Writings of Francis of Assisi

© 2026 Capuchin Friars Minor of Australia. All rights reserved.

Translated into English from the Latin and Old Italian originals with the assistance of Large Language Models.

Source apparatus adapted from LA LETTERATURA FRANCESCANA VOLUME 1, CLAUDIO LEONARDI, 2004.

The ordering of the Writings

The ordering of the Writings follows that used by La Letteratura Francescana Volume 1. Claudio Leonardi explains this ordering as an attempt at a chronological arrangement, albeit with all the remaining uncertainties and the errors that will inevitably be made. Taking into account specific studies as well as the synthetic observations contained in the editions by Théophile Desbonnets, Kajetan Esser, Giovanni Boccali, Stanislao da Campagnola, and Aristide Cabassi (as coordinator and general editor of the 2002 edition). He proposes an arrangement divided into three periods.[1] The composition and recensions of some of the Writings overlap in the periods.

Table of Contents

How to read this edition

This edition gives Francis’s writings in English, translated from the Latin and Old Italian, in the order of the Leonardi edition. A short note in italics introduces each writing: when and why it was written, what to look for, and anything unusual about the text.

Small raised numbers are verse numbers, used by scholars to cite the writings (for example, “Earlier Rule 22:9”). Words in italics inside the translation are quotations from or echoes of the Bible or the liturgy; the footnotes give the source. Francis thought and prayed in the words of Scripture, and noticing how much of his writing is woven from it is one of the keys to reading him.

Psalms are cited by their Latin (Vulgate) number, which Francis used, with the modern English number in brackets where it differs.

I. Period of Conversion and Formation of the Rule

Prayer before the Crucifix (1206)

Translated from the Old Italian
Old Italian text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 357.

One of Francis’s earliest writings, traditionally linked to the time of his conversion (c. 1205–06), when he prayed before the painted crucifix in the ruined church of San Damiano outside Assisi. It survives in Old Italian. Notice that the young Francis does not yet ask for a mission but for light: faith, hope and charity, and the understanding to do God’s will.

1 Most High, glorious God,

enlighten the darkness of my heart[2]

2 and give me right faith,

certain hope and perfect charity,[3]

3 sense and understanding,

Lord,

4 that I may carry out your holy

and true command. Amen.

Form of Life Given to St Clare (1212-1213)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 298.

Written for Clare of Assisi and her first companions soon after they began living at San Damiano (c. 1212–13). It survives only because Clare quoted it in her own Rule. Notice the striking Trinitarian image: the sisters are daughters of the Father, handmaids of the King, and brides of the Holy Spirit. Francis promises that the brothers will always care for them.

1 Since by divine inspiration you have made yourselves daughters and handmaids of the most high and supreme King, the heavenly Father, and have taken the Holy Spirit as your spouse, choosing to live according to the perfection of the holy Gospel, 2 I will and promise, for myself and for my brothers, always to have for you, as for them, diligent care and special solicitude.

The Earlier Rule (Regula non bullata) (1209-1221)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 377–402 (verse numbering as in Fonti Francescane, pp. 185–212; chapter 23 keeps its own numbering).

This is the rule by which the brothers lived from the earliest years until 1223. It began as a short text approved by Pope Innocent III in 1209/10 and grew over a decade as chapters of the brothers added material; the form translated here dates from about 1221. It was never formally approved by papal bull, which is why it is called “non bullata”. Read it as a living document: practical regulations sit beside long passages of Scripture, preaching and prayer. Chapter 16, on going among the Saracens, and chapters 22–23, with their great prayer of thanksgiving, are especially worth attention.

[Prologue]

1 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit![4] 2 This is the life of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which Brother Francis asked the lord pope to grant and confirm for him. And he granted and confirmed it for him and for his brothers, present and future. 3 Brother Francis, and whoever will be head of this religion, is to promise obedience and reverence to the lord Pope Innocent and to his successors. 4 And all the other brothers are bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors.

[Chapter 1. That the brothers must live without anything of their own, and in chastity and obedience]

1 The rule and life of these brothers is this: namely, to live in obedience, in chastity and without anything of their own, and to follow the teaching and footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ,[5] 2 who says: If you wish to be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.[6] 3 And: If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.[7] 4 Again: If anyone wishes to come to me and does not hate father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.[8] 5 And: Everyone who has left father or mother, brothers or sisters, wife or children, houses or lands for my sake will receive a hundredfold and will possess eternal life.[9]

[Chapter 2. The reception and clothing of the brothers]

1 If anyone, wishing by divine inspiration to take up this life, comes to our brothers, let him be kindly received by them. 2 And if he is determined to accept our life, the brothers must take great care not to involve themselves in his temporal affairs, but are to present him to their minister as quickly as they can. 3 The minister, for his part, is to receive him kindly, encourage him, and carefully set out for him the whole tenor of our life. 4 When this has been done, the man, if he wishes and is able to do so spiritually and without hindrance, is to sell all his goods and take care to give them all to the poor.[10]

5 The brothers and the minister of the brothers are to take care not to involve themselves in his affairs in any way, 6 nor to accept any money, either themselves or through an intermediary. 7 If, however, they are in need, the brothers may accept other things necessary for the body, except money, by reason of necessity, like other poor people. 8 And when he has come back, the minister is to grant him the clothes of probation for a year, namely two tunics without a hood, a cord, breeches, and a caperon reaching to the cord. 9 When the year and term of probation are over, he is to be received into obedience. 10 After that it will not be lawful for him to join another religious order, nor to wander outside obedience, according to the decree of the lord pope and according to the Gospel; for no one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.[11]

11 But if someone comes who cannot give away his goods without hindrance, yet has the will to do so spiritually, let him leave them behind, and that is enough for him. 12 No one is to be received contrary to the form and institution of holy Church.

13 The other brothers, who have promised obedience, are to have one tunic with a hood and, if necessary, another without a hood, and a cord and breeches. 14 And all the brothers are to wear poor clothes, and they may patch them with sackcloth and other pieces with the blessing of God; for the Lord says in the Gospel: Those who are in costly clothing and live in luxury and those who wear soft garments are in the houses of kings.[12] 15 And though they may be called hypocrites, they are not to stop doing good, nor seek expensive clothes in this world, so that they may have a garment in the kingdom of heaven.

[Chapter 3. The divine Office and fasting]

1 The Lord says: This kind of demon cannot come out except by fasting and prayer;[13] 2 and again: When you fast, do not become gloomy like the hypocrites.[14]

3 For this reason all the brothers, whether clerics or lay, are to say the divine Office, the praises and prayers, as they are obliged to. 4 The clerics are to say the Office, and say it for the living and the dead, according to the custom of clerics. 5 And for the failings and negligence of the brothers they are to say each day the Miserere mei, Deus with the Our Father; 6 and for deceased brothers they are to say the De profundis with the Our Father. 7 And they may have only the books necessary to fulfil their office. 8 Lay brothers who know how to read the psalter may also have one. 9 But the others, who do not know letters, may not have a book.

10 The lay brothers are to say the Credo in Deum and twenty-four Our Fathers with the Glory be for Matins; five for Lauds; for Prime the Credo in Deum and seven Our Fathers with the Glory be; for Terce, Sext and None, seven at each hour; twelve for Vespers; for Compline the Credo in Deum and seven Our Fathers with the Glory be; for the dead, seven Our Fathers with the Requiem aeternam; and for the failings and negligence of the brothers, three Our Fathers each day.

11 And likewise all the brothers are to fast from the feast of All Saints until Christmas, and from Epiphany, when our Lord Jesus Christ began to fast, until Easter.[15] 12 At other times, however, they are not bound by this life to fast except on Fridays. 13 And they may eat of all foods that are set before them, according to the Gospel.[16]

[Chapter 4. How the ministers and the other brothers are to be ordered]

1 In the name of the Lord![17] 2 All the brothers who are appointed ministers and servants of the other brothers are to place their brothers in the provinces and places where they are, and are to visit them often and admonish and encourage them spiritually. 3 And all my other blessed brothers are to obey them diligently in those things that concern the salvation of the soul and are not contrary to our life. 4 And among themselves let them act as the Lord says: Whatever you wish that people should do to you, do the same to them;[18] 5 and: What you do not wish done to you, do not do to another.[19]

6 And let the ministers and servants remember that the Lord says: I came not to be served, but to serve; and that the care of the brothers’ souls has been entrusted to them, and if any of them were lost through their fault or bad example, they would have to render an account on the day of judgement before the Lord Jesus Christ.[20]

[Chapter 5. The correction of brothers who offend]

1 Therefore guard your souls and those of your brothers; for it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.[21] 2 But if any of the ministers should command one of the brothers to do something contrary to our life or against his soul, he is not bound to obey him; for that is not obedience in which a fault or sin is committed. 3 Nevertheless, all the brothers who are under the ministers and servants are to consider the deeds of the ministers and servants reasonably and carefully, 4 and if they see any of them walking according to the flesh and not according to the spirit, as the uprightness of our life requires, and he does not amend after the third admonition, they are to report him at the Chapter of Pentecost to the minister and servant of the whole fraternity, and let no objection stand in the way.

5 And if anywhere among the brothers there is a brother who wishes to walk according to the flesh and not according to the spirit, the brothers he is with are to admonish, instruct and correct him humbly and diligently. 6 And if after the third admonition he refuses to amend, they are to send him, or make the matter known, as soon as they can, to his minister and servant, and the minister and servant is to deal with him as seems best to him before God.

7 And all the brothers, ministers and servants as well as the others, are to take care not to be disturbed or angered because of another’s sin or wrongdoing, for the devil wishes to corrupt many through the fault of one; 8 rather, let them help the one who has sinned spiritually, as best they can, for it is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick.[22]

9 Likewise none of the brothers are to have any power or domination in this, least of all among themselves. 10 For, as the Lord says in the Gospel: The rulers of the nations lord it over them, and those who are greater exercise power over them; it shall not be so among the brothers;[23] 11 and: Whoever wishes to become greater among them, let him be their minister and servant;[24] 12 and: Let the one who is greater among them become like the lesser.[25]

13 Nor is any brother to do or speak evil to another; 14 rather, through the charity of the Spirit, let them willingly serve and obey one another.[26] 15 And this is the true and holy obedience of our Lord Jesus Christ. 16 And all the brothers, whenever they turn away from the commandments of the Lord and wander outside obedience, should know, as the prophet says, that they are cursed outside obedience for as long as they knowingly remain in such sin.[27] 17 And when they have persevered in the commandments of the Lord, which they promised through the holy Gospel and their life, let them know that they stand in true obedience, and may they be blessed by the Lord.[28]

[Chapter 6. The recourse of the brothers to the ministers, and that no brother is to be called prior]

1 The brothers, in whatever places they are, if they cannot observe our life, are to have recourse as quickly as they can to their minister and make this known to him. 2 The minister, for his part, is to take care to provide for them as he would wish to be done for himself if he were in a like case. 3 And let no one be called prior, but all without exception are to be called Lesser Brothers. 4 And let one wash the feet of the other.[29]

[Chapter 7. The manner of serving and working]

1 All the brothers, in whatever places they are staying with others to serve or to work, are not to be chamberlains or chancellors, nor to be in charge in the houses where they serve; nor are they to accept any office that would give scandal or bring harm to their soul,[30] 2 but let them be lesser and subject to all who are in the same house.[31]

3 And the brothers who know how to work are to work and practise the trade they know, if it is not contrary to the salvation of the soul and can be practised honestly. 4 For the prophet says: You shall eat the fruit of your labours; you are blessed, and it shall go well with you;[32] 5 and the Apostle: Whoever does not wish to work, let him not eat;[33] 6 and: Let each one remain in the trade and office in which he was called.[34] 7 And for their work they may receive everything necessary, except money. 8 And when it is necessary, let them go for alms like other poor people. 9 And they may have the tools and instruments suited to their trades.

10 All the brothers are to strive to labour at good works, for it is written: Always do something good, so that the devil may find you occupied.[35] 11 And again: Idleness is the enemy of the soul.[36] 12 Therefore the servants of God must always persevere in prayer or in some good work.

13 Let the brothers take care, wherever they are, in hermitages or in other places, not to appropriate any place to themselves or defend it against anyone. 14 And whoever comes to them, friend or foe, thief or robber, is to be received kindly. 15 And wherever the brothers are and in whatever place they meet, they must visit and honour one another spiritually and diligently, without grumbling.[37] 16 And let them take care not to show themselves outwardly sad and gloomy, as hypocrites do, but let them show themselves joyful in the Lord, cheerful and fittingly gracious.[38]

[Chapter 8. That the brothers are not to receive money]

1 The Lord commands in the Gospel: Take heed, beware of all malice and greed;[39] 2 and: Guard yourselves against the anxieties of this world and the cares of this life.[40]

3 Therefore none of the brothers, wherever he is and wherever he goes, is in any way to take or receive, or have received, money or coins, whether for clothing or for books or as payment for any work, indeed for no reason at all, except for the manifest need of sick brothers; for we should not have or reckon money or coins to be of any more use than stones. 4 And the devil wishes to blind those who desire it or reckon it better than stones. 5 Let us therefore take care, we who have left everything, not to lose the kingdom of heaven for so little.[41] 6 And if we should find coins in any place, let us pay no more heed to them than to the dust we tread underfoot, for it is vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.[42] 7 And if by chance, which God forbid, it should happen that some brother collects or has money or coins, except solely for the need of the sick mentioned above, let all of us brothers hold him to be a false brother, an apostate, a thief, a robber and one who keeps the purse, unless he truly repents.[43]

8 And in no way are the brothers to receive, or have received, or seek, or have sought, money as alms, or coins for any houses or places; nor are they to go with a person who is seeking money or coins for such places; 9 but the brothers may perform for those places other services that are not contrary to our life, with the blessing of God. 10 The brothers may, however, seek alms for lepers when they are in manifest need. 11 But let them be very wary of money. 12 Likewise let all the brothers beware of travelling about the world for any shameful gain.

[Chapter 9. On begging alms]

1 All the brothers are to strive to follow the humility and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ, and to remember that we should have nothing else in the whole world except, as the Apostle says, having food and clothing, with these we are content.[44] 2 And they should rejoice when they live among people who are of little account and looked down upon, among the poor and the weak, the sick and the lepers, and those who beg by the wayside. 3 And when it is necessary, let them go for alms. 4 And let them not be ashamed, but rather remember that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living and almighty God, set his face like the hardest rock and was not ashamed;[45] 5 and he was poor and a stranger and lived on alms, he himself and the blessed Virgin and his disciples. 6 And when people shame them and refuse to give them alms, let them give thanks to God for it; for they will receive great honour for these shames before the judgement seat of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 And let them know that the shame is charged not to those who suffer it but to those who inflict it. 8 And alms are an inheritance and a justice owed to the poor, which our Lord Jesus Christ acquired for us. 9 And the brothers who labour in acquiring them will have a great reward, and they enable the givers to gain and acquire; for all that people leave behind in the world will perish, but for the charity and the alms they have given they will have a reward from the Lord.

10 And let each confidently make his need known to the other, so that the other may find what he needs and supply it to him. 11 And let each love and nourish his brother as a mother loves and nourishes her son, in the things in which God gives him grace.[46] 12 And let the one who does not eat not judge the one who eats.[47]

13 And whenever necessity arises, all the brothers, wherever they are, may eat all foods that people can eat, as the Lord says of David, who ate the loaves of offering, which it was not lawful to eat except for the priests.[48] 14 And let them remember that the Lord says: But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with overindulgence and drunkenness and the cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly; 15 for like a snare it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth.[49] 16 Likewise, in time of manifest necessity all the brothers may act with regard to what they need as the Lord gives them grace, for necessity has no law.[50]

[Chapter 10. On sick brothers]

1 If any of the brothers falls ill, wherever he may be, the other brothers are not to leave him unless one of the brothers, or more if necessary, is appointed to serve him as they would wish to be served themselves; 2 but in the greatest necessity they may entrust him to some person who is to provide for his illness.

3 And I ask the sick brother to give thanks to the Creator for everything, and to desire to be as the Lord wills him to be, whether healthy or sick; for all whom God has foreordained to eternal life he instructs by the goads of scourges and sicknesses and by a spirit of compunction, as the Lord says: Those whom I love, I correct and chastise.[51] 4 And if anyone becomes disturbed or angry, whether against God or against the brothers, or perhaps insistently demands medicines, desiring too much to free the flesh that will soon die, which is the soul’s enemy, this comes to him from the evil one and he is carnal, and he does not seem to be one of the brothers, because he loves the body more than the soul.[52]

[Chapter 11. That the brothers are not to speak evil or detract, but are to love one another]

1 And all the brothers are to take care not to slander anyone or dispute with words;[53] 2 rather, let them strive to keep silence whenever God gives them the grace. 3 Nor are they to quarrel among themselves or with others, but are to take care to answer humbly, saying: I am a useless servant.[54] 4 And they are not to grow angry, for everyone who is angry with his brother shall be liable to judgement; whoever says to his brother “Raca” shall be liable to the council; whoever says “You fool” shall be liable to the fire of Gehenna.[55]

5 And let them love one another, as the Lord says: This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.[56] 6 And let them show by their deeds the love they have for one another, as the Apostle says: Let us not love in word or tongue, but in deed and in truth.[57] 7 And let them speak evil of no one;[58] 8 let them not grumble, nor detract from others, for it is written: Whisperers and detractors are hateful to God.[59]

9 And let them be gentle, showing all meekness to all people;[60] 10 let them not judge, let them not condemn. 11 And, as the Lord says, let them not dwell on the least sins of others,[61] 12 but rather let them reflect on their own in the bitterness of their soul.[62] 13 And let them strive to enter by the narrow gate, for the Lord says: Narrow is the gate and hard the way that leads to life, and few there are who find it.[63]

[Chapter 12. On evil looks and frequent dealings with women]

1 All the brothers, wherever they are or go, are to beware of evil looks and of frequent dealings with women. 2 And no one is to take counsel with them, or travel alone with them on the road, or eat with them from the same dish at table. 3 Priests are to speak with them honourably, giving them penance or some other spiritual counsel. 4 And no woman whatever is to be received into obedience by any brother; but once spiritual counsel has been given her, let her do penance wherever she wishes.

5 And let all of us guard ourselves closely and keep all our members pure, for the Lord says: Whoever looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.[64] 6 And the Apostle: Do you not know that your members are a temple of the Holy Spirit? So whoever violates the temple of God, God will destroy him.[65]

[Chapter 13. On avoiding fornication]

1 If any of the brothers, at the devil’s instigation, commits fornication, he is to be stripped of the habit, which he has lost by his shameful wickedness, and is to put it off entirely and be utterly expelled from our religion. 2 And afterwards let him do penance for his sins.[66]

[Chapter 14. How the brothers are to go through the world]

1 When the brothers go through the world, let them take nothing for the journey, neither bag, nor wallet, nor bread, nor money, nor staff.[67] 2 And whatever house they enter, let them first say: Peace to this house.[68] 3 And remaining in the same house, let them eat and drink what is there.[69] 4 Let them not resist evil, but if anyone strikes them on one cheek, let them offer the other as well.[70] 5 And if anyone takes away their cloak, let them not withhold their tunic as well.[71] 6 Let them give to everyone who asks; and if anyone takes what is theirs, let them not ask for it back.[72]

[Chapter 15. That the brothers are not to ride]

1 I enjoin all my brothers, clerics as well as lay, whether going through the world or staying in places, that in no way are they to have any animal, either with them, or in another’s keeping, or in any other way. 2 Nor may they ride on horseback unless compelled by sickness or great necessity.

[Chapter 16. On those who go among the Saracens and other unbelievers]

1 The Lord says: Behold, I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. 2 Be therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.[73] 3 Therefore any brother who wishes to go among the Saracens and other unbelievers is to go with the permission of his minister and servant. 4 And the minister is to give them permission and not oppose them, if he sees that they are fit to be sent; for he will be bound to render an account to the Lord if he proceeds without discernment in this or in other matters.[74]

5 As for the brothers who go, they can live spiritually among them in two ways. 6 One way is not to engage in quarrels or disputes, but to be subject to every human creature for God’s sake and to confess that they are Christians.[75] 7 The other way is, when they see that it pleases the Lord, to proclaim the word of God, so that they may believe in almighty God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, Creator of all, the Son the Redeemer and Saviour, and that they may be baptized and become Christians; for unless one is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.[76]

8 These and other things that please the Lord they may say to them and to others, for the Lord says in the Gospel: Everyone who acknowledges me before men, I too will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven.[77] 9 And: Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his majesty and that of the Father and of the angels.[78]

10 And all the brothers, wherever they are, should remember that they have given themselves and have surrendered their bodies to the Lord Jesus Christ. 11 And for love of him they must expose themselves to enemies, visible as well as invisible; for the Lord says: Whoever loses his life for my sake will save it for eternal life.[79] 12 Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[80] 13 If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.[81] 14 And: If they persecute you in one town, flee to another.[82] 15 Blessed are you when people hate you and curse you and persecute you and shut you out and reproach you and cast out your name as evil, and when, lying, they say every kind of evil against you for my sake.[83] 16 Rejoice on that day and exult, for your reward is great in heaven.[84]

17 And I say to you, my friends: do not be terrified by these,[85] 18 and do not fear those who kill the body and after that have nothing more that they can do.[86] 19 See that you are not troubled.[87] 20 For by your patience you will possess your souls;[88] 21 and whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.[89]

[Chapter 17. On preachers]

1 No brother is to preach contrary to the form and institution of holy Church, nor unless it has been granted to him by his minister. 2 And let the minister take care not to grant this to anyone without discernment. 3 All the brothers, however, are to preach by their deeds. 4 And no minister or preacher is to appropriate to himself the ministry of the brothers or the office of preaching, but at whatever hour he is so enjoined, he is to give up his office without any objection.

5 Therefore I beg, in the love that is God, all my brothers, preachers, those who pray and those who labour, clerics as well as lay, to strive to humble themselves in all things,[90] 6 and not to boast, or rejoice in themselves, or exalt themselves inwardly over the good words and deeds, or indeed over any good, that God at times does or says or works in them and through them, according to what the Lord says: Yet do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you.[91] 7 And let us know for certain that nothing belongs to us except our vices and sins. 8 And we ought rather to rejoice when we fall into various trials and when we endure any distress or tribulation of soul or body in this world for the sake of eternal life.[92]

9 All of us brothers, then, must beware of all pride and vainglory; 10 and let us guard ourselves from the wisdom of this world and the prudence of the flesh;[93] 11 for the spirit of the flesh wishes and strives hard to have words, but cares little for doing, and it seeks not religion and holiness in the inner spirit, 12 but wishes and desires to have a religion and holiness that people can see from outside. 13 And these are the ones of whom the Lord says: Amen I say to you, they have received their reward.[94] 14 The Spirit of the Lord, however, wishes the flesh to be mortified and despised, held worthless and cast aside; 15 and it strives for humility and patience, and the pure, simple and true peace of the spirit. 16 And above all things it always longs for the divine fear and the divine wisdom and the divine love of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.[95]

17 And let us give back all good things

to the Lord God most high and supreme,

and acknowledge that all good things are his,

and give him thanks for all of them,

from whom all good things come.[96]

18 And may he, the most high and supreme, the only true God,

have, and be given, and receive

all honours and reverence,

all praise and blessings,

all thanks and glory,

for every good is his,

who alone is good.[97]

19 And when we see or hear

people speak or do evil

or blaspheme God,

let us speak well

and do well

and praise God,

who is blessed for ever.[98]

[Chapter 18. How the ministers are to meet together]

1 Each year each minister may meet with his brothers, wherever they please, on the feast of Saint Michael the Archangel, to deal with the things that concern God. 2 For all the ministers who are in regions overseas and beyond the mountains are to come once every three years, and the other ministers once a year, to the Chapter of Pentecost at the church of Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, unless the minister and servant of the whole fraternity has ordered otherwise.

[Chapter 19. That the brothers are to live as Catholics]

1 All the brothers are to be Catholics, and are to live and speak as Catholics. 2 But if anyone strays from the Catholic faith and life, in word or in deed, and does not amend, he is to be utterly expelled from our fraternity. 3 And let us regard all clerics and all religious as our lords in those things that concern the salvation of the soul, provided they have not strayed from our religion; and let us revere their order, office and ministry in the Lord.

[Chapter 20. On penance and the receiving of the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ]

1 And my blessed brothers, clerics as well as lay, are to confess their sins to priests of our religion. 2 And if they cannot, let them confess to other discerning and Catholic priests, knowing firmly and bearing in mind that, from whatever Catholic priests they receive penance and absolution, they will without doubt be absolved from those sins, if they take care to carry out humbly and faithfully the penance enjoined on them. 3 But if they cannot have a priest at that moment, let them confess to their brother, as the apostle James says: Confess your sins to one another.[99] 4 Yet they are not on that account to fail to have recourse to a priest, for the power of binding and loosing has been granted to priests alone.[100] 5 And so, contrite and having confessed, let them receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ with great humility and reverence, remembering that the Lord says: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life;[101] 6 and: Do this in memory of me.[102]

[Chapter 21. On the praise and exhortation that all the brothers may offer]

1 And this or a similar exhortation and praise all my brothers may proclaim, whenever they please, among any people whatever, with the blessing of God:

2 Fear and honour,

praise and bless,

give thanks and adore

the Lord God almighty

in Trinity and Unity,

Father and Son and Holy Spirit,

Creator of all.[103]

3 Do penance,

bear fruits worthy of penance,

for we shall soon die.[104]

4 Give, and it will be given to you.[105]

5 Forgive, and you will be forgiven.[106]

6 And if you do not forgive people their sins,

the Lord will not forgive you your sins;

confess all your sins.[107]

7 Blessed are those who die

in penance,

for they will be in the kingdom of heaven.[108]

8 Woe to those who do not die

in penance,

for they will be children of the devil,

whose works they do,

and they will go into the eternal fire.[109]

9 Beware and abstain from all evil

and persevere to the end in good.

[Chapter 22. On the admonition of the brothers]

1 Let all of us, brothers, pay heed to what the Lord says: Love your enemies and do good to those who hate you;[110] 2 for our Lord Jesus Christ, whose footsteps we must follow, called his betrayer friend and offered himself willingly to those who crucified him.[111] 3 Our friends, then, are all those who unjustly inflict on us trials and anguish, shame and injuries, sorrows and torments, martyrdom and death; 4 and we must love them greatly, for through what they inflict on us we have eternal life.

5 And let us hate our body with its vices and sins; for by our living according to the flesh the devil wishes to take from us the love of Jesus Christ and eternal life, and to lose himself in hell together with everyone; 6 for through our own fault we are foul, wretched and opposed to good, but prompt and willing for evil; because, as the Lord says in the Gospel, 7 from the heart proceed and come forth evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, greed, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, an evil eye, false witness, blasphemy, folly.[112] 8 All these evils proceed from within, from the human heart, and these are what defile a person.[113]

9 But now that we have left the world, we have nothing else to do except to follow the will of the Lord and to please him.[114] 10 Let us take great care not to be the ground beside the way, or the rocky or thorny ground, according to what the Lord says in the Gospel: 11 The seed is the word of God.[115] 12 What fell beside the way and was trodden underfoot are those who hear the word and do not understand; 13 and at once the devil comes and snatches away what was sown in their hearts, and takes the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.[116] 14 What fell on rocky ground are those who, when they hear the word, at once receive it with joy; 15 but when trouble and persecution come on account of the word, they immediately fall away; these have no root in themselves, but last only for a time, for they believe for a while and in time of temptation they fall away. 16 What fell among thorns are those who hear the word of God, and the anxiety and hardships of this world, the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it is left without fruit.[117] 17 But what was sown in good ground are those who hear the word with a good and excellent heart, understand it and keep it, and bear fruit in patience.[118] 18 And therefore we brothers, as the Lord says, should let the dead bury their dead.[119]

19 And let us be very wary of the malice and cunning of Satan, who wants people not to have their mind and heart turned to God. 20 And as he prowls about, he longs to snatch away the human heart under the guise of some reward or help, and to choke the word and precepts of the Lord out of memory; and he wishes to blind the human heart through worldly business and care, and to dwell there, 21 as the Lord says: When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through dry and waterless places seeking rest;[120] 22 and finding none, it says: I will return to my house from which I came. 23 And when it comes, it finds it empty, swept clean and put in order.[121] 24 And it goes and brings seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first.[122]

25 Therefore, all you brothers, let us guard ourselves carefully, so that under the guise of some reward or work or help we do not lose or turn away our mind and heart from the Lord. 26 But in the holy love that is God, I beg all the brothers, ministers as well as others, that, having put aside every obstacle and set aside every care and anxiety, they strive as best they can to serve, love, honour and adore the Lord God with a clean heart and a pure mind, for this is what he seeks above all. 27 And let us always make there a home and dwelling place for him who is the Lord God almighty, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, who says: Watch, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be counted worthy to escape all the evils that are to come and to stand before the Son of Man.[123] 28 And when you stand to pray, say: Our Father, who art in heaven.[124] 29 And let us adore him with a pure heart, for we ought always to pray and not lose heart;[125] 30 for the Father seeks such worshippers.[126] 31 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship him in spirit and truth.[127] 32 And let us have recourse to him as to the shepherd and guardian of our souls, who says: I am the good shepherd, who feed my sheep, and I lay down my life for my sheep.[128] 33 You are all brothers; 34 and call no one on earth your father, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 35 Nor are you to be called teachers, for you have one Teacher, who is in heaven.[129] 36 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.[130] 37 Wherever two or three are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them.[131] 38 Behold, I am with you until the end of the age.[132] 39 The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life.[133] 40 I am the way, the truth and the life.[134]

41 Let us hold fast, then, to the words, the life and the teaching and the holy Gospel of him who deigned to pray to his Father for us and to make his name known to us, saying: Father, glorify your name and glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you.[135] 42 Father, I have made your name known to those whom you gave me; for the words that you gave me I have given to them; and they have received them and have known that I came from you, and they have believed that you sent me.[136] 43 I pray for them, not for the world, 44 but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours, and all that is mine is yours.[137] 45 Holy Father, keep in your name those whom you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are.[138] 46 I say these things in the world, so that they may have joy in themselves. 47 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 48 I do not ask you to take them out of the world, but to keep them from evil.[139] 49 Glorify them in truth. 50 Your word is truth. 51 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 52 And for their sake I sanctify myself, so that they too may be sanctified in truth.[140] 53 I do not pray for them alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, so that they may be brought to perfection as one, and the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me.[141] 54 And I will make your name known to them, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.[142] 55 Father, I desire that those whom you have given me may be with me where I am, so that they may see your glory in your kingdom. Amen.[143]

[Chapter 23. Prayer and thanksgiving]

1 Almighty, most holy,

most high and supreme God,

holy and just Father,

Lord, King of heaven and earth,

we thank you for your own sake,[144]

2 because by your holy will

and through your only Son

with the Holy Spirit

you created all things,

spiritual and bodily,

3 and having made us in your image and likeness,

you placed us in paradise.[145]

4 And we fell through our own fault.

5 And we thank you

because, as you created us through your Son,

so through the holy love

with which you loved us

you caused him, true God and true man,

to be born of the glorious ever-virgin,

most blessed holy Mary,

and you willed that we captives be redeemed

through his cross and blood and death.[146]

6 And we thank you

because your Son himself will come

in the glory of his majesty[147]

7 to send the cursed,

who have not done penance

and have not known you,

into the eternal fire,[148]

8 and to say to all

who have known you

and adored you

and served you in penance:

Come, you blessed of my Father,

receive the kingdom

that has been prepared for you

from the beginning of the world.[149]

9 And because all of us,

wretched and sinners,

are not worthy to name you,

we humbly implore you

that our Lord Jesus Christ,

your beloved Son,

in whom you are well pleased,

together with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,

may give you thanks,

as it pleases you and him,

for everything,

he who is always enough for you in all things,

through whom you have done so much for us. Alleluia.[150]

10 And the glorious mother,

most blessed Mary ever virgin,

blessed Michael, Gabriel and Raphael

and all the choirs of the blessed,

seraphim, cherubim, thrones,

dominions, principalities, powers,

virtues, angels, archangels,

blessed John the Baptist,

John the Evangelist,

Peter, Paul,

and the blessed patriarchs, prophets,

innocents,

apostles, evangelists, disciples,

martyrs, confessors, virgins,

blessed Elijah and Enoch,

and all the saints who were and will be and are,

we humbly beg, for love of you,

that, as it pleases you,

they may give thanks for these things

to you, the supreme true God,

eternal and living,

with your most dear Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ,

and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,

for ever and ever.

Amen. Alleluia.[151]

11 And all who wish to serve the Lord God within the holy Catholic and apostolic Church, and all the following orders: priests, deacons, subdeacons, acolytes, exorcists, lectors, porters and all clerics; all men and women religious; all lay brothers and children, the poor and the needy, kings and princes, labourers and farmers, servants and masters; all virgins, the continent and the married; lay people, men and women; all infants, adolescents, the young and the old, the healthy and the sick, all the small and the great, and all peoples, races, tribes and tongues, all nations and all people everywhere on earth, who are and who will be: all of us, the Lesser Brothers, useless servants, humbly ask and beseech them that we may all persevere in the true faith and in penance, for otherwise no one can be saved.[152]

12 Let all of us love with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, with all our strength and fortitude, with all our understanding, with all our powers, with every effort, every affection, all our inmost being, all our desires and wishes, the Lord God, who has given and gives to all of us the whole body, the whole soul and the whole life; who created us and redeemed us, and by his mercy alone will save us; who has done and does every good to us, miserable and wretched, rotten and foul, ungrateful and evil.[153]

13 Let us therefore desire nothing else,

want nothing else,

let nothing else please and delight us

except our Creator

and Redeemer and Saviour,

the only true God,

who is the fullness of good,

every good,

the whole good,

the true and supreme good,

14 who alone is good,

loving, gentle, delightful and sweet,

who alone is holy,

just, true and upright,

who alone is kind,

innocent, pure,[154]

15 from whom and through whom and in whom

is all pardon, all grace, all glory

of all penitents and the just,

of all the blessed rejoicing together in heaven.

16 Let nothing, then, hinder us,

nothing separate us,

nothing come between us.

17 Everywhere, all of us,

in every place, at every hour and at every time,

daily and continually,

let us truly and humbly believe

and hold in our heart,

and love, honour, adore,

serve, praise and bless,

glorify and exalt above all,

magnify and give thanks[155]

18 to the most high and supreme eternal God,

Trinity and Unity,

Father and Son and Holy Spirit,

Creator of all

and Saviour of all

who believe and hope in him and love him,[156]

19 who, without beginning and without end,

is unchangeable, invisible, indescribable,

ineffable, incomprehensible, unsearchable,

blessed, praiseworthy, glorious,

exalted above all, sublime, most high,

gentle, lovable, delightful,

and wholly desirable above all things for ever.

Amen.[157]

[Chapter 24. Conclusion]

1 In the name of the Lord! I ask all the brothers to learn the tenor and sense of what is written in this life for the salvation of our soul, and to call it often to mind. 2 And I pray God that he who is almighty, three and one, may bless all who teach, learn, keep, remember and put these things into practice, each time they repeat and do what is written here for the salvation of our soul; 3 and I beg all of them, kissing their feet, to love, keep and treasure these things greatly.

4 And on behalf of almighty God and of the lord pope, and by obedience, I, Brother Francis, firmly command and enjoin that no one take away anything from what is written in this life or add anything written to it, and that the brothers have no other rule.[158] 5 Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.

Rule for Hermitages (Regula pro eremitoriis data) (1217-1222)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 409 f..

A short guide for brothers who withdrew for a time to pray in small hermitages (c. 1217–21). Francis uses family language: in each small group two brothers act as “mothers” who look after practical needs, and the others are “sons” who give themselves to prayer, like Martha and Mary in the Gospel (Luke 10:38–42). The roles are meant to be exchanged from time to time.

1 Those who wish to live religiously in hermitages are to be three brothers, or four at most; two of them are to be mothers and have two sons, or at least one.

2 These two who are mothers are to lead the life of Martha, and the two sons the life of Mary; and they are to have one enclosure, in which each has his own little cell to pray and sleep in.[159] 3 And they are always to say Compline of the day immediately after sunset, and strive to keep silence; and they are to say their hours, and rise for Matins, and seek first the kingdom of God and his justice.[160] 4 And they are to say Prime at the proper hour, and after Terce they may end their silence, and may speak and go to their mothers. 5 And, when they please, they may ask alms of them, like little poor ones, for the love of the Lord God. 6 And afterwards they are to say Sext and None, and say Vespers at the proper hour.

7 And in the enclosure where they live they are not to allow anyone to enter, nor are they to eat there. 8 Those brothers who are mothers are to strive to stay apart from everyone; and by obedience to their minister they are to guard their sons from everyone, so that no one can speak with them. 9 And these sons are not to speak with anyone except their mothers and their minister and custodian, when it pleases him to visit them with the blessing of the Lord God.

10 The sons, however, are at times to take on the office of the mothers, taking turns as seems best to arrange for the time being; and let them strive to observe all the above carefully and earnestly.

Exhortation to the Praise of God (Exhortatio ad laudem Dei) (before 1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 282 f..

According to an early tradition, Francis had these verses painted on a panel at the altar of a hermitage chapel. The text is almost entirely made of quotations from the Psalms, the Book of Revelation and the liturgy, joined into a single call for all creation to praise God; it can be read as an early sketch of the Canticle of Brother Sun.

1 Fear the Lord and give him honour.[161]

2 The Lord is worthy to receive praise and honour.[162]

3 All you who fear the Lord, praise him.[163]

4 Hail, Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you.[164]

5 Praise him, heaven and earth.[165]

6 Praise the Lord, all you rivers.[166]

7 Bless the Lord, you children of God.[167]

8 This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, King of Israel![168]

9 Let every spirit praise the Lord.[169]

10 Praise the Lord, for he is good;

all you who read this, bless the Lord.[170]

11 All creatures, bless the Lord.[171]

12 All birds of the air, praise the Lord.[172]

13 All children, praise the Lord.[173]

14 Young men and maidens, praise the Lord.[174]

15 Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive praise, glory and honour.[175]

16 Blessed be the holy Trinity and undivided Unity.[176]

17 Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.[177]

Letter to the Clergy (Epistola ad clericos), earlier and later recensions (1215-1220)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: earlier recension: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 163 f.; later recension: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 164 f..

Written around 1219–20, when the Church was urging greater reverence for the Eucharist after the Fourth Lateran Council (1215). Francis writes to priests about the care of the consecrated host, of altar vessels and linens, and of written copies of the words of Scripture. The letter survives in two versions (recensions); where they differ, both are given, each with a small label.

1 Let all of us clerics consider the great sin and ignorance that some have regarding the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his most holy names and written words, which consecrate the body. 2 We know that the body cannot exist unless it is first sanctified by the word.[178] 3 For in this world we have and see nothing bodily of the Most High himself except his body and blood, his names and words, through which we have been made and redeemed from death to life.[179]

Earlier recension:

4 Let all those who minister such most holy mysteries consider within themselves, especially those who minister unlawfully, how poor are the chalices, corporals and linens where the body and blood of the same is sacrificed. 5 And by many it is placed and left in shabby places,

Later recension:

4 Let all those who minister such most holy mysteries consider within themselves, especially those who minister without discernment, how poor are the chalices, corporals and linens where the body and blood of our Lord is sacrificed. 5 And by many it is left in shabby places,

Both recensions continue:

it is carried about wretchedly, received unworthily and administered to others without discernment. 6 His names and written words, too, are at times trampled underfoot; 7 for the unspiritual person does not perceive the things of God.[180]

8 Are we not moved to devotion by all these things, when the loving Lord himself places himself in our hands, and we handle him and receive him daily with our mouth? 9 Or are we unaware that we must come into his hands?[181] 10 Let us, then, amend ourselves quickly and firmly in all these and other matters; 11 and wherever the most holy body of our Lord Jesus Christ has been unlawfully placed and left, let it be removed from that place and put and kept in a precious place.

12 Likewise, wherever the written names and words of the Lord are found in unclean places, let them be gathered up and put in a fitting place.

Earlier recension:

13 All clerics are bound to observe all these things above all, to the end. 14 And those who have not done this, let them know that they must render an account before our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of judgement.

Later recension:

13 And we know that we are bound to observe all these things above all, according to the precepts of the Lord and the constitutions of holy mother Church. 14 And whoever has not done this, let him know that he must render an account before our Lord Jesus Christ on the day of judgement.[182]

Both recensions conclude:

15 So that this writing may be better observed, let those who copy it know that they are blessed by the Lord God.

First Letter to the Custodians (Epistola ad custodes I) (towards 1220)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 170.

Written around 1219–20 to the custodians, the brothers in charge of local groups of friaries. Francis asks them to spread among clergy and people the same concerns as the Letter to the Clergy, and to call everyone to praise God, even at the ringing of bells. The “new signs of heaven and earth” in the greeting is a phrase scholars still discuss.

1 To all the custodians of the Lesser Brothers to whom this letter comes, Brother Francis, your servant and little one in the Lord God, sends greetings with new signs of heaven and earth, which are great and most excellent before God, yet are thought of very little by many religious and other people.

2 I beg you, more than if it were for myself, that, when it is fitting and you see that it is expedient, you humbly entreat the clergy to venerate above all the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and his holy names and written words, which consecrate the body. 3 Chalices, corporals, altar ornaments and everything that belongs to the sacrifice should be precious.

4 And if in any place the most holy body of the Lord has been housed very poorly, let them place and keep it in a precious place, according to the command of the Church, and carry it with great reverence and administer it to others with discernment. 5 Likewise, wherever the written names and words of the Lord are found in unclean places, let them be gathered up and put in a fitting place.

6 And in all the preaching you do, admonish the people about penance, and that no one can be saved except one who receives the most holy body and blood of the Lord;[183] 7 and when it is sacrificed by the priest on the altar, or carried anywhere, let all people on bended knee give praise, glory and honour to the Lord God, living and true.[184] 8 And proclaim and preach his praise to all nations in such a way that at every hour, and when the bells are rung, praise and thanks may always be given to almighty God by all the people throughout the whole earth.

9 And let all my brothers the custodians to whom this writing comes, who copy it and keep it with them, and have copies made for the brothers who hold the office of preaching and the care of the brothers, and who preach to the end all that is contained in this writing, know that they have the blessing of the Lord God and mine. 10 And let these things be for them through true and holy obedience. Amen.

Second Letter to the Custodians (Epistola ad custodes II) (1220-1222)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 174.

A short covering letter, probably sent with copies of the Letter to the Clergy and the Letter to the Rulers of the Peoples. It shows Francis organising the copying and distribution of his letters, and contrasts what people value with what God values.

1 To all the custodians of the Lesser Brothers to whom this letter comes, Brother Francis, the least of the servants of God, sends greetings and holy peace in the Lord.

2 Know that in the sight of God there are some things very high and sublime that are at times reckoned among people as worthless and contemptible; 3 and there are others, dear and admirable among people, that before God are held to be most worthless and contemptible.

4 I beg you before the Lord our God, as much as I can, to give the letters that deal with the most holy body and blood of our Lord to bishops and other clerics; 5 and to keep in mind what we have urged upon you in these matters.

6 As for the other letters, which I am sending you to give to mayors, consuls and rulers, and in which it is laid down that the praises of God be proclaimed among the peoples and in the squares, have many copies made at once, 7 and deliver them with great care to those to whom they are to be given.

Letter to the Rulers of the Peoples (Epistola ad populorum rectores) (towards 1220)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 274 f..

Addressed to mayors, consuls, judges and other civic leaders. Francis reminds them of death and judgement and asks them to receive the Eucharist and to have praise of God announced to their people every evening. Notice how a poor friar addresses the powerful with both courtesy and directness.

1 To all mayors and consuls, judges and rulers everywhere on earth, and to all others to whom this letter comes, Brother Francis, your little and despised servant in the Lord God, wishing health and peace to you all.

2 Consider and see that the day of death is drawing near.[185] 3 I therefore beg you with reverence, as much as I can, not to forget the Lord or turn away from his commandments because of the cares and anxieties of this world that you have; for all those who forget him and turn away from his commandments are cursed, and will be forgotten by him.[186] 4 And when the day of death comes, all that they thought they had will be taken from them.[187] 5 And the wiser and more powerful they have been in this world, the greater the torments they will suffer in hell.[188]

6 Therefore I firmly counsel you, my lords, to put aside all care and anxiety and to receive kindly the most holy body and most holy blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in his holy commemoration. 7 And confer such honour on the Lord among the people entrusted to you that every evening it may be announced by a herald or by some other sign that praise and thanks are to be given by all the people to the Lord God almighty. 8 And if you do not do this, know that you must render an account on the day of judgement before your Lord God, Jesus Christ.[189]

9 Let those who keep this writing with them and observe it know that they are blessed by the Lord God.

II. Period of Spiritual Maturity

Letter to a Minister (Epistola ad quemdam ministrum) (by 1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 232 f..

Written before 1223 to a minister (a brother in charge of a province) who was finding his brothers a burden and apparently wanted to withdraw to a hermitage. It is one of the most personal and demanding of Francis’s writings: the difficulties are to be accepted as grace, and no brother who has sinned should ever leave the minister’s presence without mercy. The second half drafts a chapter for the Rule on brothers who sin.

1 To Brother N., minister: may the Lord bless you.[190]

2 I speak to you, as best I can, about the state of your soul: whatever hinders you from loving the Lord God, and whoever becomes a hindrance to you, whether brothers or others, even if they were to beat you, all this you must regard as grace. 3 And want it to be so, and not otherwise. 4 And let this be for you true obedience to the Lord God and to me, for I know firmly that this is true obedience. 5 And love those who do these things to you. 6 And want nothing else from them, except what the Lord gives you. 7 And love them in this, and do not wish that they be better Christians. 8 And let this be more to you than a hermitage.

9 And by this I wish to know whether you love the Lord, and me, his servant and yours: if you act in this way, namely that there be no brother in the world who has sinned, however much he could have sinned, who, after he has seen your eyes, ever goes away without your mercy, if he seeks mercy. 10 And if he does not seek mercy, ask him whether he wants mercy. 11 And if after that he should sin a thousand times before your eyes, love him more than me, so that you may draw him to the Lord; and always be merciful to such as these. 12 And make this known to the guardians, when you can, that for your part you are resolved to act so.

13 Now, concerning all the chapters in the Rule that speak of mortal sins, with the Lord’s help, at the Chapter of Pentecost, with the counsel of the brothers, we will make a chapter such as this: 14 If any of the brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, has sinned mortally, he is bound by obedience to have recourse to his guardian. 15 And all the brothers who know that he has sinned are not to shame him or speak ill of him, but are to have great mercy towards him and keep their brother’s sin very private; for it is not the healthy who need a physician, but the sick.[191] 16 Likewise they are bound by obedience to send him to his custodian with a companion. 17 And the custodian himself is to provide for him mercifully, as he would wish to be provided for if he were in a like case. 18 And if he has fallen into some venial sin, let him confess to his brother who is a priest. 19 And if there is no priest there, let him confess to his brother until he has a priest who may absolve him canonically, as has been said. 20 And these brothers are to have no power at all to impose any other penance than this: Go, and sin no more.[192]

21 So that this writing may be better observed, keep it with you until Pentecost, when you will be with your brothers. 22 And you will see to it, with the help of the Lord God, that these and all other things that are lacking in the Rule are fulfilled.

Admonitions (Admonitiones) (up to 1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 106–17.

Twenty-eight short teachings, probably collected from what Francis said to the brothers at their chapters. Many take the form of a beatitude (“Blessed is the servant who…”). Read them slowly, one at a time: they are a compact guide to Francis’s spirituality, especially his concern with humility, the danger of appropriating good to oneself, and the Eucharist (Admonition 1).

[1. On the body of the Lord]

1 The Lord Jesus says to his disciples: I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me. 2 If you knew me, you would surely know my Father also; and from now on you will know him and have seen him. 3 Philip says to him: Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us. 4 Jesus says to him: Have I been with you so long, and you have not known me? Philip, whoever sees me sees my Father also.[193] 5 The Father dwells in light inaccessible, and God is spirit, and no one has ever seen God.[194] 6 Therefore he cannot be seen except in the Spirit, for it is the Spirit that gives life; the flesh profits nothing.[195]

7 But neither is the Son, inasmuch as he is equal to the Father, seen by anyone otherwise than the Father, otherwise than the Holy Spirit.[196] 8 Hence all who saw the Lord Jesus according to his humanity, and did not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Godhead that he is the true Son of God, are condemned; 9 and so now all who see the sacrament, which is consecrated by the words of the Lord upon the altar at the hands of the priest in the form of bread and wine, and do not see and believe according to the Spirit and the Godhead that it is truly the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, are condemned, 10 as the Most High himself bears witness, saying: This is my body and the blood of my new covenant;[197] 11 and: Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life.[198] 12 Hence the Spirit of the Lord, who dwells in his faithful, is the one who receives the most holy body and blood of the Lord. 13 All others, who do not share in that same Spirit and presume to receive him, eat and drink judgement on themselves.[199]

14 Therefore, children of men,

how long will you be heavy of heart?[200]

15 Why do you not know the truth

and believe in the Son of God?[201]

16 See, daily he humbles himself,

as when from the royal throne

he came into the Virgin’s womb;[202]

17 daily he comes to us,

appearing humble;

18 daily he comes down from the bosom of the Father

upon the altar

in the hands of the priest.[203]

19 And as he showed himself to the holy apostles in true flesh, so now he shows himself to us in the sacred bread. 20 And as they, by the sight of their bodily eyes, saw only his flesh, yet, contemplating him with spiritual eyes, believed that he was God, 21 so we too, seeing bread and wine with bodily eyes, are to see and firmly believe that it is his most holy body and blood, living and true. 22 And in this way the Lord is always with his faithful, as he himself says: Behold, I am with you until the end of the age.[204]

[2. On the evil of one’s own will]

1 The Lord said to Adam: Eat of every tree, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat.[205] 2 He could eat of every tree of paradise, because, so long as he did not go against obedience, he did not sin.

3 For that person eats of the tree of the knowledge of good who appropriates his own will to himself and exalts himself over the good things that the Lord says and works in him; 4 and so, through the suggestion of the devil and the transgression of the command, it became for him the fruit of the knowledge of evil. 5 Therefore he must bear the punishment.

[3. On perfect obedience]

1 The Lord says in the Gospel: Whoever does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple;[206] 2 and: Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it.[207] 3 That person leaves all that he possesses, and loses his body, who gives himself wholly to obedience in the hands of his superior. 4 And whatever he does and says that he knows is not contrary to the superior’s will, provided what he does is good, is true obedience. 5 And if at times the subject sees things better and more useful for his soul than those his superior commands, let him willingly sacrifice his own to God, and strive to carry out in deed what the superior commands. 6 For this is loving obedience, because it satisfies God and neighbour.[208]

7 But if the superior commands him something against his soul, though he need not obey him, still he is not to break with him. 8 And if on that account he suffers persecution from some, let him love them all the more for God’s sake. 9 For whoever would rather suffer persecution than be separated from his brothers truly remains in perfect obedience, because he lays down his life for his brothers.[209]

10 For there are many religious who, under the pretext of seeing better things than those their superiors command, look back and return to the vomit of their own will;[210] 11 these are murderers, and by their bad example cause many souls to be lost.

[4. That no one should appropriate a position of authority to himself]

1 I came not to be served, but to serve, says the Lord.[211] 2 Those who are set over others should glory in that authority only as much as they would if they had been appointed to the office of washing the brothers’ feet. 3 And the more they are upset at having their authority taken from them than at losing the office of the feet, the more they lay up a purse for themselves to the peril of their soul.

[5. That no one should be proud, but should glory in the cross of the Lord]

1 Consider, O man, in what great excellence the Lord God has placed you, for he created and formed you in the image of his beloved Son according to the body, and in his likeness according to the spirit.[212] 2 And all the creatures under heaven, each according to its nature, serve, know and obey their Creator better than you. 3 And even the demons did not crucify him; but you, together with them, crucified him and crucify him still by delighting in vices and sins. 4 In what, then, can you glory?

5 For if you were so clever and wise that you had all knowledge, and knew how to interpret all kinds of tongues, and to search out heavenly things with subtlety, in all this you cannot glory;[213] 6 for a single demon knew about heavenly things, and now knows about earthly things, more than all human beings, even if there has been someone who received from the Lord a special knowledge of the highest wisdom.

7 Likewise, if you were more handsome and richer than all, and even if you worked wonders, such as putting demons to flight, all these things are against you, nothing of them belongs to you, and in them you can glory not at all; 8 but in this we can glory: in our weaknesses, and in carrying daily the holy cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.[214]

[6. On the imitation of the Lord]

1 Let all of us brothers consider the Good Shepherd, who to save his sheep endured the suffering of the cross.[215] 2 The sheep of the Lord followed him in tribulation and persecution, in shame and hunger, in weakness and temptation and in all the rest; and for these things they received eternal life from the Lord.[216] 3 Hence it is a great shame for us, the servants of God, that the saints did the works, and we want to receive glory and honour for reciting them.

[7. That good action should follow knowledge]

1 The Apostle says: The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.[217] 2 Those are killed by the letter who wish only to know the words alone, so that they may be held wiser than others and be able to acquire great riches to give to relatives and friends. 3 And those religious are killed by the letter who do not wish to follow the spirit of the divine letter, but desire rather only to know the words and interpret them to others. 4 And those are given life by the spirit of the divine letter who do not attribute to themselves any letter they know or wish to know, but by word and example give it back to the most high Lord God, to whom every good belongs.[218]

[8. On avoiding the sin of envy]

1 The Apostle says: No one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit;[219] 2 and: There is no one who does good, not even one.[220] 3 Whoever, then, envies his brother over the good that the Lord says and does in him commits the sin of blasphemy, because he envies the Most High himself, who says and does every good.

[9. On love]

1 The Lord says: Love your enemies.[221] 2 For that person truly loves his enemy who does not grieve over the injury done to himself, 3 but for love of God burns over the sin on his enemy’s soul.[222] 4 And let him show him love by deeds.[223]

[10. On chastising the body]

1 There are many who, when they sin or receive an injury, often blame the enemy or their neighbour. 2 But it is not so; for each one has the enemy in his own power, namely the body, through which he sins. 3 Therefore blessed is that servant who always keeps captive such an enemy handed over into his power, and wisely guards himself against it;[224] 4 for as long as he does this, no other enemy, visible or invisible, will be able to harm him.

[11. That no one should be corrupted by another’s evil]

1 Nothing ought to displease the servant of God except sin. 2 And in whatever way any person might sin, if on that account the servant of God becomes disturbed and angry, not out of charity, he stores up guilt for himself.[225] 3 That servant of God who does not grow angry or disturbed over anything lives rightly, without anything of his own. 4 And blessed is the one to whom nothing remains for himself, rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.[226]

[12. On recognizing the Spirit of the Lord]

1 The servant of God can be known to have the Spirit of the Lord in this way: 2 if, when the Lord works some good through him, his flesh does not exalt itself on that account, for the flesh is always opposed to every good, 3 but rather he holds himself the more worthless in his own eyes, and esteems himself less than all other people.

[13. On patience]

1 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. The servant of God cannot know how much patience and humility he has within himself so long as he is satisfied.[227] 2 But when the time comes that those who should satisfy him do the opposite, as much patience and humility as he has then, so much he has, and no more.

[14. On poverty of spirit]

1 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[228] 2 There are many who, applying themselves to prayers and offices, practise much abstinence and many mortifications of their bodies, 3 but over a single word that seems to be an injury to their bodies, or over something taken from them, they are at once scandalized and disturbed.[229] 4 These are not poor in spirit; for whoever is truly poor in spirit hates himself and loves those who strike him on the cheek.[230]

[15. On peace]

1 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.[231] 2 Those are truly peacemakers who, in all that they suffer in this world for love of our Lord Jesus Christ, preserve peace in soul and body.

[16. On purity of heart]

1 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.[232] 2 Those are truly pure in heart who despise earthly things, seek heavenly things, and never cease to adore and behold the Lord God, living and true, with a pure heart and mind.[233]

[17. On the humble servant of God]

1 Blessed is that servant who does not exalt himself more over the good the Lord says and works through him than over the good he says and works through another.[234] 2 A person sins who wishes to receive more from his neighbour than he is willing to give of himself to the Lord God.

[18. On compassion for one’s neighbour]

1 Blessed is the person who bears with his neighbour in his frailty as he would wish to be borne with by him if he were in a like case. 2 Blessed is the servant who gives back every good to the Lord God; for whoever keeps anything back for himself hides within himself the money of his Lord God, and what he thought he had will be taken from him.[235]

[19. On the humble servant of God]

1 Blessed is the servant who does not consider himself better when he is praised and exalted by people than when he is held worthless, simple and despised; 2 for what a person is before God, that he is, and no more.

3 Woe to that religious who has been placed on high by others and does not wish to come down of his own will. 4 And blessed is that servant who is not placed on high by his own will and always desires to be under the feet of others.[236]

[20. On the good and the vain religious]

1 Blessed is that religious who has no delight and joy except in the most holy words and works of the Lord, 2 and by them leads people to the love of God with joy and gladness.[237]

3 Woe to that religious who delights in idle and empty words and by them leads people to laughter.

[21. On the frivolous and talkative religious]

1 Blessed is the servant who, when he speaks, does not reveal everything about himself in hope of reward, and is not quick to speak, but wisely considers what he should say and answer.[238]

2 Woe to that religious who does not keep in his heart the good things the Lord shows him, and does not show them to others by deeds, but rather, in hope of reward, desires to show them to people in words.[239] 3 He receives his reward, and those who hear him carry away little fruit.[240]

[22. On correction]

1 Blessed is the servant who would bear discipline, accusation and rebuke from another as patiently as from himself.

2 Blessed is the servant who, when rebuked, kindly agrees, respectfully obeys, humbly confesses and willingly makes amends.

3 Blessed is the servant who is not quick to excuse himself, and humbly bears shame and rebuke for a sin in which he committed no fault.

[23. On humility]

1 Blessed is the servant who is found as humble among his subjects as he would be among his masters.

2 Blessed is the servant who always remains under the rod of correction.

3 He is a faithful and prudent servant who, in all his offences, does not delay to punish them inwardly by contrition and outwardly by confession and the satisfaction of works.[241]

[24. On true love]

1 Blessed is the servant who would love his brother as much when he is sick, and cannot repay him, as when he is well and can repay him.

[25. Again on the same]

1 Blessed is the servant who would love and respect his brother as much when he was far away from him as when he was with him, and would say nothing behind his back that he could not say with charity to his face.

[26. That the servants of God should honour clerics]

1 Blessed is the servant who keeps faith in clerics who live uprightly according to the form of the Roman Church. 2 And woe to those who despise them; for even if they are sinners, no one ought to judge them, because the Lord alone reserves them to himself for judgement. 3 For the greater their ministry, which they exercise over the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and which they alone administer to others, 4 the greater the sin of those who sin against them than of those who sin against all other people of this world.

[27. On virtue that puts vice to flight]

1 Where there is charity and wisdom,

there is neither fear nor ignorance.[242]

2 Where there is patience and humility,

there is neither anger nor disturbance.

3 Where there is poverty with joy,

there is neither greed nor avarice.

4 Where there is quiet and meditation,

there is neither anxiety nor restlessness.

5 Where there is the fear of the Lord

to guard the courtyard,

there the enemy can find

no way to enter.[243]

6 Where there is mercy and discernment,

there is neither excess nor hardness of heart.

[28. On hiding what is good lest it be lost]

1 Blessed is the servant who stores up in heaven the good things the Lord shows him, and does not wish to reveal them to people in hope of reward, 2 for the Most High himself will reveal his works to whomever he pleases.[244]

3 Blessed is the servant who keeps the secrets of the Lord in his heart.[245]

Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Salutatio beatae Mariae virginis) (towards 1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 418.

A short poem of praise in which Mary is greeted with a series of images: palace, tabernacle, house, garment, handmaid and mother of God. The striking phrase “the Virgin made Church” presents Mary as the model and beginning of the Church.

1 Hail, Lady, holy Queen,

holy Mother of God, Mary,

who are the Virgin made Church,

2 and chosen by the most holy Father of heaven,

whom he consecrated

with his most holy beloved Son

and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete,

3 in whom there was and is

all fullness of grace

and every good.[246]

4 Hail, his palace,

hail, his tabernacle,

hail, his house,

5 hail, his garment,

hail, his handmaid,

hail, his mother,[247]

6 and hail, all you holy virtues,

who through the grace and enlightenment

of the Holy Spirit

are poured into the hearts of the faithful,

so that from unbelievers

you may make them faithful to God.

Salutation of the Virtues (Salutatio virtutum) (towards 1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 427 f..

A poem greeting the virtues as noble ladies, in pairs of “sisters” (Wisdom and Simplicity, Poverty and Humility, Charity and Obedience). Each virtue “puts to shame” a corresponding vice. Notice the closing verses on obedience, which extend even to wild animals.

1 Hail, Queen Wisdom,

may the Lord save you, with your sister,

holy pure Simplicity.

2 Lady holy Poverty,

may the Lord save you, with your sister,

holy Humility.

3 Lady holy Charity,

may the Lord save you, with your sister,

holy Obedience.

4 Most holy virtues,

may the Lord save you all,

from whom you come and proceed.

5 There is surely no one

in the whole world

who can possess one of you

unless he first dies.[248]

6 Whoever possesses one and does not offend the others

possesses all.

7 And whoever offends one

possesses none and offends all.[249]

8 And each one

puts vices and sins to shame.

9 Holy Wisdom

puts to shame Satan

and all his wiles.

10 Pure holy Simplicity

puts to shame all the wisdom of this world

and the wisdom of the body.[250]

11 Holy Poverty

puts to shame greed and avarice

and the cares of this world.

12 Holy Humility

puts to shame pride

and all the people who are in the world,

and likewise all that is in the world.

13 Holy Charity

puts to shame all the temptations

of the devil and of the flesh

and all fleshly fears.[251]

14 Holy Obedience

puts to shame all bodily

and fleshly wishes of one’s own,

15 and keeps its body mortified

for obedience to the Spirit

and obedience to its brother,

16 and is subject and submissive

to all people in the world,[252]

17 and not to people alone,

but also to all beasts and wild animals,

18 so that they may do with it

whatever they wish,

insofar as it has been given them from above

by the Lord.[253]

The Later Rule (Regula bullata) (1223)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 366–71 (verse numbering as in Fonti Francescane, pp. 171–81).

The definitive Rule of the Order, approved by Pope Honorius III in the bull Solet annuere on 29 November 1223, and still followed by Franciscan friars today. Compare it with the Earlier Rule: it is much shorter and more legal in form, with fewer Scripture quotations, but the heart of Francis’s vision remains, especially in chapter 6 on poverty and chapter 10 on the relations between ministers and brothers.

[Chapter 1] 1 In the name of the Lord! Here begins the life of the Lesser Brothers

2 The rule and life of the Lesser Brothers is this: to observe the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ by living in obedience, without anything of their own, and in chastity. 3 Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to the lord Pope Honorius and to his successors canonically elected, and to the Roman Church. 4 And the other brothers are bound to obey Brother Francis and his successors.

[Chapter 2] 1 Those who wish to take up this life, and how they are to be received

2 If any wish to take up this life and come to our brothers, they are to send them to their provincial ministers, to whom alone and to no others is permission granted to receive brothers. 3 The ministers are to examine them carefully on the Catholic faith and the sacraments of the Church. 4 And if they believe all these things and are willing to profess them faithfully and observe them steadfastly to the end, 5 and if they have no wives, or, if they have, their wives have already entered a monastery, or have given them permission by the authority of the diocesan bishop, having already taken a vow of continence, and the wives are of such an age that no suspicion can arise concerning them, 6 the ministers are to tell them the word of the holy Gospel, that they should go and sell all that they have and take care to give it to the poor.[254] 7 If they cannot do this, their good will is enough.

8 And the brothers and their ministers are to take care not to be anxious about their temporal goods, so that they may freely do with their goods whatever the Lord inspires them. 9 If, however, counsel is needed, the ministers may send them to some God-fearing people, by whose counsel their goods may be given to the poor.[255]

10 Then they are to grant them the clothes of probation, namely two tunics without a hood, a cord, breeches, and a caperon reaching to the cord, 11 unless at some time it seems otherwise to these same ministers according to God. 12 When the year of probation is over, they are to be received into obedience, promising always to observe this life and Rule. 13 And in no way will it be lawful for them to leave this religion, according to the command of the lord pope;[256] 14 for according to the holy Gospel, no one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.[257]

15 And those who have already promised obedience are to have one tunic with a hood, and another without a hood for those who wish to have it. 16 And those who are compelled by necessity may wear shoes. 17 And all the brothers are to wear poor clothes, and they may patch them with sackcloth and other pieces with the blessing of God. 18 I admonish and exhort them not to look down on or judge people whom they see dressed in soft and coloured clothing, enjoying choice food and drink; rather, let each one judge and look down on himself.[258]

[Chapter 3] 1 The divine Office and fasting, and how the brothers are to go through the world

2 The clerics are to say the divine Office according to the rite of the holy Roman Church, except for the psalter, 3 for which reason they may have breviaries. 4 The lay brothers are to say twenty-four Our Fathers for Matins, five for Lauds; for Prime, Terce, Sext and None, seven for each; twelve for Vespers, and seven for Compline; 5 and they are to pray for the dead.

6 And they are to fast from the feast of All Saints until the Nativity of the Lord. 7 As for the holy Lent that begins at Epiphany and lasts for forty continuous days, which the Lord consecrated by his holy fast, those who fast it willingly are to be blessed by the Lord, and those who do not wish to are not bound.[259] 8 But they are to fast the other Lent, until the Resurrection of the Lord. 9 At other times, however, they are not bound to fast except on Fridays. 10 But in time of manifest necessity the brothers are not bound to bodily fasting.

11 I counsel, admonish and exhort my brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ that, when they go through the world, they are not to quarrel or dispute with words, or judge others;[260] 12 but let them be gentle, peaceable and modest, meek and humble, speaking courteously to everyone, as is fitting.[261] 13 And they must not ride on horseback unless compelled by manifest necessity or sickness. 14 Whatever house they enter, let them first say: Peace to this house.[262] 15 And, according to the holy Gospel, they may eat of all the foods that are set before them.[263]

[Chapter 4] 1 That the brothers are not to receive money

2 I firmly command all the brothers that in no way are they to receive coins or money, either themselves or through an intermediary. 3 Nevertheless, for the needs of the sick and for clothing the other brothers, the ministers and custodians alone are to take careful thought, through spiritual friends, according to places, seasons and cold regions, as they see best suits the need; 4 always with this proviso, as has been said, that they do not receive coins or money.

[Chapter 5] 1 The manner of working

2 Those brothers to whom the Lord has given the grace of working are to work faithfully and devotedly, 3 so that, while shutting out idleness, the enemy of the soul, they do not extinguish the spirit of holy prayer and devotion, which all other temporal things must serve.[264] 4 As wages for their work they may receive what is necessary for the body, for themselves and their brothers, except coins or money; 5 and this humbly, as befits servants of God and followers of most holy poverty.

[Chapter 6] 1 That the brothers are to appropriate nothing to themselves; on begging alms; and on sick brothers

2 The brothers are to appropriate nothing to themselves, neither house, nor place, nor anything at all. 3 And as pilgrims and strangers in this world, serving the Lord in poverty and humility, let them go confidently for alms;[265] 4 nor should they be ashamed, for the Lord made himself poor for us in this world.[266]

5 This is that summit of the most high poverty that has made you, my dearest brothers, heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven, made you poor in things and raised you high in virtues.[267] 6 Let this be your portion, which leads into the land of the living.[268] 7 Clinging to it completely, most beloved brothers, never wish to have anything else under heaven, for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

8 And wherever the brothers are and meet one another, let them show themselves members of one household. 9 And let each one confidently make known his need to the other; for if a mother nourishes and loves her child according to the flesh, how much more carefully should one love and nourish his brother according to the Spirit?[269] 10 And if any of them falls ill, the other brothers must serve him as they would wish to be served themselves.[270]

[Chapter 7] 1 The penance to be imposed on brothers who sin

2 If any of the brothers, at the instigation of the enemy, sin mortally, in those sins for which it has been laid down among the brothers that recourse be had to the provincial ministers alone, those brothers are bound to have recourse to them as quickly as they can, without delay. 3 The ministers themselves, if they are priests, are to impose penance on them with mercy; but if they are not priests, they are to have it imposed by other priests of the Order, as seems best to them according to God. 4 And they must take care not to become angry and disturbed on account of anyone’s sin, for anger and disturbance hinder charity in themselves and in others.

[Chapter 8] 1 The election of the general minister of this fraternity, and the Chapter of Pentecost

2 All the brothers are bound always to have one of the brothers of this religion as general minister and servant of the whole fraternity, and are bound to obey him firmly. 3 When he dies, the election of his successor is to be made by the provincial ministers and custodians at the Chapter of Pentecost, at which the provincial ministers are bound always to gather together, wherever the general minister has appointed; 4 and this once every three years, or at another longer or shorter interval, as the said minister has ordained.

5 And if at any time it should become clear to the whole body of the provincial ministers and custodians that the said minister is not adequate for the service and common good of the brothers, the said brothers, to whom the election is given, are bound in the name of the Lord to elect another for themselves as custodian. 6 After the Chapter of Pentecost, the ministers and custodians may each, if they wish and it seems expedient to them, call their brothers to a Chapter in their custodies once in the same year.

[Chapter 9] 1 On preachers

2 The brothers are not to preach in the diocese of any bishop when he has forbidden them to do so. 3 And no brother is in any way to dare to preach to the people unless he has been examined and approved by the general minister of this fraternity and has been granted the office of preaching by him.

4 I also admonish and exhort these brothers that in the preaching they do their words be well-weighed and pure, for the benefit and edification of the people,[271] 5 telling them of vices and virtues, punishment and glory, with brevity of speech; for the Lord made his word brief upon the earth.[272]

[Chapter 10] 1 On the admonition and correction of the brothers

2 The brothers who are ministers and servants of the other brothers are to visit and admonish their brothers, and correct them humbly and lovingly, not commanding them anything that is against their soul and our Rule. 3 The brothers who are subjects, for their part, are to remember that for God’s sake they have renounced their own wills. 4 Therefore I firmly command them to obey their ministers in all the things they have promised the Lord to observe and that are not against their soul and our Rule.

5 And wherever there are brothers who know and recognize that they cannot observe the Rule spiritually, they must and may have recourse to their ministers. 6 The ministers, for their part, are to receive them lovingly and kindly, and show them such familiarity that the brothers can speak and act with them as masters with their servants; 7 for so it ought to be, that the ministers are the servants of all the brothers.[273]

8 I admonish and exhort the brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ to beware of all pride, vainglory, envy, greed, the cares and anxieties of this world, detraction and grumbling;[274] 9 and those who do not know letters are not to be eager to learn them, but are to pay heed that above all things they should desire to have the Spirit of the Lord and his holy activity, 10 to pray to him always with a pure heart, and to have humility and patience in persecution and in sickness, 11 and to love those who persecute, rebuke and accuse us; for the Lord says: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute and slander you.[275] 12 Blessed are those who suffer persecution for the sake of justice, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.[276] 13 But whoever perseveres to the end will be saved.[277]

[Chapter 11] 1 That the brothers are not to enter the monasteries of nuns

2 I firmly command all the brothers not to have suspicious dealings or conversations with women, 3 and not to enter the monasteries of nuns, except those to whom special permission has been granted by the Apostolic See; 4 nor are they to become godfathers of men or women, so that no scandal may arise on this account among the brothers or concerning the brothers.

[Chapter 12] 1 On those who go among the Saracens and other unbelievers

2 Whoever of the brothers by divine inspiration wishes to go among the Saracens and other unbelievers is to ask permission for this from his provincial minister. 3 The ministers, however, are to grant permission to go to none except those they see are fit to be sent.

4 In addition, I enjoin the ministers by obedience to ask the lord pope for one of the cardinals of the holy Roman Church to be governor, protector and corrector of this fraternity, 5 so that, always subject and submissive at the feet of the same holy Church, steadfast in the Catholic faith, we may observe poverty and humility and the holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we have firmly promised.[278]

Commentary on the Our Father (Expositio in “Pater noster”) (1223-1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 292 f..

A meditation on the Lord’s Prayer, phrase by phrase. Francis draws on traditional commentaries, but the result is a prayer in its own right. It was said before the Praises to be said at all the Hours.

1 O most holy Our Father: our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler and Saviour.[279]

2 Who art in heaven: in the angels and in the saints, enlightening them to know, for you, Lord, are light; inflaming them to love, for you, Lord, are love; dwelling in them and filling them for blessedness, for you, Lord, are the supreme good, the eternal good, from whom comes every good, without whom there is no good.[280]

3 Hallowed be thy name: may knowledge of you become ever clearer in us, so that we may know what is the breadth of your blessings, the length of your promises, the height of your majesty and the depth of your judgements.[281]

4 Thy kingdom come: so that you may reign in us by grace and make us come to your kingdom, where there is the clear vision of you, perfect love of you, blessed company with you, and everlasting enjoyment of you.[282]

5 Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven: so that we may love you with our whole heart, by always thinking of you; with our whole soul, by always desiring you; with our whole mind, by directing all our intentions to you and seeking your honour in all things; and with all our strength, by spending all our powers and the senses of soul and body in the service of your love and in nothing else; and that we may love our neighbours as ourselves, drawing them all to your love as far as we can, rejoicing in the good of others as in our own, sharing their sorrow in misfortune, and giving offence to no one.[283]

6 Give us this day our daily bread: your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in memory and understanding and reverence of the love he had for us, and of what he said, did and suffered for us.[284]

7 And forgive us our trespasses: through your ineffable mercy, through the power of the passion of your beloved Son, and through the merits and intercession of the most blessed Virgin and of all your elect.[285]

8 As we forgive those who trespass against us: and what we do not fully forgive, do you, Lord, make us fully forgive, so that for your sake we may truly love our enemies and devoutly intercede for them with you, repaying no one evil for evil, and striving in you to do good in all things.[286]

9 And lead us not into temptation: hidden or open, sudden or persistent.[287]

10 But deliver us from evil: past, present and future. Glory be to the Father, and so on.[288]

Praises to be said at all the Hours (Laudes ad omnes horas dicendae) (1223-1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 319–21.

A chain of praises, mostly from the Book of Revelation and the liturgy, which Francis said at each hour of the day and night before the Office. The refrain “let us praise and exalt him above all for ever” comes from the canticle of the three young men in Daniel 3.

Here begin the Praises which our most blessed father Francis arranged and said at every hour of the day and night and before the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning thus: Most holy Our Father, who art in heaven, and so on, with the Glory be. Then the Praises are said:

1 Holy, holy, holy

Lord God almighty,

who was and who is and who is to come:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[289]

2 Worthy are you, O Lord our God,

to receive praise, glory

and honour and blessing:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[290]

3 Worthy is the Lamb

who was slain

to receive power and divinity

and wisdom and strength

and honour and glory and blessing:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[291]

4 Let us bless the Father

and the Son with the Holy Spirit:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[292]

5 All you works of the Lord, bless the Lord:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[293]

6 Give praise to our God,

all you his servants,

and you who fear God,

small and great:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[294]

7 Let heaven and earth

praise him in his glory:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[295]

8 And every creature that is in heaven

and on earth and under the earth

and the sea and all that are in it:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[296]

9 Glory be to the Father and to the Son

and to the Holy Spirit:

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[297]

10 As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,

world without end. Amen.

and let us praise and exalt him above all for ever.[298]

Prayer:

11 All-powerful, most holy,

most high and supreme God,

every good,

supreme good,

the whole good,

who alone are good:

may we give back to you all praise,

all glory,

all thanks,

all honour,

all blessing

and all good things.

So be it. So be it. Amen.[299]

Office of the Passion of the Lord (Officium passionis Domini) (towards 1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 338–51.

Francis’s own cycle of prayer for the hours of the day and night. Each “psalm” is a new composition made by joining verses from the biblical Psalms and other texts, so that Christ himself speaks to his Father through his passion and resurrection. The Office follows the Church’s year in five parts. The mark ∗ divides each verse into two halves, as in chanted psalms; the italic instructions (rubrics) explain how and when each psalm is said.

Here begin the psalms which our most blessed father Francis arranged for reverence, remembrance and praise of the Lord’s passion. They are to be said one at each hour of the day and night. And they begin at Compline of Good Friday, because on that night our Lord Jesus Christ was betrayed and taken captive. And note that blessed Francis said this Office as follows: first he said the prayer which the Lord and Master taught us, Most holy Our Father, and so on, with the Praises, that is, Holy, holy, holy, as given above. When the Praises with their prayer were finished, he began this antiphon, namely Holy Virgin Mary. He said first the psalms of holy Mary, then the other psalms he had chosen, and at the end of all the psalms he said, he said the psalms of the passion. When the psalm was finished he said this antiphon, namely Holy Virgin Mary. With the antiphon finished, the Office was complete.

[Part I. For the sacred Triduum of Holy Week and for weekdays throughout the year]

At Compline · Psalm I

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 O God, I have told you of my life; ∗ you have placed my tears in your sight.[300]

2 All my enemies were plotting evil against me, ∗ and they took counsel together.[301]

3 And they repaid me evil for good, ∗ and hatred for my love.[302]

4 Instead of loving me, they slandered me; ∗ but I prayed.[303]

5 My holy Father, King of heaven and earth, do not leave me, ∗ for trouble is near and there is no one to help.[304]

6 Let my enemies be turned back ∗ on whatever day I call upon you; behold, I know that you are my God.[305]

7 My friends and my neighbours have drawn near and stood against me, ∗ and my neighbours stood far off.[306]

8 You have put my acquaintances far from me; ∗ they have made me an abomination to them; I was handed over and could not escape.[307]

9 Holy Father, do not keep your help far from me; ∗ my God, look to my help.[308]

10 Come quickly to my help, ∗ Lord God of my salvation.[309]

11 Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit, ∗ as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.[310]

Antiphon

1 Holy Virgin Mary, among women there is none like you born in the world,[311] 2 daughter and handmaid of the most high and supreme King, the heavenly Father, mother of our most holy Lord Jesus Christ, spouse of the Holy Spirit:[312] 3 pray for us, with Saint Michael the Archangel and all the powers of heaven and all the saints, to your most holy beloved Son, Lord and Master.[313]

Glory be to the Father. As it was.

Note that the antiphon given above is said at every hour; and it serves as antiphon, chapter, hymn, versicle and prayer, at Matins and likewise at every hour. He said nothing else at these hours except this antiphon with its psalms. At the end of the Office blessed Francis always said:

1 Let us bless the Lord, the living and true God: let us always give back to him praise, glory, honour, blessing and every good thing. Amen. Amen. So be it. So be it.[314]

At Matins · Psalm II

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Lord God of my salvation, ∗ by day I have cried out, and by night before you.[315]

2 Let my prayer come before you; ∗ incline your ear to my plea.[316]

3 Attend to my soul and set it free; ∗ because of my enemies, rescue me.[317]

4 For it was you who drew me from the womb, my hope from my mother’s breasts; ∗ upon you I was cast from the womb.[318]

5 From my mother’s womb you are my God; ∗ do not leave me.[319]

6 You know my reproach and my confusion ∗ and my shame.[320]

7 All who trouble me are in your sight; ∗ my heart has expected reproach and misery.

8 And I looked for one who would grieve with me, and there was none; ∗ and for one who would comfort me, and I found none.[321]

9 O God, the wicked have risen against me, ∗ and the assembly of the mighty have sought my life, and they have not set you before their eyes.[322]

10 I am counted among those who go down into the pit; ∗ I have become like a man without help, free among the dead.[323]

11 You are my most holy Father, ∗ my King and my God.[324]

12 Come quickly to my help, ∗ Lord God of my salvation.[325]

At Prime · Psalm III

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, ∗ for my soul trusts in you.

2 And in the shadow of your wings I will hope ∗ until wickedness passes by.[326]

3 I will cry to my most holy Father, the Most High, ∗ the Lord who has done good to me.

4 He sent from heaven and set me free; ∗ he made those who trampled on me a reproach.[327]

5 God has sent his mercy and his truth; ∗ he rescued my soul from my strongest enemies and from those who hated me, for they were too strong for me.[328]

6 They prepared a snare for my feet, ∗ and bowed down my soul.

7 They dug a pit before my face, ∗ and they have fallen into it.

8 My heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready; ∗ I will sing and chant a psalm.

9 Awake, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp; ∗ I will awake at dawn.

10 I will praise you among the peoples, O Lord; ∗ I will sing a psalm to you among the nations.

11 For your mercy is exalted to the heavens, ∗ and your truth to the clouds.

12 Be exalted above the heavens, O God, ∗ and your glory over all the earth.[329]

Note that the above psalm is always said at Prime.

At Terce · Psalm IV

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Have mercy on me, O God, for man has trampled on me; ∗ all day long he has fought against me and afflicted me.

2 My enemies have trampled on me all day long, ∗ for many are those who make war against me.[330]

3 All my enemies were plotting evil against me; ∗ they framed a wicked word against me.[331]

4 Those who watched for my life ∗ took counsel together.[332]

5 They went outside ∗ and spoke together.[333]

6 All who saw me mocked me; ∗ they spoke with their lips and shook their heads.[334]

7 But I am a worm and no man, ∗ the scorn of men and the outcast of the people.[335]

8 Because of all my enemies I have become a great reproach to my neighbours, ∗ and a dread to my acquaintances.[336]

9 Holy Father, do not keep your help far from me; ∗ look to my defence.[337]

10 Come quickly to my help, ∗ Lord God of my salvation.[338]

At Sext · Psalm V

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 With my voice I cried to the Lord; ∗ with my voice I made my plea to the Lord.

2 I pour out my prayer in his sight, ∗ and I tell my trouble before him.

3 When my spirit was failing within me, ∗ you knew my paths.

4 On the way on which I walked ∗ the proud hid a snare for me.

5 I looked to the right and saw, ∗ and there was no one who knew me.

6 Escape has failed me, ∗ and there is no one who cares for my soul.[339]

7 For your sake I have borne reproach; ∗ shame has covered my face.

8 I have become a stranger to my brothers, ∗ and an alien to the sons of my mother.[340]

9 Holy Father, zeal for your house has consumed me, ∗ and the reproaches of those who reproached you have fallen upon me.[341]

10 And they rejoiced against me and gathered together; ∗ scourges were heaped upon me, and I did not know why.[342]

11 More numerous than the hairs of my head ∗ are those who hate me without cause.

12 My enemies who persecuted me unjustly have grown strong; ∗ I was made to pay back what I had not stolen.[343]

13 Wicked witnesses rose up; ∗ they questioned me about things I did not know.[344]

14 They repaid me evil for good and slandered me, ∗ because I followed goodness.[345]

15 You are my most holy Father, ∗ my King and my God.[346]

16 Come quickly to my help, ∗ Lord God of my salvation.[347]

At None · Psalm VI

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 O all you who pass by on the way, ∗ look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow.[348]

2 For many dogs have surrounded me; ∗ a band of evildoers has besieged me.[349]

3 They looked and stared at me; ∗ they divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.[350]

4 They pierced my hands and my feet; ∗ they have numbered all my bones.[351]

5 They opened their mouths against me, ∗ like a lion ravening and roaring.

6 I am poured out like water, ∗ and all my bones are scattered.

7 And my heart has become like wax ∗ melting in the midst of my body.

8 My strength is dried up like a potsherd, ∗ and my tongue cleaves to my jaws.[352]

9 And they gave me gall for my food, ∗ and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.[353]

10 And they brought me down into the dust of death, ∗ and added to the pain of my wounds.[354]

11 I slept and I rose again, ∗ and my most holy Father received me with glory.[355]

12 Holy Father, you have held my right hand, and by your will you have guided me, ∗ and with glory you have taken me up.[356]

13 For what have I in heaven ∗ and what have I desired on earth besides you?[357]

14 See, see that I am God, says the Lord; ∗ I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted on the earth.[358]

15 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, who has redeemed the souls of his servants with his own most holy blood, ∗ and will not abandon any who hope in him.[359]

16 And we know that he is coming, ∗ that he will come to judge justice.[360]

At Vespers · Psalm VII

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 All you nations, clap your hands; ∗ shout to God with a voice of joy.

2 For the Lord is most high, awesome, ∗ a great King over all the earth.[361]

3 For the most holy Father of heaven, our King before the ages, ∗ sent his beloved Son from on high, and has brought about salvation in the midst of the earth.[362]

4 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; let the sea and all that fills it be moved; ∗ the fields and all that is in them will rejoice.[363]

5 Sing to him a new song; ∗ sing to the Lord, all the earth.[364]

6 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; ∗ he is to be feared above all gods.[365]

7 Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honour; ∗ bring to the Lord the glory due to his name.[366]

8 Offer your bodies and carry his holy cross, ∗ and follow his most holy commands to the end.[367]

9 Let all the earth tremble before him; ∗ say among the nations: The Lord has reigned from the wood.[368]

This is said daily up to this point, from Good Friday until the feast of the Ascension. On the feast of the Ascension these versicles are added:

10 And he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the most holy Father in heaven; ∗ be exalted above the heavens, O God, and your glory over all the earth.[369]

11 And we know that he is coming, ∗ that he will come to judge justice.[370]

And note that from the Ascension until the Advent of the Lord this psalm, namely All you nations, is said daily in the same way, with the versicles given above, saying the Glory be to the Father where the psalm ends, namely at that he will come to judge justice.

Note that the psalms given above are said from Good Friday until Easter Sunday. They are said in the same way from the octave of Pentecost until the Advent of the Lord, and from the octave of the Epiphany until Easter Sunday, except on Sundays and principal feasts, on which they are not said; on other days they are said daily.

[Part II. For Eastertide]

On Holy Saturday, that is, when the day of the Sabbath is over.

At Compline · Psalm VIII

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 O God, come to my assistance; ∗ O Lord, make haste to help me.

2 Let them be put to shame and confounded ∗ who seek my life.

3 Let them be turned back and put to shame ∗ who wish me evil.

4 Let them be turned back at once in shame ∗ who say to me: Aha, aha!

5 Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you, ∗ and let those who love your salvation say always: The Lord be magnified.

6 But I am needy and poor; ∗ O God, help me.

7 You are my helper and my deliverer; ∗ O Lord, do not delay.[371]

At Matins of the Lord’s Resurrection · Psalm IX

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song, ∗ for he has done wonderful things.[372]

2 His right hand and his holy arm ∗ have sacrificed his beloved Son.[373]

3 The Lord has made known his salvation; ∗ in the sight of the nations he has revealed his justice.[374]

4 On that day the Lord sent his mercy, ∗ and in the night his song.[375]

5 This is the day the Lord has made; ∗ let us rejoice and be glad in it.[376]

6 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; ∗ the Lord is God, and he has shone upon us.[377]

7 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; let the sea and all that fills it be moved; ∗ the fields and all that is in them will rejoice.[378]

8 Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honour; ∗ bring to the Lord the glory due to his name.[379]

Up to this point it is said daily, from the Sunday of the Resurrection until the feast of the Ascension, at every hour except Vespers, Compline and Prime. On the night of the Ascension these versicles are added:

9 Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God; ∗ sing praise to the Lord.[380]

10 Sing praise to God, who ascended above the heaven of heavens ∗ towards the east.[381]

11 See, he will make his voice a voice of power; give glory to God above Israel; ∗ his majesty and his power are in the clouds.

12 God is wonderful in his saints; ∗ the God of Israel himself will give power and strength to his people. Blessed be God. Glory be.[382]

And note that from the Ascension of the Lord until the octave of Pentecost this psalm is said daily with the versicles given above, at Matins, Terce, Sext and None, saying the Glory be to the Father where Blessed be God is said, and nowhere else.

Note also that it is said in the same way, only at Matins, on Sundays and principal feasts from the octave of Pentecost until the Advent of the Lord, and from the octave of the Epiphany until Holy Thursday, because on that day the Lord ate the Passover with his disciples. Or another psalm may be said at Matins or at Vespers, when one wishes, namely I will extol you, O Lord (Ps 29 Vulg.; 30 Eng.), as it is in the psalter; and this from the Sunday of the Resurrection until the feast of the Ascension, and no further.

At Prime

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, as above (Psalm III).

At Terce, Sext and None

The psalm Sing is said, as above (Psalm IX).

At Vespers

Psalm: O God, come to my assistance, as it is in the psalter (Psalm VIII).

[Part III. For Sundays and principal feasts]

Here begin other psalms which our most blessed father Francis likewise arranged, to be said in place of the psalms of the Lord’s passion given above, on Sundays and principal feasts from the octave of Pentecost until Advent and from the octave of the Epiphany until Holy Thursday. Understand, of course, that they are said on that day itself, because it is the Lord’s Passover.

At Compline

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: O God, come to my assistance, as it is in the psalter (Psalm VIII).

At Matins

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: Sing, as above (Psalm IX).

At Prime

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, as above (Psalm III).

At Terce · Psalm X

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Shout to the Lord, all the earth; sing a psalm to his name; ∗ give glory to his praise.[383]

2 Say to God: How awesome are your works, O Lord; ∗ in the greatness of your power your enemies will flatter you.

3 Let all the earth adore you and sing to you; ∗ let it sing a psalm to your name.[384]

4 Come and hear, and I will tell, all you who fear God, ∗ what great things he has done for my soul.

5 To him I cried with my mouth, ∗ and I exulted beneath my tongue.[385]

6 And from his holy temple he heard my voice, ∗ and my cry came before him.[386]

7 Bless our Lord, you nations, ∗ and make the voice of his praise be heard.[387]

8 And in him all the tribes of the earth shall be blessed; ∗ all nations shall magnify him.

9 Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, ∗ who alone does great wonders.

10 And blessed be the name of his majesty for ever, ∗ and all the earth shall be filled with his majesty. So be it, so be it.[388]

At Sext · Psalm XI

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 May the Lord hear you in the day of trouble; ∗ may the name of the God of Jacob protect you.

2 May he send you help from the sanctuary, ∗ and defend you from Zion.

3 May he remember all your sacrifices, ∗ and may your burnt offering be made rich.

4 May he grant you according to your heart, ∗ and confirm all your counsel.

5 We shall rejoice in your salvation, ∗ and in the name of the Lord our God we shall be magnified.[389]

6 May the Lord fulfil all your petitions; now I know that the Lord has sent Jesus Christ his Son, ∗ and he will judge the peoples with justice.[390]

7 And the Lord has become a refuge for the poor, a helper in due time in trouble; ∗ and let those who know your name hope in you.[391]

8 Blessed be the Lord my God, for he has become my protector and my refuge ∗ in the day of my trouble.[392]

9 My helper, to you I will sing, for God is my protector, ∗ my God, my mercy.[393]

At None · Psalm XII

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 In you, O Lord, I have hoped; let me never be put to shame; ∗ in your justice deliver me and rescue me.[394]

2 Incline your ear to me ∗ and save me.

3 Be to me a protecting God and a stronghold, ∗ to save me.[395]

4 For you are my patience, O Lord; ∗ O Lord, my hope from my youth.

5 On you I have been strengthened from the womb; from my mother’s womb you are my protector; ∗ of you is my song always.[396]

6 Let my mouth be filled with praise, that I may sing your glory, ∗ your greatness all the day.[397]

7 Hear me, O Lord, for your mercy is kind; ∗ according to the multitude of your compassion look upon me.

8 And do not turn your face away from your servant; ∗ for I am in trouble, hear me quickly.[398]

9 Blessed be the Lord my God, for he has become my protector and my refuge ∗ in the day of my trouble.[399]

10 My helper, to you I will sing, for God is my protector, ∗ my God, my mercy.[400]

At Vespers

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: All you nations, as above (Psalm VII).

[Part IV. For the season of the Lord’s Advent]

Here begin other psalms which our most blessed father Francis likewise arranged, to be said in place of the psalms of the Lord’s passion given above, from the Advent of the Lord until the vigil of the Nativity, and no further.

At Compline · Psalm XIII

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 How long, O Lord, will you forget me? For ever? ∗ How long will you turn your face from me?

2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul, ∗ sorrow in my heart all the day?

3 How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? ∗ Look upon me and hear me, O Lord my God.

4 Give light to my eyes, lest I ever sleep in death, ∗ lest my enemy say: I have prevailed against him.

5 Those who trouble me will rejoice if I am shaken; ∗ but I have hoped in your mercy.

6 My heart shall rejoice in your salvation; I will sing to the Lord who has given me good things, ∗ and sing a psalm to the name of the Lord most high.[401]

At Matins · Psalm XIV

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, most holy Father, King of heaven and earth, ∗ for you have comforted me.[402]

2 You are God my Saviour; ∗ I will act confidently and will not be afraid.[403]

3 The Lord is my strength and my praise, ∗ and he has become my salvation.[404]

4 Your right hand, O Lord, is magnified in strength; your right hand, O Lord, has struck the enemy, ∗ and in the greatness of your glory you have overthrown my adversaries.[405]

5 Let the poor see and rejoice; ∗ seek God, and your soul shall live.[406]

6 Let heaven and earth praise him, ∗ the sea and every creeping thing in them.

7 For God will save Zion, ∗ and the cities of Judah shall be built.

8 And they shall dwell there ∗ and acquire it as an inheritance.

9 And the offspring of his servants shall possess it, ∗ and those who love his name shall dwell in it.[407]

At Prime

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, as above (Psalm III).

At Terce

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: Shout to God, as above (Psalm X).

At Sext

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: May the Lord hear you, as above (Psalm XI).

At None

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: In you, O Lord, I have hoped, as above (Psalm XII).

At Vespers

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

Psalm: All you nations, as above (Psalm VII).

Note also that the whole psalm is not said, but only as far as the verse Let all the earth tremble before him; understand, of course, that the whole verse Offer your bodies is said. When this verse is finished, the Glory be to the Father is said there; and it is said thus at Vespers daily from Advent until the vigil of the Nativity.

[Part V. For the season of the Lord’s Nativity until the octave of the Epiphany]

At Vespers on the Nativity of the Lord · Psalm XV

Antiphon: Holy Virgin Mary.

1 Rejoice in God our helper; ∗ shout to the Lord God, living and true, with a voice of joy.[408]

2 For the Lord is most high, ∗ awesome, a great King over all the earth.[409]

3 For the most holy Father of heaven, our King before the ages, ∗ sent his beloved Son from on high, and he was born of the blessed Virgin, holy Mary.[410]

4 He shall call upon me: You are my Father, ∗ and I will make him the firstborn, highest above the kings of the earth.[411]

5 On that day the Lord sent his mercy, ∗ and in the night his song.[412]

6 This is the day the Lord has made; ∗ let us rejoice and be glad in it.[413]

7 For the most holy beloved child has been given to us and was born for us on the way, and laid in a manger, ∗ because there was no place for him in the inn.[414]

8 Glory to the Lord God in the highest, ∗ and on earth peace to people of good will.[415]

9 Let the heavens rejoice and the earth be glad; let the sea and all that fills it be moved; ∗ the fields and all that is in them will rejoice.[416]

10 Sing to him a new song; ∗ sing to the Lord, all the earth.[417]

11 For the Lord is great and greatly to be praised; ∗ he is to be feared above all gods.[418]

12 Bring to the Lord, you families of the nations, bring to the Lord glory and honour; ∗ bring to the Lord the glory due to his name.[419]

13 Offer your bodies and carry his holy cross, ∗ and follow his most holy commands to the end.[420]

Note that this psalm is said from the Nativity of the Lord until the octave of the Epiphany at every hour. If anyone wishes to say this Office of blessed Francis, let him say it thus: first let him say the Our Father with the Praises, that is, Holy, holy, holy. When the Praises with their prayer are finished, as above, let the antiphon Holy Mary be begun, with the psalm appointed for each hour of the day and night. And let it be said with great reverence.

Letter to the Faithful (Epistola ad fideles) (1221-1225)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: earlier recension: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 178–80; later recension: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 207–13.

Francis’s great letter to all Christians, clergy and lay people. It exists in two recensions: the shorter earlier one, sometimes called the “Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance”, and the longer later one, probably written when Francis was ill and could no longer travel to preach. Both contrast those who do penance with those who do not; notice the image of the faithful as spouses, brothers and mothers of Christ, and, in the later recension, the vivid story of the dying man who will not make restitution.

Earlier recension (towards 1221)

In the name of the Lord!

[Chapter 1. Those who do penance]

1 All who love the Lord with their whole heart, with their whole soul and mind, with all their strength, and love their neighbours as themselves,[421] 2 and hate their bodies with their vices and sins, 3 and receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 and bear fruits worthy of penance:[422]

5 O how blessed and happy are those men and women while they do such things and persevere in them, 6 for the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon them, and he will make in them his home and dwelling place;[423] 7 and they are children of the heavenly Father, whose works they do; and they are spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.[424]

8 We are spouses when the faithful soul is joined to our Lord Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. 9 We are his brothers when we do the will of his Father who is in heaven.[425] 10 We are mothers when we carry him in our heart and body through divine love and a pure and sincere conscience, and give birth to him through holy activity, which should shine as an example to others.[426]

11 O how glorious, holy and great

to have a Father in heaven!

12 O how holy, radiant, beautiful and wonderful

to have such a Spouse!

13 O how holy and how beloved,

pleasing, humble, peaceful,

sweet, lovable

and desirable above all things

to have such a Brother and such a Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ,

who laid down his life for his sheep

and prayed to the Father, saying:[427]

14 Holy Father, keep in your name those whom you gave me in the world; they were yours and you gave them to me.[428] 15 And: The words that you gave me I have given to them; and they have received them and have believed truly that I came from you, and they have known that you sent me.[429] 16 I pray for them, and not for the world.[430] 17 Bless and sanctify them; and for them I sanctify myself.[431] 18 I do not pray for them alone, but for those who will believe in me through their word, that they may be sanctified in unity, as we are.[432] 19 And I desire, Father, that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory in your kingdom. Amen.[433]

[Chapter 2. Those who do not do penance]

1 But all those men and women who are not living in penance, 2 and do not receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, 3 and practise vices and sins, and walk after evil concupiscence and the evil desires of their flesh, 4 and do not observe what they have promised to the Lord, 5 and with their bodies serve the world through fleshly desires and the anxieties of the world and the cares of this life:[434] 6 held captive by the devil, whose children they are and whose works they do, 7 they are blind, because they do not see the true light, our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 They do not have spiritual wisdom, because they do not have the Son of God, who is the true wisdom of the Father;[435] 9 of them it is said: Their wisdom has been swallowed up; and: Cursed are those who turn away from your commands.[436]

10 They see and acknowledge, know and do evil, and knowingly they lose their souls. 11 See, you who are blind, deceived by your enemies, the flesh, the world and the devil: for to the body it is sweet to commit sin and bitter to serve God; 12 for all vices and sins come forth and proceed from the human heart, as the Lord says in the Gospel.[437] 13 And you have nothing in this world or in the world to come. 14 And you think you will possess the vanities of this world for a long time, but you are deceived, for the day and the hour will come which you do not think of, do not know and are unaware of. The body grows sick, death draws near, and so one dies a bitter death.[438]

15 And wherever, whenever and however a person dies in mortal sin without penance and satisfaction, if he could have made satisfaction and did not, the devil snatches his soul from his body with such anguish and distress that no one can know it except the one who undergoes it. 16 And all the talents and power, knowledge and wisdom that they thought they had will be taken from them.[439] 17 And they leave their goods to relatives and friends, and these take them and divide them, and say afterwards: “Cursed be his soul, for he could have given us more and acquired more than he did.” 18 Worms eat the body; and so they have lost body and soul in this brief world, and they will go into hell, where they will be tormented without end.

19 All those to whom this letter comes, we ask in the charity that is God to receive kindly and with divine love these fragrant words of our Lord Jesus Christ written above.[440] 20 And let those who do not know how to read have them read to them often; 21 and let them keep them with them, with holy activity, to the end, for they are spirit and life.[441] 22 And those who do not do this will have to render an account on the day of judgement before the judgement seat of our Lord Jesus Christ.[442]

Later recension (1223-1225)

1 In the name of the Lord, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. To all Christians, religious, clerics and lay people, men and women, to all who live in the whole world, Brother Francis, their servant and subject, offers homage with reverence, true peace from heaven and sincere love in the Lord.[443]

2 Since I am the servant of all, I am bound to serve all and to minister to them the fragrant words of my Lord. 3 Therefore, considering in my mind that I cannot visit each of you in person because of the sickness and weakness of my body, I have resolved to bring to you, by this present letter and by messengers, the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word of the Father, and the words of the Holy Spirit, which are spirit and life.[444]

4 This Word of the Father, so worthy, so holy and so glorious, the most high Father announced from heaven through his holy angel Gabriel into the womb of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, from whose womb he received the true flesh of our humanity and frailty. 5 Though he was rich beyond all things, he himself, with the most blessed Virgin, his mother, willed to choose poverty in the world.[445] 6 And near the time of his passion he celebrated the Passover with his disciples, and taking bread, he gave thanks and blessed and broke it, saying: Take and eat; this is my body. 7 And taking the cup he said: This is my blood of the new covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.[446] 8 Then he prayed to the Father, saying: Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.[447] 9 And his sweat became like drops of blood falling to the ground.[448] 10 Yet he placed his will in the will of the Father, saying: Father, your will be done; not as I will, but as you will.[449]

11 And the will of his Father was this: that his blessed and glorious Son, whom he gave to us and who was born for us, should offer himself through his own blood as a sacrifice and victim on the altar of the cross;[450] 12 not for himself, through whom all things were made, but for our sins,[451] 13 leaving us an example, that we should follow in his footsteps.[452] 14 And he wills that all of us should be saved through him and receive him with a pure heart and a chaste body. 15 But there are few who wish to receive him and be saved through him, although his yoke is sweet and his burden light.[453]

16 Those who do not wish to taste how sweet the Lord is and who love darkness rather than light, not wishing to fulfil the commands of God, are cursed;[454] 17 of them it is said through the prophet: Cursed are those who turn away from your commands.[455] 18 But how blessed and happy are those who love God and do as the Lord himself says in the Gospel: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your mind, and your neighbour as yourself.[456]

19 Let us therefore love God and adore him with a pure heart and a pure mind, for he himself, seeking this above all, has said: True worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.[457] 20 For all who worship him must worship him in the spirit of truth.[458] 21 And let us offer him praises and prayers day and night, saying: Our Father, who art in heaven, for we must always pray and not lose heart.[459]

22 We must also confess all our sins to a priest, and receive from him the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. 23 Whoever does not eat his flesh and does not drink his blood cannot enter the kingdom of God.[460] 24 Yet let him eat and drink worthily, for whoever receives unworthily eats and drinks judgement on himself, not discerning the body of the Lord, that is, not distinguishing it.[461]

25 Let us also bear fruits worthy of penance.[462] 26 And let us love our neighbours as ourselves.[463] 27 And if anyone does not wish to love them as himself, let him at least do them no harm, but do them good.

28 Those who have received the power of judging others should exercise judgement with mercy, as they themselves wish to obtain mercy from the Lord. 29 For judgement without mercy will be for those who have not shown mercy.[464]

30 Let us therefore have charity and humility; and let us give alms, for they wash souls clean from the filth of sin.[465] 31 For people lose everything they leave behind in this world; yet they carry with them the reward of charity and the alms they have given, for which they will have from the Lord a prize and a worthy recompense.

32 We must also fast and abstain from vices and sins, and from excess of food and drink, and be Catholics.[466] 33 We must also visit churches often, and venerate and reverence clerics, not so much for their own sake, if they are sinners, but because of the office and ministry of the most holy body and blood of Christ, which they sacrifice on the altar, receive, and administer to others. 34 And let all of us know firmly that no one can be saved except through the holy words and the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the clerics speak, proclaim and minister. 35 And they alone must minister them, and no others. 36 But religious especially, who have renounced the world, are bound to do more and greater things, but not to leave these undone.[467]

37 We must hate our bodies with their vices and sins, for the Lord says in the Gospel: All evils, vices and sins come forth from the heart.[468] 38 We must love our enemies and do good to those who hate us.[469] 39 We must observe the precepts and counsels of our Lord Jesus Christ. 40 We must also deny ourselves and place our bodies under the yoke of service and holy obedience, as each one has promised the Lord.[470] 41 And let no one be bound by obedience to obey anyone in anything where a fault or sin is committed.

42 Let the one to whom obedience has been entrusted, and who is held to be the greater, be as the lesser and the servant of the other brothers.[471] 43 And let him show and have such mercy towards each of his brothers as he would wish to be shown to himself if he were in a like case. 44 And let him not be angry with a brother because of the brother’s fault, but let him admonish him kindly and support him with all patience and humility.

45 We must not be wise and prudent according to the flesh; rather we must be simple, humble and pure.[472] 46 And let us hold our bodies in contempt and scorn, for through our own fault we are all wretched and rotten, foul-smelling worms, as the Lord says through the prophet: I am a worm and no man, the scorn of men and the outcast of the people.[473] 47 We must never desire to be over others; rather we must be servants and subject to every human creature for God’s sake.[474]

48 And all those men and women, while they do such things and persevere to the end, the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon them and he will make in them his home and dwelling place.[475] 49 And they will be children of the heavenly Father, whose works they do.[476] 50 And they are spouses, brothers and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.

51 We are spouses when the faithful soul is joined to Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. 52 For we are brothers when we do the will of his Father, who is in heaven;[477] 53 mothers, when we carry him in our heart and body through love and a pure and sincere conscience; we give birth to him through holy activity, which should shine as an example to others.[478]

54 O how glorious and holy and great

to have a Father in heaven!

55 O how holy, radiant, beautiful and wonderful

to have a Spouse!

56 O how holy and how beloved,

pleasing, humble, peaceful,

sweet and lovable

and desirable above all things

to have such a Brother and Son,

who laid down his life for his sheep

and prayed to the Father for us, saying:

Holy Father, keep them in your name, whom you gave me.[479]

57 Father, all whom you gave me in the world were yours, and you gave them to me.[480] 58 And: the words that you gave me I have given to them; and they have received them and have known truly that I came from you, and have believed that you sent me; I pray for them and not for the world; bless and sanctify them.[481] 59 And for them I sanctify myself, that they may be sanctified in unity, as we also are.[482] 60 And I desire, Father, that where I am they also may be with me, that they may see my glory in your kingdom.[483]

61 And to him who has suffered so much for us,

who has given us so many good things

and will give us more in the future,

let every creature

that is in heaven, on earth,

in the sea and in the depths,

give praise to God,

glory, honour and blessing,[484]

62 for he is our power

and our strength,

he who alone is good,

alone most high,

alone almighty,

wonderful, glorious

and alone holy,

worthy of praise and blessed

for ever and ever. Amen.[485]

63 But all those who are not living in penance, and do not receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, 64 and practise vices and sins, and walk after evil concupiscence and evil desires, and do not observe what they have promised, 65 and with their bodies serve the world through fleshly desires, the cares and anxieties of this world and the cares of this life,[486] 66 deceived by the devil, whose children they are and whose works they do, are blind, because they do not see the true light, our Lord Jesus Christ. 67 They do not have spiritual wisdom, because they do not have within them the Son of God, who is the true wisdom of the Father; of them it is said: Their wisdom has been devoured.[487]

68 They see, acknowledge, know and do evil; and knowingly they lose their souls. 69 See, you who are blind, deceived by our enemies, namely the flesh, the world and the devil: for to the body it is sweet to commit sin and bitter to serve God, for all evils, vices and sins come forth and proceed from the human heart, as the Lord says in the Gospel.[488] 70 And you have nothing in this world or in the world to come. 71 You think you will possess the vanities of this world for a long time, but you are deceived, for the day and the hour will come which you do not think of, do not know and are unaware of.[489]

72 The body grows sick, death draws near, relatives and friends come, saying: “Put your affairs in order.”[490] 73 See, his wife and his children, his relatives and friends pretend to weep. 74 And looking at them, he sees them weeping and is moved by a wrong impulse; thinking to himself, he says: “See, I place my soul and my body and all that is mine in your hands.” 75 Truly this man is cursed, who trusts and exposes his soul and body and all that he has to such hands; 76 and so the Lord says through the prophet: Cursed is the man who trusts in man.[491]

77 And at once they have a priest come; the priest says to him: “Do you wish to receive penance for all your sins?” He answers: “I do.” 78 “Do you wish to make satisfaction, as far as you can from your own means, for what you have done and for the things in which you have cheated and deceived people?” He answers: “No.” 79 And the priest says: “Why not?” 80 “Because I have put everything into the hands of my relatives and friends.” 81 And he begins to lose his speech, and so that wretched man dies.

82 But let everyone know that wherever and however a person dies in mortal sin without satisfaction, when he could have made satisfaction and did not, the devil snatches his soul from his body with such anguish and distress as no one can know except the one who undergoes it. 83 And all the talents and power and knowledge that he thought he had will be taken from him.[492] 84 And he leaves his goods to relatives and friends, and they will take them and divide them, and will say afterwards: “Cursed be his soul, for he could have given us more and acquired more than he did.” 85 Worms eat the body; and so he has lost body and soul in this brief world, and he will go into hell, where he will be tormented without end.

86 In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.[493] 87 I, Brother Francis, your lesser servant, ask and beseech you in the charity that is God, and with the desire of kissing your feet, that you be bound to receive, put into practice and observe these and the other words of our Lord Jesus Christ with humility and charity.[494] 88 And may the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit bless all those men and women who receive them kindly, understand them and send them to others as an example, if they persevere in them to the end. Amen.[495]

III. From the Confirmation of the 1223 Rule

Letter to St Anthony (Epistola ad sanctum Antonium) (1223-1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 153.

A very short note to Anthony of Padua (c. 1223–24), the learned brother who was teaching theology to the friars. It shows that Francis valued study, on one condition: it must not extinguish the spirit of prayer. He calls Anthony “my bishop”, a title of respect for a teacher.

1 To Brother Anthony, my bishop, Brother Francis sends greetings.

2 It pleases me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, provided that in this study you do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion, as is contained in the Rule.[496]

Letter to Brother Leo (Epistola ad fratrem Leonem) (around 1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on A. Bartoli Langeli, Gli autografi di frate Francesco e di frate Leone, Turnhout 2000, pp. 47–56.

A personal note, written in Francis’s own hand, to his close companion and secretary Brother Leo; the original is preserved in the cathedral of Spoleto. Notice the tenderness of “as a mother” and the freedom Francis gives Leo to follow the Lord in whatever way seems best to him. The last line is damaged, and the words “your mother” are an editor’s reconstruction.

1 Brother Leo, your Brother Francis wishes you health and peace.

2 I say this to you, my son, as a mother: all the words we spoke on the road I sum up briefly in this word and counsel, and you do not need to come to me for counsel, because this is my counsel to you: 3 in whatever way it seems better to you to please the Lord God and to follow in his footsteps and his poverty, do so with the blessing of the Lord God and my obedience.[497]

4 And if you need your mother for some other consolation, and you wish to come back to me, come.

Letter to the Entire Order, with the prayer “Almighty, eternal God” (Epistola toti Ordini missa) (1224-1225)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 259–63.

Written near the end of Francis’s life (c. 1225–26), probably for a general chapter, when he could no longer address the brothers in person. Its centre is a passionate meditation on the humility of God in the Eucharist (vv. 26–29). It ends with Francis’s confession of his own failings and one of his finest prayers, “Almighty, eternal, just and merciful God”. “Brother H.” is the general minister, identified by the Italian translation in the edition as Brother Elias.

1 In the name of the supreme Trinity and holy Unity, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.[498]

2 To all the reverend and much beloved brothers, to Brother H., general minister of the religion of the Lesser Brothers, his lord, and to the other general ministers who will come after him, and to all the ministers and custodians and priests of this same fraternity, humble in Christ, and to all the simple and obedient brothers, first and last, 3 Brother Francis, a worthless and frail man, your little servant, sends greetings in him who has redeemed and washed us in his most precious blood.[499] 4 When you hear his name, adore him with fear and reverence, bowed to the ground: the Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Most High is his name, who is blessed for ever.[500]

5 Hear, my lords, sons and my brothers, and give ear to my words.[501] 6 Incline the ear of your heart and obey the voice of the Son of God.[502] 7 Keep his commands with your whole heart, and fulfil his counsels with a perfect mind. 8 Give thanks to him, for he is good, and exalt him in your works;[503] 9 for this reason he has sent you into the whole world, that by word and deed you may bear witness to his voice and make all know that there is no one almighty but him.[504] 10 Persevere in discipline and holy obedience, and fulfil with a good and firm purpose what you have promised him.[505] 11 The Lord God offers himself to us as to his children.[506]

12 I therefore beg all of you brothers, kissing your feet and with all the love I can, to show all reverence and all honour, as much as you can, to the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, 13 in whom the things that are in heaven and on earth have been made peace and reconciled to almighty God.[507]

14 I also beg in the Lord all my brothers who are priests, who are and will be and wish to be priests of the Most High, that whenever they wish to celebrate Mass, being pure themselves, they offer the true sacrifice of the most holy body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ purely and with reverence, with a holy and clean intention, not for any earthly thing, nor out of fear or love of any person, as if to please people;[508] 15 but let every will, as far as grace helps, be directed to God, desiring to please through it the supreme Lord himself alone, for he alone works there as it pleases him; 16 for, as he himself says: Do this in memory of me; if anyone does otherwise, he becomes Judas the betrayer and is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.[509]

17 Remember, my brother priests, what is written of the law of Moses: whoever transgressed it even in outward matters died without any mercy by sentence of the Lord.[510] 18 How much greater and worse punishments does he deserve to suffer who has trampled on the Son of God, and has profaned the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?[511] 19 For a person despises, defiles and tramples on the Lamb of God when, as the Apostle says, not discerning and distinguishing the holy bread of Christ from other food or works, he eats it unworthily, or even, if he were worthy, eats it in vain and unworthily; for the Lord says through the prophet: Cursed is the man who does the work of God deceitfully.[512]

20 And he condemns the priests who do not wish to take this to heart, saying in truth: I will curse your blessings.[513]

21 Listen, my brothers: if the blessed Virgin is so honoured, as is fitting, because she carried him in her most holy womb; if the blessed Baptist trembled and did not dare to touch the holy head of God; if the tomb in which he lay for a while is venerated,[514] 22 how holy, just and worthy must be the one who touches with his hands, receives in his heart and mouth, and offers to others to receive, him who is no longer to die but to live for ever and be glorified, on whom the angels long to look![515]

23 See your dignity, brothers who are priests, and be holy, because he himself is holy.[516] 24 And as the Lord God has honoured you above all others because of this ministry, so you too love, revere and honour him above all others. 25 It is a great misery and a pitiable weakness when you have him present in this way and you care for anything else in the whole world.

26 Let the whole of humanity tremble,

the whole world shake,

and heaven exult,

when on the altar,

in the hands of the priest,

is Christ,

the Son of the living God![517]

27 O wonderful loftiness

and astonishing condescension!

O sublime humility!

O humble sublimity,

that the Lord of the universe,

God and the Son of God,

so humbles himself

that for our salvation

he hides himself

under the little form of bread!

28 See, brothers, the humility of God,

and pour out your hearts before him;

humble yourselves too,

that you may be exalted by him.[518]

29 Hold back nothing of yourselves, then,

for yourselves,

so that he who gives himself wholly to you

may receive you wholly.

30 I therefore admonish and exhort in the Lord that in the places where the brothers live only one Mass be celebrated each day, according to the form of holy Church. 31 But if there are several priests in a place, let one, for the love of charity, be content with hearing the celebration of the other priest; 32 for the Lord Jesus Christ fills those who are present and those who are absent, if they are worthy of him. 33 Though he may seem to be in many places, yet he remains indivisible and knows no loss, but, one everywhere, he works as it pleases him with the Lord God the Father and the Holy Spirit the Paraclete for ever and ever. Amen.[519]

34 And because whoever is of God hears the words of God, we who are more especially appointed to the divine offices must not only hear and do what God says, but also, to impress on ourselves the loftiness of our Creator and our subjection to him, take care of the vessels and other liturgical objects that contain his holy words.[520] 35 Therefore I admonish all my brothers and encourage them in Christ that, wherever they find the written divine words, they venerate them as best they can, 36 and, as far as it concerns them, if they are not well kept or lie scattered carelessly in some place, gather them up and put them away, honouring in the words the Lord who spoke them.[521] 37 For many things are sanctified by the words of God, and in the power of the words of Christ the sacrament of the altar is accomplished.[522]

38 Moreover, I confess all my sins to the Lord God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to blessed Mary ever virgin and to all the saints in heaven and on earth, to Brother H., minister of our religion, as to my venerable lord, and to the priests of our Order and to all my other blessed brothers.[523] 39 In many things I have offended through my grave fault, especially in that I have not kept the Rule which I promised the Lord, nor said the Office as the Rule prescribes, whether through negligence, or on account of my sickness, or because I am ignorant and unlettered. 40 Therefore, above all, I ask as best I can Brother H., the general minister, my lord, to have the Rule observed inviolably by all; 41 and that the clerics say the Office with devotion before God, paying attention not to the melody of the voice but to the harmony of the mind, so that the voice may agree with the mind and the mind with God, 42 so that they may be able to please God through purity of heart, and not charm the ears of the people with a sensuous voice.

43 For my part, I promise to keep these things firmly, as God gives me the grace; and I will hand them on to the brothers who are with me to be observed in the Office and in the other things laid down by the Rule.

44 But any of the brothers who will not observe these things I do not hold to be Catholics or my brothers; and I do not wish to see them or speak with them until they have done penance. 45 I say the same of all the others who go wandering about, having set aside the discipline of the Rule; 46 for our Lord Jesus Christ gave his life rather than lose obedience to his most holy Father.

47 I, Brother Francis, a useless man and an unworthy creature of the Lord God, say through the Lord Jesus Christ to Brother H., minister of our whole religion, and to all the general ministers who will come after him, and to the other custodians and guardians of the brothers, present and to come, that they keep this writing with them, put it into practice and store it carefully. 48 And I beg them to guard carefully what is written in it, and to have it observed more diligently according to the good pleasure of almighty God, now and always, as long as this world lasts. 49 May you be blessed by the Lord, you who do these things, and may the Lord be with you for ever. Amen.[524]

50 Almighty, eternal,

just and merciful God,

grant us in our misery

to do for your sake

what we know you want,

and always to want

what pleases you,

51 so that, inwardly cleansed,

inwardly enlightened

and kindled by the fire of the Holy Spirit,

we may follow in the footsteps

of your beloved Son,

our Lord Jesus Christ,[525]

52 and, by your grace alone,

come to you, Most High,

who in perfect Trinity

and simple Unity

live and reign and are glorified,

God almighty,

for ever and ever. Amen.

Praises of God Most High (Laudes Dei altissimi) (1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: based on A. Bartoli Langeli, Gli autografi di frate Francesco e di frate Leone, Turnhout 2000, pp. 36–8 (verse numbering as in Fonti Francescane, p. 45).

Written in Francis’s own hand on a small sheet of parchment (the chartula) given to Brother Leo, now kept in the Basilica of St Francis in Assisi. According to Leo’s note on it, Francis wrote it on Mount La Verna in 1224, after receiving the stigmata. It is a litany of names for God, many of them single words. The sheet is damaged, and a few words in verses 7, 8 and 12 are an editor’s reconstruction (see the footnotes).

1 You are the holy Lord, the only God,

who do wonders.[526]

2 You are strong,

you are great,

you are the Most High,[527]

3 you are almighty,

you, holy Father,

King of heaven and earth.[528]

4 You are three and one,

Lord, God of gods;[529]

5 you are the good,

every good,

the highest good,

Lord, God living and true.[530]

6 You are love,

you are wisdom,

you are humility,

7 you are patience,

you are knowledge,

you are security,

you are rest,[531]

8 you are joy,

you are sweetness and gladness,[532]

9 you are justice and temperance,

you are all our riches

in abundance.

10 You are beauty,

you are gentleness;

11 you are protector,

you are guardian and defender;

you are strength,

you are refuge.[533]

12 You are our hope,

you are our faith,

you are our charity,

you are our happiness,

you are all our sweetness,[534]

13 you are our eternal life,

great and wonderful Lord,

God almighty,

merciful Saviour.

Blessing for Brother Leo (Benedictio fratri Leoni data) (1224)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: A. Bartoli Langeli, Gli autografi di frate Francesco e di frate Leone, Turnhout 2000, pp. 38–41.

Written by Francis on the other side of the same sheet as the Praises of God Most High. It is the ancient priestly blessing from Numbers 6:24–26, with Francis’s own personal addition naming Leo.

1 May the Lord bless you and keep you; may he show his face to you and have mercy on you. 2 May he turn his countenance to you and give you peace.[535] 3 May the Lord bless you, Brother Leo.

Canticle of Brother Sun (Praises of the Creatures) (1225-1226)

Translated from the Old Italian
Old Italian text: G. Contini, Poeti del Duecento I, Milan–Naples 1960, p. 33 f. (verse division of that edition).

Francis’s best-known work and one of the earliest poems in the Italian language, composed in Umbrian dialect in 1225 near San Damiano, when he was ill and almost blind. Creation is a family of brothers and sisters: Sun, Moon, Wind, Water, Fire and Mother Earth. Two later stanzas were added: on those who pardon (said to have been written to reconcile the bishop and the mayor of Assisi) and on Sister Bodily Death, added as Francis approached death. On the meaning of “per” in “Praised be you, my Lord, per…”, see the footnote to verse 3.

1 Most High, almighty, good Lord,

yours are the praises, the glory and the honour and all blessing.[536]

2 To you alone, Most High, do they belong,

and no one is worthy to speak your name.

3 Praised be you, my Lord, with all your creatures,

especially Sir Brother Sun,

who is the day, and through whom you give us light.

And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendour:

of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.[537]

4 Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the Stars:

in heaven you formed them, clear and precious and beautiful.

5 Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Wind,

and through Air and Cloud and fair and every kind of weather,

through whom you give sustenance to your creatures.

6 Praised be you, my Lord, through Sister Water,

who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.[538]

7 Praised be you, my Lord, through Brother Fire,

through whom you light up the night:

and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.[539]

8 Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth,

who sustains and governs us,

and produces various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs.[540]

9 Praised be you, my Lord, through those who pardon for love of you,

and bear sickness and trial.

10 Blessed are those who endure them in peace,

for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.[541]

11 Praised be you, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death,

from whom no living person can escape:

woe to those who die in mortal sin;

blessed are those whom she will find in your most holy will,

for the second death will do them no harm.[542]

12 Praise and bless my Lord, and give him thanks,

and serve him with great humility.[543]

Listen, Little Poor Ones (Lauda “Audite, poverelle”) (1225)

Translated from the Old Italian
Old Italian text: F. Brambilla Ageno, “Proposte al testo della ‘prosa’ volgare di San Francesco”, Studi e problemi di critica testuale 20 (1980), p. 7 f..

A short song in Umbrian dialect written in 1225 for Clare and her sisters at San Damiano, at about the same time as the Canticle of Brother Sun. It was rediscovered only in the twentieth century. It encourages the sisters, especially the sick and those who nurse them, to live in truth and obedience.

1 Listen, little poor ones, called by the Lord,

who have gathered from many parts and provinces:

2 live always in truth,

so that you may die in obedience.

3 Do not look to the life outside,

for the life of the spirit is better.

4 I beg you with great love

to use discretion with the alms the Lord gives you.

5 Those who are weighed down by sickness,

and the others who are wearied on their account,

all of you, bear it in peace,

for you will sell this toil at a very high price,

6 for each of you will be a queen

crowned in heaven with the Virgin Mary.

The Testament (Testamentum) (1226)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, pp. 438–44.

Dictated by Francis shortly before his death in 1226. He looks back on his conversion among the lepers: led by the Lord down from the town of Assisi to those on the lowest rung of society, he “practised mercy with them” as an equal, not as a benefactor, and found that what had been bitter became sweetness (see the note to v. 2). He then recalls his faith in churches and priests and the simple life of the first brothers, before giving firm instructions about poverty and obedience. He insists that it is not “another rule” but a reminder of how to keep the Rule; four years later, Pope Gregory IX ruled that it was not legally binding on the Order, but it has remained one of the most loved of his writings.

1 The Lord granted me, Brother Francis, to begin doing penance in this way: when I was in sin, it seemed too bitter to me to see lepers, 2 and the Lord himself led me among them, and I practised mercy with them.[544] 3 And when I left them, what had seemed bitter to me was turned for me into sweetness of soul and body. And afterwards I waited a little, and left the world.

4 And the Lord gave me such faith in churches that I would pray simply in this way and say: 5 We adore you, Lord Jesus Christ, here and in all your churches throughout the whole world, and we bless you, because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.[545]

6 Afterwards the Lord gave me, and gives me, such great faith in priests who live according to the form of the holy Roman Church, because of their order, that even if they were to persecute me I would want to have recourse to them. 7 And if I had as much wisdom as Solomon had, and I came upon poor priests of this world, I do not want to preach against their will in the parishes where they live.[546] 8 And I want to fear, love and honour them and all others as my lords. 9 And I do not want to consider sin in them, because I discern the Son of God in them, and they are my lords. 10 And I do this because in this world I see nothing bodily of the most high Son of God himself except his most holy body and most holy blood, which they receive and which they alone administer to others. 11 And I want these most holy mysteries to be honoured and venerated above all things and to be kept in precious places. 12 Wherever I find his most holy written names and words in unfitting places, I want to gather them up, and I ask that they be gathered up and put in a fitting place. 13 And we must honour and venerate all theologians and those who minister the most holy divine words, as those who minister to us spirit and life.[547]

14 And after the Lord gave me brothers, no one showed me what I ought to do; but the Most High himself revealed to me that I should live according to the form of the holy Gospel. 15 And I had it written down in few and simple words, and the lord pope confirmed it for me. 16 And those who came to receive this life gave all that they might have to the poor; and they were content with one tunic, patched inside and out, with a cord and breeches.[548] 17 And we did not want to have more.

18 We clerics said the Office like other clerics; the lay brothers said the Our Father; and we were quite glad to stay in churches. 19 And we were unlettered and subject to all.[549] 20 And I worked with my hands, and I want to work; and I firmly want all the other brothers to work at some work that is honest.[550] 21 Let those who do not know how learn, not out of desire to receive the wage for their work, but for the sake of example and to drive away idleness. 22 And when the wage for work is not given us, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, begging alms from door to door.

23 The Lord revealed to me this greeting, that we should say: The Lord give you peace.[551]

24 Let the brothers beware of accepting in any way churches, poor dwellings or anything else built for them, unless they are in keeping with the holy poverty we have promised in the Rule, always staying there as strangers and pilgrims.[552]

25 I firmly command all the brothers by obedience that, wherever they are, they not dare to ask for any letter from the Roman Curia, either themselves or through an intermediary, whether for a church or for any other place, or under the pretext of preaching, or because of the persecution of their bodies; 26 but wherever they are not received, let them flee into another land to do penance with the blessing of God.[553]

27 And I firmly wish to obey the general minister of this fraternity and the guardian whom it pleases him to give me. 28 And I wish to be so captive in his hands that I cannot go or act beyond obedience and his will, because he is my lord. 29 And although I am simple and sick, I always want to have a cleric who will say the Office for me, as is contained in the Rule.

30 And all the other brothers are bound to obey their guardians in the same way and to say the Office according to the Rule. 31 And if any are found who do not say the Office according to the Rule and wish to vary it in some other way, or are not Catholics, all the brothers, wherever they are, are bound by obedience, wherever they find one of them, to present him to the custodian nearest the place where they found him. 32 And the custodian is firmly bound by obedience to guard him strictly, day and night, as a man in chains, so that he cannot be taken from his hands until he personally hands him over into the hands of his minister. 33 And the minister is firmly bound by obedience to send him by such brothers as will guard him day and night as a man in chains, until they present him before the lord of Ostia, who is lord, protector and corrector of the whole fraternity.

34 And let the brothers not say: “This is another rule”; for this is a remembrance, an admonition, an exhortation and my testament, which I, little Brother Francis, make for you, my blessed brothers, so that we may observe in a more Catholic way the Rule we have promised the Lord. 35 And the general minister and all the other ministers and custodians are bound by obedience not to add to these words or take away from them.[554] 36 And let them always have this writing with them alongside the Rule. 37 And in all the Chapters they hold, when they read the Rule, let them read these words as well.

38 And I firmly command all my brothers, clerics and lay, by obedience, not to put glosses on the Rule or on these words, saying: “This is how they are to be understood.” 39 But as the Lord granted me to speak and write the Rule and these words simply and purely, so you are to understand them simply and without gloss, and observe them with holy activity to the end.

40 And whoever observes these things, may he be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth may he be filled with the blessing of his beloved Son, with the most holy Spirit the Paraclete and all the powers of heaven and all the saints.[555] 41 And I, little Brother Francis, your servant, as far as I can, confirm for you, within and without, this most holy blessing.

Last Will Written for St Clare (Ultima voluntas sanctae Clarae scripta) (1226)

Translated from the Latin
Latin text: K. Esser, Die Opuscula des hl. Franziskus von Assisi. Neue textkritische Edition, 2nd ed. by E. Grau, Grottaferrata 1989, p. 449.

Francis’s last words to Clare and her sisters (1226), preserved, like the Form of Life, in Clare’s own Rule. It is a final commitment to the life and poverty of Christ and his Mother, and an urgent plea never to abandon it.

1 I, little Brother Francis, wish to follow the life and poverty of our most high Lord Jesus Christ and of his most holy Mother, and to persevere in it to the end;[556] 2 and I ask you, my ladies, and I give you counsel, always to live in this most holy life and poverty. 3 And guard yourselves carefully, so that you never in any way depart from it through the teaching or counsel of anyone.

  1. Claudio Leonardi (ed.) in La Letteratura Francescana Volume 1, 2004, Introduzione, LVIII. ↑
  2. v. 1 — Ps 17:29 Vulg. (18:28 Eng.). ↑
  3. v. 2 — Cf. Ambrose of Milan, Tractatus in Philippenses 4.4. ↑
  4. v. 1 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  5. v. 1 — 1 Pet 2:21. ↑
  6. v. 2 — Mt 19:21 (cf. Lk 18:22). ↑
  7. v. 3 — Mt 16:24 (cf. Mk 8:34 and Lk 9:23). ↑
  8. v. 4 — Lk 14:26 (cf. Mt 19:29). ↑
  9. v. 5 — Mt 19:29. ↑
  10. v. 4 — Mt 19:21 (and Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22, printed in the edition as 18:20). ↑
  11. v. 10 — Cf. the bull of Honorius III, Cum secundum consilium, 22 September 1220 (Bullarium Franciscanum I, p. 6); Lk 9:62. ↑
  12. v. 14 — Lk 7:25; Mt 11:8. ↑
  13. v. 1 — Mk 9:28 Vulg. (9:29 Eng.). ↑
  14. v. 2 — Mt 6:16. ↑
  15. v. 11 — Cf. Mt 4:2. ↑
  16. v. 13 — Cf. Lk 10:8. ↑
  17. v. 1 — Col 3:17. ↑
  18. v. 4 — Mt 7:12. ↑
  19. v. 5 — Cf. Tob 4:16 Vulg. (4:15 Eng.). ↑
  20. v. 6 — Mt 20:28; Mt 12:36. ↑
  21. v. 1 — Heb 10:31. ↑
  22. v. 8 — Mt 9:12 (cf. Mk 2:17). ↑
  23. v. 10 — Mt 20:25. ↑
  24. v. 11 — Mt 20:26a; 20:26b. ↑
  25. v. 12 — Lk 22:26. ↑
  26. v. 14 — Cf. Gal 5:13. ↑
  27. v. 16 — Ps 118:21 Vulg. (119:21 Eng.). ↑
  28. v. 17 — Ps 113:23 Vulg. (115:15 Eng.). ↑
  29. v. 4 — Jn 13:14. ↑
  30. v. 1 — Mk 8:36 (cf. Lk 9:25). ↑
  31. v. 2 — Cf. 1 Pet 2:13, 18. ↑
  32. v. 4 — Ps 127:2 Vulg. (128:2 Eng.). ↑
  33. v. 5 — 2 Thess 3:10. ↑
  34. v. 6 — 1 Cor 7:20, 24. ↑
  35. v. 10 — Roman Breviary, Common of a Confessor not a Bishop, at Matins; Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels 13.1; Jerome, Letter 125.11. ↑
  36. v. 11 — Rule of Benedict 48.1. ↑
  37. v. 15 — 1 Pet 4:9. ↑
  38. v. 16 — Cf. Mt 6:16; Phil 4:4. ↑
  39. v. 1 — Lk 12:15. ↑
  40. v. 2 — Lk 21:34 and Mt 13:22. ↑
  41. v. 5 — Mt 19:27. ↑
  42. v. 6 — Eccl 1:2. ↑
  43. v. 7 — Jn 12:6. ↑
  44. v. 1 — 1 Tim 6:8. ↑
  45. v. 4 — Mt 16:16 (and Jn 11:27); Is 50:7. ↑
  46. v. 11 — 1 Thess 2:7. ↑
  47. v. 12 — Rom 14:3. ↑
  48. v. 13 — Mk 2:26 (cf. Mt 12:4; Lk 6:4). ↑
  49. vv. 14–15 — Lk 21:34–35. ↑
  50. v. 16 — Gratian, Decretum II 1 c. 40. ↑
  51. v. 3 — 1 Thess 5:18; Acts 13:48; Jdt 8:27; Rom 11:8; Rev 3:19 (cf. Heb 12:6). ↑
  52. v. 4 — Cf. Gal 5:17; Mt 5:37; 1 Cor 3:3. ↑
  53. v. 1 — 2 Tim 2:14. ↑
  54. v. 3 — Lk 17:10. ↑
  55. v. 4 — Mt 5:22. ↑
  56. v. 5 — Jn 15:12. ↑
  57. v. 6 — Jas 2:18; 1 Jn 3:18. ↑
  58. v. 7 — Titus 3:2. ↑
  59. v. 8 — Rom 1:29–30. ↑
  60. v. 9 — Titus 3:2. ↑
  61. v. 11 — Cf. Mt 7:3 (Lk 6:41–42). ↑
  62. v. 12 — Is 38:15. ↑
  63. v. 13 — Lk 13:24; Mt 7:14. ↑
  64. v. 5 — Mt 5:28. ↑
  65. v. 6 — 1 Cor 6:19; 1 Cor 3:17. ↑
  66. v. 2 — Ezek 18:21. ↑
  67. v. 1 — Lk 9:3. ↑
  68. v. 2 — Lk 10:5. ↑
  69. v. 3 — Lk 10:7. ↑
  70. v. 4 — Mt 5:39–40 (Lk 6:29). ↑
  71. v. 5 — Lk 6:29. ↑
  72. v. 6 — Lk 6:30. ↑
  73. vv. 1–2 — Mt 10:16. ↑
  74. v. 4 — Cf. Lk 16:2; Rom 14:12; 1 Pet 4:5. ↑
  75. v. 6 — 1 Pet 2:13. ↑
  76. v. 7 — Mt 28:19; Jn 3:5. ↑
  77. v. 8 — Mt 10:32. ↑
  78. v. 9 — Lk 9:26. ↑
  79. v. 11 — Mk 8:35 = Lk 9:24; Mt 25:46. ↑
  80. v. 12 — Mt 5:10. ↑
  81. v. 13 — Jn 15:20. ↑
  82. v. 14 — Mt 10:23. ↑
  83. v. 15 — Lk 6:22 and Mt 5:11; Lk 6:22. ↑
  84. v. 16 — Lk 6:23 = Mt 5:12. ↑
  85. v. 17 — Lk 12:4. ↑
  86. v. 18 — Mt 10:28; Lk 12:4. ↑
  87. v. 19 — Mt 24:6. ↑
  88. v. 20 — Lk 21:19. ↑
  89. v. 21 — Mt 10:22 (cf. Mt 24:13). ↑
  90. v. 5 — 1 Jn 4:8, 16. ↑
  91. v. 6 — Lk 10:20. ↑
  92. v. 8 — Jas 1:2. ↑
  93. v. 10 — Rom 8:7, 6. ↑
  94. v. 13 — Mt 6:2. ↑
  95. v. 16 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  96. v. 17 — Cf. the trope of the Kyrie for the fifth Sunday after Easter. ↑
  97. v. 18 — Rev 5:12–13; cf. Lk 18:19. ↑
  98. v. 19 — Rom 1:25 = 2 Cor 11:31. ↑
  99. v. 3 — Jas 5:16. ↑
  100. v. 4 — Cf. Mt 16:19; 18:18. ↑
  101. v. 5 — Jn 6:55 Vulg. (6:54 Eng.). ↑
  102. v. 6 — Lk 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24. ↑
  103. v. 2 — Rev 14:7; Lk 24:53; 1 Thess 5:18; Mt 28:19. ↑
  104. v. 3 — Mt 3:2 (and passim); Lk 3:8. ↑
  105. v. 4 — Lk 6:38. ↑
  106. v. 5 — Lk 6:37. ↑
  107. v. 6 — Cf. Mt 6:14 (Mk 11:26); Jas 5:16. ↑
  108. v. 7 — Rev 14:13. ↑
  109. v. 8 — 1 Jn 3:10; Jn 8:41; Mt 18:8 (25:41). ↑
  110. v. 1 — Mt 5:44 = Lk 6:27. ↑
  111. v. 2 — 1 Pet 2:21; Mt 26:50. ↑
  112. v. 7 — Mk 7:21–22; the editor notes that “false witness” comes from Mt 15:19. ↑
  113. v. 8 — Mk 7:23; Mt 15:20. ↑
  114. v. 9 — Cf. Rom 12:2. ↑
  115. v. 11 — Lk 8:11. ↑
  116. vv. 12–13 — Cf. Lk 8:5, 10–12; Mt 13:19; Mk 4:15–17. ↑
  117. vv. 14–16 — Cf. Mt 13:20–22; Mk 4:16–19; Lk 8:13–14. ↑
  118. v. 17 — Lk 8:15; Mt 13:23. ↑
  119. v. 18 — Mt 8:22. ↑
  120. v. 21 — Mt 12:43; Lk 11:24 (vv. 21–22). ↑
  121. v. 23 — Mt 12:44. ↑
  122. v. 24 — Lk 11:26; Mt 12:45. ↑
  123. v. 27 — Jn 14:23; Mt 28:19; Lk 21:36. ↑
  124. v. 28 — Mk 11:25 (cf. Lk 11:2, printed in the edition as 10:2); Mt 6:9. ↑
  125. v. 29 — Lk 18:1. ↑
  126. v. 30 — Cf. Jn 4:23. ↑
  127. v. 31 — Jn 4:24. ↑
  128. v. 32 — 1 Pet 2:25; Jn 10:11, 15. ↑
  129. vv. 33–35 — Mt 23:8–10. ↑
  130. v. 36 — Jn 15:7. ↑
  131. v. 37 — Mt 18:20. ↑
  132. v. 38 — Mt 28:20. ↑
  133. v. 39 — Jn 6:64 Vulg. (6:63 Eng.). ↑
  134. v. 40 — Jn 14:6. ↑
  135. v. 41 — Jn 12:28; Jn 17:1. ↑
  136. v. 42 — Jn 17:6. ↑
  137. vv. 42–44 — Jn 17:8–10. ↑
  138. v. 45 — Jn 17:11. ↑
  139. vv. 46–48 — Jn 17:13–15. ↑
  140. vv. 49–52 — Jn 17:17–19. ↑
  141. v. 53 — Jn 17:20; Jn 17:23. ↑
  142. v. 54 — Jn 17:26. ↑
  143. v. 55 — Jn 17:24; Mt 20:21. ↑
  144. v. 1 — Jn 17:11, 25; Mt 11:25 (Lk 10:21). ↑
  145. v. 3 — Gen 1:26; Gen 2:15. ↑
  146. v. 5 — Jn 17:26. ↑
  147. v. 6 — Mt 25:31. ↑
  148. v. 7 — Mt 25:41. ↑
  149. v. 8 — Mt 25:34. ↑
  150. v. 9 — Mt 17:5. ↑
  151. v. 10 — Col 1:16; 1 Thess 1:9; Mk 9:6 Vulg. (9:7 Eng.); Rev 19:3–4. ↑
  152. v. 11 — Lk 17:10; Rev 5:9; 7:9. ↑
  153. v. 12 — Cf. Mk 12:30, 33 and Lk 10:27; Tob 13:5 Vulg. ↑
  154. v. 14 — Cf. Lk 18:19; Ps 85:5 Vulg. (86:5 Eng.); 1 Pet 1:16; 1 Jn 3:3. ↑
  155. v. 17 — Cf. Lk 24:53. ↑
  156. v. 18 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  157. v. 19 — Rom 11:33; Dan 3:52 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 29–30 Eng.). ↑
  158. v. 4 — Deut 12:32; cf. Rev 22:18–19. ↑
  159. v. 2 — Cf. Lk 10:38–42. ↑
  160. v. 3 — Mt 6:33. ↑
  161. v. 1 — Rev 14:7. ↑
  162. v. 2 — Rev 4:11. ↑
  163. v. 3 — Ps 21:24 Vulg. (22:23 Eng.). ↑
  164. v. 4 — Lk 1:28, and from the liturgy. ↑
  165. v. 5 — Ps 68:35 Vulg. (69:34 Eng.). ↑
  166. v. 6 — Dan 3:78 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 56 Eng.). ↑
  167. v. 7 — Dan 3:82 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 60 Eng.). ↑
  168. v. 8 — Ps 117:24 Vulg. (118:24 Eng.); Jn 12:13. ↑
  169. v. 9 — Ps 150:6. ↑
  170. v. 10 — Ps 146:1 Vulg. (147:1 Eng.); Ps 102:20–22 Vulg. (103:20–22 Eng.). ↑
  171. v. 11 — As v. 10 (Ps 102:20–22 Vulg.). ↑
  172. v. 12 — Dan 3:80 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 58 Eng.). ↑
  173. v. 13 — Ps 112:1 Vulg. (113:1 Eng.). ↑
  174. v. 14 — Ps 148:7, 12. ↑
  175. v. 15 — Rev 5:12. ↑
  176. v. 16 — From the liturgy of the Mass for the feast of the Holy Trinity (Introit). ↑
  177. v. 17 — From the liturgy of the Mass for the feast of St Michael (Alleluia verse). ↑
  178. v. 2 — 1 Tim 4:5. ↑
  179. v. 3 — 1 Jn 3:14. ↑
  180. v. 7 — 1 Cor 2:14. ↑
  181. v. 9 — Heb 10:31. ↑
  182. v. 14 — Mt 12:36 (both recensions). ↑
  183. v. 6 — Jn 6:53–54 Vulg. (6:52–53 Eng.). ↑
  184. v. 7 — Rev 5:12–13; 1 Thess 1:9. ↑
  185. v. 2 — Gen 47:29. ↑
  186. v. 3 — Mt 13:22 (Lk 8:14); Ps 118:21 Vulg. (119:21 Eng.); Ezek 33:13. ↑
  187. v. 4 — Lk 8:18. ↑
  188. v. 5 — Wis 6:7 Vulg. (6:6 Eng.). ↑
  189. v. 8 — Mt 12:36. ↑
  190. v. 1 — Num 6:24. ↑
  191. v. 15 — Mt 9:12. ↑
  192. v. 20 — Jn 8:11. ↑
  193. vv. 1–4 — Jn 14:6–9. ↑
  194. v. 5 — 1 Tim 6:16; Jn 4:24; Jn 1:18. ↑
  195. v. 6 — Jn 6:64 Vulg. (6:63 Eng.). ↑
  196. v. 7 — Augustine, Enarrationes in Psalmos 63.13–14. ↑
  197. v. 10 — Mk 14:22, 24. ↑
  198. v. 11 — Jn 6:55 Vulg. (6:54 Eng.). ↑
  199. v. 13 — 1 Cor 11:29. ↑
  200. v. 14 — Ps 4:3 Vulg. (4:2 Eng.). ↑
  201. v. 15 — Jn 9:35. ↑
  202. v. 16 — Wis 18:15. ↑
  203. v. 18 — Jn 1:18. ↑
  204. v. 22 — Mt 28:20. ↑
  205. v. 1 — Gen 2:16–17. ↑
  206. v. 1 — Lk 14:33. ↑
  207. v. 2 — Mt 16:25. ↑
  208. v. 6 — 1 Pet 1:22. ↑
  209. v. 9 — Jn 15:13. ↑
  210. v. 10 — Lk 9:62; Prov 26:11 and 2 Pet 2:22. ↑
  211. v. 1 — Mt 20:28. ↑
  212. v. 1 — Gen 1:26. ↑
  213. v. 5 — 1 Cor 13:2; 1 Cor 12:28. ↑
  214. v. 8 — 2 Cor 12:5, 9; Lk 14:27 (Jn 19:17). ↑
  215. v. 1 — Jn 10:11; Heb 12:2. ↑
  216. v. 2 — Jn 10:4; Rom 8:35. ↑
  217. v. 1 — 2 Cor 3:6 (and Jn 6:63). ↑
  218. v. 4 — 1 Pet 3:18. Translator’s note: “to themselves” renders corpori, “to the body”; for Francis the body often stands for the self that appropriates what belongs to God (cf. Admonitions 2 and 10). ↑
  219. v. 1 — 1 Cor 12:3. ↑
  220. v. 2 — Rom 3:12 (Ps 13:3; 52:4 Vulg.; 14:3; 53:3 Eng.). ↑
  221. v. 1 — Mt 5:44 (the edition prints 5:4). ↑
  222. v. 3 — Cf. 2 Cor 11:29. ↑
  223. v. 4 — Jas 2:18. ↑
  224. v. 3 — Mt 24:46. ↑
  225. v. 2 — Rom 2:5. ↑
  226. v. 4 — Mt 22:21 and Lk 20:25. ↑
  227. v. 1 — Mt 5:9. ↑
  228. v. 1 — Mt 5:3. ↑
  229. v. 3 — Mt 13:21. ↑
  230. v. 4 — Lk 6:29. ↑
  231. v. 1 — Mt 5:9. ↑
  232. v. 1 — Mt 5:8. ↑
  233. v. 2 — From the liturgy of the Mass, Second Sunday of Advent, Postcommunion; 1 Thess 1:9. ↑
  234. v. 1 — Mt 24:46. ↑
  235. v. 2 — Mt 25:18; Lk 8:18 (19:26). ↑
  236. v. 4 — Mt 24:46. ↑
  237. v. 2 — Ps 50:10 Vulg. (51:8 Eng.). ↑
  238. v. 1 — Prov 29:20. ↑
  239. v. 2 — Lk 2:19, 51. ↑
  240. v. 3 — Mt 6:2, 5, 16. ↑
  241. v. 3 — Mt 24:45. ↑
  242. v. 1 — 1 Jn 4:18. ↑
  243. v. 5 — Lk 11:21. ↑
  244. vv. 1–2 — Mt 6:20. ↑
  245. v. 3 — Lk 2:19, 51. ↑
  246. v. 3 — Cf. Lk 1:28. ↑
  247. v. 5 — Cf. Lk 1:38. ↑
  248. v. 5 — 1 Cor 15:36 (the edition prints 15:16). ↑
  249. v. 7 — Cf. Jas 2:10. ↑
  250. v. 10 — 1 Cor 3:19; Rom 8:7. ↑
  251. v. 13 — 1 Jn 4:18. ↑
  252. v. 16 — Cf. 1 Pet 2:13. ↑
  253. v. 18 — Cf. Jn 19:11. ↑
  254. v. 6 — Cf. Mt 19:21; Mk 10:21; Lk 18:22. ↑
  255. v. 9 — Cf. Acts 13:16. ↑
  256. v. 13 — Cf. the bull of Honorius III, Cum secundum consilium, 22 September 1220 (Bullarium Franciscanum I, p. 6). ↑
  257. v. 14 — Lk 9:62. ↑
  258. v. 18 — Cf. Mt 11:8 and Lk 7:25. ↑
  259. v. 7 — Cf. Mt 4:2. ↑
  260. v. 11 — 2 Tim 2:14. ↑
  261. v. 12 — Cf. Mt 5:4 Vulg. (5:5 Eng.), 5:9. ↑
  262. v. 14 — Lk 10:5. ↑
  263. v. 15 — Cf. Lk 10:8. ↑
  264. v. 3 — Rule of Benedict 48.1; 1 Thess 5:19. ↑
  265. v. 3 — 1 Pet 2:11. ↑
  266. v. 4 — Cf. 2 Cor 8:9. ↑
  267. v. 5 — 2 Cor 8:2; Jas 2:5 (cf. Lk 6:20). ↑
  268. v. 6 — Ps 141:6 Vulg. (142:5 Eng.). ↑
  269. v. 9 — Cf. 1 Thess 2:7. ↑
  270. v. 10 — Cf. Mt 7:12; Lk 6:31. ↑
  271. v. 4 — Ps 17:31; 11:7 Vulg. (18:30; 12:6 Eng.). ↑
  272. v. 5 — Rom 9:28. ↑
  273. v. 7 — Cf. Mt 20:26–27. ↑
  274. v. 8 — Lk 12:15; Mt 13:22. ↑
  275. v. 11 — Mt 5:44. ↑
  276. v. 12 — Mt 5:10. ↑
  277. v. 13 — Mt 10:22. ↑
  278. v. 5 — Col 1:23. ↑
  279. v. 1 — Mt 6:9. ↑
  280. v. 2 — Mt 6:9; 1 Jn 1:5. ↑
  281. v. 3 — Mt 6:9; Eph 3:18, and cf. Rom 8:39. ↑
  282. v. 4 — Mt 6:10; Lk 23:42. ↑
  283. v. 5 — Mt 6:10; cf. Lk 10:27; 2 Cor 6:3. ↑
  284. v. 6 — Mt 6:11. ↑
  285. v. 7 — Mt 6:12; from the liturgy (the rite of absolution). ↑
  286. v. 8 — Mt 6:12; cf. Mt 5:44 (Lk 6:27, 35); Rom 12:17. ↑
  287. v. 9 — Mt 6:13. ↑
  288. v. 10 — Mt 6:13; from the liturgy of the Mass (the prayer after the Our Father in the Canon); from the liturgy (the Gloria Patri). ↑
  289. v. 1 — Rev 4:8 (cf. Is 6:3); Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  290. v. 2 — Rev 4:9, 11; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  291. v. 3 — Rev 5:12; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  292. v. 4 — From the Breviary, Sunday Lauds, doxology of the Canticle; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  293. v. 5 — Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  294. v. 6 — Rev 19:5; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  295. v. 7 — Ps 68:35 Vulg. (69:34 Eng.); Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  296. v. 8 — Rev 5:13; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  297. v. 9 — From the liturgy; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  298. v. 10 — From the liturgy; Dan 3:57 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 35 Eng.), for the refrain. ↑
  299. v. 11 — Mt 19:17; Mk 10:18; Lk 18:19; Rev 4:9 (5:12). ↑
  300. v. 1 — Ps 55:8–9 Vulg. (56:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  301. v. 2 — Ps 40:8 Vulg. (41:7 Eng.); Ps 70:10 Vulg. (71:10 Eng.). ↑
  302. v. 3 — Ps 108:5 Vulg. (109:5 Eng.). ↑
  303. v. 4 — Ps 108:4 Vulg. (109:4 Eng.). ↑
  304. v. 5 — Jn 17:11 (Mt 26:39); cf. Sir 51:1 and Mt 11:25; Ps 21:12 Vulg. (22:11 Eng.). ↑
  305. v. 6 — Ps 55:10 Vulg. (56:9 Eng.). ↑
  306. v. 7 — Ps 37:12 Vulg. (38:11 Eng.). ↑
  307. v. 8 — Ps 87:9 Vulg. (88:8 Eng.). ↑
  308. v. 9 — Jn 17:11; Ps 70:12 Vulg. (71:12 Eng.) and Ps 21:20 Vulg. (22:19 Eng.); Ps 70:12 Vulg. (71:12 Eng.). ↑
  309. v. 10 — Ps 37:23 Vulg. (38:22 Eng.). ↑
  310. v. 11 — From the liturgy. ↑
  311. v. 1 — Cf. Lk 1:28, 42. ↑
  312. v. 2 — Lk 1:38; Lk 1:43 and Jn 2:1; Lk 3:22. ↑
  313. v. 3 — Jn 13:14. ↑
  314. v. 1 — 1 Thess 1:9; Rev 4:9; Ps 40:14 Vulg. (41:13 Eng.). ↑
  315. v. 1 — Ps 87:2 Vulg. (88:1 Eng.). ↑
  316. v. 2 — Ps 87:3 Vulg. (88:2 Eng.). ↑
  317. v. 3 — Ps 68:19 Vulg. (69:18 Eng.). ↑
  318. v. 4 — Ps 21:10–11 Vulg. (22:9–10 Eng.). ↑
  319. v. 5 — Ps 21:11–12 Vulg. (22:10–11 Eng.). ↑
  320. v. 6 — Ps 68:20 Vulg. (69:19 Eng.). ↑
  321. vv. 7–8 — Ps 68:21 Vulg. (69:20 Eng.). ↑
  322. v. 9 — Ps 85:14 Vulg. (86:14 Eng.). ↑
  323. v. 10 — Ps 87:5–6 Vulg. (88:4–5 Eng.). ↑
  324. v. 11 — Ps 88:27 Vulg. (89:26 Eng.); Ps 43:5 Vulg. (44:4 Eng.). ↑
  325. v. 12 — Ps 37:23 Vulg. (38:22 Eng.). ↑
  326. vv. 1–2 — Ps 56:2 Vulg. (57:1 Eng.). ↑
  327. vv. 3–4 — Ps 56:3–4 Vulg. (57:2–3 Eng.). ↑
  328. v. 5 — Ps 56:4–5 Vulg. (57:3–4 Eng.); Ps 17:18 Vulg. (18:17 Eng.). ↑
  329. vv. 6–12 — Ps 56:7–12 Vulg. (57:6–11 Eng.). ↑
  330. vv. 1–2 — Ps 55:2–3 Vulg. (56:1–2 Eng.). ↑
  331. v. 3 — Ps 40:8–9 Vulg. (41:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  332. v. 4 — Ps 70:10 Vulg. (71:10 Eng.). ↑
  333. v. 5 — Ps 40:7–8 Vulg. (41:6–7 Eng.). ↑
  334. v. 6 — Ps 21:8 Vulg. (22:7 Eng.). ↑
  335. v. 7 — Ps 21:7 Vulg. (22:6 Eng.). ↑
  336. v. 8 — Ps 30:12 Vulg. (31:11 Eng.). ↑
  337. v. 9 — Jn 17:11; Ps 21:20 Vulg. (22:19 Eng.). ↑
  338. v. 10 — Ps 37:23 Vulg. (38:22 Eng.). ↑
  339. vv. 1–6 — Ps 141:2–5 Vulg. (142:1–4 Eng.). ↑
  340. vv. 7–8 — Ps 68:8–9 Vulg. (69:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  341. v. 9 — Jn 17:11; Ps 68:10 Vulg. (69:9 Eng.). ↑
  342. v. 10 — Ps 34:15 Vulg. (35:15 Eng.). ↑
  343. vv. 11–12 — Ps 68:5 Vulg. (69:4 Eng.). ↑
  344. v. 13 — Ps 34:11 Vulg. (35:11 Eng.). ↑
  345. v. 14 — Ps 34:12 Vulg. (35:12 Eng.); Ps 37:21 Vulg. (38:20 Eng.). ↑
  346. v. 15 — Ps 88:27 Vulg. (89:26 Eng.); Ps 5:3 Vulg. (5:2 Eng.); Ps 43:5 Vulg. (44:4 Eng.). ↑
  347. v. 16 — Ps 37:23 Vulg. (38:22 Eng.). ↑
  348. v. 1 — Lam 1:12. ↑
  349. v. 2 — Ps 21:17 Vulg. (22:16 Eng.). ↑
  350. v. 3 — Ps 21:18–19 Vulg. (22:17–18 Eng.). ↑
  351. v. 4 — Ps 21:17–18 Vulg. (22:16–17 Eng.). ↑
  352. vv. 5–8 — Ps 21:14–16 Vulg. (22:13–15 Eng.). ↑
  353. v. 9 — Ps 68:22 Vulg. (69:21 Eng.) (the edition prints Ps 8:22). ↑
  354. v. 10 — Ps 21:16 Vulg. (22:15 Eng.); Ps 68:27 Vulg. (69:26 Eng.). ↑
  355. v. 11 — Ps 3:6 Vulg. (3:5 Eng.); Ps 72:24 Vulg. (73:24 Eng.). ↑
  356. v. 12 — Jn 17:11; Ps 72:24 Vulg. (73:24 Eng.). ↑
  357. v. 13 — Ps 72:25 Vulg. (73:25 Eng.). ↑
  358. v. 14 — Ps 45:11 Vulg. (46:10 Eng.). ↑
  359. v. 15 — Ps 71:18 Vulg. (72:18 Eng.) (Lk 1:68; Heb 9:12; 1 Jn 5:20); cf. Ps 33:23 Vulg. (34:22 Eng.); Rev 5:9; Ps 33:23 Vulg. (34:22 Eng.). ↑
  360. v. 16 — Ps 95:13 Vulg. (96:13 Eng.). ↑
  361. vv. 1–2 — Ps 46:2–3 Vulg. (47:1–2 Eng.). ↑
  362. v. 3 — Ps 73:12 Vulg. (74:12 Eng.); 1 Jn 4:9 and Mt 3:17; cf. Gal 4:4; Ps 73:12 Vulg. (74:12 Eng.). ↑
  363. v. 4 — Ps 95:11–12 Vulg. (96:11–12 Eng.). ↑
  364. v. 5 — Ps 95:1 Vulg. (96:1 Eng.). ↑
  365. v. 6 — Ps 95:4 Vulg. (96:4 Eng.). ↑
  366. v. 7 — Ps 95:7–8 Vulg. (96:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  367. v. 8 — Ps 95:8 Vulg. (96:8 Eng.); Rom 12:1; Lk 14:27 (cf. Jn 19:17). ↑
  368. v. 9 — Ps 95:9–10 Vulg. (96:9–10 Eng.). ↑
  369. v. 10 — The Apostles’ Creed; Ps 56:12 Vulg. (57:11 Eng.). ↑
  370. v. 11 — Ps 95:13 Vulg. (96:13 Eng.). ↑
  371. vv. 1–7 — Ps 69:2–6 Vulg. (70:1–5 Eng.). ↑
  372. v. 1 — Ps 97:1 Vulg. (98:1 Eng.). ↑
  373. v. 2 — Ps 97:1 Vulg. (98:1 Eng.). ↑
  374. v. 3 — Ps 97:2 Vulg. (98:2 Eng.). ↑
  375. v. 4 — Ps 41:9 Vulg. (42:8 Eng.). ↑
  376. v. 5 — Ps 117:24 Vulg. (118:24 Eng.). ↑
  377. v. 6 — Ps 117:26 Vulg. (118:26 Eng.); Ps 117:27 Vulg. (118:27 Eng.). ↑
  378. v. 7 — Ps 95:11–12 Vulg. (96:11–12 Eng.). ↑
  379. v. 8 — Ps 95:7–8 Vulg. (96:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  380. v. 9 — Ps 67:33 Vulg. (68:32 Eng.). ↑
  381. v. 10 — Ps 67:33 Vulg. (68:32 Eng.); Ps 67:34 Vulg. (68:33 Eng.). ↑
  382. vv. 11–12 — Ps 67:34–36 Vulg. (68:33–35 Eng.). ↑
  383. v. 1 — Ps 65:1–2 Vulg. (66:1–2 Eng.). ↑
  384. vv. 2–3 — Ps 65:3–4 Vulg. (66:3–4 Eng.). ↑
  385. vv. 4–5 — Ps 65:16–17 Vulg. (66:16–17 Eng.). ↑
  386. v. 6 — Ps 17:7 Vulg. (18:6 Eng.). ↑
  387. v. 7 — Ps 65:8 Vulg. (66:8 Eng.). ↑
  388. vv. 8–10 — Ps 71:17–19 Vulg. (72:17–19 Eng.). ↑
  389. vv. 1–5 — Ps 19:2–6 Vulg. (20:1–5 Eng.). ↑
  390. v. 6 — Ps 19:7 Vulg. (20:6 Eng.); 1 Jn 4:9 (Jn 17:3); Ps 9:9 Vulg. (9:8 Eng.). ↑
  391. v. 7 — Ps 9:10–11 Vulg. (9:9–10 Eng.). ↑
  392. v. 8 — Ps 143:1 Vulg. (144:1 Eng.); Ps 58:17 Vulg. (59:16 Eng.). ↑
  393. v. 9 — Ps 58:18 Vulg. (59:17 Eng.). ↑
  394. v. 1 — Ps 70:1–2 Vulg. (71:1–2 Eng.). ↑
  395. vv. 2–3 — Ps 70:2–3 Vulg. (71:2–3 Eng.). ↑
  396. vv. 4–5 — Ps 70:5–6 Vulg. (71:5–6 Eng.). ↑
  397. v. 6 — Ps 70:8 Vulg. (71:8 Eng.). ↑
  398. vv. 7–8 — Ps 68:17–18 Vulg. (69:16–17 Eng.). ↑
  399. v. 9 — Ps 143:1 Vulg. (144:1 Eng.); Ps 58:17 Vulg. (59:16 Eng.). ↑
  400. v. 10 — Ps 58:18 Vulg. (59:17 Eng.). ↑
  401. vv. 1–6 — Ps 12:1–6 Vulg. (13:1–6 Eng.). ↑
  402. v. 1 — Is 12:1 (Sir 51:1; Acts 17:24); Mt 11:25; Is 12:1. ↑
  403. v. 2 — Is 12:2. ↑
  404. v. 3 — Is 12:2 (Ex 15:2; Ps 117:14 Vulg. (118:14 Eng.)). ↑
  405. v. 4 — Ex 15:6–7. ↑
  406. v. 5 — Ps 68:33 Vulg. (69:32 Eng.). ↑
  407. vv. 6–9 — Ps 68:35–37 Vulg. (69:34–36 Eng.). ↑
  408. v. 1 — Ps 80:2 Vulg. (81:1 Eng.); Ps 46:2 Vulg. (47:1 Eng.) and 1 Thess 1:9. ↑
  409. v. 2 — Ps 46:3 Vulg. (47:2 Eng.). ↑
  410. v. 3 — Ps 73:12 Vulg. (74:12 Eng.); 1 Jn 4:9. ↑
  411. v. 4 — Ps 88:27 Vulg. (89:26 Eng.); Ps 88:28 Vulg. (89:27 Eng.). ↑
  412. v. 5 — Ps 41:9 Vulg. (42:8 Eng.). ↑
  413. v. 6 — Ps 117:24 Vulg. (118:24 Eng.). ↑
  414. v. 7 — Is 9:6; Lk 2:7 (2:12). ↑
  415. v. 8 — Lk 2:14 (and from there in the Gloria of the Mass). ↑
  416. v. 9 — Ps 95:11–12 Vulg. (96:11–12 Eng.). ↑
  417. v. 10 — Ps 95:1 Vulg. (96:1 Eng.). ↑
  418. v. 11 — Ps 95:4 Vulg. (96:4 Eng.). ↑
  419. v. 12 — Ps 95:7–8 Vulg. (96:7–8 Eng.). ↑
  420. v. 13 — Ps 95:8 Vulg. (96:8 Eng.); Rom 12:1; Lk 14:27. ↑
  421. v. 1 — Mk 12:30; Mt 22:39 and Lk 10:27. ↑
  422. v. 4 — Lk 3:8. ↑
  423. v. 6 — Is 11:2; Jn 14:23. ↑
  424. v. 7 — Mt 5:45. ↑
  425. v. 9 — Mt 12:50. ↑
  426. v. 10 — 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Tim 3:9. ↑
  427. v. 13 — Jn 10:15. ↑
  428. v. 14 — Jn 17:11; Jn 17:6. ↑
  429. v. 15 — Jn 17:8. ↑
  430. v. 16 — Jn 17:9. ↑
  431. v. 17 — Jn 17:17; Jn 17:19. ↑
  432. v. 18 — Jn 17:20; Jn 17:23; Jn 17:11. ↑
  433. v. 19 — Jn 17:24; Mt 20:21. ↑
  434. v. 5 — 1 Pet 2:11; Mt 13:22. ↑
  435. v. 8 — Cf. 1 Cor 1:24. ↑
  436. v. 9 — Ps 106:27 Vulg. (107:27 Eng.); Ps 118:21 Vulg. (119:21 Eng.). ↑
  437. v. 12 — Mk 7:21. ↑
  438. v. 14 — Mt 25:13 (24:44, 50). ↑
  439. v. 16 — 2 Chr 1:12; Mk 4:25 (Lk 8:18). ↑
  440. v. 19 — 1 Jn 4:16. ↑
  441. v. 21 — Jn 6:64 Vulg. (6:63 Eng.). ↑
  442. v. 22 — Mt 12:36; 2 Cor 5:10. ↑
  443. v. 1 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  444. v. 3 — Jn 6:64 Vulg. (6:63 Eng.). ↑
  445. v. 5 — 2 Cor 8:9. ↑
  446. vv. 6–7 — From the liturgy of the Mass, where Lk 22:19 and 1 Cor 11:23–24 are also used and recalled; Mt 26:26; Mt 26:27–28. ↑
  447. v. 8 — Mk 14:35; Mt 26:39 (also in the Missal for Palm Sunday, at the blessing of palms, as a gradual). ↑
  448. v. 9 — Lk 22:44. ↑
  449. v. 10 — Mt 26:42; Mt 26:39. ↑
  450. v. 11 — Is 9:6; Heb 9:12. ↑
  451. v. 12 — Jn 1:3; 1 Pet 3:18. ↑
  452. v. 13 — 1 Pet 2:21. ↑
  453. v. 15 — Mt 11:30. ↑
  454. v. 16 — Ps 33:9 Vulg. (34:8 Eng.) (1 Pet 2:3); Jn 3:19. ↑
  455. v. 17 — Ps 118:21 Vulg. (119:21 Eng.). ↑
  456. v. 18 — Mt 22:37, 39 (Deut 6:5; Mt 19:19; Lev 19:18). ↑
  457. v. 19 — Jn 4:23. ↑
  458. v. 20 — Jn 4:24. ↑
  459. v. 21 — Ps 31:4 Vulg. (32:4 Eng.); Mt 6:9; Lk 18:1. ↑
  460. v. 23 — Jn 6:54 Vulg. (6:53 Eng.); Jn 3:5 (Mt 5:20). ↑
  461. v. 24 — 1 Cor 11:29. ↑
  462. v. 25 — Lk 3:8. ↑
  463. v. 26 — Mt 19:19 and 22:39. ↑
  464. v. 29 — Jas 2:13. ↑
  465. v. 30 — Tob 4:11 (12:9) Vulg. ↑
  466. v. 32 — Sir 3:32 Vulg. ↑
  467. v. 36 — Lk 11:42. ↑
  468. v. 37 — Mt 15:18–19. ↑
  469. v. 38 — Mt 5:44 (Lk 6:27). ↑
  470. v. 40 — Mt 16:24. ↑
  471. v. 42 — Lk 22:26. ↑
  472. v. 45 — 1 Cor 1:26. ↑
  473. v. 46 — Ps 21:7 Vulg. (22:6 Eng.). ↑
  474. v. 47 — 1 Pet 2:13. ↑
  475. v. 48 — Mt 10:22; Is 11:2; Jn 14:23. ↑
  476. v. 49 — Mt 5:45. ↑
  477. v. 52 — Mt 12:50. ↑
  478. v. 53 — 1 Cor 6:20; 1 Tim 3:9. ↑
  479. v. 56 — Jn 10:15; Jn 17:11. ↑
  480. v. 57 — Jn 17:6. ↑
  481. v. 58 — Jn 17:8; Jn 17:9; Jn 17:17. ↑
  482. v. 59 — Jn 17:19; Jn 17:11. ↑
  483. v. 60 — Jn 17:24; Mt 20:21. ↑
  484. v. 61 — Rev 5:13; Rev 5:12. ↑
  485. v. 62 — Lk 18:19; Rom 1:25. ↑
  486. v. 65 — 1 Pet 2:11; Mt 13:22. ↑
  487. v. 67 — Cf. 1 Cor 1:24; Ps 106:27 Vulg. (107:27 Eng.). ↑
  488. v. 69 — Mk 7:23, 21. ↑
  489. v. 71 — Mt 25:13 (24:44, 50). ↑
  490. v. 72 — Cf. Is 38:1. ↑
  491. v. 76 — Jer 17:5. ↑
  492. v. 83 — Lk 8:18. ↑
  493. v. 86 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  494. v. 87 — 1 Jn 4:16. ↑
  495. v. 88 — Mt 10:22. ↑
  496. v. 2 — 1 Thess 5:19; cf. Later Rule 5:2. ↑
  497. v. 3 — 1 Pet 2:21. ↑
  498. v. 1 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  499. v. 3 — Rev 1:5. ↑
  500. v. 4 — Gen 19:1 (Neh 8:6, = 2 Esd 8:6 Vulg.); Lk 1:32; Rom 1:25 (9:5). ↑
  501. v. 5 — Prov 4:1; Acts 2:14. ↑
  502. v. 6 — Ps 77:1 Vulg. (78:1 Eng.) (Is 55:3). ↑
  503. v. 8 — Ps 135:1 Vulg. (136:1 Eng.); Tob 13:6 Vulg. ↑
  504. v. 9 — Tob 13:4 Vulg.; Mk 16:15; Tob 13:4 Vulg.; cf. the Breviary, Pentecost, antiphon at the Magnificat. ↑
  505. v. 10 — Heb 12:7. ↑
  506. v. 11 — Heb 12:7. ↑
  507. v. 13 — Col 1:20. ↑
  508. v. 14 — Eph 6:6 (Col 3:22). ↑
  509. v. 16 — Lk 22:19 (1 Cor 11:24); 1 Cor 11:27. ↑
  510. v. 17 — Heb 10:28. ↑
  511. v. 18 — Heb 10:29. ↑
  512. v. 19 — 1 Cor 11:29; Jer 48:10. ↑
  513. v. 20 — Mal 2:2. ↑
  514. v. 21 — Cf. the antiphon for the octave of the Epiphany, Roman Breviary. ↑
  515. v. 22 — For “to live and be glorified for ever”, cf. the Roman Breviary, Low Sunday (in albis), possibly from Gregory the Great, Homilies on the Gospels 26.1; 1 Pet 1:12; 1 Jn 1:1. ↑
  516. v. 23 — 1 Cor 1:26; Lev 19:2 (Lev 11:44). ↑
  517. v. 26 — Mt 16:16 (Jn 11:27). ↑
  518. v. 28 — Ps 61:9 Vulg. (62:8 Eng.); Jas 4:10 (1 Pet 5:6). ↑
  519. v. 33 — From the blessing of the Easter candle (Exsultet) in the Roman Missal; Rev 1:6. ↑
  520. v. 34 — Jn 8:47. ↑
  521. v. 36 — 1 Kgs 2:4 (= 3 Kgs 2:4 Vulg.). ↑
  522. v. 37 — 1 Tim 4:5. ↑
  523. v. 38 — Mt 28:19. ↑
  524. v. 49 — Ps 113:23 Vulg. (115:15 Eng.); the edition prints “Ps 113:15 (23)”. ↑
  525. v. 51 — 1 Pet 2:21. ↑
  526. v. 1 — Ps 76:15 Vulg. (77:14 Eng.) (Ps 71:18 Vulg. (72:18 Eng.); Ps 85:10 Vulg. (86:10 Eng.)). ↑
  527. v. 2 — Ps 85:10 Vulg. (86:10 Eng.). ↑
  528. v. 3 — Jn 17:11; Mt 11:25 and Lk 10:21. ↑
  529. v. 4 — Ps 135:2 Vulg. (136:2 Eng.). ↑
  530. v. 5 — 1 Thess 1:9; and from the liturgy of the Mass (the Canon, Commemoration of the living). ↑
  531. v. 7 — Ps 70:5 Vulg. (71:5 Eng.). The autograph is damaged here; “you are knowledge” is the editor’s reconstruction, and other editions read this line differently. ↑
  532. v. 8 — The autograph is damaged here; “sweetness” is the editor’s reconstruction, and other editions read this line differently. ↑
  533. v. 11 — Ps 30:5 Vulg. (31:4 Eng.); Ps 42:2 Vulg. (43:2 Eng.). ↑
  534. v. 12 — The autograph is damaged here; “you are our happiness” is the editor’s reconstruction, and other editions read this line differently. ↑
  535. vv. 1–2 — Num 6:24–26; also used in the rite of ordination. ↑
  536. v. 1 — Cf. Rev 4:9 (4:11; 5:12 and 5:13). ↑
  537. v. 3 — Cf. Tob 8:7 Vulg.; for vv. 3–4 cf. Ps 148:3 (“praise him, sun and moon; praise him, all you stars”). Translator’s note: in “Laudato si’, mi’ Signore, per…” (here and in vv. 4–11) the Old Italian per can mean “through”, “for” or “by”, and scholars disagree about which Francis intended; “through” is used to keep the question open. ↑
  538. v. 6 — Cf. Ps 148:4. ↑
  539. v. 7 — Cf. Dan 3:66 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 44 Eng.); Ps 77:14 Vulg. (78:14 Eng.). ↑
  540. v. 8 — Cf. Dan 3:74 Vulg. (Song of the Three Young Men 52 Eng.); Ps 103:13–14 Vulg. (104:13–14 Eng.). ↑
  541. v. 10 — Cf. Jas 1:12. ↑
  542. v. 11 — Cf. Rev 14:13 and 2:11 (20:6). ↑
  543. v. 12 — Cf. Lk 24:53; Acts 20:19. ↑
  544. v. 2 — Translator’s note: the Latin feci misericordiam cum illis echoes a biblical idiom, “to do mercy with” someone (Gen 24:12; Ruth 1:8; Lk 1:72), which renders the Hebrew hesed: a bond of loyal, steadfast love between those who belong together, not pity handed down from above. Cum, “with”, places Francis alongside the lepers rather than over them; “practised” keeps feci active, since it is in doing mercy that the bitter is turned to sweetness (v. 3). ↑
  545. v. 5 — Versicle from the Breviary, Lauds and Terce of the feast of the Exaltation of the Cross (14 September). ↑
  546. v. 7 — 1 Kgs 4:30–31; 10:23 (= 3 Kgs Vulg.); the edition prints “3 Reg 4,30-31; 8,12”. ↑
  547. v. 13 — Jn 6:64 Vulg. (6:63 Eng.). ↑
  548. v. 16 — Tob 1:3 Vulg. ↑
  549. v. 19 — Acts 4:13; cf. 1 Pet 2:13, 18. ↑
  550. v. 20 — Cf. 1 Cor 4:12. ↑
  551. v. 23 — Cf. Lk 10:5; 2 Thess 3:16. ↑
  552. v. 24 — 1 Pet 2:11. ↑
  553. v. 26 — Mt 10:23. ↑
  554. v. 35 — Deut 12:32; cf. Rev 22:18–19. ↑
  555. v. 40 — Cf. Gen 27:27–28. ↑
  556. v. 1 — Cf. Mt 10:22. ↑