Laic-Bx.Luchesio-280.html

The Laic saints - bx.Luchesio o.f.s.

The Laic saints
By Martial Lekeux o.f.m.

The Bx. Luchesio
Trading and Male nurse

‘' The one that will look for his/her/its glory out of me, or his/her/its enjoyment in another although me, his/her/its joy won't be true nor strong, and his/her/its heart, always to the hindrance, always tight, will only find some anguishes. ' '

Let's publish the Song - Of bird, 2 Rue du Chant - of Brussels bird
Lethielleux-10 edition, street cassette, Paris.

Imprimi potest;
Bruxellis,die 4 januarii 1936
Fr. Leondides Guillaume
Min. Provincialis

Imprimatur:
Mechlinae, die 8 janvurii 1936
+ Et.Jos.Carton Of Wlart. Vic.gen.

All right der reproduction, of translation and adaptation reserved for all countries.

Foreword

Everybody can sanctify itself: It is what I tried to establish, for the encouragement of the good souls, in Holiness and Good Will. But the doctrine without the example stays dead letter. He/it appeared necessary to me to complete it by the lesson of fact that give us the saints.

In louse that no one complains about not to be able to follow them, I chose these in the different states of life, bourgeois,: these saints who lived in the world will show to the society people, that one can arrive to perfection in all professions and in the various circumstances, the most banal and sometimes the most difficult.

I wanted to make of lives that living being, convinced that the history of the saints, far from being boring, is the thing the most interesting and most moving that either. I sometimes had to, for it, to transpose in direct language the related some old chronicles, to join the facts between them as well as to the contemporary facts. I hope, that making, to have didn't betray the truth.

Finally I applied to go up that these big souls were men as us before becoming saints, in order to stimulate us, us that are so men, to become holy as them. P.M.I.

Table of matter

A business man who doesn't lose the north

Wakening after the mistake

Light in the night

Quarrel in the household, and what it occurred some

The Third Order or since 1968 O.f.ses. = Secular Franciscan Order.

Religious in the world

Epilogue

A business man who doesn't lose the north

Toward the beginning of the XIIIe century, lived in Caggiani, village of Tuscany, a brave home named Luchesio. Newly wed, full of health, projects and illusions, active, intelligent, of enterprising mind, he/it saw to open up before him the career of the vie,Il was decided to make his/her/its path there.

His/her/its good parents had taught him to go to the Mass Sunday, to not to lie to fly nor and to be held correctly: it was, or more or less, all his/her/its religious and moral baggage. Don't be as this of the dreams of asceticism that had fed his/her/its young imagination these things were closed him also as the algebra. But to live, to fight to live, and to live better, as he/it had seen to make his/her/its parents, as he/it saw made everybody, oh! It, he/it understood it… as he/it arrives to most men, he/it had run away his/its ideal in what he/it had seen.

To become rich, and who knows one day? to be a chief in his/her/its village: these two splendors represented to themselves eyes the summit of the happy life. Two ambitions that resolved in this other: fright with the nobles. Because '' he/it was beautiful of face, makes his/her/its person well. elegant and easy of his/her/its language and in all his/her/its manners, advantages that he/it wanted to put forward in the trade of the noble and distinguished people ''. (1)

His/her/its wife Bonodana, whom indeed was a good small woman, shared his/her/its dreams and his/her/its hopes.

- Ah! tell to him - ellle, when will be us rich… we will have a beautiful big house, a castle.… And you will buy me some dresses all made of silk, is not this, and a necklace of pearls as the one of Monna dona! …

And himself eyes set, wide open, full of gluttonous smiles, on the coveted pomp.

Luchesio made better than to dream. Having thought well, calculated, calculated all odds, he/it got to the work with liveliness, He/it got involved at a time in the business and in the politics: and there is my gone Luchesio for the fortune and for the glory.

The small republic Italian lived a life then flévreuse and turbulent whose passions invaded until the x least villages. Everybody made the politics. It was the time of Townships: people and bourgeois, free of yesterday, kept the watch around the liberties acquired set were agitated to conquer new rights. The nobles resisted with a biting pride to save their privileges compromised: from where a violent state, crossing, on the monk occasion, by bloody collisions.

This situation festered of a foreign policy question; the struggle between the emperor and the pope, Frédéric II manœuvrait to annex Italy, he/it leaned on the nobles, who saw in his/her/its triumph the opportunity restoring the former régime: it is the party gibelin. The people, by reaction, had arranged himself/itself under the banners of the popes, that became thus the champions of the new order and the liberty: it was the party guelfe. Guelfes and gibelins, people and nobles, bourgeois and nobleman, faced themselves unceasingly in a struggle. Everywhere the two factions maintained armed militias.

In this fight, each took left. And, as usual in the things politics, this doesn't have always for disinterested motives that one scorched one of the two reasons: the personal etiquettes, the small quarrels, of families, the class hates, favor them immediate, weighed well more in the balance that the considerations of social or religious order. A crowd of Christian convinced, for various motives, got without frowning in opposition with the Saint-siège, Intoxicated of the conquered liberty and stray by the complications of the politics, the supporters were himself désaccoutumés to obey.

So made Luchesio. The ambition the mordait`il wanted to bring up a spunk in the social ladder, it burned to become the equal of the nobles, to be admitted in their circle,: it was necessary well for it to get on their side. And more the gibelins, it was the party distinguished of the time, and the vanity of Luchesio had to let take itself/themselves of it: he/it makes the politics gibeline, while taking care of his/her/its trade.

He/it doesn't succeed pain in the beginning, Beautiful boy, beautiful talker, he/it didn't linger to become chief of faction and captain of youth armed of the place. Already he/it rubbed himself/itself the hands.

He/it didn't know the men; he/it had to perceive soon that life is complicated more than it had not foreseen it, a competitor exploited his tendencies too posted gibelins, and as the mass was guelfe, it diverted the stall of Luchesio of the engrossment left of his/her/its clientele. The business of this one gossips to collapse; he/it was soon in bad stance. By backlash his/her/its political influence started lowering on his/her/its turn. It was a trap beginning for the ambitious poor, finally, as in business all means are good, his/her/its rival made run on his/her/its account of the troublesome noises, his/her/its situation became untenable in Caggini. He/it taught to his/its costs q'il is dangerous to mingle the politics to the business.

Bah! It is not a failure that can overcome a young and ardent ambition. Luchesio took left with decision. The small city neighboring of Poggi-Bonzi, was won entirely, her, to the party gibelin, or of the less the guelfes, subdued, was reduced there to the silence: there was not anymore to fear, there of the political misadventures,; and more, in city one would have other outlets that in this hole of Caggiani. Luchesio moved its village and was going to get settled in Poggi-Bonzi. There, with a juvenile audacity, he/it started the lawsuit in big.

He/it started cleverly with a trade of salting united to an exchange office. It was genius's idea: one made walk the other; with a can address, there were means to make, in this combination, of pretty earnings. Him faillait not, surely, to refine on the honesty, but, in good business man, Luchesio took its party comfortably of it and practiced marvellously '' this commercial morals '' particular to the profiteers of the business, that, at the time, was my fairly elastic faith.

The house prospered, because it knew how to make there: it is he that sold the best bacon, and his/her/its salty kid was reputed; his/her/its agreeable manners attracted the customers, and the ducats flowed in the counter. He/it didn't make a politics anymore, but he/it came to the rich and he/it flattered the nobles. Then he/it lent them of money and helped them in the management of their goods: they needed him so that he/it began to have in him '' big world '' of Poggi-Bozi of the enviable relations. This time, he/it had wind in stern.

Bonadonna was proud of his/her/its husband, happy to see clever so to leading his/her/its boat and to make enter money in the case. Brave boy moreover, generous, excellent character, he/it liked well, passed him all his/her/its caprices, and provided him pretty toilets in which she/it could strut about himself and cover itself/themselves of glory in the big Mass of Sunday.

Because all two, naturally, were good Christian. They would never have missed to their duties, they made their prayers, received communion once the year, attended the Mass the week once, and even followed the processions: they acquitted these benefits as he/it paid for the census, the tithe and the fouage, and, it makes, were held discharged towards God.

They were Christian as one was in that time as one the East, in in short, today: the religion stayed in the shapes, but was not anymore in the cœurses, nor hence in life. And the main reason of the pain was the same that today: the business.

The Townships, the professions, the commerce, had transformed the conditions of life stupendously, the cities were teeming of activity; everybody sold, speculated, became richer. money once detained by the nobles, moved, came to fill the cases of the bourgeoises, all these new rich, naturally, pretended to enjoy goods thus acquired by a honest work: the lux, and the comfort entered everywhere, with them the pleasure and, well quickly, the license. When to the low people, he/it looked with desire at these happy upstarts and looked for him also to push with the elbows. Periodically, on scarcity raged on some countered. This temporary test only made sharpen the cupidities to aggravate the hates of classes of it. In this fever of lusts and enjoyments, the mind had diverted themselves from the spiritual things; absorbed by the temporal worries, they didn't find the time anymore to be interested in the religion. They had thickened, materialized, embourgeoisés. One continued at the offices, of by the acquired strength, by what it was in the mœurs, but in the bottom of the pre Mammon occupations had supplanted God, the cœurses had passed the church in the boutiques.

Luchesio and his/her/its wife were well of their time: it was precisely the pain of the time that he/it suffered, Yes, them '' replissaient their duties '', but in the evening, in their tête-à-tête, it is not the Beatitudes that they nor spoke of Kingdom of the heaven, but of money, accounts, combinations and new enterprises by rounding their newborn fortune again: that that him aillait to find now, it was some big company permitting to approach the high speculation, Luchesio undertook the trade of the grains and watched the good opportunity.

She/it presented herself/itself; with his/her/its sense of the business, he/it knew how to see to come her and to exploit it with masteries. Foreseeing a dearness of supplies, he/it arranged his/its batteries. As money of change, he/it counsel a lot of brave merchants who read gave all their confidence and that he/it handled as he/it wanted: he/it made them believe in importing deliveries that were going to make nothing fall wheat, and persuaded them to sell him their stocks down price. This monopolization hurled down the scarcity naturally. When she/it was there, Luchesio is master of the situation. It was a beautiful victory, everybody needed him, he/it made higher the prices to his/her/its will, achieving enormous earnings. His/her/its house, where gold flowed, had become the center of the life of the city: it was the fortune!

Entire to the struggle and grey by such a success, he/it didn't have the leisure to think of the poverty that his/her/its brilliant business sowed around it, one day, it is true, a poor peasant that his/her/its manœuvres had ruined, had left of at it in the maudissant and while calling it assassin: it had given him a shock to the heart, and that night he/it had had some pain to fall asleep. But he/it had driven back this sensitivity soon; because the business doesn't have anything to see with the feeling, Him faillait well ‘' to happen to ', and that wants the end wants the means, and then he/it had two sons of which he/it had to assure the future: to owe conscience.

But the truly reason that pushed Luchesio, unknowingly, to form itself/themselves the conscience, it is that to confess his/her/its injustice had put the problem complicated of the restitution, and that a doesn't renounce easily once to goods acquirement.

He/it was there if installed well! They now lived in a beautiful house, big like a palace, with walked of marble, of the carpets on the public prosecutor's office, of furniture of precious wood and a crowd of rare trinkets. To the dinners, that they gave to chosen friends, they were proud to exhibit their dish of money. And when Luchesio went by the streets, the hats tilted low before himself clothes of brocade. Probably, one remembered well how he/it had acquired all it, one spoke of it in the corners; but after all, it was the ability and the criticizers in the bottom envied it, knowing strong although to his/her/its place they would have made in the same way. He/it had succeeded, therefore he/it was respectable.

He/it was rich, finally, become extensively a considerable, honored character, flattered, living, allowed in the highest world and enjoying a big influence in the city of Poggi-Bonzi. His/her/its dreams had achieved themselves; better, he/it had achieved them; young again he/it was not thirty years old, he/it had made more path than of others in a whole life. His/her/its house sheltered what one calls a happy family.

Wakening after the mistake

However has that to the moment to enjoy the fortune, Luchesio wondered about to feel only half satisfied, and not of the all happy. In this luxury, this comfort, these honors that he/it had given himself/itself so much pain to pursue, has that he/it felt disorientated, borrowed, foreign, as if these things were not made for him, as if he/it never had anything wanted of all it. Why all this fever, all this work to succeed to this silly, flat life, vice, who read not said anything more?

To solve this imprecise enigma, he/it ironed instinctively in his/her/its imagination the sold years; he/it seemed him them to have lived in a sort of unconsciousness. And he/it ended up meeting again, all young, in Caggini, before all it didn't arrive, and he/it felt, with a big strength of evidence, that he/it had the soul then more happy, more free than today.

In the détente that operated itself after the struggle, he/it seemed him to meet himself, as someone that one lost view since long years, and that one had quite disregarded. He/it met with his/its heart: and it is his/her/its heart qu was unhappy.

He/it noted this strangely enough, that the continual tension of these years toward a stationary and obsessive goal, had covered in a way and tied-up his/her/its soul in what she/it had better, that the battle for money had confiscated it so well, that it had banished the man that it was to replace it by a foreign character: a hard and greedy tradesman. Because to the bottom, he/it was naturally right, good, even generous. And now that he/it recovered the time to be himself, this native goodness revolted, asked against '' the other '', reminded to the conscience the Luchesio his/her/its injustice, his/her/its toughness, all victims that it had made.

His/her/its nights became agitated. Lasting hours of a laborious half-sleep, of the miserable and sinister pictures in long sarabands, passed before its eyes: he/it saw the ruined homes, of the starved families thrown to the street, of the sales distressing of poor furnitures, of the mothers who looked fixedly at it with the feverish eyes while showing him their s puny children, of the fathers who stretched him the fist in maudissant the crook… He/it returned to his/its bed, buried his/her/its face in the too hot pillow, to escape the obsessive minks. But the torment continued: constantly come back to his/her/its ears the poor wretch's voice that, coming of learns his/her/its ruin, had shouted to him while leaving: ` ' God you maudisse, assassin! '' And his/her/its heart, it was again with same shock that he/it had felt that day, under the biting injury. Oh! this small scene of some seconds this desperate and indignant gesture, this look charged of hate, as she/it was himself, among so many others, installed, inlaid in his/her/its eyes! And this raucous voice, all of a sudden altered, as she/it was always, in his/her/its ears '' Assassin! Assassin! … '' But yes, it was true! He/it had killed while taking the bread of the other; he/it had, odiously, speculated on misery to become richer, while abusing the good faith of these poor people that confided in him: and it was he, him Luchesio, that, nearly without the knowledge, had been able in to varnish there! Him himself maudissait himself now: .. Miserable, here it is that the hundreds of poor wretch cover you with their maledictions, one days will rise against you before God, and then… ''. And an atrocious sudden terror, founded on him, to thought it of the judgment because his/her/its faith was tested intact -: '' Yes, it is another malediction that will fall on you, then… And you will be on the left… on the left, my God! Forever!… Ah! imbecile, to what will have served you ducats and these pugs that you stacked, and these earths that you bought and this dish of which you trust stupidly? Assassin! it is of your murders that you trust! ''

To what think - you therefore? asked him for Bonnadonna, the seer to hit itself/themselves the forehead while mumbling.

Then, to hunt his/her/its terrors, he/it took the arguments of her '' commercial morals '' that had served it so obligingly: '' It is not necessary to mingle the charity to the business… '' But immediately the conscience riposted: '' If, It is necessary to put the charity in all! but my children didn't have to me to assure their future? not at the cost of l injustice, took the other voice. Your children, they will be cursed with you: you their auras learned the sin. But finally the business is the business: when one is in the trade… has a business that it is necessary to succeed, one,: to arrive to the sky! And you, you damned yourself! You murdered, you will go to hell! … In hell… ''

And the gore of Luchesio took a sigh so raucous and so wild qu his/her/its wife was terrified some.

- But that have you therefore, Luchesio?

_Femme, he/it said a deaf voice, I have idea that we are not in order with note conscience.

- That you do tell there? And why therefore we would be adjusted of it?

- I abused the confidence of people… No it was not just, it was not permitted, Bona…

- How, not just? you won money by your trade, it is all!

But Luchesio straightened itself welding, terrifying, the led astray eyes:

I won money while deceiving, while flying, while murdering! do you hear?

- Go! do let those ideas therefore, let's do see? Don't have - you not the right to make your business like toue the world? Be therefore reasonable, Luchesio, hunt himself s dreaming, distract you: now than us vola`riches, are you going to become melancholic?

May the good Luchesio had beautiful to try to distract itself/themselves: his/her/its beautiful education, so incomplete but honest and Christian, took the over; and his/her/its conscience, and his/her/its heart, and the fear of the judgment tormented it without respite, the bite every day further. He/it was deeply unhappy.

Light in the night

In that time, one spoke a lot of a certain frate Francesco son of a rich draper of foundation, that had, for God's love, left his/her/its family and given up all his/her/its goods and that, with his/her/its disciples, browsed Italy, begging his/her/its bread, fishing the penitence and kingdom of the heaven. Ila appeared to the consciences like a liberator: the souls, désaccoutumés of God. Felt it again present, one had debased itself in the politics, hardened in wars without end, embourgeoisé in the business, and, in the embarrassments of so many worries that had distracted them of the unique necessary, all felt this '' emptiness to the heart '' of those that turned the back to Life.

And no one brought them what would have filled this emptiness. The clergy? He/it was to one his/her/its worst time and served them the official sermons, without soul, produced in Latin, only!

However has that this man who spoke to them their language, this small beggar who went from door to door, brought them the miraculous words, on his/her/its ingenuous lips, again she became again all young as on those of the Christ himself, he seemed; they lived in his/her/its mouth, because one knew that, first, they lived well in his/her/its. He/it awakened strange and deep nostalgias of this transcendent joy everywhere that he/it had discovered years the spoliation and that refused them the satiated lusts, all ran after him. By hundreds one came to enter into the pure new order to live poor and free of the earth: it was the renewal of al primitive Church in his/her/its purity, his/her/its charming charity, his/her/its conquering devotion, it made country-wide an enormous noise.

It made on the poor Luchesio an enormous impression.

The thought of him '' small poor '', as one called this François, pursued it, He/it could not stop, to compare this gesture, this sublime life to his/her/its abject conduct: and the shame, and remorse fell on it, heavier, with a strong need to be delirious himself e this burden. Ah! That he/it would have liked to speak to him '' Small Poor '', to see it only! He/it had to have, seemed him him, the solution, the formula the remedy to his/her/its pain.

However, one day of the year 1212, he/it learned that François was in Tuscany! He/it had past t in Arezzo, from where him av hunted the demons of the faction… Ah! That he/it didn't come to hunt his/her/its demon to him, Luchesio! To Florence, he/it had converted the famous Jean Parenti, doctor of the university of Bologna, that, letting there himself goods of his/her/its judge's functions, had joined him to avoid the hell, and has now that, coming back from Pisa, he/it was going to pass to San Gimignano, at a good hour of Poggi-Bonzi… Luchesio didn't hold there more: he/it made the path.

San Gimignago was torn by the factions. The clashes were there so frequent that touts the houses of the nobles had flanked themselves of high crenelated towers; this forest of dungeons had given to the city the bizarre aspect that keeps again today and that made it nickname it '' city of the towers ''. The inside was transformed in a permanent battle field.

A crowd parked on the place when Luchesio arrived THERE, Him i a man to raise a little girl while telling to him ` '' Ecco him santo! There is the saint! '' He/it watches, slip through, approach; standing on a boundary-mark, a small weak man, in rags, naked feet, girt on of a rope, looked at the people with deep black eyes, an angelic smile on his/her/its very skinny face, Luchesio believed to see a living statue of the renouncement and the love. Already he was conquered.

Close to the boundary-mark another frate was, They began to sing:

'' Fear and honor God, said - them, rent and celebrate God!

'' Return graces to the Lord and convert yourselves: because it is necessary that you know that you will die well early!

'' Give, and he/it seen will be given! Forgive, and he/it will be forgiven you!

'' And persevere in the good œuvres: blissful those that die in state of conversion, because they will go to kingdom of the heaven! ''

Then, François spoke, He had child's clear voice. He said very simple things, but amazingly discerning, because, more that his/her/its voice, it was his/her/its no one that spoke; nothing that to see it, one had the tears to the eyes, Oh! these were not the learned sermons that he/it came to recite to, him,: one knew what depths and what heroism left, each of his/her/its words.

'' Brothers, he/it said his/its singing voice, life is short and the judgment is near: look therefore for God's Kingdom and make penitence. Ah! brothers, to despise the world, to despise money,; '' it is them that divert you from God and return you unhappy! Fear to attach you to the things that pass: because we add the pilgrims and travelers here below only. Give to the poor people instead of accumulating; like to be poor for Jesus' love - Christ, and He/it will return you joy: where him there the poverty of mind, there are not any desires anymore, and therefore more of sufferings; where he/it has compassion and charity there, there are neither superfluous goods nor obduracy of the heart anymore; where are the love and wisdom, there is not anymore nor feared darkness nor. Yes, that those go the kissed head, that belongs to the devil; for us, he/it agrees that we are delighted in the Lord 1 ''

My God! as these words, each, penetrated, transfixed the heart of Luchesio, he/it seemed him that François spoke for him all alone, as s,il had guessed his/her/its presence and his/her/its distress. It was precisely the water of which he/it was thirsty; words of pure and simple truth, he/it cried, and already it is nearly of joy: he/it knew that he/it was going to be delivered.

Others also cried and hit themselves the chest: the small poor now spoke to people of San Gimignano of peace, of sweetness, of forgiveness, of concord. He/it showed the Christ in cross… E t his/her/its voice took such accents then that when it had finished, one lives two men, the two deadlier hostile of the city, to tighten itself/themselves the hand and to kiss. And Luchesio felt that God was with François. Yes, it was more that a man who had spoken thus: a man would never have made these miracles.

Having rented the Lord and kept those that landed it, François asks for a piece of bread for God's love, then he retired; and Luchesio lives it to splice at the rectory with sound has mate, he asks to speak to him.

God, that he/it appeared fragile, the small poor, seen thus of very near! And that he/it was humble and simple! And of a freshness, of a cordiality delight, with eyes full of celestial smiles, Luchesio believed to be before an angel, He felt that he would make everything that this man would tell to him.

He/it exposed him his/her/its life, his/her/its sin, the trouble of his/her/its soul. And François, having listened it, tells to him:

Brother, the Lord made you a big grace while opening you the eyes, and you must be faithful to answer there. Return these goods: because if those that one possesses honestly are us already so harmful, how much more those that the injustice acquired!

Yes… and when I will have made it, will God return to me him her peace?

Oh! Brother, does he/it repulse the prodigal child? watch crucified it for you! It is He that speaks to you, it is not anymore I: listen to it, and see to what He/it invites you: ', If you to be perfected, go, sell your goods, and deals - in the good to the poor people: and am then I, and will you have a treasure in the sky '' you won't want to follow It and to share the joy of the saints?

Oh! So, Brother François yes!… Thank you… Pray for me…

And he/it fell while sobbing in François' arms, Him renta at home with to the heart, a marvelous peace.

Quarrel in the household, and what it occurred some

Since the following day, Luchesio took its books, enclosed his/her/its accounts, put in liquidation his/her/its trade and surrendered among his/her/its sea lion to achieve his/her/its goods and to put his/her/its earths and his/her/its farms on sale.

- Bona, he/it had said to his/her/its wife, withdraw me from the business.

- Ah!, had exclaimed Bona with a tip of joy, not angry of the or even to take rest, and to be able to enjoy in peace his/her/its husband and the ease acquired.

- But as money went back, Luchesio went finds those that, to his/her/its knowledge, had suffered from the his/her/its dealings, and he made them the double of that that they had lost.

- That you make therefore? asked for Bona, amazed and anxious.

- I make what I must, he/it answered, with a calmness without retort.

Then it was the tour of the poor people, Luchesio first went to them. But immediately it was the poor people who came to him, because in two days the news had made the tour of the city: as all those that appearing extensively generous, he/it lives himself/itself, very quickly, besieged of beggars, of beggars, of poor wretch of all nuances. And him for that henceforth only asked to strip itself/themselves, gave tirelessly to all, noting how much it is easier to undo a fortune that to build it, softer as.

The poor Bonadonna didn't come back from it. An anguish hugged him, Luchesio had beautiful to explain to him, with a lot of sweetness and persuasion, what he had said François, to show to him that he could not keep these goods, to speak him of justice and to must, of Kingdom of God, the sky and the hell,: she/it didn't understand.

You didn't make anything of pain, she/it repeated a voice dolente, you made like everybody!

She/it moaned, cried, implored it to stop, of dream to his/her/its children, not to let them without heritage. For all answer, Luchesio whispered:

Our - Lord said: Misfortune to the rich! '' I would not make my children of the poor wretches of curse them as I was. No!… No!… I would teach them work, the honesty and the Saint Gospel: it will be more useful than of the last to them.

At the end, excessive, she/it overwhelms it of reproaches:

Man without heart! denatured father! Don't have - you not shame? You are going to put us on straw and to force us to beg our bread!

But the répons, always, was ready:

God, he/it said with his/her/its big inspired calmness, God who made the precept of alms, will know to provide to all: He/it told it, Ill won't permit that we lacked what to live, my Bona.

But no, similar reasons could not convince it: all it passed it infinitely. Ah! That 9il set therefore difficult of believes to the gospel to believe there up to live in the integrity of his/her/its sublime logical!

Did she/it finally, groan, where you want to come from it? How far go - you to go?

Bona, did he/it say with a smile, we were not happy in Caggiani, do say? Us he/it would be doubly now, to have shared with the poor people, as brothers. It is necessary so little to be happy!

Ciggiani! My God, to move back until this poit! To become again a simple small farmer when one had been a big lady! No, it was too awful… Then Bonadonna went cry at his/her/its friends on his/her/its husband's madness.

Luchesio is sick, told him those - here: he/it looks bad well since some times. The poor will have worked too much; you should try to fortify it, to make take him of rest and more of food. His/her/its ideas will pass then.

Alas! It is exactly what Luchesio didn't want to hear more. He fasted in a troubling way, refused to take wine whereas he gave some to the beggars and didn't eat more hardly than of bread and spinach with water, as the destitute. He/it passed the best of his/her/its nights on the knees, to pray and there to read in his/her/its Gospel. As he to view of œil got thinner. When he/it left, it was to go to some poor people or to the hospital, or in a church where one saw it, of hours during dived in the prayer, the face all in tears.

'' Sharp depression with religious madness '', would have diagnosed our modern psychiatrists. And the origin of the pain had not escaped their shrewdness:: '' physical and intellectual Overworking with digestive unrests defiant a poisoning of the nerve cells.., without being as scientist, it is certainly of one analogous way that Bonadonna judged his/her/its husband's case: very sure, he/it swallows it '' black bile ''. She/it didn't recognize her/its Luchesio anymore, previously so cheerful, so alert, enterprising, liking life, and the magnet, her Bonadonna: he/it was now silent, concentrated in himself, so distant of her to what he/it seemed him. When he/it spoke to him, it is to make him the sermons, for task to drag it in his/her/its extravagances.

Yes, Luchesio wanted to convince it, to share with her his/her/its treasure. And it is of a higher love than he/it liked it, with infinitely more tenderness, nobility and depth than before. And Bona had to recognize well that to part his/her/its madness, as she said, he had become better, softer, more conciliatory in all; more he/it was never angry more even of these small movements of mood that he/it had once; and he/it didn't find a pain anymore to say that of himself. But precisely this charity and this humility displeased to him, irritated it. Oh! As she/it liked it better before!

Luchesio endured that was his/her/its only suffering to note this remoteness to which he was not able to anything, to see his/her/its dear Bona again if low, entangled in these things that he now knew so abject. He/it pitied it, and, because of it even, he/it brought up him more affection. Of all heart, he/it persisted in catechizing it, with neophyte's clumsiness. But his/her/its inopportune goodwill only had it upset more; and this new love, yet so high, so strong, would stay closed to him, she/it could not see it, she/it could not understand: she/it was always only a '' good Christian '', light of in top had not hit it; she/it judged in terrestrial soul, according to the prudence of the flesh, and didn't hear anything to the prudence of the mind that drove his/her/its husband in the new ways.

Also a heavy misunderstanding weighed on the household, and Bonadonna became each day more unhappy and angrier.

What she/it saw her, it is that the situation of the house became untenable: she/it was invaded by a procession of beggars, and his/her/its miserable husband didn't seem to have eyes that for them. In spite of his/her/its prayers and his/her/its protests, he/it gave, always gave, robbing the cases and the pantry, sending one after the other furniture and the valuable articles. She/it was reduced some to hide his/her/its jewelry. Sometimes, when she/it wanted gets to prepare the meal, she/it found kitchen and cellar emptied. It was intolerable.

And then people chatted away: the sad household became the laughingstock public d, Bus for all Luchesios, obviously, was disrupted. In Pogg-Bonzi, as in all small cities, the gossip went their train. Everybody knowing itself/themselves, there were always news to comment to the doorsteps, in the boutiques, the lounges, and the inns,; and, as good one thinks, it was not all the charity, that governed these gossips. Also the case of Luchesio made the noise in city. A similar event was a godsend for the bad languages: it was to that would learn, would invent new prank some to take to the poor man. It is so funny to tell these news - there, especially on the account of someone that one envied! The bourgeoises of Poggi-Bonzi, all as Bonadonna, were well incapable to understand whatever it was hers '' divine madness ''. A saint is by nature a misunderstood: '' Freed of the human preoccupations, he/it appears considered by the crowd like a mad: and the crowd doesn't see that it is an inspired… (Plato)

But that imports to the man that The mind inspired? He/it knew, him, that he/it saw clear and that the other were blind, as himself had been previously. And he/it tasted an intense happiness, one seraphic liver,: because in his/her/its heart - inebriate the love sprang winner, of depths of the renouncement.

Before his/her/its eyes floated, like a vision, the smile of the small poor, his/her/its angelic face, his/her/its illuminated eyes of an interior flame. And it raised it like a wing, and threw it on his/her/its turn on the Cœur of the Christ blessed.

He/it lived with God, and God magnet, he/it spilled on all in charity, and this one went up in a fervid prayer for the other. Every day, he/it implored the Lord to illuminate his/her/its companion also, since himself could arrive there. '' Oh Jesus, he/it implored while crying, convert my Bona! "You knew how much I like it and how much I would like it happy, happy as me, my God! She/it is again if lion, and I suffer from seeing it thus… OH good Jesus, have compassion of her, as You have, divinely, had compassion of me, help it, heal it, her also ''.

A prayer pushed of so much love had to be granted.

One day that the affluence of the poor people had been especially cumbersome, Bonadonna having opened the bin to bread to put the table, noted, once besides, that she was emptied completely; he/it had distributed again quite! Vexed, indignant, she/it was going to make him the reproach of it. But already of other poor people were there. And has him not Luchesio that tells to him:

Bona, bring some breads for these poor people.

It was too strong! His/her/its irritation exploded:

How, some breads? … Ah! You see good that your fastings and your eves you one uneasy the brain! you know well that you gave everything, and that he/it doesn't remain even a piece of bread for us! You ridicule yours, they are not anything for you: you don't have a heart that for strangers…

Oh! Bona, am I going to send back these poor people the empty hands?

Go therefore yourself to look for what to feed these insatiable!

Luchesio kept on her a soft and deep eyes;

Bona, says - him, dream to The one that, with five breads and two fish, fed the thousands of people… is Going to see, while thinking about him, and bring breads.

She/it returned to the kitchen, by mood, to cut to an useless discussion… all the same, the look, the accent of Luchesio had hit it…. Captivated, nearly unconscious, it opened the bin again: Supé faction! Marvel! She/it was crammed of beautiful cool breads, that smelled good.

And God's lumi`re fell on it,

A miracle! God's finger! God who was in favor to cover and to approve the conduct of Luchesio! How doesn't e believe, to approve her also? My God!…

Tremble of emotion, she/it brought breads, distributed them herself. Then when they were alone:

Oh my Luchesio, she/it exclaimed while falling in his/her/its arms, it is you that had shaved… don't Forgive me not to have understood. I was well now méchante…Mais, I see: yes, I want with you to serve God and the poor people…

Of this day, they were two to lead the Christian life, and their lodgings was only one house of beneficence. Systematically, they were to poverty, they would have given everything, had not been their children, to which they reserved what to live honestly. Their beautiful fortune founded under their fingers, but they had recover, on the superior plan of the divine love the union of the cœurses and the joy of the children of the mind.

God put himself the seal to their detachment: He/it took them their two children, providing to their fate one-handed sovereign. And this pain, saintly accepted, finished to give them to Him. From then on, they were not more on earth that of the strangers, of the pilgrims of Kingdom.

Religious in the world

When a soul gave itself fairly to God, it is natural that it feels to awaken in it the desire of the religious life, Déprise of a world become too low for her, she is of it disorientated and feel the need to leave it: and she/it turns toward the cloister. She/it feels, by a sort of supernatural instinct, that it is there, in the restful solitude, in the complete abandonment to God, in the continual prayer and in one life organized in order to perfect the love, that this one will be able to bloom at ease and find the food for that he/it asks.

Luchesio and Bona, detached of the earth, had to feel this desire, They heard to speak of the admirable life that François' disciples led, and they envied them. Ah! to be as them free of all things, and to live in the simplicity perfected of the obedience and poverty! But has; he/it was married, and one doesn't unknot the nœuds that the Saint Church made. The question appeared them insoluble.

Bona went there well sometimes of his/her/its small solutions to her, but to the first t exam they proved to be fanciful and impracticable.

What a pity, she/it said, that we cannot enter together in a monastery!

Do you wonder there? Answered Luchesio while smiling, but no, it would be necessary that we retired each on our side, me at the brothers, and you at the sœurs of Lady Claire.

Would not one see then more ever itself? exclaimed Boba. Oh! no, Luchesio, I like you well too much for it! And then, you see I need you to continue to serve the Lord: to see you, you, so good, so detached, so devout, it is my strength mine.

The strength of Luchesio, it was François, as soon as he/it thought of him, he/it felt raised himself above and his/her/its devotion threw a new flame, his/her/its method of asceticism was to endeavor to look like François. He/it often spoke of him to Bona, and this one had not given all at the world to see, her also, the small poor, Luchesio himself had been well joy of him reparler to submit him his/her/its doubts. But said to some that he/it had left for Raising it with the king Lois to preach the faith to the infidels.

However, to some years of their conversion, they learned that François had come back of Egypt and that he passed again by Tuscany. It was in 1221. Luchesio, this time, didn't have anymore to go to his/her/its meeting, because brother François stopped in very Boggi-Bonzi.

He/it recovered the saint as him had seen it in San Gimignano, gaunter only and more seraphic. He/it heard it again, this time with Bona, to preach the speech of truth. Then he/it was going to make him visit and presented him his/her/its wife.

Brother François, li says it, we would like to follow you and to share your kind of life well. But we got married; do we therefore have to separate?

Not, answered François, remain together, since together you learned to serve the Lord.

- Then, would be able to indicate us us how, while being married, will we be able to ourselves in to sanctify as those that live with you?

François considered them with love, him veniat to stop with the cardinal Hugolin, to Florence, the details of the rule of the third order.

Precisely, he/it answered, since some time I think about founding a third order, in which people married or retained in the world will be able to serve God perfectly. Because a lot of other, prevented to enter in the first order or in the second, made me the same demand than you. You could be there the first yours to enroll: of the sort, remaining in the world, you would not be anymore from the world….

Yes, yes, it is exactly it! Discontinues happy Bona.

Because the important, see yourselves, pursued François, is not the place, but the heart: to sanctify itself/themselves, it like God and serve It in poverty, abnegation and the charity; and it, one can make it everywhere and in all states, because the Lord commanded us all to lead a perfect life. But as he/it is not good that the men remain alone to make it the good, I wanted to group them in fraternities, under a director's obedience, and give them a rule, so that he/it encourages himself/itself mutually and is held to persevere in their holy project: they will lead of the sort the religious life without abandoning theirs secular functions.

And he/it exposed them the shape of life that he/it had conceived for this new order.

It is a big grace, said Luchesio, and with happiness my wife and me we will be bone first recruits.

The following day François announced his intention publicly to restore in the world the perfect Christian life; and a big number of man and women gave their adherence. Luchesio was for a big part in this success: because so in the beginning one had ridiculed him, a turning around had not lingered to occur. His/her/its piety, his/her/its disinterestedness, his/her/its charity had especially conquered him the esteem, then the admiration of people of Poggi-Bonzi, at least of the best. One now envied his/her/its virtue, one as one had envied his/her/its fortune. And many were ready to walk on his/her/its traces. The almighty strength, the example, had acted. The presence of the small poor had made the rest.

François unites them in a chapel of which one had made him grant, exposed them the rule and, after some meetings, when he judged them prepared sufficiently, before a touched helper until the tears, he donned them of an ash grey dress with a rope around the mere nothing. The first fraternity of the order of the Penitence was founded.

And the pure and fervid life of the first communities Christian refleurissait in the world.

Because it was well it that holy François had wanted for this third order as for the two first: to make live the gospel, fully, as the first Christian had lived it, in the penitence, the prayer and the mutual love, instituting this perfect life, type of the religious life of which was inspired in the continuation all monastic constitutions. All observances of the rule aimed to this goal:

The brothers of the third order were penitents: they had to abstain of the feasts, spectacles and dances and had to distribute to the poor people their superfluous incomes; they wore a coarse sheet dress (to six under the ell for the men, and two, coins for the women, said the first rule), and had many days of fasting and abstinence.

They were men of prayer, recited the canonical hours, frequently received communion and maintained in them the flame of the piety by a continual prayer, '' raised day and night to God ''. Their monthly meetings included the Mass, the predication, the divine office and the private prayer.

They practiced the charity and his/her/its sister the peace, had to put an end to all inimité, to restore their ill-gotten goods, to make alms, to visit the patients and to make of the remittances the to the common case.

But over these prescriptions, it was before a whole mind that circulated in the fraternities and infused them a stupendous life: The very mind of the small poor, in all cœurses, the stopped desire and fervid to model their life on his and on the one of their brothers of the big order. The tertiary were, in all truth, of religious in the world,; and they considered themselves like such. The one was there their strength.

Founded as soon as, the fraternity of Poggi-Bonzi became the religious center of the city and an active ferment of Christian regeneration. The action of this core of Christian truths, solidly to group between them, is sufficient to transform the small city. At the end of a short time, she/it was not more to recognize; a true and deep piety was in the cœurses, the good mœurs reigned everywhere, the poor people were rescued with a touching charity, the business dealt themselves with honesty and the commercial morals met okay with the Christian morals, the class dissensions and of families of were extinguished, it was everywhere the peace and a holy joy in the mutual love and in the Christ's love.

And Luchesio, pioneer of this magnificent renewal showed to all nobles example of this complete Christian life and the most admirable virtues.

He/it lived from then on, with Bonadonna, in a rigorous poverty, to be of the religious, to live like brother François, not to be anymore from the world, as he/it had told to them, it is their leading thought. The religious don't have anything, and François was starved of poverty; Luchesio alienated what he had of goods, only reserving a small field, that he cultivated himself of which he shared took it with the needy persons. Bonadonna herself the pushed there: poverty had become their goal, their joy and their treasure.

The senate of Poggi-Bonzi full of recognition for François, had prayed it of established a community of Brothers in the city and had allowed it to build a convent on the hill where stood the ruins of a castle-strong dismantled.

Luchesio was delighted some and offered his/her/its services to the Brothers for the works of the construction; he/it got to the work with ardor, pulling the stones of the former castle and transporting them on foot of work, he/it mingled with the worker, broke the crust with them on the yard and treated them in friends: and this simplicity of Luchsio messire in the profession of maneuver made more for the social closeness that beautiful of speech and politics, when to it, it found in this humble labor and this fraternity, a joy that it had never felt in his/her/its ostentatious life.

When the religious were installed, it was between the brothers of the first and the third order, an assault of poverty, prayers and good œuvres.

We must, had told Luchesio to his/her/its wife, to have us our convent also,: it will be our house.

The Franciscans gave bread and soup to the poor people in their door: Luchesio made in the same way, But as his/her/its convent to it didn't have a fence, it made his/its table eat the poor people, letting them the best and being content himself of a crust.

The Franciscans begged what they gave; Luchesio, become poor, went from door to door to fetch what to feed the poor wretches: and his/her/its tertiary brothers, touched of this example, gave to him extensively.

Then he/it started making accommodate at home the poor people and the patients, and, with his/her/its wife, to lavish them all cares. They had discovered, now has that all false needs were suppressed, that their house was well too big and included a lot of unemployed place: she/it was transformed soon in shelter, in hospice and in hospital. One called it in city '' The inn of the poor people. ''

The room of Luchesio was always available, because it had taken the habit to sleep in the halls or even outside on the naked earth. He/it felt a strange and deep joy to pamper in his/her/its good bed a poor wretch or to watch overnight over a patient her during. Ilsse remembered the speech of the then Mr.; '' What you make to the smallest of mine, it is myself that you make it '': and in truth, he/it seemed him to take care of very Christ then; and it was there a delicious thing, and he/it doubled towards these poor people, become sacred, of attention and gentleness; and when he/it hung himself/itself on them, it was with more that of compassion; it was with love.

The biggest part of his/her/its time happened in the neighboring hospitals, where it expended much energy without counting in his/her/its male nurse's role. When to his/her/its own hospital. His/her/its house full of the patients of poor people, it was t the domain of Bonadonna; she/it was the mom of all, besognant, trotting, prepares ointments and infusions, and, that making, laughed, sang, and… had felt never as happy.

Luchesio went looks for himself the patients and brought them at him, sustaining them, taking them in his/her/its arms, charging them on his/her/its shoulders.

This is how one day a young home saw it escorted of two invalids and while carrying a third on his/her/its back. This one had to really have bad appearance, bus to the passage the ill-mannered youngster exclaimed;

Hey, it is the devil who is seated on your back!

No, retorted the saint, sudden all touched, it is not the devil, it is Our Lord Christ!

However, at once, the scatterbrain was struck of muteness. He/it threw himself/itself to the feet of Luchesio, crying, groaning, joined hands,; and the good Samaritan, having prayed, returned him the speech and says to him mildly:

Go in peace and don't sin anymore against the holy charity.

He/it surrounded his/its dear care patients so maternal, he/it went up them so much true tenderness, he/it spoke them with such a persuasion that he/it reached their souls while taking care of their bodies: so that many, that he/it had found embittered and rebels, converted, under empire of his/her/its goodness, to poverty and to the perfect life.

Only the charity has some equals triumphs.

All disgrace, all need or physical or moral was certain to find by him a friendly welcome.

A petitioner is for us a troublesome; these visits - are there only in source of problems, and to give continuation there one is overflowed quickly by a heap of worries, It is why one of the big preoccupations of the world is to entrench itself/themselves against these intruders. Luchesio, him, searched for them and it was heroic, it. HE/IT didn't expect that one came to ask him for service; generously he/it went ahead of the traces and of works hard them that imposes the charity. He/it was to the look-out of miseries, in order to carry remedy there. Also the field of his/her/its charity always spread more, and his/her/its life was only an exhaustion without respite, but his/her/its pain was his/her/its happiness, because it had learned of François the secret of it '' perfect joy '': and he/it never had enough of it.

There was, between Poggi-Bonzi and Siena, of vast plains swampy, The Maremmeses, homes of fevers and illnesses. The inhabitants, sparse and very poor people, of this sad country were nearly all affected by the malaria and were very abandoned; one avoided to pass by there because shout the contagion, that was dangerous, it was not able to lack to solicit the active compassion of Luchesio; he/it had kept his/its enterprising mind, but all his/her/its initiative was now turned toward goods of the other. He/it made himself/itself physician, bought a donkey, charged it of antipyretic and of tonics, and got to browse the Maremmeses. Of tumble-down cottage in tumble-down cottage, under a torrid sun, in the stuffy atmosphere of these swamps, constantly risking to take himself the illness, he/it was going to take care of, to comfort, to help, to like these poor wretches,; and, says his/her/its biographer, better than his/her/its pharmacy, his/her/its only presence healed them (2)

Because, to reward it of this marvelous charity, God now condescended there the to assist Himself; Luchesio made some miracles. It made it besides only humbler, and when one made his/her/its praise he/it answered merely '' Oh! a man is only worth what he is in front of God ''. But this supernatural power assured him a decisive influence everywhere, and it benefitted from this to bring the souls to the good, to spread the beneficent third order more and more and there to enroll new recruits; this one ends up grouping the biggest part of the population.

This goodwill, this abnegation, this heroic goodness, was only the flame that brought up the home of another love: the one of the Christ to which he/it had given himself/itself body and soul. As his/her/its master the seraphic stigmatized, he/it was intoxicated of this unique love. His/her/its life was only a prayer, a devotion springing toward The one that had conquered it and that had become his/her/its all. To the in as to the outside, in work as in rest, on the paths as home, his/her/its mind stopped praying. (3)

His/her/its inhuman labor never stopped it from attending to '' the unique necessary thing '', the holy contemplation: to the church or, the night, to the bedhead of the patients, he/it succeeded in finding of long hours during which, releasing bridle to his/her/its heart, he/it ran away of the world while burning symposia with the Beloved; and sometimes one saw it immobile, insensible, transfigured and surrounded of a celestial light. He/it came out of these ecstasies with a renewed soul and radiant.

He/it constantly meditated on poverty and the sufferings of Jesus and Marie, this thought pulled him some tears, and it had invent only to offer, to their continuation, to more of poverty and to more of suffering. With Bonadonna, he/it led, by love of the Christ, an extremely hard and mortifying life,: they lay down on the tile, carry the cilice and gave themselves of the bloody disciplines; they didn't allow any pleasure, abstinence and the fasting had passed usually at home to the state.

But together they prayed, together they received the only bread that had more flavor for their sanctified mouths, together they liked Jesus of a love that, every day, invaded them a few more: and this love and this union to the Mr. of happiness, put in their couer of the jubilation ineffable of the transportation of a pure and vast joy as the sky, and this '' peace of the Christ that passes all feeling ''.

Having given everything they had found Kingdom of the Heaven: they had found happiness.

Oh! yes, Luchesio, said Bonadonna, you were right well: little thing are necessary to be happy; God's love is necessary.

And it is with tears of happiness that she/it thanked his/her/its spouse of him to have shown the paths of joy.

They died the same day, at the same hour: God made them this last and touching grace of power, having united on the earth in a higher celestial marriage than the first, to fly off of concert her of it celestial City toward which they had concert traveled and fought, and not to have separated one hour nor here below, nor up there.

It arrived April 9, 1260, among the perfumes of the Italian spring, after forty years of this heroic life.

This death ‘' had the size and the serenity of the one of patriarches ‘'. (4)

As they were all two patients, the state of Bonadonna worsened all of a sudden, Lucesio, forgetting his/her/its own pain, rose, was going to comfort it and to advise it to receive the last sacraments, and he found the energy to help it himself. After the devout ceremony, he/it tells to him, of a voice where already sang,; all rejoicings of the sky:

Oh my Bona, you know in what union of cœurs us served our good Lord together, here it is that together also we are going to leave up there for e êtr with Him. Oh! Bona, soon! in a little while! My heart melts to this soft thoughts… Wait me a little: I go on my turn to receive knows it Money, and then I would go to the Sky with you.

And he/it drew on her a big sign of cross and regained his/her/its layer laboriously. His/her/its confessor, the Father Hildebrand, of the convent of the Franciscans, tells to him: My dear brother Luchesio is strong and prepare yourselves to your Savior's arrival, because she is near. Repulse all temptation; you can believe me of it, today same, you will see the salute and the crown of glory.

Luchesio raised a little his/her/its moribund head:

Agreeable Father Hildebrand, he/it says while smiling, if I had waited until this day to prepare me to die, hey well! hold, I didn't despair more in actual fact goodness of Dieu`mais, I would be less calm.

And, raising the hands and the eyes in the sky:

I return you grace, he/it exclaimed, oh holy and adorable Trinidad, Father, Son and Holy spirit, and to you my blessed Father, blissful François, of me to have delivered of the traps of l ' hell, here am me ready, free and happy, and it is yours that I owe it by the merits of the Note Passion-Lord Jesus Christ!

In this feast of his/her/its soul, he/it received the last sacraments. Then, hearing that his/her/its wife says nothing about to the agony, he made a last effort, crawled ' jusqu to her, took his/her/its hands in his and comforted it by the softest and by the most sublime words.

Him défaillait. One carried it on his/her/its bed. Immediately his/her/its divine look fixes. One heard it to whisper: ‘' Jesus… Marie… François, my Father… ‘' Then he/it made the sign of the cross, and his/her/its soul gave the hand to the one of his/her/its wife to fly off to the sky.

Epilogue

Luchesio, having converted to the love, had converted there, to the love, had converted the vielle that he/it lived in there, better than would not have made a lot of sermons, of fast and missions,: he/it had merely, given the example.

Of the similar facts spleens were not to this time; they abounded under the steps of François saint of foundation; in a society in discomfiture, the small poor attracted, magnetized, grouped around him everything that remained good, all even noble souls that, nonsuited of their middle, felt if need be of renewal, adjoining the man who would bring them the formula of it. He/it had the sort constituted this means, main piece of all social renovation, that was going to act on the masses.

The results were stupendous. The third order made stain of oil all over the world in Italy, in Europe, Overflowing the religious domain or plut^tu prolonging this one, his/her/its influence, win turtles the branches of the social and political domain: not only he/it restored the piety, the good mœurs and the obedience of the supporters, everywhere but he/it assured the triumph of the Saint-siège, finished the autonomy of the townships and time to the emperor to deposit the weapons. In all truth, according to the prophetic vision of III innocent, holy François had, grace especially has third order, redoes a new Christendom and saved the church and the society at a time.

The secret of these triumphs? ', Long live the gospels '', had said the small poor: it had been sufficient to all. Because this formula, for each hired the whole life, transformed it according to the Christian mind: and of the thus operated sanctification, sprang naturally the goodwill, the devotion, the example and all œuvres for that the circumstances of the time asked. It had been sufficient then, had been sufficient to the first centuries like that to conquer the Roman empire. It would be sufficient again today; it is alas! What one forgets the more today.

During the centuries, the third order remained a nursery of saints. More of hundred tertiary have been put on the altars, to start with their two admirable bosses, holy Louis of France and Elisabeth saint of Hungary, and more of five hundred died in odor of holiness, these fates is for the Christian an admirable school of perfection.

The Christian must sanctify themselves, all. The healthy, the tertiary saints especially, these laymen, show to them eloquently how they can make it in was where they are. If the church canonizes them, it is to make their models of it.

No not that each must push Luchesio q'un as far: these are the summits whose ascension requires a too rare vigor. Yet the Holy spirit blows again nowadays: a Matt Talbot doesn't yield it in anything in the heroic Luchesio.

But that to the less, before such examples, they become aware of that that their title of the Christian implies, that they review their life and undertake the reform of it; that they stop wanting to get married God and Mammon, Kingdom of the Heaven and Kingdom of the earth; and, taking the gospel seriously, that they finally agree to put to the basis of their life this fundamental stone: the detachment. They will find the time that misses to them then, they say, to pray, to attend the Mass and to be going to receive communion; they will find the leisures and the unsuspected resources to dispense to the poor people and the apostolate.

What misses, it is courage. The only obstacle, it is the cowardice: they are afraid, escape before this off-putting word written down in the gospel: the renouncement. Ah! That they believe the saints, of all tests of happiness that they will be able to tempt here below, one of it only can succeed: the one that will leave that gait. Only the saints are happy: the way is hard, but to the tip is joy.

Reference

(1) Paul Guerin, The palm seraphic T.IV.p.259
(2) Bolland,T.III p.603
(3) ibid., p. 607
(4) the Monnier, Life of S, François of Assise,T.2. p.16