XXV
HOW MY LADY POVERTY BLESSED THE BROTHERS, EXHORTING THEM TO PERSEVERE IN THE GRACE WHICH THEY HAD RECEIVED
HOW MY LADY POVERTY BLESSED THE BROTHERS, EXHORTING THEM TO PERSEVERE IN THE GRACE WHICH THEY HAD RECEIVED
Blessed are you, my Sons, of the Lord who made Heaven and Earth, who have received me into your House with such Fulness of Charity that it seems to me as if, being with you, I had to-day been in Paradise. Wherefore I am full of Joy and abound in Consolation, and I ask pardon of you for having so long delayed my Coming. Verily the Lord is with you,♦Gen. xxviii. 16.♦and I knew it not. Behold, what I longed for I see, what♦Antiphon at the Benedictus in the Feast of St Agnes.♦I desired I hold, for I am joined to them that are a type upon Earth of Him to Whom I am espoused in Heaven. The Lord bless your Fortitude,♦Deut. xxxiii. 11.♦and receive the Work of your Hands. I pray and most earnestly beseech you, as most dear Sons, to persevere in those Things which you have begun by the Inspiration of the Holy Ghost, not abandoning your Perfection as is the Custom with some, but avoiding all the Snares of Darkness, strive ever after Things more Perfect. Most high is your Perfection, above Man and the Strength of Man, and it excels in its Brightness the Perfection of your Forefathers. Have no Doubt or Fear concerning the Kingdom of Heaven, for you already hold the Earnest of Future♦Eph. i. 14.♦Inheritance and a Pledge of♦2 Cor. v. 5.♦the Spirit, being sealed with the Seal of the Glory of Christ, and are like in all things, by His Grace, to that first Company of Disciples which He gathered about Him when He came into the World. For that which they did when He was with them, you have done not seeing Him, and you need not fear to say: Behold we♦Matt. xix. 27.♦have left all Things and have followed Thee.
Let not the Greatness of the Fight, nor the Magnitude of the Labour hinder you, for Great shall be your Reward.♦Heb. x. 35.♦Looking unto the Author and♦Heb. xii. 2.♦Finisher of All Good Things, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who having Joy set before Him, endured the Cross, despising the Shame, hold fast to the♦Heb. x. 23.♦Confession of your Hope, without wavering. Run with Charity to the Fight that is before you; run, too, with Patience which is most necessary to you, that by so doing the Will of God you may receive the Promise. For God is able by His Holy Grace to bring to a happy Consummation, the Work which is above your Strength, because He is faithful to His Promises. Let nothing be found in you pleasing to the♦Eph. ii. 2.♦Spirit of the Children of Unbelief, let there be no Doubt or Hesitation, lest in working their Wickedness against you, they convict you of Consent. For it is a proud Spirit, but♦Isa. xvi. 6.♦its Pride and Arrogancy are greater than its Strength. This Spirit is exceeding wrath with you, and it will turn against you all the Arms of its Cunning. It will seek to pour out the Venom of its Malice upon you, like one who in fighting had thought all his Enemies vanquished, and now rages to see you looking down upon him. All the Inhabitants of Heaven, O dearest Brothers, rejoice exceedingly in your Conversion, and have sung a new Song before the Face of the Eternal King. The Angels rejoice because of you, for through you many shall continue Virgins, they shall be resplendent in Chastity, and shall fill the empty places in the City on High, where Virgins are established in especial Glory, for those that neither marry♦Matt. xxii. 30.♦nor are given in Marriage are like the Angels in Heaven. The Apostles exult at seeing their Life renewed, and their Doctrine preached, and because you show an Example of the Highest Sanctity. And the Martyrs exult, waiting to see their Constancy in the Shedding of Blood made manifest in you also. The Confessors dance before the Lord, knowing that their Victory in the Face of the Enemy is often to be repeated in you. The Virgins who follow the Lamb♦Rev. xiv. 4.♦whithersoever He goeth, likewise rejoice, knowing that by you many will be daily added to their Number. The Whole Court of Heaven is filled with Joy, for daily shall they keep the Festival of some new Inhabitant, and because they shall be continually incensed with the Odour of Holy Prayers ascending from this Valley of Tears.
♦Rom. xii. 1.♦Therefore, I beseech you, dear Brothers, by the Mercy of God, for which you have made yourselves thus Poor, carry out that which you have come to do, for which you left the Rivers of Babylon. Receive in all Humility the Grace which has been given you, use it worthily in All Things, and always for the Praise, Honour, and Glory of Him Who died for you, Our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with the Father and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, Victorious and Glorious, Eternal God, World without End,
AMEN
HERE ENDETH THE TREATISE CONCERNING THE LADY POVERTY AND OUR SERAPHIC FATHER, THE BLESSED FRANCIS.
HERE ENDETH THE TREATISE CONCERNING THE LADY POVERTY AND OUR SERAPHIC FATHER, THE BLESSED FRANCIS.
This Work was done in the Month of July, after the Death of the Blessed Francis, in the Year One thousand two hundred and twenty-seven after the Incarnation of OUR LORD and SAVIOUR, JESUS CHRIST.