devotion and reverence for the Lord stretched out his arms and hands with great joy of mind and body and said to his body and soul: "Welcome, my Sister Death!"

[6]^a

The Lord also revealed to blessed Francis the greeting that they should use, as he himself had written in his Testament: "The Lord revealed a greeting to me that we should say 'May the Lord give you peace.' " ^{Nm 6:26}

At the beginning of the religion, when blessed Francis would go with a brother who was one of the first twelve brothers, that brother would greet men and women along the way as well as those in their field, saying: "May the Lord give you or you peace." ^{2 Thes 3:16b}

And because people had never before heard such a greeting from any religious, they were greatly amazed. Indeed, some would say almost indignantly: "What does this greeting of yours mean?" As a result that brother began to be quite embarrassed. Then he said to blessed Francis "Let me use another greeting."

Blessed Francis told him: "Let them talk, for they do not grasp what is of God. ^{1 Cor 2:14} But do not be embarrassed, for one day the nobles and princes of this world will show respect to you and the other brothers because of a greeting of this sort."

[7]^c

Blessed Francis instructed all the brothers, the ministers as well as preachers, about work, telling them that, because of a prelacy and an office and of zeal for preaching, that they should not abandon holy and devout prayer, going for alms, and working with hands like the other brothers, for good example and for the benefit of their souls as well as others.

He said: "The brothers who are subjects are very edified when their ministers and preachers devote themselves freely to prayer; and

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cum maxima reverentia et devotione ad Dominum, expansis manibus et brachiis, cum letitia magna utriusque hominis dixit: « Bene veniat soror mea mors ».

[6]

¹Beato Francisco revelavit Dominus salutationem, quam deberet facere, sicut ipse scribi fecit in testamento suo dicens: ²« Dominus mihi revelavit ut deberem dicere pro salutatione: “Dominus det tibi Pacem” ».

³Unde in primordio religionis, cum iret beatus Franciscus cum quodam fratre, qui fuit unus de primis .XII. fratribus , ille frater salutabat homines et mulieres per viam et eos qui erant in agris, dicens: « Dominus det tibi, vel vobis, pacem ».

⁴Et quia homines non audierant adhuc fieri ab aliquibus religiosis talem salutationem, plurimum inde mirabantur; ⁵immo aliqui homines quasi cum indignatione illis dicebant: « Quid sibi ista talis salutatio vult? » ⁶ita quod frater ille cepit inde plurimum verecundari, ⁷unde dixit beato Francisco: « Dimitte me, frater, aliam salutationem facere ».

⁸Dixit ad eum beatus Franciscus: « Dimitte illos dicere, quia non percipiunt, que Dei sunt; ⁹sed noli inde verecundari, quoniam dico tibi, frater, quod adhuc nobiles et principes huius seculi de huiusmodi salutatione tibi et aliis fratribus reverentiam exhibebunt ».

[7]

¹Beatus Franciscus omnes fratres, tam ministros quam predicatores, informabat ad opera dicens eis, quod propter prelationem et officium et sollicitudinem predicandi non deberent dimittere sanctam et devotam orationem, ire pro helemosina, operari manibus suis, sicut alii fratres, propter bonum exemplum et lucrum animarum suarum et aliorum.

²Et dicebat: « Multum hedificantur fratres subditi, cum eorum ministri et predicatores vacant libenter orationi;