One winter, Saint Francis of Assisi walked with Brother Leo from Peruza to Porzionkul. It was so cold that they were shivering. Francis called Leo, who was walking ahead, and said to him:
- O brother Leo, God grant that our brothers set an example of holy life throughout the earth. Write down, however, that this is not complete joy.
Having walked a little further, Francis again called Leo and said:
“And write down, Brother Lev, that if our brothers heal the sick, cast out demons, make the blind see, or raise the dead for four days, write down that there will be no complete joy in this either.”
And going even further, Francis said to Leo:
“Write down also, Brother Lev, that if our brothers knew all languages, all sciences and all scriptures, if they prophesied not only about the future, but knew all the secrets of the conscience of the soul, write down that there is no complete joy in this either.”
Having gone even further, Francis again called Leo and said:
- And also write down, brother Leo, sheep of God, that if we learned to speak in the languages of angels, if we knew the course of the stars and if all the treasures of the earth were revealed to us and we learned all the secrets of the life of birds, fish, all animals, people, trees, stones, waters - write down that this was not complete joy.
And having walked a little more, Francis again called Brother Leo and said to him:
- Write down also that if we were such preachers that we would convert all the pagans to the faith of Christ, write down that there would not be complete joy in this either.
Then Brother Leo turned to Francis.
- What, Brother Francis, is perfect joy?
And Francis answered:
- Here's the thing. The point is that if when we arrive in Portsionküll, dirty, wet, numb from the cold and hungry, we ask to be let in, and the gatekeeper tells us: “What are you vagabonds, wandering around the world, seducing people, stealing alms from poor people, get out of here!” - and will not open it to us. And if we then are not offended and with humility and love we think that the gatekeeper is right. And we will stay wet, cold and hungry in the snow and in the water until the morning without complaining to the gatekeeper - then, brother Leo, only then will there be complete joy.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru