St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis : Chapter 1 : 2

“He both covered the shame of a noble knight, and relieved the destitution

 of a poor man.” St Francis giving his cape to a poor man, by Velázquez (1787).

Royal Basilica of Saint Francis the Great, Madrid. Public domain.

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 1 :  His manner of life in the secular state

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1. But as yet Francis knew not the intent of God concerning him, forasmuch as he was both drawn away unto external things by his father’s calling, and weighed down toward earthly things by the corruption inborn in our nature[1], and had not yet learned to contemplate heavenly things, nor accustomed himself to taste of divine.

2. And, because the infliction of tribulation giveth understanding unto the spirit[2], the hand of the Lord was upon him[3] and the changes of the right hand of the Most High[4], afflicting his body with protracted sickness, that so He might prepare his soul for the anointing of the Holy Spirit. 

3. Now when he had regained his bodily strength, and had made ready suitable apparel for himself in his wonted fashion, he met a certain soldier, of noble birth, but poor and ill-clad; 

4. whereupon, compassionating his poverty, with a kindly impulse he forthwith did take off his garments and put them on him, thus in one act fulfilling a twofold ministry of kindliness, insomuch as he both covered the shame of a noble knight, and relieved the destitution of a poor man[5].

Footnotes

[1] Cf. “For behold I was conceived in iniquities; and in sins did my mother conceive me.” Ps. L, 7; “As by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.” Rom. V, 12.

[2] Cf. “Vexation alone shall make you understand what you hear”: Is. xxviii.19. [vexātĭo, ōnis, f.: physical suffering, torment]

[3] Cf. “The word of the Lord came to Ezechiel the priest the son of Buzi in the land of the Chaldeans, by the river Chobar: and the hand of the Lord was there upon him.” Ezech. i. 3.

[4] Cf. “And I said, Now have I begun: this is the change of the right hand of the most High.” Ps. LXXVI, 11.

[5] Cf. “when thou shalt see one naked, cover him,”: Is. LVIII, 7; “He that hath two coats, let him give to him that hath none;” Luke iii, 11; “For what shall I do when God shall rise to judge? and when he shall examine, what shall I answer him? . . . If I have despised him that was perishing for want of clothing, and the poor man that had no covering: If his sides have not blessed me, and if he were not warmed with the fleece of my sheep:” Job xxxi, 14, 19-20.

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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.