The Factions
The Life of Blessed Francis,FA:ED, vol. 2, 574, 8
It happened once that he came to Arezzo at a time when the whole city was shaken by a civil war that threatened its destruction. Given hospitality in the outskirts, he saw demons over the city leaping for joy and arousing the troubled citizens to mutual slaughter. In order to put to flight those seditious spiritual powers, he sent Brother Sylvester, a man of dove-like simplicity, before him as a herald, saying: "Go in front of the city gate and, on behalf of Almighty God, command the devils to leave at once!" The genuine obedient man hurried to carry out his father's orders and, caught up in praise before the face of the Lord, he began to cry out boldly in front of the city gate: "On behalf of Almighty God and by the command of his servant Francis, get away from here, all you demons." At once the city returned to peace and all the citizens reformed their civil law with great tranquility.
Once the raging pride of the demons,
which had surrounded the city like a siege,
had been driven out,
as the wisdom of a poor man entered in,
that is, the humility of Francis,
it brought back peace and saved the city.
For by his lofty virtue of humble obedience,
he had gained such powerful control
over those rebellious and obstinate spirits
that he could repress their ferocious brashness
and drive back their savage violence.
10 The proud demons flee from the lofty virtues of the humble,
unless occasionally the divine goodness allows them
to be buffeted to protect their humility, 2 Cor 12:7
as the Apostle Paul writes about himself,
and as Francis learned through experience.
Links:
Giotto: Legend of St Francis: 10. Exorcism of the Demons at Arezzo
