Thomas Hudson And Captain Jack

Picture of the Month - December 2010

Brotherhood, Humility, Poverty

"Approaching Bevagna, came to a place where a vast multitude of birds of various species s 'were given meeting. When he saw them, the Holy One of God saw and greeted them cheerfully, as if they were endowed with reason. All the birds were waiting and turned toward him, and those on the branches as he approached, bowed his head to watch it. When he was in the midst of them, urged them earnestly to hear the word of God, saying: "O my winged brothers, you have to praise your Creator very much, because it was he who fledge, to give you wings to fly, treat yourself to the realm of pure air, and it is he who keeps you free from any concern. " While these and similar words he said to them, the birds, gesticulating in a wonderful, craning their necks, spread their ali, aprivano il becco, guardandolo fisso. Ed egli passava in mezzo a loro, con mirabile fervore di spirito, e li toccava con la sua tonaca, senza che nessuno si muovesse dal suo posto. Finalmente, quando l'uomo di Dio, tracciando il segno della croce, diede loro la benedizione e il permesso, tutti insieme volarono via. I compagni, dalla strada, stavano a guardare lo spettacolo. Ritornato fra loro, l'uomo semplice e puro incominciò ad accusarsi di negligenza, perché fin allora non aveva mai predicato agli uccelli."

San Francesco, Predica degli uccelli - Legenda Maior (XII, 3) - Bonaventura da Bagnoregio - 1263