Little Flowers of St. Francis

Just as the holy Apostles were marvels of holiness and humility throughout the whole world, and were filled with the Holy Spirit, so the companions of St. Francis were of such sanctity that not since the time of the Apostles were there such marvelous and holy men in the world. It happened that one of them was caught up into the third heaven as St. Paul was, and this was Brother Giles. Another, namely Brother Philip Lungo, had his lips touched by an angel with a burning coal as did Isaiah the prophet. Another, Brother Sylvester, spoke with God as one friend to another, as Moses did. Another, with subtlety of intellect, flew like an eagle, John the Evangelist, all the way into the light of Divine Wisdom, and that was Brother Bernard, the humble one, he who opened up the Scriptures in the most profound ways. Another was sanctified by God and canonized in heaven even while he lived on earth, and that was Brother Ruffino, a true gentleman of Assisi.

Little Flowers of St. Francis
Chapter 1