A man in the world asked Brother Giles’ advice whether it would be better for him to enter religious life. Holy Brother Giles answered: “If a very poor man knew that a valuable treasurer was buried in some public field would he ask another’s advice whether he should go quickly to the treasure? How much more should men hurry to dig up heavenly treasure?

Brother Giles was wont to say: “Many enter religious life and yet do not live as religious should. These men are like a simpleton who put on Roland’s armor without knowing how to do battle in it. I do not consider it a great thing to enter a king’s court, nor do I consider it a great thing to accept a gift from a king, but I do consider it a great thing to know how to conduct oneself at the king’s court. Religious life is the court of the Great King. To enter it and to receive some gifts from God is not great thing, but I do consider it a great thing to live in it and to preserve in it devoutly and conscientiously till death. I would, however, prefer to life in the world devoutly and conscientiously, and to yearn to enter religious life, rather than to live in religious life and be weary of it.”

He likewise used to say: “It seems to me that the religious life of the Friars Minor was given to the world for the great benefit of mankind. Woe to us if we are not the kind of men we ought to be. The religious life of the Friars Minor seems to me to be the poorest and the richest in the world. But this seems to me to be our greatest failing: we are willing to live in religious life with standards that are too low. He is rich who imitates a rich man; he is wise who imitates a wise man; he is distinguished who imitates a distinguished person; he is noble who imitates a noble person, namely, our Lord Jesus Christ.


RESPONSORY         Psalm 84:2-3,11
How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord of hosts.
- My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God, alleluia.

I had rather lie at the threshold of the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
- My heart and my flesh cry out for the living God, alleluia.


COLLECT
Lord God,
you were pleased to raise Giles
to the heights of exalted contemplation.
Through his intercession grant that we may always direct our actions to you
and attain the peace which surpasses all understanding.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.


Morning Prayer

CANTICLE OF ZECHARIAH          Lamentation 3:24-25
Antiphon: My portion is the Lord, he is good to the soul that seeks him, alleluia.


COLLECT
Lord God,
you were pleased to raise Giles
to the heights of exalted contemplation.
Through his intercession grant that we may always direct our actions to you
and attain the peace which surpasses all understanding.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

Evening Prayer

CANTICLE OF MARY          Luke 14:33
Antiphon: The Lord says: None of you an be my disciple if he does not renounce all his possessions, alleluia.


COLLECT
Lord God,
you were pleased to raise Giles
to the heights of exalted contemplation.
Through his intercession grant that we may always direct our actions to you
and attain the peace which surpasses all understanding.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever.

The English translation of Psalm Responses, Alleluia Verses, Gospel Verses from Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL); the English translation of Antiphons, Invitatories, Responsories, Intercessions, Psalm 95, the Canticle of the Lamb, Psalm Prayers, Non-Biblical Readings from The Liturgy of the Hours © 1973, 1974, 1975, ICEL; excerpts from the English translation of The Roman Missal © 2010, ICEL. All rights reserved. Used with permission.