PENITENTIAL
SPIRITUALITY
IN THE FRANCISCAN SOURCES
This work of
analysis and of identifying themes ...... is very important even if difficult and
complex.
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Besides the personal witness
of St. Francis and the ideas. characteristic of the Penitents (Franciscan & others),
concrete elements of penitential spirituality must be sought also, and above all, in the
sources.
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203
As everyone knows the
Franciscan sources are the following:
- the Writings of St. Francis.
- the First Biographies,
commonly called "Legends" meaning things to be read in Choir or Refectory.
- The Rule of the Third Order of
St. Francis, limited to the Memoriale of 1221 (also called "Ancient Rule) and
the Rule of Nicholas IV of 1289.
Naturally, the various
sources complete and recall one another reciprocally. Not all of them have equal historic
and spiritual value.
I think it useful to give a
brief introduction that should facilitate the orientation in the understanding of
penitential spirituality that is found in the sources.
a.) The Writings of
St. Francis.
In the writings, especially
in some of them, ideas are presented on the theoretical and doctrinal formulation of the
life of penance. Hidden within simple words, profound concepts are repeatedly expressed
that are at times original (that is, proper to St. Francis) and at times taken from
others. Practical proposals and life orientations often follow these speculative
assertions.
In the sphere of the writings
of St. Francis, for our purposes, the Letter to the Faithful Penitents), in its
most ancient composition (1215) and in the successive one (1221), deserves particular
attention. One must add the Memoriale (1221) which integrates the preceding to the
juridical level and which, at least partially, must be attributed to St. Francis.
b.) 7he Ancient
Biographies or "Legends. "
The ancient biographies show
us principally the praxis, that is, the lived penitential spirituality as incarnate in men
who live for God alone in Jesus Christ. (cf. Rm. 6, 11)
The "legends" are
divided by learned scholars into three groups:
- to the first belong the
biographies which are clustered around the trilogy of Celano. Besides the three works of
the same Thomas of Celano we find Julian of Spiresi (109) Enrico
d'Avranches (Abricensis) (110) and Giovanni da Ceprano (111).
______________________________
(109) Vita S,
Francisci, (written in the years 1231-1235 or thereabout), edited by Analecta F.X(I
941) pp. 333-337: Officium Rhytmicum S.Francisci (1231-1232 approximately)
edited by Analecta F.X(1941) pp. 372-388.
(110) Legend of St.
Francis (in verse form) (written around the years 1230-1232 in 14 books and 2585
verses) edited by Analecta F.X(1941)pp.405-488.
(111) Quasi Stella
Matutina,Legend (around years 1235-1240),Iost.
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204
- to the second group belong the
diverse anonymous works attributed to the influence of some of Francis' companions. They
are: Legend of the Three Companions, Mirror of Perfection, Acts of Blessed
Francis and his followers, Anonymous of Perugia, Legend of Perugia, the
Little Flowers, the Recollections of Bro. Leo;
- to the third group, the
writings of St. Bonaventure and included also, Bernard da Bessa (112)
c.) The Chronicles
Even the Chronicles present
us with elements of penitential spirituality in " actu exercito, " that is, in
practice, in the attitude of concrete personas, in the initiative of the individual and of
the community, in the exhortations of the leaders and in the example of the virtuous. From
the existential experience, penance emerges as the animator of ideals, as proposal and as
a style of spiritual life.
d.) Rule of the Third
Order of St. Francis.
To identify lines of
Franciscan Spirituality the following are of primary importance: Letter to all
the Faithful (Penitents) in the ancient edition, and in that after it; the Memoriale
Propositi, or Ancient Rule, and the Rule of Nicholas IV.
The field of research is so
vast that it is absolutely unthinkable to present an exhaustive work in this paper. For
the moment I limit myself to some central ideas I have been able to identify and
coordinate. A satisfying work in that direction remains the program for the future.
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