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

THE WRITINGS OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
and gloomy hypocrites; but let them show themselves (to be) those (who are) rejoicing in the
Lord (cf. Phil 4:4) and cheerful and suitably gracious.
Chapter VIII
That the friars are not to receive money
The Lord precepted in the Gospel: "See, beware of all" malice and "avarice" (cf. Lk
12:15); · and: "Turn yourselves" away from solicitude for this world (saeculum) "and" from "the
cares of this life" (cf. Lk 21:34).
Whence let no friar, wherever he be and whithersoever he go, in any manner pick up or
receive or cause to be received money or coins, neither for the opportunity of clothing nor of
books nor as the price of any work, indeed for no opportunity, except on account of the manifest
necessity of the sick friars, because we ought not have or repute more utility in regard to money
and coins than in stones. 393 · And the devil wants to make those blind, who grasp for it or repute it
better than stones. · Let us therefore beware, we who have left everything (cf. Mt 19:27), lest for
such a limited thing 394 we lose the Kingdom of Heaven. · And if in any place we would find
coins, let us not care for them, like (we do) for the dust, which we tread upon with (our) feet, ·
because (they are) "vanity of vanities and all vanity" (Eccl 1:2). And if perchance it has
happened—and let it not—that any friar has collected or had money or coins, excepting only the
aforesaid necessity of the infirm, let all of us friars hold him as a false brother and an apostate
and a thief and a brigand and as one having a purse (cf. Jn 12:6), unless he has truly repented. 395 ·
And let the friars in no manner receive nor cause to be received, nor seek nor cause to be sought,
money for alms nor coins on behalf of any house or place; and let them not go about with a
person seeking money or coins on behalf of such places; · on the other hand, the other services,
which are not contrary to our life, the friars of the place can do with the blessing of God. ·
Nevertheless the friars, in (times of) the manifest necessity of the lepers, can seek alms on their
behalf. · However let them beware much of money. · Similarly let all the friars beware, so that
they do not go around (any) lands for any filthy lucre.
Chapter IX
On seeking alms
Let all the friars strive to follow the humility and poverty of Our Lord Jesus Christ and let
them remember, that it is proper that we have nothing else of this world, except, as the Apostles
(says), "as ones having food and that with which we are clothed," we are "content with these"
(cf. 1 Tim 6:8). · And they ought to rejoice, when they conduct themselves among vile and
despised persons, among the poor and weak and infirm and lepers and those begging along the
393 compare RegB IV,1-3.
394 lit. modico, "that which has a small measure or value."
395 It should be noted that the exception, which St. Francis grants here for the needs of the infirm,
makes this chapter less strict than its counterpart, chapter VI, in the Regula Bullata [RegB],
which admits of no such exception. The regimen prescribed here towards the friar who uses
money, though not contained in the Regula Bullata [RegB], was however retained by St. Francis
and his Order up until modern times.
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