In this section you will find some important texts that may help you understand better the life of Saint Francis and his order, they will also conjure up the special spirituality the Friars experience every day in the Holy Land.
It is through a number of literary texts, written by people who knew him personally, that we know the life of Saint Francis.
Rather than simply historical references we should consider them as "living stones" that make up the frame within which a great religious movement has been following its Master's precepts and examples.
You can find here some of the texts!
"If there are any who wish to accept this life and come to our brothers, let them send them to their provincial ministers, to whom alone and not to others is permission granted to receive the brothers. Let the ministers examine them carefully concerning the Catholic faith and the sacraments of the Church. If they believe all these things, will faithfully profess them, and steadfastly observe them to the end; […] let the ministers speak to them the words of the holy Gospel that they go and sell all they have and take care to give it to the poor. If they cannot do this, their good will may suffice."
Testament of St. Francis (Test 14-23: FAED I, 125-126)
And after the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what I had to do, but the Most High Himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel. And I had this written down simply and in a few words and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me. And those who came to receive life gave whatever they had to the poor and were content with one tunic, patched inside and out, with a cord and short trousers. We desired nothing more. We clerical brothers said the Office as other clerics did; the lay brothers said the Our Father; and we quite willingly remained in churches. And we were simple and subject to all.
And I worked with my hands, and I still desired to work; and I earnestly desire all brothers to give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know how to work learn, not from desire to receive wages, but for example and to avoid idleness. And when we are not paid for our work, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, begging alms from door to door. The Lord revealed a greeting to me that we should say: “May the Lord give you peace.”
Dalla Vita Prima di San Francesco di fra Tommaso da Celano (1C 6-7: FF 329-330)
"Vi era ad Assisi un giovane, che Francesco amava più degli altri. Poiché era suo coetaneo e l’amicizia pienamente condivisa lo invitava a confidargli i suoi segreti, Francesco lo portava con sé in posto adatti al raccoglimento dello spirito, rivelandogli di aver scoperto un tesoro grande e prezioso. L’amico, esultante e incuriosito, accettava sempre volentieri l’invito di accompagnarlo.
Alla periferia della città c’era una grotta, in cui essi andavano sovente, parlando del “tesoro”. L’uomo di Dio, già santo per desiderio di esserlo, vi entrava, lasciando fuori il compagno ad attendere, e, pieno di nuovo insolito fervore, pregava il Padre suo in segreto. Desiderava che nessuno sapesse quanto accadeva in lui là dentro; e, celando saggiamente a fin di bene in meglio, solo a Dio affidava i suoi santi propositi. Supplicava devotamente Dio eterno e vero di manifestargli la sua vita e di insegnargli a realizzare il suo volere. Si svolgeva in lui una lotta personale, né poteva darsi pace, finché non avesse compiuto ciò che aveva deliberato. Mille pensieri l’assalivano senza tregua e la loro insistenza lo gettava nel turbamento e nella sofferenza.
Bruciava interiormente di fuoco divino, e non riusciva a dissimulare il fervore della sua anima. Deplorava i suoi gravi peccati, le offese fatte agli occhi della maestà divina. Le vanità del passato o del presente non avevano per lui più nessuna attrattiva, ma non si sentiva ancora completamente sicuro di saper resistere a quelle future. Si comprende perciò come, facendo ritorno al suo compagno, fosse tanto spossato da apparire irriconoscibile.
Un giorno finalmente, dopo aver implorato con tutto il cuore la misericordia divina, gli fu rivelato dal Signore come doveva comportarsi. E da allora fu ripieno di tanto gaudio che, non riuscendo a contentarsi per la gioia, lasciava, pur non volendo, trasparire qualcosa agli uomini."
The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul by Thomas of Celano (2C 6: FAED II, 245)
A little later, he saw in a vision a beautiful palace, and there he saw various suits of armor and a lovely bride. In that same dream Francis was called by name and was attracted by the promise of all these things. He therefore tried to go to Apulia in order to gain knighthood, and richly outfitted, he hastened to achieve the honors of knightly rank. The spirit of the flesh prompted him to give an interpretation of the flesh to the vision. In fact, in the treasury of God’s wisdom something even more magnificent was hidden there.Legend of the Three Companions (L3C 7: FAED II, 71-72)
A few days after he returned to Assisi, one evening his friends chose him to be in charge so that, according to his whim, he would pay their expenses. He made arrangements for a sumptuous banquet, as he has done so often in the past.Legend of the Three Companions (L3C 11: FAED II, 74)
One day, while he was praying enthusiastically to the Lord, Francis received this response: “Francis, everything you loved carnally and desired to have, you must despise and hate, if you wish to know my will. Because once you begin doing this, what before seemed delightful and sweet will be unbearable and bitter; and what before made you shudder will offer you great sweetness and enormous delight.”
He was overjoyed at this and was comforted by the Lord. One day he was riding his horse near Assisi, when he met a leper. And, even though he usually shuddered at lepers, he made himself dismount, and gave him a coin, kissing his hand as he did so. After he accepted a kiss of peace from him, Francis remounted and continued on his way. He then began to consider himself less and less, until, by God’s grace, he came to complete victory over himself.
After a few days, he moved to a hospice of lepers, taking with him a large sum of money. Calling them all together, as he kissed the hand of each, he gave them alms. When he left there, what before had been bitter, that is, to see and touch lepers, was turned into sweetness. For, as he said, the sight of lepers was so bitter to him, that he refused not only to look at them, but even to approach their dwellings. If he happened to come near their houses or to see them, even though he was moved by piety to give them alms through an intermediary, he always turned away his face and held his nose. With the help of God’s grace, he became such a servant and friend of the lepers, that, as he testified in his Testament, he stayed among them and served them with humility.
The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul (2C 10: FAED II, 249)
With his heart already completely changed – soon his body was also to be changed – he was walking one day by the church of San Damiano, which was abandoned by everyone and almost in ruins. Led by the Spirit he went in to pray and knelt down devoutly before the crucifix. He was shaken by unusual experiences and discovered that he was different from when he had entered. As soon as he had this feeling, there occurred something unheard of in previous ages: with the lips of the painting, the image of Christ crucified spoke to him. “Francis,” it said, calling him by name: “go rebuild My house; as you see, it is all being destroyed.” Francis was more than a little stunned, trembling, and stuttering like a man out of his senses. He prepared himself to obey and pulled himself together to carry out the command. He felt this mysterious change in himself, but could not describe it. So it is better for us to remain silent about it too. From that time on, compassion for the Crucified was impressed into his holy soul. And we honestly believe the wounds of the sacred Passion were impressed deep in his heart, though not yet on his flesh.
Legend of the Three Companions (L3C 19-20: FAED II, 79-80)
Realizing that he could accomplish nothing with the magistrates, Pietro di Bernardone made the same complaint before the bishop of the city. The bishop, a discerning and understanding man, duly called him to appear in order to respond to his father’s complaint. Francis answered the messenger: “I will appear before the lord bishop, because he is the father and lord of souls.”The Remembrance of the Desire of a Soul (2C 15: FAED II, 253-254)
Bernard from the town of Assisi, who later became a son of perfection, planned to reject the world perfectly, thanks to the example of the man of God. He humbly sought advice: “Father, if someone had held a certain lord’s possessions for a long time, and no longer wishes to keep them, what would be the best thing to do?” The man of God replied that all those things should be returned to the lord who gave them. Bernard said to him: “I know that everything I have was given to me by God and on your advice I am now ready to return all to Him.” The saint replied: “If you want to prove your words with deeds, let us go into the church tomorrow at dawn, take up the Gospel Book, and seek the counsel of Christ.” When morning had broken they went into the church and, after preparing with a devout prayer, they opened the book of the Gospel, ready to act on whatever counsel should first come to them. When they opened the book, Christ openly gave them His counsel: If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all you own, and give it to the poor (Mt 19:21).Legend of the Three Companions (L3C 30-31: FAED II, 86-87)
While Lord Bernard was giving all his possessions to the poor, blessed Francis was at his side assisting him, glorifying and praising the Lord in his heart, in awe at the astounding work of the Lord. A priest named Sylvester, from whom the blessed Francis had purchased stones for the repair of the church of San Damiano, came. Seeing so much money being given away on the man of God’s advice, he was consumed by a burning passion of greed, and said to him: “Francis, you did not completely pay me for the stones which you bought from me.” The scorner of greed, hearing him complaining unjustly, approached Lord Bernard, and putting his hand into his cloak where the money was, in great fervor of spirit, filled it with a handful of coins, and gave them to the disgruntled priest. He filled his hand with money a second time, and said to him: “Do you now have full payment, Lord Priest?” “I have it completely, brother,” he replied. Overjoyed, he returned home with his money.
But after a few days that same priest, inspired by the Lord, began to reflect on these things blessed Francis had done, and he said to himself: “Am I not a miserable man? Old as I am, don’t I still covet and desire the things of this world? And this young man despises and scorns them all for the love of God!” […]
When he woke, therefore, the priest understood and resolutely believed that Francis was indeed Christ’s friend and servant, and the religion he founded would spread all over the world. From then on he began to fear God and to penance in his own home. At last, after a little while, he entered the Order in which he lived excellently and ended gloriously.
The Legend of St. Clare, Virgin (LCl 7-8: CAED 285-286)
The Solemnity of the Day of the Palms was at hand when the young girl Clare went with a fervent heart to the man of God, asking him about her conversion and how it should be carried out. The father Francis told her that on the day of the feast, she should go, dressed and adorned, together with the crowd of people, to receive a palm, and, on the following night, leaving the camp she should turn her worldly joy into mourning the Lord’s passion.In this section you will find some of the most beautiful Franciscan prayers.
These prayers will open your heart and mind, as they did for many more before you, revealing the simplicity and depth of Francis and his friends...
Francis composed this prayer of praise on Mount La Verna in September 1224, when he received the stigmata. The prayer was written on a parchment which also contains the blessing that Francis gave to brother Leo. The parchment with the autographs of Francis is conserved as a relic in the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi.
You are holy Lord God Who does wonderful things.
You are strong. You are great. You are the most high.
You are the almighty king. You holy Father,
King of heaven and earth.
You are three and one, the Lord God of gods;
You are the good, all good, the highest good,
Lord God living and true.
You are love, charity; You are wisdom, You are humility,
You are patience, You are beauty, You are meekness,
You are security, You are rest,
You are gladness and joy, You are our hope, You are justice,
You are moderation, You are all our riches to sufficiency.
You are beauty, You are meekness,
You are the protector, You are our custodian and defender,
You are strength, You are refreshment. You are our hope,
You are our faith, You are our charity,
You are all our sweetness, You are our eternal life:
Great and wonderful Lord, Almighty God, Merciful Savior.
Francis composed The Canticle of the Creatures, known also as The Canticle of Brother Sun, during the spring of 1225, when he was sick at San Damiano, and was cared for by Clare and the Poor Sisters. The Canticle was composed in the Umbrian dialect and contains three sections: a praise of God for the creatures (sun, moon, stars, wind, water, fire, earth), a praise for those who forgive for the love of God, and a praise for sister bodily death. Only the first section of the Canticle was composed at San Damiano, whereas the section on forgiveness was composed in the episcopal palace in Assisi where the sick Francis resided for some weeks in September 1226, and the section on sister death was composed at the Portiuncula, some time before Francis died on October 3, 1226.
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,Francis “embraced the Mother of Jesus with inexpressible love, since she made the Lord of Majesty a brother to us. He honored her with his own Praises, poured out prayers to her, and offered her his love in a way that no human tongue can express” (2C 198). This praise in honour of the Virgin is a witness of the great affection that Francis nurtured for the Mother of God.
Hail, O Lady,
Holy Queen,
Mary, holy Mother of God,
Who are the Virgin made Church,
chosen by the most Holy Father in heaven
whom he consecrated with His most holy beloved Son
and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete,
in whom there was and is
all fullness of grace and every good.
Hail His Palace!
Hail His Tabernacle!
Hail His Dwelling!
Hail His Robe!
Hail His Servant!
Hail His Mother!
And hail all You holy virtues
which are poured into the hearts of the faithful
through the grace and enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,
that from being unbelievers,
You may make them faithful to God.