The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi - + Saints' Works

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Dictated Works THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI Among the writings that can be identified as having being brought into being through some action of St. Francis, are a small collection of writings which K. Esser terms Opuscula Dictata. 495 These include: "The Blessing given Friar Bernard" [BenBern], "The Blessing sent in writing to St. Clare and her sisters" [BenCl], "The Letter written to the citizens of Bologna" [EpBon], "The Written Letter of St. Clare on fasting" [EpCl], "The Letter written to Lady Jacoba" [EpJac], "The Letter sent to the Friars in France" [EpFranc], "The Testament given at Siena" [TestSen], and the short exhortation "On True and Perfect Gladness" [VPLaet]. However, all but the first and final two of these are simply excerpts from the writings of other authors testifying that St. Francis did in fact write something. Therefore these citations are actual "Reported Works" and serve to keep up the expectation of scholars that someday more writings of St. Francis will be found. 496 The three dictated works "The Blessing given Friar Bernard" [BenBern], "The Testament given at Siena" [TestSen], and the short exhortation "On True and Perfect Gladness" [VPLaet], are actual dictated statements made by St. Francis, and thus are included in this translation. The Blessing given Friar Bernard [BenBern] Friar Bernard was the first companion of St. Francis. Before joining the Order he had been a respected lawyer in the city of Assisi. Upon seeing St. Francis remarkable conversion to a life of evangelical simplicity he himself sold all his possessions and gave them to the poor. Throughout his life St. Francis cherished his friendship and courage. From the internal evidence it can be supposed that St. Francis wrote this letter during the last years of his life, either at a time when death seemed near, or after he had resigned his office of Minister general. The unanimous testimony of the early sources state that the place and date of composition were the very last days of the Saint's life, while he lay dying at the Portiuncula (late Sept. to Oct. 3, 1226 A.D.) 497 Write as I tell you: · The first friar, whom the Lord gave me, was friar Bernard, and: (it was he) who began and fulfilled most perfectly the perfection of the Holy Gospel by distributing all his own goods to the poor; · on account of which and on account of many other prerogatives, I am bound to love him more than any other friar of (this) entire religion. 498 · Whence I want and precept, 499 as I am able, 500 that, whoever be Minister general, 501 that he love and honor him as my 495 K. Esser, pp. 589-604. 496 It should be noted that the citation which K. Esser includes under the title "The Letter sent to the Friars in France" [EpFranc] does contain the actual quote of one phrase of the letter by St. Francis: "Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit"; cf. op. cit., pp. 598-9. 497 cf. K. Esser, p. 591. 498 see fn. 156. 499 see fn. 7. 500 Inasmuch as St. Francis would no longer be Minister general, after his resignation, he could not strictly give his friars a command, but only admonish them as the founder of the Order. 501 For an explanation of the offices of Minister general and Minister provincial, see the introduction to "The First Letter to the Custodes," [EpCust I]. Page - 108
THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI very self, · and let all the other Ministers provincial also hold 502 him as (they would) me. The Testament made at Siena [TestSen] Sometime between April and May of 1226 A.D., while St. Francis visited the city of Siena, he fell so ill that all presumed he would shortly die. It was at that time that he dictated this short version of his last will and testament to Friar Benedict of Pirato. 503 Write this way: I bless all my friars, who are in (our) religion 504 and who will come even until the end of the world (saeculum) . . . · Since on account of my weakness and the pain of my infirmity I cannot manage to speak, in these three words I am briefly making clear my will to my friars, · that is: that, in remembrance of my blessing and my testament, they love (dilectio) one another, · that they always love and observe our lady, Holy Poverty, · and that they be 505 faithful and subject to the prelates 506 and all the clerics of Holy Mother Church. On true and perfect gladness [VPLaet] This famous story, told in Chapter 8 of the Fioretti (the Little Flowers of St. Francis) with much embellishment, has its origin in a very simple and short version, which K. Esser considers to have originated with St. Francis. Though seemingly simplistic, the teaching presented here by St. Francis is of the stature of St. John of the Cross' doctrine of the Nada. It is a profound explanation of Christ's sayings: "Where your heart is, there your treasure will be." And "Do not rejoice in this, but rather that your names are written in Heaven." The time of composition is sometime after the beginning of 1220 A.D. 507 The same (fr. Leonard) 508 recalled there that one day blessed Francis, while at St. Mary's (of the Angels), called friar Leo and said: "Friar Leo, write." · Who responded: "Behold I am ready." · "Write—he said—what is perfect gladness?" · A messenger comes and says that all the masters 509 of Paris have entered the Order, write, "not true gladness." · Likewise that all the 502 lit. teneant, "to hold, keep, preserve, remember," etc. 503 cf. K. Esser, pp. 600 and 599 respectively. 504 see fn. 156. 505 lit. exsistant, which means more exactly "to stand forth, arise, come into existence"; cf. Frag II, 10. 506 see fn. 6. 507 Friar Leo accompanied St. Francis' daily after his return from the Holy Land at the beginning of 1220 A.D., as his personal secretary and chaplain; cf. K. Esser, pp. 601-3. 508 i.e. Friar Leo. 509 i.e. professors of theology. Page - 109
Page 1 and 2:
The Writings of St. Francis of Assi
Page 3 and 4:
THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSI
Page 5 and 6:
Page 7 and 8:
Page 9 and 10:
Page 11 and 12:
Page 13 and 14:
Page 15 and 16:
Translator's Forward THE WRITINGS O
Page 17 and 18:
Page 19 and 20:
Page 21 and 22:
Page 23 and 24:
Page 25 and 26:
22:21). Chapter XII. On recognizing
Page 27 and 28:
Page 29 and 30:
The Canticle of Brother Son or The
Page 31 and 32:
Page 33 and 34:
A Letter to Clerics [EpCler I] Firs
Page 35 and 36:
A Letter to Clerics [EpCler II] Lat
Page 37 and 38:
Page 39 and 40:
Page 41 and 42:
Page 43 and 44:
Page 45 and 46:
Page 47 and 48:
Page 49 and 50:
Page 51 and 52:
Page 53 and 54:
Page 55 and 56:
Page 57 and 58: THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSI
Page 73 and 74: A Prayer before the Crucifix [OrCru
Page 81 and 82: Chapter X On the admonition and cor
Page 83 and 84: eighth year of Our Pontificate. 347
Page 93 and 94: Chapter XV That the friars are not
Page 101 and 102: things throughout the ages. Amen. C
Page 107: THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSI
Page 111 and 112: Fragments of other rules [Frag] THE
Page 115 and 116: II. From the writings of Hugo of Di
show all

The Writings of St. Francis of Assisi - + Saints' Works

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?