The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of AssisiChalippe, Candide
Religion
The Life and Legends of Saint Francis of Assisi
Chalippe, Candide
Francis, of Assisi, Saint, 1182-1226; Miracles -- Early works to 1800
An ancient manuscript chronicle which is preserved in the Vatican,
mentions that Francis, having directed the body of Brother Peter to
be removed sometime afterwards, it was found that it was turned and
kneeling, the head bowed down, and in the posture of one who obeys a
command given him. To mark the value of obedience and the respect due
to it, God was pleased to permit a dead person to obey the orders of
a superior, as if he had been living.
A similar prohibition from performing miracles after death, is recorded
in the life of St. Bernard. Gosvin, Abbot of Citeaux, who was at his
funeral with many other abbots of his order, seeing the commotion
caused by the numerous miracles which were worked there, and fearing
this would become prejudicial to regular discipline, approached
respectfully to the coffin, and forbade the saint from performing any
more miracles, in virtue of his obedience. And, in fact, from that
time, there were no more performed at that shrine publicly, although
God performed others privately by his invocation. The author adds,
that St. Benedict requires in his rule, an obedience without reserve,
according to the example of Jesus Christ, who was obedient unto death,
and that the soul of St. Bernard rendered itself obedient even after
death to a mortal man.
Clare, and her daughters of the Monastery of St. Damian, now asked
Francis to give them a written rule, and a form of life similar to
that of the Friars Minor, in order that, in his absence and after his
death, they and those who should succeed them, might live up to it.
These Religious of St. Damian, did not wish to receive the rule of St.
Benedict, nor the constitutions prepared by Cardinal Ugolino, which
the other monasteries, established on the plan of St. Damian, had
willingly accepted, and which were of great severity: these nuns desired
to have a rule which should be of even greater rigor.
The holy Patriarch consulted the same cardinal on this subject, he
being the protector of both Orders; and they jointly composed a rule
in twelve chapters, which was similar in all respects to that of the
Friars Minor, with modifications and usages proper for females. If
anything made Francis hesitate, the cardinal gave his opinion either
to modify certain parts, or to take precautions on others. He also
used some articles from the constitutions which had before been drawn
up. While he was writing, he could not help shedding tears, in
reflecting that young females were willing to practise austerities of
such a nature.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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