Saint jFrancis oC ^nmni, 223 



fennight after the feaft of Saint Lorenzo, 

 and during the fennight of the Affumption 

 of Our Lady, he having faid Matins in 

 Church with the other Friars, and the 

 un6lion of Divine Grace coming unlooked 

 for upon him, he went forth into the garden 

 to meditate upon Chrift's PalTion and to pre- 

 pare himfelf to celebrate with all due piety 

 the Mafs which it was his duty that morn- 

 ing to fing ; and pondering the words 

 of the confecration of the Body of Chrift, 

 that is, confidering the infinite CompalTion 

 of Chrift, which led Him to redeem man- 

 kind, not only with His moft Precious 

 Blood, but alfo to leave with us His moft 

 Worthy Body and Blood as food for our 

 hungry fouls, his love of the fweet Jefus 

 began to wax within him in fuch fervor and 

 fuch fuavity that his foul could no longer en- 

 dure fuch piercing fweetnefs ; but he cried 

 aloud, and as one drunk in fpirit ceafed not 

 from faying, Hoc ejl corpus meum : foraf- 

 much as faying thefe words he feemed to 

 fee the Bleffed Chrift with the Virgin Mary 

 and a multitude of Angels, and as he faid 

 thefe words he was enlightened of the 

 Holy Ghoft concerning all the deep and 

 lofty myfteries of that moft high Sacra- 

 ment. 



