St Bonaventure’s Life of St Francis : Chapter 1 : 6

“Unto poor folk...he was fain to give...at
times stripping off his garments.” From the
San Sepolchro Altapiece by Sassetta (1437).
National Gallery. 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

- 6 - 

1. From that time forth, he put on the spirit of poverty, the feeling of humility, and the love of inward godliness. 

2. For whereas aforetime not only the company but even the distant sight of lepers had inspired him with violent revulsion, now, for the sake of Christ Crucified – Who, saith the prophet[1], appeared despised, and marred as a leper – and that he might fully vanquish self, he would render unto the lepers humble and kindly services in his benevolent goodness. 

3. For he would often visit their dwellings, and bestow alms upon them with a bountiful hand, and with a deep impulse of pity would kiss their hands and faces[2]. 

4. Unto poor folk that begged of him, he was fain to give not his goods alone, but his very self, at times stripping off his garments, at times tearing or cutting them, to bestow upon them, when he had naught else at hand[3]. 

5. Poor priests, moreover, he would succour reverently and piously, more especially with ornaments for the altar, whereby he both became a sharer in the divine worship, and supplied the needs of the worshippers. 

6. Now about this time he was visiting, with devout reverence, the shrine of the Apostle Peter, and beheld a host of beggars before the doors of the church; thereupon, constrained in part by gentle piety, in part led by the love of poverty, he bestowed his own garments on one of the neediest, 

7. and, clad in his rags, passed that day in the midst of the beggars, with unwonted gladness of spirit; that so, despising worldly repute, he might attain by gradual steps unto Gospel perfection[4]. 

8. He kept right strict watch over the mortification of the flesh, that he might bear the Cross of Christ[5], the which he bore inwardly in his heart, outwardly also in his body. So all these things were wrought by the man of God, Francis, ere yet he had separated himself from the world in habit or way of life.

Footnotes

[1] “Surely he hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrows: and we have thought him as it were a leper, and as one struck by God and afflicted.” Is. liii, 4.

[2] Cf. “For I was hungry, and you gave me to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in: naked, and you covered me: sick, and you visited me: I was in prison, and you came to me.”  Mat. xxv, 35-6.

[3] Cf. the account by Sulplicius Severus (363-c425) of a similar action by St Martin: “Taking, therefore, his sword with which he was girt, he divided his cloak into two equal parts, and gave one part to the poor man, while he again clothed himself with the remainder...In the following night, when Martin had resigned himself to sleep, he had a vision of Christ arrayed in that part of his cloak with which he had clothed the poor man.” For more, see: Ch. III of the Life of St Martin (AD 396-7).

[4] Cf. “But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind and thou shalt be blessed, because they have not wherewith to make thee recompense: for recompense shall be made thee at the resurrection of the just.” Luke xiv, 13; “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that being rich he became poor, for your sakes; that through his poverty you might be rich.” 2 Cor. viii, 9.   

[5] Cf. “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” Matt. xvi, 24.

[End of Chapter 1]

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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.