Saint Francis Begs for Stones to Repair Saint Damian's Church

When God's servant Francis had stripped himself of all the things of the world, he busied himself with God's righteousness, and, setting at naught his own life, yielded himself in every way he could to the Divine service. He went back to the church of San Damian with joyful fervour, and made himself a kind of hermit's garment. Then he arose, went into the city [of Assisi], and began, as though inebriated in the spirit, to praise the Lord in the streets and open spaces. Then he applied himself to getting stones for the repair of the said church, and he would say: 'He who gives me one stone shall have one reward; he who gives me two, shall have two rewards; he who gives me three, shall have that number of rewards.' So also he uttered many other simple words in fervour of spirit; for, having been chosen of God as unlettered and simple, he spoke not in learned words of men's wisdom, but behaved himself in all things with simplicity. Many mocked him, thinking him mad; others were moved to tears of pity at the sight of one who from so much wantonness and worldly vanity had come so quickly to such intoxication of Divine love. But he despised the mockery, and gave thanks to God in fervour of spirit.

- text taken from Franciscan Days: being selections for every day in the year from ancient Franciscan writings, translated and arranged by Alan George Ferrers Howell