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From "The Little
Flowers of St. Francis of Assisi," 1476
Christ, the blessed one, was pleased to show forth the great sanctity
of his most faithful servant St Anthony, and how men ought devoutly to
listen to his preaching, be means of creatures without reason. On one
occasion, amongst others, he made use of fish to reprove the folly of
faithless heretics: even as we read in the Old Testament that in
ancient times he reproved the ignorance of Balaam by the mouth of an
ass.
St Anthony being at one time at Rimini, where there were a great number
of heretics, and wishing to lead them by the light of faith into the
way of truth, preached to them for several days, and reasoned with them
on the faith of Christ and on the Holy Scriptures. They not only
resisted his words, but were hardened and obstinate, refusing to listen
to him.
At last St Anthony, inspired by God, went down to the sea-shore, where
the river runs into the sea, and having placed himself on a bank
between the river and the sea, he began to speak to the fishes as if
the Lord had sent him to preach to them, and said: "Listen to the word
of God, O ye fishes of the sea and of the river, seeing that the
faithless heretics refuse to do so."
No sooner had he spoken these words than suddenly so great a multitude
of fishes, both small and great, approached the bank on which he stood,
that never before had so many been seen in the sea or the river. All
kept their heads out of the water, and seemed to be looking attentively
on St Anthony's face; all were ranged in perfect order and most
peacefully, the smaller ones in front near the bank, after them came
those a little bigger, and last of all, were the water was deeper, the
largest.
When they had placed themselves in this order, St Anthony began to
preach to them most solemnly, saying: "My brothers the fishes, you are
bound, as much as is in your power, to return thanks to your Creator,
who has given you so noble an element for your dwelling; for you have
at your choice both sweet water and salt; you have many places of
refuge from the tempest; you have likewise a pure and transparent
element for your nourishment. God, your bountiful and kind Creator,
when he made you, ordered you to increase and multiply, and gave you
his blessing. In the universal deluge, all other creatures perished;
you alone did God preserve from all harm. He has given you fins to
enable you to go where you will. To you was it granted, according to
the commandment of God, to keep the prophet Jonas, and after three days
to throw him safe and sound on dry land. You it was who gave the
tribute-money to our Saviour Jesus Christ, when, through his poverty,
he had not wherewith to pay. By a singular mystery you were the
nourishment of the eternal King, Jesus Christ, before and after his
resurrection. Because of all these things you are bound to praise and
bless the Lord, who has given you blessings so many and so much greater
than to other creatures."
At these words the fish began to open their mouths, and bow their
heads, endeavouring as much as was in their power to express their
reverence and show forth their praise.
St Anthony, seeing the reverence of the fish towards their Creator,
rejoiced greatly in spirit, and said with a loud voice: "Blessed be the
eternal God; for the fishes of the sea honour him more than men without
faith, and animals without reason listen to his word with greater
attention than sinful heretics."
And whilst St Anthony was preaching, the number of fishes increased,
and none of them left the place that he had chosen. And the people of
the city hearing of the miracle, made haste to go and witness it. With
them also came the heretics of whom we have spoken above, who, seeing
so wonderful and manifest a miracle, were touched in their hearts; and
threw themselves at the feet of St Anthony to hear his words. The saint
then began to expound to them the Catholic faith. He preached so
eloquently, that all those heretics were converted, and returned to the
true faith of Christ; the faithful also were filled with joy, and
greatly comforted, being strengthened in the faith.
After this St Anthony sent away the fishes, with the blessing of God;
and they all departed, rejoicing as they went, and the people returned
to the city. But St Anthony remained at Rimini for several days,
preaching and reaping much spiritual fruit in the souls of his hearers.
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