Second Lesson

For there was to be sure a generous care for the poor together with kindness and gentleness implanted in the heart of the youthful Francis. Increasing in him from early childhood, it had filled his heart with such kindness that, even at that time, he resolved not to be a deaf hearer of the Gospel, but to give an alms to everyone who begged, especially if he asked out of divine love. From the first flower of his youth he bound himself to the Lord by a firm promise that, if it were possible, he would never refuse those who begged from him for the love of God. Since he did not cease to fulfill so noble a promise until death, he attained forevermore abundant increase of grace and love for God. Even though a small flame of God's fiery love flourished constantly in his heart, as a young man involved with worldly concerns, he was ignorant of the mystery of the divine eloquence. When the hand of the Lord was upon him, ^{Ez 1:3} he was chastened exteriorly by a long and severe illness and enlightened interiorly by the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

Third Lesson

After Francis's strength of body was somehow restored and his mental attitude changed for the better, he had an unexpected meeting with a knight who was of noble birth but poor in possessions. He was reminded of Christ, the poor and noble king. He was moved toward this man with such piety that he removed the fine garments which he had just acquired for himself and immediately dressed the soldier, leaving himself without clothes. The following night, when he had fallen asleep, a worthy revelation showed him a large and splendid palace with military arms emblazoned with the insignia of the cross. He was promised with earnest certitude that all these things were for him and his soldiers, if he constantly bore the standard of the cross of Christ. From that time as he was removing himself from the pressure of public business, he began to seek out solitary places favorable for grieving, where, with unutterable groans, he concentrated incessantly on meriting to be heard by the Lord after the long perseverance of his prayers during which he begged the Lord that the way to perfection be shown to him.

Fourth Lesson

One of those days, withdrawn in this way, while he was praying, Christ Jesus, appeared to him as fastened to a cross and repeated for him so efficaciously this Gospel text: if you wish to come ^{Mt 16:24}

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Lectio secunda.

2 ¹Inerat namque iuvenis Francisci praecordiis divinitus, indita cum lenitate mansuetudinis quaedam ad pauperes miseratio liberalis, quae secum ab infantia crescens, tanta cor illius benignitate repleverat, ut, iam Evangelii non surdus auditor, omni proponeret se petenti tribuere, maxime si divinum allegaret amorem. ²In ipso quippe iuventutis flore firma se Domino sponsione constringens, quod numquam, si possibilitas afforet, petentibus pro amore Domini se negaret, dum promissum tam nobile usque ad mortem servare non destitit, ad copiosiora in Deum dilectionis et gratiae incrementa pervenit. ³Verum, licet hic iugiter in corde ipsius divini amoris vigeret igniculus, ignorabat adhuc adolescens, curis terrenis implicitus, caelestis allocutionis arcanum, donec, facta manu Domini super eum, et castigatus fuit exterius prolixi languoris gravedine et clarificatus interius sancti Spiritus unctione.

Lectio tertia.

3 ¹Corporeis postmodum viribus utcumque resumptis menteque mutata in melius, cum militem quemdam nobilem quidem genere, sed inopem rebus obvium insperato habuisset occursu, generosi Regis et pauperis Christi memor effectus, tanta fuit erga virum pietate permotus, ut decentia, quae sibi de novo paraverat, indumenta deponeret illumque protinus, se nudato, vestiret.  ²Nocte vero sequenti, cum se sopori dedisset, palatium speciosum et magnum cum militaribus armis crucis signaculo insignitis is, pro cuius amore militi egeno subvenerat, dignativa sibi revelatione monstravit, ³necnon visa omnia sua fore militumque suorum, si crucis Christi vexillum constanter assumeret, sub asseverationis certitudine repromisit. ⁴Ex tunc a pubblicae negotiationis tumultu se subtrahens, solitaria loca quaerebat, amica moeroribus; ⁵in quibus cum gemitibus inenarrabilibus incessanter intenderet, post longam precum instantiam, qua sibi perfectionis semitam a Domino, postulabat ostendi, ad votum exaudiri promeruit.

Lectio quarta.

4 ¹Una quippe dierum, dum sic sequestratus oraret, apparuit ei Christus Iesus veluti cruci confixus, eidem tam efficaciter ingerens evangelicum illud: Qui vult venire post me abneget semetipsum et tollat crucem suam et sequatur me,