery [...]" (FF 2805).
Again:
"I admonish then, and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ, that the sisters beware of all pride, vainglory, envy, avarice, care and solicitude of this world, of detraction and murmuring, of discord and division" (FF 2809).
He added:
"Instead, let them always be solicitous to preserve mutually the unity of mutual charity, which is the bond of perfection" (FF 2810).
26th Sunday in O.T. B (Mk 9,38-43.45.47-48)
