brothers, although he marvelously did not speak, he rejoiced internally and externally on hearing some good words so that he often moved to devotion the other brothers who saw him.

After he had been living this way for several years, it happened that blessed Francis came to that place where he was staying. When he heard the brothers tell him about this brother's way of life, he said: "Know for a truth that this is diabolical temptation and deception, because he does not want to confess."

In the meantime the minister general came there to visit blessed Francis and began to praise this brother in front of blessed Francis. "Believe me, brother," blessed Francis told him, "this brother is led and deceived by an evil spirit."

The general minister said: "I find it amazing and almost unbelievable that this can be about a man who possesses so many signs and works of holiness."

"Test him then," blessed Francis replied. "Tell him to go to confession twice or even once a week. If he does not listen to you, you will know what I told you is true."

Therefore, the general minister told that brother: "Brother, I want you to confess twice or at least once a week."

He, however, put a finger on his lips and shook his head, showing by signs that he would in no way do this because of his love for silence. The minister, however, fearing that he would scandalize him, let him go. Not many days afterward, that brother left the Order of his own will, and returned to the world wearing secular clothing.

One day while two companions of blessed Francis were walking along some road, they met him. He was walking alone like a very poor pilgrim. Feeling compassion for him, they said: "You wretch, where is your holy and upright life? You used to love the solitary life so much that you did not want to show yourself to your brothers nor speak to them. And now you go wandering through the world like a man who does not know God."

He began to speak to them, often swearing on his faith like secular people.

"Wretched man," the brothers told him, "why do you swear on your faith like secular people, you who abstained not only from idle words, but from even good ones."

They left him. And a little later, he died.

And we were greatly amazed, seeing how in this way it was true to the letter, as blessed Francis had predicted about him, at a time when that wretch was considered a saint by the brothers.

 Previous

Next