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

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THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI the friars wear cheep clothing and let them be able to patch these with sacks and other pieces (of cloth) with the blessing of God. · Which (friars) I warn and exhort, not to despise nor judge men, whom they see clothed with soft and colored clothes, using dainty 275 food and drink, but rather let each one judge and despise his very self. Chapter III Concerning the divine office and fasting, and in what manner the friars ought to go through the world. 276 Let the clerics perform 277 the Divine Office 278 according to the Ordo 279 of the Roman Church, except for the Psalter, 280 · for which they can have beviaries. 281 · Let the lay (brothers) indeed say twenty-four Pater Nosters 282 for Matins; 283 for Lauds five; for Prime, Terce, Sext and Nones, for each of these seven, however for Vespers twelve; for Compline seven; · and let them pray on behalf of the dead. 284 · And let them fast from the Feast of All Saints until the Nativity of medievals on account of the absence of footwear in John 19:23, and is depicted frequently in Catholic art. Christ Himself had commanded His Apostles to wear only one tunic (cf. Mt 10:10 and Lk 9:3). 275 lit. delicatis, luxurious, refined; i.e. "gourmet." 276 see fn. 145. 277 lit. faciant, "perform," in the sense of "accomplish"; the requirement of daily recitation of the Office was reaffirmed at the Fourth Lateran Council (1215 A.D.), constitution XVII. 278 The Divine Office is the traditional, daily, recitation of the psalms. It originated as a devotion among the Jewish people. Christ and the Apostles themselves are said to have practiced it. It became the characteristic daily duty of monastic life in Egypt during the third century A.D.. By St. Francis' day it had long been embellished with antiphons, readings, hymns and prayers fitted to the liturgical calendar, and had been the customary daily prayer of the clergy of the Roman Church for centuries. 279 i.e. according to the liturgical books of the Roman Rite. St. Francis specifies this because by his own day, the Gallican Rite, which grew out of the liturgical reforms of the Carolingian period was celebrated nearly everywhere, while the celebration of the Roman Rite had been reduced to the Pope's private chapel. Out of devotion to St. Peter, who originated the liturgical traditions of the Roman Church, St. Francis chose the Roman Rite for his Order. 280 A Psalter was a book containing the psalms recited during the Divine Office. In St. Francis' day the use of the Gallican Psalter prevailed over that of the Roman Psalter; the difference being principally in the translation of the Psalms. 281 lit. ex quo, "for which purpose." A "breviary" is a portable book for the recitation of the liturgy of the hours. In St. Francis' day they had just become popular, and were a necessity for clergymen who traveled often. 282 i.e. "Our Fathers;" the Our Father was to be said in Latin, as is the ancient custom of the Roman Church. 283 Matins is the liturgical ceremony at the beginning of the morning, i.e. before sunrise; Lauds, at sunrise. The next ceremonies are named according the Roman custom of numbering the hours of the day from the time of sunrise: Terce (3 hours), Sext (six hours), Nones (9 hours). Vespers was prayed at sunset; Compline before retiring for the night. 284 Normally this meant the Requiem aeterum, cf. RegNB III, 10. Page - 76
THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI the Lord. 285 · Indeed the holy lent, which begins from Epiphany throughout the forty following days, which the Lord consecrated by His own holy fast (Mt 4:2), let those who voluntarily fast it be blest by the Lord, and let those who do not want (to do so) not be constrained. 286 · But let them fast the other (lent) 287 until the Resurrection of the Lord. · However at other times let them not be bound to fast, except on Fridays. 288 · Indeed in time of manifest necessity let the friars not be bound to the corporal fast. · Indeed, I counsel, warn and exhort my friars in the Lord Jesus Christ, that when they go about through the world, 289 they not quarrel nor contend in words (cf. 2 Tim 2:14), nor judge others, · but be mild, peaceable and modest, meek and humble, speaking uprightly to all, as is fitting. · And that they ought not ride (horseback), 290 unless they are driven (to do so) by manifest necessity or infirmity. · "Into whatever house" they have entered, let them "first" say: "Peace to this house" (cf. Lk 10:5). · And according to the Holy Gospel let it be licit to eat of all the foods, which are placed before them (cf. Lk 10:8). Chapter IV That the brothers are not to receive money. I firmly precept 291 all 292 the friars, that in no manner are they to receive 293 coins 294 or 285 This is the Fast of Advent (sometimes called "the fast of St. Martin"), a season of penance in preparation for Christmas. Like Eastern-Orthodox today, the Roman Church in the Middle Ages observed the season of Advent as lenten-penitential season. The Feast of All Saints occurs on November 1. 286 In accord with the monastic traditions of the day, the first Rule had obliged fasting from Epiphany (January 6) to Easter, cf. RegNB III,11. 287 i.e. the Lent which begins with Ash Wednesday. This fasting season is derived from the ancient penitential traditions of the Church, East and West, in preparation for the most sacred celebrations of Holy Week and Easter. 288 Friday is the traditional day of fasting throughout Christendom, in memory of Christ's bloody Sacrifice on Golgotha.. 289 see fn. 145. 290 lit. equitare, "to ride (horseback)" or any other animal, such as a mule or donkey. Christ and the Apostles had traveled throughout Judea by foot (cf. Lk 9:3-5). As in the days of Christ, the ownership or use of a pack-animal was a sign wealth and even status in the Middle Ages, cf. RegNB XV,1-2. 291 see fn. 7. Christ, who condemned the love of money (Mt 6:24; Lk 16:13-15), had Himself forbidden His Apostles the use and reception of money during their preaching (Mt. 10:9; Lk. 9:3); St. Peter and St. John continued this practice after the Resurrection (cf. Acts 3:6). The Apostles also warned against the love of money (cf. Acts 8:20; 1 Tm 3:8; 6:9-10; Jm 5:2-3). 292 lit. universis, each and every. 293 The Latin word used here, recipere, "to receive" is to be distinguished from accipere "to accept;" the former signifies appropriation as a real act, whereas the latter signifies appropriation as a legal or moral act. Thus the Popes have explained the Rule of St. Francis as obliging not only the non-appropriation of money, but also the non-use of money. cf. Pope Nicholas III's bull Exiit qui seminat (Aug. 14, 1279 A.D.) n. 13, and Pope Clement V's bull Exivi de paradiso (May 8, 1305 A.D.) n. 9. 294 lit. denarios, the common silver coin of the day. Page - 77
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