ST.FRANCIS OF ASSISI : ST.FRANCIS SEES THE PLACE OF PORTIUNCULA BESIEGED BY DEVILS
Once at the place of Portiuncula, where St.Francis was praying devoutly, as was his custom, by divine revelation, he saw he saw the whole place surrounded and besieged by devils, as by a great army. But not one of them was able to enter into the Place because the Friars were so holy that the devils could find no one through whom they would gain admittance. However, while they were thus persevering, one of the friars was stirred to anger and impatience against one of his companions, and he thought how he could accuse him and take revenge on him. As a result, the gate of virtue being abandoned and the door of wickedness being open, he gave the devil a way to enter in. And immediately, while St.Francis was watching, one of those devils entered into the Place and attacked the brother as a winner attacks a loser and he crouched on the friar’s neck. St.Francis seeing the great danger at hand, immediately had the friar called to him. The Friar obediently and at once came to the Blessed Father. St. Francis ordered him to reveal at-once the poison of hatred against his neighbour that he had conceived and kept in his heart. The Friar seeing that the Holy Father had read his thoughts was afraid and revealed his wound, all his poison and rancour and acknowledged his fault and humbly asked for forgiveness and penance. And all of a sudden St.Francis saw the devil fly away. The friar having been freed from the hands of the devil, gave thanks to God and to St.Francis and he persevered to the end in great holiness of life through the merits of his shepherd.
