later it will be the time for justice. The woman put her trust in the words which the servant of the Lord had spoken to her, received his blessing, and in haste returned home. There she met her husband and told him about the conversation she had with that man, and without any doubt, she waited for the hoped for promise to be fulfilled. Without any delay, as soon as [Francis's] words reached his ears, the spirit of grace fell upon him and softened his heart in such a way that from that time on he permitted his devoted wife to serve God freely and offered himself to serve the Lord with her. At the suggestion of the holy wife, they lived a celibate life for many years, and then departed to the Lord on the same day; she in the morning as a morning sacrifice, and he in the evening as an evening sacrifice.

Eighth Lesson

At the time when the servant of the Lord was lying ill at Rieti, a certain canon named Gedeon, who was deceitful and worldly, was seized with a serious illness. Lying on a stretcher, he was brought to him, and with tears in his eyes, he, together with the bystanders, asked that he bless him with the sign of the cross. [Francis] said to him: "Since you once lived according to the desires of the flesh and not in fear of the judgment of God, I will sign you with the sign of the cross. This is not for your own sake but because of the devout petitions of those interceding for you. I do this with the provision that I let you know, from this moment on, that certainly you will suffer more serious things if, when you are free, you return to your vomit." After the sign of the cross was made from his head to his feet, the bones of his loins resounded and it sounded to all as though dry wood was being broken by hand. Immediately, he who had been lying there constricted, arose cured, and, bursting forth in praise of God said: "I have been freed." Then a short time elapsed when, forgetful of God, he returned his body to impurity, and on a certain evening dined in the lodging of a canon and slept there that night. The roof of the house collapsed suddenly on all but killed only him, while all the others escaped death. In this one event it was made manifest how strict is God's zeal for justice with ungrateful people, and how true and certain was the spirit of prophecy which had filled Francis.

Ninth Lesson

At that time after his return from overseas, he went to Celano to preach. A knight with humble devotion invited him to dinner, and

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postmodum aequitatis. ⁴Credidit mulier sermoni, quem ei dixerat Domini servus, et benedictione accepta, domum cum festinatione revertens, occurrenti sibi viro praefatum narravit eloquium, indubitanter exspectans optatum impleri promissum. ⁵Confestim autem, ut auribus illius sermo insonuit, cecidit super eum spiritus gratiae, adeo cor ipsius emolliens, ut et devotam coniugem libere Deo ex tunc famulari permitteret et se una cum ipsa Domino serviturum offerret. ⁶Suadente igitur sancta uxore, pluribus annis caelibem vitam agentes, eodem die, mulier mane vir vespere, migraverunt ad Dominum, haec quidem ut matutinum, ille vero ut sacrificium vespertinum.

Lectio octava.

8 ¹Tempore, quo Domini famulus Reate iacebat infirmus, praebendarius quidam, nomine Gedeon, lubricus et mundanus, infirmitate gravi correptus et lectulo decubans, cum ad eum fuisset delatus, lacrimose rogabat cum simul adstantibus, ut ab ipso crucis signaculo signaretur. ²Ad quem ille: « Cum olim vixeris secundum desideria carnis, non veritus iudicia Dei, non propter te, sed propter devotas intercedentium preces, signo te crucis hoc modo signabo, ut tibi ex nunc pro certo insinuem, quod sis graviora passurus, si ad vomitum redieris liberatus ». ³Signo itaque crucis super eum facto a capite usque ad pedes, insonuerunt ossa renum eius, audientibus cunctis, veluti cum manu ligna sicca franguntur, statimque is qui contractus iacuerat, surrexit sanus et in laudem Dei prorumpens: « Ego », inquit, « sum liberatus ». ⁴Paucis autem interlapsi temporibus, cum, Dei oblitus, corpus impudicitiae reddidisset, et sero quodam coenasset in hospitio cuiusdam canonici nocteque illa dormiret ibidem, tectum domus super omnes subito corruit et illum solum, ceteris mortem evadentibus, interemit. ⁵Sicque factum est, ut simul in hoc uno eventu patesceret, quam sit severus ingratis zelus divinae iustitiae, quamque verax et certus in dubiis fuerit qui Franciscum repleverat spiritus prophetiae.

Lectio nona.

9 ¹Eo quoque tempore, quo post reversionem suam de ultra mare Celanum praedicaturus accessit, miles quidam supplici eum devotione cum instantia magna invitavit ad prandium et quasi coëgit invitum.