Reuelacio, quam beatus Franciscus ostendit domine Birgitte, in qua inuitauit eam ad cameram suam ad comedendum et bibendum, declarans ei spiritualiter, quod camera fuit obediencia, cibus eius fuit conuertere animas ad Deum, potus autem erat, quando conuersos videbat totis viribus Deum diligere et oracioni aliisque virtutibus cum feruore vacare.
The Invitation to the Chamber
Saint Francis invites Birgitta to his spiritual room, prompting her journey to Assisi.
On the feast of Saint Francis, while in his church in Rome across the Tiber, Saint Francis appeared to this same bride of Christ and said, "Come into my room to eat and drink with me." Hearing this, she immediately prepared for the journey to visit him in Assisi. After staying there for five days and planning her return to Rome, she went into the church to entrust herself and her companions to Saint Francis.
The Room of Obedience
Francis clarifies that his room is not a physical place, but the virtue of humble obedience.
He appeared to her then and said, "Welcome." I invited you into my room so that you could eat and drink with me. Know, however, that this house is not the room I spoke to you about; rather, my room is true obedience, which I have always held to in such a way that I never endured being without a guide.1 I always had a priest with me, whom I humbly obeyed in all his instructions, and this was my room. You should do the same, because this is what pleases God.
The Food and Drink of the Soul
Francis explains that his spiritual nourishment consists of converting souls and witnessing their devotion to God.
My food, which refreshed me with such delight, was this: that I most willingly drew my neighbors away from the vanities of secular life to serve God with their whole heart, and then I would swallow that joy like the sweetest of morsels.2 My drink, however, was that joy I felt when I saw some who had been converted through me loving God and devoting themselves with all their strength to contemplation and prayer, while others were being instructed in how to live well and were imitating true poverty. Look, daughter, this drink so filled my soul with joy that everything in the world seemed to fade away for me. Enter, then, into my chamber, eat my food, and drink this drink with me. Drink it, then, so that you may be refreshed with God forever.
Read the original Latin
In festo sancti Francisci in sua ecclesia Rome in Transtiberim apparuit sanctus Franciscus eidem sponse Christi dicens: "Veni in cameram meam ad comedendum et bibendum mecum." Quod ipsa audiens statim parauit se ad iter, vt visitaret eum in Assisio.
Vbi dum per quinque dies moram duxisset, proponens tunc Romam redire, intrauit ecclesiam, vt se et suos sancto Francisco commendaret.
Cui tunc ipse apparuit dicens: "Bene veneris! Inuitaui enim te in cameram meam, vt mecum comederes et biberes. Scito tamen, quod hec domus non est camera, quam ego dixi tibi, sed camera mea est obediencia vera, quam ego semper tenui ita, quod numquam sustinui esse sine preceptore.
Habui enim mecum continue presbiterum, cui in omnibus preceptis humiliter obediui, et hec fuit camera mea. Tu igitur similiter facias, quia sic placet Deo.
Cibus autem meus, quo delectabiliter reficiebar, erat hoc, quod scilicet libentissime traxi proximos meos a vanitatibus vite secularis ad seruiendum Deo toto corde, et tunc velut dulcissimos morsellos illud gaudium gluciebam.
Potus autem meus erat illud gaudium, quod habui, dum aliquos per me conuersos vidi Deum diligere et totis viribus suis contemplacioni et oracioni vacare, alios ad bene viuendum instruere et veram paupertatem imitari.
Ecce filia, iste potus ita letificabat animam meam, quod omnia, que in mundo sunt, dissipiebant michi. Intra igitur hanc cameram meam et hunc cibum meum comede et hunc potum bibe mecum. Bibe ergo illud, vt cum Deo reficiaris in eternum."
Notes
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