The preaching of the early Fathers

46 The preaching of Saint Francis and his Companions 47 The Capuchins renew the preaching of Sacred Scripture in the Church 48 Marvelous fruitfulness 49 Their life was all a sermon

(46) The Three Companions tell about how Innocent III of holy memory, when by divine inspiration he approved the second Rule for Saint Francis and his Companions. Although most of them were unlettered, nonetheless, enlightened by God, the Holy Pontiff trusted so much in the holiness and good example of those first founders of the Order of Minors that he made them all preachers of the Holy gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ. So that they could preach more worthily, His Beatitude wanted the Lay Friars to have little tonsures. Their preaching was not vane. It did come about from human instinct but from divine providence. For as the Three Companions say, the Holy Spirit enlightened them so highly in order to have clean vessels purified from all earthly affection that as soon as they began to preach they inspired everyone who heard them. The hubbub about their holy life and fiery words was such that all of Italy woke up. Accompanied by the Seraphic Father, he sent them two by two to every part of Christendom. Many of them travelled to the places of the infidels, preaching the Gospel of Christ.

(47) From this example the Reform of the Capuchins renewed the life of the Seraphic Father in the world in such a way that the devotion of the seculars was great. The wanted to see the Friars and hear them speak about the things of God. Almost all the priest and lay Capuchins preached. Through their preaching the Lord God bore marvellous fruit in the world. Therefore it came about that preaching of the Sacred Scripture was renewed the Church. Prior to that the things preached about were Questions, philosophy, the Aessop’s Fables and other vagaries and vanities. However when the Capuchins began to preach the Gospel the people liked it so much that if they did not hear the Gospel preached they didn’t want to listen. So everyone was forced to abandon the fables and preach the Gospel of Christ if they wanted to please the people.

The Lay Friars preached the commandments of God, some examples and quite a few reprimands against the vices and they bore the greatest fruit among the simple. When Brother Giles of Orvieto, a courageous Lay Friar, arrived at a castle in the Campagna di Roma, the people immediately gathered round for him to preach. However since Brother Giles was worried that there may have been some lettered person there, to clarify this he used a holy caution. He asked for some paper and an ink pot because he wanted to note some things. The peasants replied, “Father, there is no paper of ink pot here. There is no one here who knows anything.” Brother Giles said, “Go an ring the bello for the sermon because I want to preach.” His preaching was liked so much that as a result he needed to preach for about fifteen days. He instilled in them so much fervour and accomplished so many reconciliations that it was something amazing. A Friar of Saint Augustine, a master in theology, came for a feast day. Since Brother Giles was worried that he might contest him in something, with great humility he asked the master if he would preach. And he gave them a sermon. The peasants did not like this at all and did want him to preach any further, but that Brother Giles continue on. He did many wonderful things, not only in that castle but also in many other places.

When Brother Louis saw the great fruit that God produced from this he gave them permission to preach. However when lettered preachers joined, the reputation for preaching was so great throughout Italy that most of them did not go to preach unless by an Apostolic Brief sought by the communities from His Holiness. Sometimes there were three or four Briefs. However His Holiness wanted the first one to be upheld. They had fifteen and twenty thousand persons at the sermons and anyone who could hear them considered himself blessed. Portraits were made of many of them which many noblemen kept in their rooms out of devotion as if they were saints.

(48) No tongue could express the great fruit that those early Capuchins bore with their preaching. For at that time the holy sacraments were not attended much. The Friars restored their practice by organising many associations and other devotions, as well as the Forty Hours Prayer. Father Joseph of Milan began this, and today it is attended throughout every part of Christendom. The Friars, especially the simple ones, delighted in ruining dances, card games, plays and other gatherings where Christ was dishonoured. Often they climbed some prominent position in the middle of dances and began to preach with so much fervour that they change the festival into mourning and weeping.

(49) Others, who did not have the grace of preaching, struck up discussions about the things of God with such familiarity that they often bore more fruit than that of the sermons. When it was necessary for them to lodge with seculars, the neighbours came to listen to them speak about the things of God. Although they were simple Lay Friars they spoke so highly about the things of God that the seculars thought that they were learned. They regarded it a matter of conscience not to speak with seculars about the things of the world.

It often happened that many important reconciliations were brought about through these discussions. So their whole life was a sermon through the example that they gave. When it happened that some of them were immersed in tribulations they sent for the Capuchins and were comforted by listening to them speak about the things of God.

Since the Congregation of Capuchins was so conformed to the early beginning of the Order, it may certainly be regarded as the true Reform, made in the spirit of the Founder.