fra daniele -4

Then he began to walk along...

stepping right in the brook itself, and yet he did not get wet.

How curious! The brook led to the sea, and he found himself at a cove [inham, kreek]. The grass was beautiful and shiny, and the blades seemed to be statues, pointing straight to the heavens. In their midst was an exquisite lily. It was tall, with a single flower, in the form of a chalice. It was so attractive and enchanting to look at.

But Daniele seemed to be in a hurry, and did not linger there. However, he thought to himself, that this lily too is going to tell me, that it praises the Creator. So he continued walking, but the lily turned towards him, as if to get his attention, and he said to it, “I already know, I know what your purpose is: to praise the Creator!”

The flower then made a profound bow, as if giving its assent...

and he continued walking in the stream until he came to the sea.

He kept onward...

and walked right into the sea...

not on the surface of the water, but on the sea floor.

It contained many beautiful plants, and a quantity of little fish, that he had never seen before. Thin and of various colors. They danced before him, and were so pretty, so attractive.

Then after going a few hundred feet...

he noticed a very large fish, coming towards him, confidently smiling at him.

But Fra Daniele was afraid, and as it approached him, he told it to stop, and tell him what it wants. But the great fish was mortified [vernederd] at having to keep away, and Daniele felt sorry for it. He exhorted the big fish to come closer. When it was only a few yards away, he asked the fish what his purpose was.

“My task is to gather the praises of all creatures that live in the sea, and through the mediation of a priest who lives in the world, to offer them to the Creator.”

Daniele responded, “Oh I understand, that priest is Padre Pio.”

Upon hearing the name of Padre Pio, the large fish bowed profoundly, and remained that way until Fra Daniele asked him to straighten.

While walking on the sea bed, just as in the brook, he did not get wet. He marveled at it, and wondered to himself why. The waters themselves seemed to answer him, “You are here in our midst not merely as a man who has the weight of his body, but also as a spirit.”

That was why he did not get wet.


~bron~