St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis : Chapter 3 : 9

“Il poverello.” From Saint Francis in the Desert, by Giovanni
Bellini (1480). The Frick Collection, NYC. Public domain, 
via Wikimedia Commons.

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 3 : Of the founding of his Order, and the sanction of the Rule

- 9 -

1. Now when he had come unto the Roman Curia, and had been introduced into the presence of the Supreme Pontiff, he expounded unto him his intent, humbly and earnestly beseeching him to sanction the Rule aforesaid for their life. 

2. And the Vicar of Christ, the lord Innocent III[1], a man exceeding renowned for wisdom, beholding in the man of God the wondrous purity of a simple soul, constancy unto his purpose, and the enkindled fervour of a holy will, was disposed to give unto the suppliant his fatherly sanction.

3. Howbeit, he delayed to perform that which the little poor one[2] of Christ asked, by reason that unto some of the Cardinals this seemed a thing untried, and too hard for human strength. 

4. But there was present among the Cardinals a venerable man, his Lordship John of Saint Paul, Bishop of Sabina, a lover of all holiness, and a helper of the poor men of Christ. He, inflamed by the Divine Spirit, said unto the Supreme Pontiff, and unto his colleagues: 

5. “If we refuse the request of this poor man as a thing too hard and novel, when his petition is that the Gospel’s pattern of life may be sanctioned for him, let us beware lest we stumble at the Gospel of Christ[3]. 

6. For if any man saith that in the observance of Gospel perfection, and the vowing thereof, there is contained aught that is novel, or contrary unto reason, or impossible to observe, he is clearly seen to blaspheme against Christ, the author of the Gospel.”[4] 

7. When these arguments had been set forth, the successor of the Apostle Peter, turning unto the poor man of Christ, said: “Pray unto Christ, my son, that He may shew us His will through thee, and when we know it more surely, we will more confidently assent unto thy holy desires.”

Footnotes

[1] Innocent III: Pope from 1198-1216. 

[2] The Latin diminutive pauperculus became in Italian il poverello, a name which endures to this day,

[3] Cf. “For this is the charity of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not heavy”: 1 John v, 3.

[4] Cf. “Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is sweet and my burden light”: Matt. xi, 29-30.

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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.