Chapter CLIII. Of his devotion to the relics of the Saints

202. The beloved man, who showed himself most attentive to Divine worship, left nothing that pertains to God dishonoured by neglect. When he was at Monte Casale, in the province of Massa, he bade the brethren most reverently to remove the sacred relics from an abandoned church to a "place" of the brethren, for he was deeply grieved that they should now for a long time have been defrauded of their due devotion. But having been obliged to go elsewhere, his sons, heedless of their father's bidding, neglected the merit of obedience. One day when they were preparing to celebrate, they removed the cloth from the altar, as is customary, and found thereon fair and fragrant bones. They were greatly amazed as they looked upon things they had never seen before. The Saint of God returned soon after and inquired diligently whether they had done his bidding concerning the relics. The brethren humbly confessed that they were guilty of having neglected his command, and received pardon together with punishment. And the Saint said: "Blessed be the Lord my God, who of Himself has fulfilled that which ye ought to have done".

Mark diligently herein Francis' devotion, give heed to God's good pleasure concerning our dust, and magnify the praise of holy obedience. For God complied with the prayers of him whose voice man obeyed not.