Prologue With Commentary

The Rule and Life of
The Brothers and Sisters of
The Third Order Regular
of Saint Francis

The words of Saint Francis
to his followers

(Epistola ad fideles: Recensio prior. 1, I to 190.)

IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!

All who love the Lord with their whole heart, their whole soul and mind, and with their strength, (cf. Mt. 12:30) and love their neighbor as themselves, (cf. Mt. 22:39) and who despise the tendency in their humanity to sin, receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ and bring forth from within themselves fruits worthy of true penance;

How happy and blessed are these men and women when they do these things, and persevere in doing them because " the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon them" (cf. Is.11:12) and the Lord will make "His home and dwelling place (cf. Jn. 14.23) with them." They are the children of the Heavenly Father (cf. Mt. 5:45) whose works they do. They are the spouses, brothers and mothers of Our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Mt. 12:50).

We are his spouses when the faithful soul is united by the Holy Spirit with Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are brothers when we do the will of the Father who is in Heaven (cf. Mt. 12:50). We are mothers when we bear Him in our hearts and bodies (cf. 1 cor. 6.20) with divine love and with pure and sincere consciences; and we give birth to him through a holy life which should enlighten others because of our example (cf. Mt. 5:15).

How glorious it is to have so holy and great a Father in Heaven; and to have such a beautiful and admirable Spouse, the Holy Paraclete; and to have a Brother and Son, so holy, beloved, blessed, humble, peaceful, sweet, lovable and desirable over all things: Our Lord Jesus Christ who gave up his life for his sheep (cf. Jn. 10:15) and prayed to the Father saying: Holy Father keep in your name (cf. Jn. 17:11) those whom you gave me in the world; they are yours and you gave them to me (cf. Jn. 17:6). And the word which you gave me I gave to them, and they accepted it and truly believed that it came forth from you. And they have accepted that you sent me (cf. Jn. 17:8). I pray for them and not for the world (cf. Jn. 17:9). Bless them and sanctify them. I sanctify myself for their sakes, (cf. Jn. 17:19). I do not pray only for these but also for those who, through their word, will believe in me (Jn. 17:20), may they be holy in oneness as we are (cf. Jn. 17:11). Father, I wish that where I am they too may be and that they may see my glory in your kingdom (cf. Mt. 20:31).

Commentary: The Prologue
In the Name of the Lord Jesus!

The beginning of the Rule and Life
of the Brothers and Sisters of the
Third Order Regular of St. Francis.

First Letter to the Faithful: the words of Francis in this letter addressed to the penitents are especially meaningful and also introduce the Rule of the Third Order Secular (Secular Franciscan Order) approved by Paul VI in 1978. They inspire the whole Rule and express in a special way our basic charism of Penance.

The Letter was discovered by a Protestant Franciscan scholar, Paul Sabatier in 1900 in the Guarnacci library of Volterra, Italy. At first, it was thought to be an extract of the Letter to All The Faithful since this Letter, although well known, had not yet been published in its entirety at that time. It is thought to have been written c. 1212 so that only the Prayer before the Crucifix and the Form of life given to St. Clare would be earlier!

Fr. Kajetan Esser OFM preferred the sub-title "Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance" as less generic and more exact. He points out that it is evident that Francis was not writing to All The Faithful but to the "Penitents" - those Brothers and Sisters of Penance who had accepted his evangelical or penitential program of life. That the Third Order or "Franciscan" Order of Penance developed from these Brothers and Sisters, Fr. Esser states there is no doubt. Indeed, in their studies, Frs. Rafaelle Pazzelli,TOR and Lino Temperini,TOR conclude that this Letter is the first "Rule" given by St. Francis to his followers among the penitents.

The content of the text presents the key ideas through which Francis proposed to form the Brothers and Sisters of Penance. In it one can discern the concept of the Saint concerning the "core" of the religious life, something which in other works is not easy to discover. Tile words of Francis reach the depths of theology and the mystical life.

"To do penance" involves: the love of God, the love of neighbor, striving against our sinful tendencies, to turn to the sacramental life (especially, the Eucharist), to live and work in total conformity to a life of conversion, to bring forth works worthy of Penance. In very few places does the insertion of the soul into the life of the Trinity appear so clearly expressed as here.

The concept of "body" is used by Francis in the sense of flesh or fallen nature, the cause of sin. It is not equivalent to "body" in the modern sense of being part of human nature. This can be recognized also from the very configuration we find set up in the text.

The simple sentences of the letter reveal a deep knowledge of the essential relationships of the Christian life. It is only when we overcome pride and self-centeredness that we can develop love for God and our neighbor, a love which is nourished by the Eucharist.

The PROLOGUE is used to offer a synthesis of the entire Rule.

The precise terminology of "Rule and Life" is a medieval formula which intends to express the identity of a corporation. Here is summed up the attitudes, the values and the Gospel principles which Francis proposed to his followers.