Chapter Nine
THE SPIRIT OF PROPHECY

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FIRST, HOW HE FORETOLD THAT PEACE WOULD BE RESTORED BETWEEN THE BISHOP AND THE PODESTÀ OF ASSISI BY THE PRAISE OF THE CREATURES THAT HE HAD COMPOSED AND HOW HE ORDERED HIS COMPANIONS TO SING IT TO THEM

After blessed Francis had composed The Praises of the Creatures, which he called The Canticle of Brother Sun, a serious misunderstanding arose between the bishop and the podestà of the city of Assisi. Thus the bishop excommunicated the podestà, and the podestà issued an order that no one was to sell anything or buy anything from the bishop, or to draw up any legal document with him.

Although blessed Francis was very ill when he heard about this, he was moved by piety for them, especially since there was no one intervening to make peace between them. He said to his companions: "It is a great shame for us, servants of God, that the bishop and the podestà hate one another in this way, and that there is no one intervening for peace and harmony between them."

And so, for that reason, he immediately composed one verse for the Praises, and he dictated:

Praised be You, my Lord, through those
who give pardon for Your love
and bear infirmity and tribulation.
Blessed are those who endure in peace
for by You, Most High, they shall be crowned.

Afterwards he called one of his companions and told him: "Go to the podestà and, on my behalf, tell him to go to the bishop's residence together with the city's magistrates and bring with him as many others as he can."

And when the brother had gone, he said to two of his other companions: "Go and sing the Canticle of Brother Sun before the bishop, the podestà, and the others who are with them. And I trust in the Lord that He will immediately humble their hearts and they will return to their earlier friendship and love."

Therefore, when they had all gathered in the piazza inside the cloister of the bishop's residence, the two brothers rose and one of

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