St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis : Chapter 2 : 8

The following posts present The Life of St Francis (1181-1226) written by St Bonaventure (1221-1274) who joined the Franciscan Order in 1243. Confirmed as Minister General in 1257, he later wrote this life of St Francis (Legenda Major Sancti Francisci, c1260-63).

I offer this annotated presentation of St Bonaventure’s biography firstly as a small gift to our gentle Queen and Mother in gratitude for her many graces and favours, at the same time praying she will continue to provide help and protection for the author and his family; and secondly, to honour and thank St Francis whose name I received at my Confirmation in 1961 when I was seven years old.

This presentation of St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis is based on E. Gurney Slater’s English translation published in 1904, to which I have added Scriptural excerpts and occasional comments in footnotes.

Chapter 2 : Of his perfect conversion unto God and of the repairing of three churches

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St Francis had an ardent devotion to the Blessed Virgin,
here portrayed as Our Lady of the Angels. The Vision of 
St Francis, by Vincenzo Carducci (1631). Museum of Fine
Arts, Budapest. Public domain (Wikimedia Commons).

1. When this church too was at length finished he came unto the place that is called the Portiuncula (the Little Portion[1]), where a church had been built in days of old in honour of the most Blessed Virgin, Mother of God, but which was then deserted and cared for by none. 

2. When the man of God beheld it thus abandoned, by reason of the ardent devotion that he had toward the Sovereign Lady of the world, he took up his abode there, that he might diligently labour to repair it. 

3. Perceiving that Angels oft times visited it – according unto the name of that church, that from old time was called Saint Mary of the Angels – he abode there by reason of his reverence for the Angels, and his especial love for the Mother of Christ. 

4. This place the holy man loved before all other places in the world; for here he began in humility, here he made progress in virtue, here he ended in happiness, and, dying[2], commended it unto the Brethren as a place most beloved of the Virgin.

5. Concerning this place a certain devout Brother, before his conversion, beheld a vision right worthy to be recounted. 

6. He beheld a countless host of men stricken with blindness, with their faces uplifted unto heaven, on bended knees[3], encircling this church, 

7. and they all, stretching out their hands on high[4], cried unto God with tears[5], beseeching His mercy and light[6]. 

8. And lo, there came a great radiance from heaven, illumining all, and this gave light unto each one of them, and granted the longed-for salvation. 

9. This is the place wherein the Order of Friars Minor[7] was begun by Saint Francis according unto the impulse of divine revelation.

10. For at the bidding of divine providence – by which the servant of Christ was guided in all things – he built three physical churches before, instituting the Order, he preached the Gospel; 

11. thus not only did he make progress in an ordered course from things perceived by the senses unto things perceived by the understanding, and from lesser things unto greater, but he did also prefigure in mystic wise by his material labours the work that should be wrought thereafter. 

12. For, like the thrice-repeated repairing of the material fabric, the Church, under the guidance of this holy man, was to be renewed in threefold wise, according to the pattern, the Rule, and the teaching of Christ; and a triple army of such as should be saved was to be triumphant, even as we now perceive to be fulfilled. 

Footnotes

[1] Lat. portĭuncŭla, ae, f. (a diminutive of portĭo, ōnis, f). meaning a small portion of land. According to a legend, the little chapel of Portiuncula was erected under Pope Liberius (352-66) by hermits from the Valley of Josaphat, who had brought thither relics of the Blessed Virgin. The same legend relates that the chapel later passed into the possession of St. Benedict in 516. It was known as Our Lady of the Angels – a title referring, according to some, to Our Lady’s Assumption into Heaven accompanied by Angels ; another opinion attributes the name to the singing of Angels which had been frequently heard there.

[2] St Francis died in the evening on the 3rd of October 1226.

[3] Cf. “[Solomon] then kneeling down in the presence of all the multitude of Israel, and lifting up his hands towards heaven, he said: O Lord God of Israel . . . fulfil to thy servant David my father, whatsoever thou hast promised him, saying: There shall not fail thee a man in my sight, to sit upon the throne of Israel”: 2 Par. vi, 13-16.

[4] Cf. “The priests stretching forth their hands to heaven, called upon him that was ever the defender of their nation, saying in this manner: Thou, O Lord of all things . . . O Lord the holy of all holies, keep this house for ever undefiled”: Mach. xiv, 34-36.

[5] Cf. “I have cried to God: and the Lord will save me”: Ps. LIV, 17.

[6] Cf. “Then shall the eyes of the blind be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.”Is. xxxv, 5;  “John [the Baptist] called to him two of his disciples, and sent them to Jesus, saying: Art thou he that art to come; or look we for another? . . . And in that same hour, he cured many of their diseases . . . and to many that were blind he gave sight.” Luke vii, 21; “The multitudes marvelled seeing the dumb speak, the lame walk, and the blind see: and they glorified the God of Israel.” Matt. xv, 31.

[7] The official name, Fratres Minores (Ordo Fratrum Minorum – O.F.M.), or Friars Minor, was variously translated into the popular speech of the Middle Ages. In England the Friars Minor were commonly known as the Grey Friars from the colour of their habit. This name corresponds to the Grabrodrene of Denmark and Scandinavia. In Germany they were usually known as the Baarfüsser (Baarfuozzen, Barvuzen, Barvoten, Barfüzzen, etc.), that is, Barefooted (wearing only sandals). In France they were usually called the Cordeliers from their rope-girdle (corde, cordelle) but were also known as the Frères Menous (from Fratres Minores). Their popular name in Italy was the Frati Minori or simply the Frati. See Order of Friars Minor in Cath. Encyclopedia.

[End of Chapter 2]

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The Virgin of Tenderness. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen. 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam.

He that hearkeneth to me, shall not be confounded: and they that work by me shall not sin. They that explain me shall have lifeeverlasting. Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) xxiv. 30-31.30-31.