Friday, June 20, 2014









              Saint Michael The Archangel and Saint Francis
                         Saint Dominic and Saint Francis


                                       Tomb Of St. Francis                                                                        
                    Saint Mary, Mother Of God, pray for us.                                                                                                                                                                  LINKS...
                                                http://www.ewtn.com/library/mary/flowers1.htm          
I. In the name of the Lord, the life of the lesser brothers begins.
The rule and life of the lesser brothers is this: To observe the holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, living in obedience without anything of our own, and in chastity. Brother Francis promises obedience and reverence to the Lord Pope Honorius and his canonically elected successors, and to the Roman Church; and the rest of the brothers are obliged to obey Francis and his successors.
II. Concerning those who wish to adopt this life.
If someone should wish to adopt this life and should come to our brothers, they must send them to their provincial ministers to whom alone is granted the right to receive brothers. The ministers should examine them carefully regarding the Catholic faith and sacraments of the church. If they believe all these things, wishing to confess them faithfully and observe them diligently until the end; and if they have no wives, or their wives have entered a convent, or permission has been given to them by authority of their bishop, a vow of chastity having been taken and their wives being of such an age as to avoid suspicion; then let them go, sell all they have, and attempt to give it to the poor. If they cannot do so, their good intention will suffice. Let the brothers and their ministers beware of becoming concerned about the new brothers’ temporal possessions, for they should freely dispose of their belongings as God inspires them. If they ask advice, the ministers may refer them to some God-fearing brothers through whose counsel their possessions may be distributed to the poor. Later, let them concede clothing of probation to the new brothers: Two tunics with hoods, belt and trousers, and a chaperon reaching down to the belt, unless the minister decides according to God that something else should be done. When the year of probation is over, let them be received into obedience, promising to observe this life and rule always; and, according to the command of the lord pope, it will be absolutely forbidden to them to leave the order, for according the holy gospel “no one who puts his hand to the plow and then looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.” And let those who have promised obedience take one tunic with a hood, and let those who wish it have another without a hood. And those who must may wear shoes. All the brothers are to wear inexpensive clothing, and they can use sackcloth and other material to mend it with God’s blessing.
III. Concerning the divine office and fasting; and how the brothers ought to travel through the world.
Clerics are to perform the divine office according to the rite of the Roman Church, except for the Psalter, and they can have breviaries for that purpose. Laymen are to say twenty-four “Our Fathers” at matins; five at lauds; seven each at prime, terce, sext and none; twelve at vespers; and seven at compline. They should also pray for the dead. They should fast from the feast of all saints until Christmas. Those who voluntarily fast at Quadragessima, those forty days after Epiphany which the Lord consecrated with his own holy fasting, will themselves be blessed by the Lord; yet they are not required to do so if they do not want to. They must fast during Lent, but they are not required to do so at other times except on Fridays. In case of obvious necessity, however, they are excused from bodily fasting.
I counsel, admonish and beg my brothers that, when they travel about the world, they should not be quarrelsome, dispute with words, or criticize others, but rather should be gentle, peaceful and unassuming, courteous and humble, speaking respectfully to all as is fitting. They must not ride on horseback unless forced to so by obvious necessity or illness. Whatever house they enter, they are first to say, “Peace to this house” (Lk. 10:5). According to the holy gospel they can eat whatever food is set before them.
IV. That the brothers should not accept money.
I strictly forbid the brothers to receive money in any form either directly or through an intermediary. Nevertheless, the ministers and custodians can work through spiritual friends to care for the sick and clothe the brothers, according to place, season and climate, as necessity may seem to demand. This must be done, however, in such a way that they do not receive money.
V. On their manner of working.
Those brothers whom the Lord favors with the gift of working should do so faithfully and devotedly, so that idleness, the enemy of the soul, is excluded yet the spirit of holy prayer and devotion, which all other temporal things should serve, is not extinguished. As payment for their labor let them receive that which is necessary for themselves and their brothers, but not money. Let them receive it humbly as befits those who serve God and seek after the holiest poverty.
VI. That the brothers should appropriate nothing for themselves; and on how alms should be begged; and concerning sick brothers.
The brothers should appropriate neither house, nor place, nor anything for themselves; and they should go confidently after alms, serving God in poverty and humility, as pilgrims and strangers in this world. Nor should they feel ashamed, for God made himself poor in this world for us. This is that peak of the highest poverty which has made you, my dearest brothers, heirs and kings of the kingdom of heaven, poor in things but rich in virtues. Let this be your portion. It leads into the land of the living and, adhering totally to it, for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ wish never to have anything else in this world, beloved brothers. And wherever brothers meet one another, let them act like members of a common family. And let them securely make their needs known to one another, for if a mother loves and cares for her carnal son, how much more should one love and care for his spiritual son? And if one of them should become ill, let the other brothers serve him as they themselves would like to be served.
VII. On the penances to be imposed on sinning brothers.
If any of the brothers should sin mortally at the instigation of the enemy, they should recur to their provincial ministers without delay if the sin is one of those for which such recourse is required. The ministers, if they are priests, should mercifully prescribe a penance for them. If they are not priests, they should see that it is prescribed by others in the order who are such, as seems best to them according to God. They should be careful not to become angry and upset over someone’s sin, for anger and perturbation in oneself or others impedes love.
VIII. On the election of the general minister of this brotherhood; and on the chapter at Pentecost.
The brothers are always bound to have a brother of the order as general minister and servant of the entire brotherhood, and they are strictly bound to obey him. When he dies, his successor is to be elected by the provincial ministers and custodians during the Pentecost chapter, at which provincial ministers are always to assemble in the place designated by the minister general. The general chapter should meet every three years, or sooner or later if the minister general should so ordain. If at some point it should appear to the provincial ministers and custodians that the minister general is incapable of serving the brothers properly, the aforesaid brothers to whom election is entrusted should, in the name of God, choose someone else. After the Pentecost chapter, the ministers and custodians may call their brothers to a chapter in their own custody’s once in the same year, if they wish and it seems worthwhile.

IX. On preachers.
The friars must not preach in the diocese of any bishop if they have been forbidden to do so by him. And no brother should dare preach to the people unless he has been examined and approved by the minister general of his brotherhood and the office of preaching has been conceded to him. I also admonish and exhort the brothers that in their preaching their words be studied and chaste, useful and edifying to the people, telling them about vices and virtues, punishment and glory; and they ought to be brief, because the Lord kept his words brief when he was on earth.
X. On the admonition and correction of brothers.
Brothers who are ministers and servants of other brothers must visit and admonish their brothers, and they should correct them humbly and lovingly, prescribing nothing against their soul or our rule. Brothers who are subject to authority must remember that they have surrendered their own wills for the sake of God. Thus I strictly order them to obey their ministers in all those things which they have promised the Lord to observe and which are not contrary to the soul and to our rule. And wherever there are brothers who know they cannot observe the rule spiritually, those brothers should and may recur to their ministers. The ministers should receive them lovingly and generously and treat them so intimately that the brothers can speak and act as lords do with their servants. For that is the way it ought to be. The ministers should be servants of all the brothers.
I admonish and exhort the brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ to beware of all pride, vainglory, envy, avarice, worldly care and concern, criticism and complaint. And I admonish the illiterate not to worry about studying but to realize instead that above all they should wish to have the spirit of the Lord working within them, and that they should pray to him constantly with a pure heart, be humble, be patient in persecution and infirmity, and love those who persecute, blame or accuse us, for the Lord says, “Love your enemies, pray for those who persecute and accuse you” (Mtt. 5:44). “Blessed are those who suffer persecution for justice’s sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mtt. 5:10). “He who has persevered until the end, however, will be saved” (Mt. 10:22).
XI. That the brothers should not enter the convents of nuns.
I strictly order all the brothers to avoid suspicious meetings or conversations with women and to stay out of the convents of nuns except in cases where special permission has been granted by the Holy See. Nor should they be godfathers of men or women, lest it lead to scandal among or concerning the brothers.
XII. Concerning those who go among the Saracens and other infidels.
Whoever should, by divine inspiration, wish to go among the Saracens and other infidels must ask permission from their provincial ministers. The ministers should grant permission only to those whom they consider qualified to be sent. I enjoin the ministers by obedience to ask the Lord Pope for a cardinal of the Holy Roman Church to serve as governor, protector and corrector of their brotherhood so that we servants and subjects at the feet of holy church, firm in faith, will always observe the poverty, humility and holy gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ which we firmly promised.                    

Prayers

From the prayers of St. Francis
St. Francis is known as the man who was most like Christ, “the first after the only one”, the universal brother, a man of peace and reconciliation, the Poverello, the lover of the poor, the troubadour of creation. It is true. Francis of Assisi, however, was first and foremost a mystic, a real contemplative, enamoured with the poor and crucified Christ. Francis was not only a man who prayed, but, as his biographer Thomas of Celano says, he was “a man become prayer”. The presence of God transfigured him until He made him “another Christ”.
The Prayer before the Crucifix at San Damiano
Most High, glorious God,
enlighten the darkness of my heart
and give me true faith,
certain hope and perfect charity,
sense and knowledge, Lord,
that I may carry out
Your holy and true command.
A Salutation of the Virtues
Hail, Queen Wisdom!
May the Lord protect You,
with Your Sister, holy pure Simplicity!
Lady holy Poverty,
may the Lord protect You,
with Your Sister, holy Humility!
Lady holy Charity,
may the Lord protect You,
with Your Sister, holy Obedience.
Most holy Virtues,
may the Lord protect all of You
from Whom You come and proceed…
A Salutation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Mary, holy Mother of God,
Who are the Virgin made Church,
chosen by the most Holy Father in heaven
whom he consecrated with His most holy beloved Son
and with the Holy Spirit the Paraclete,
in whom there was and is
all fullness of grace and every good.
Hail His Palace!
Hail His Tabernacle!
Hail His Dwelling!
Hail His Robe!
Hail His Servant!
Hail His Mother!
And hail all You holy virtues
which are poured into the hearts of the faithful
through the grace and
enlightenment of the Holy Spirit,
that from being unbelievers,
You may make them faithful to God.
The Praises of God and the Blessing
Who does wonderful things.
You are strong. You are great. You are the most high.
You are the almighty king. You holy Father,
King of heaven and earth.
You are three and one, the Lord God of gods;
You are the good, all good, the highest good,
Lord God living and true…
The Canticle of Creatures
Most High, all-powerful, good Lord,
Yours are the praises, the glory,
and the honour and all blessing.
To You alone, Most High, do they belong
and no human is worthy
to mention Your name.
Praised be you, my Lord,
with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
who is the day,
and through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful
and radiant with great splendour;
and bears a likeness of You, Most High one…
The Praises To Be Said at All the Hours
…All-powerful, most holy,
most high, supreme God:
all good, supreme good, totally good,
You Who alone are good,
may we give You all praise,
all glory, all thanks,
all honour, all blessing, and all good.
So be it! So be it!
Amen.
Exhortation to the Praise of God
…Let every spirit praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord because He is good;
all you who read this, bless the Lord.
All you creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of heaven, praise the Lord.
All you children, praise the Lord.
Young men and virgins, praise the Lord.
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
to receive praise, glory, and honour.
Blessed be the Holy Trinity and Undivided Unity.
Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle…
A Prayer Inspired by the Our Father
O Our Father most holy:
Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Saviour:
…Your kingdom come: That You may rule in us through Your grace and enable us to come to Your kingdom where there is clear vision of You, perfect love of You, blessed companionship with You, eternal enjoyment of You….
We adore You
We adore You, Lord Jesus Christ,
in all Your churches throughout the world
and we bless You because
by Your holy cross
You have redeemed the world.
The Office of the Passion of the Lord
…Psalm VII: Vespers
All you nations clap your hands * shout to God with a voice of gladness. For the Lord, the Most High * the Awesome, is the Great King over all the earth. For the Most Holy Father of heaven, our King before all ages * sent His Beloved Son from on high+ and has brought salvation in the midst of the earth. Let the heavens rejoice and the earth exult* let the sea and all that is in it be moved+ let the fields and all that is in them be glad. Sing a new song to Him * Sing to the Lord all the earth. Because the Lord is great and highly to be praised * awesome beyond all gods. Give to the Lord, you families of nations,† Give to the Lord glory and honour * Give to the Lord the glory due His name. Take up your bodies and carry His holy cross * and follow His most holy commands even to the end. Let the whole earth tremble before His face * tell among the nations that the Lord has ruled from a tree. He ascended into heaven† and is seated at the right hand of the most holy Father in heaven * O God, be exalted above the heavens+ and above all the earth be your glory. We know that He is coming* that He will come to judge justice….
Prayer to the Trinity
Fear and honour,
praise and bless,
give thanks and adore
the Lord God Almighty in Trinity and in Unity,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
the Creator of all.
(From the Rnb XXI, 2)
The invitation to restore
all goods to the Lord
(Rnb XVII, 17-18) 
Let us refer all good
to the Lord, God Almighty and Most High,
acknowledge that every good is His,
and thank Him,
from Whom all good comes,
for everything.
May He,
The Almighty and Most High,
The only true God,
Have, be given, and receive
All honour and respect,
All praise and blessing,
All thanks and glory,
To Whom all good belongs,
He Who alone is good.
Prayer and Thanksgiving
…Wherever we are, in every place, at every hour, at every time of the day, every day and continually, let all of us truly and humbly believe, hold in our heart and love, honour, adore, serve, praise and bless, glorify and exalt, magnify and give thanks to the Most High and Supreme Eternal God Trinity and Unity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Creator of all, Saviour of all Who believe and hope in Him, and love Him, Who, without beginning and end, is unchangeable, invisible, indescribable, ineffable, incomprehensible, unfathomable, blessed, praiseworthy, glorious, exalted, sublime, most high, gentle, lovable, delightful, and totally desirable above all else for ever.
Blessed is he who loves the Lord
In the Name of the Lord! All those who love the Lord with their whole heart, with their whole soul and mind, with their whole strength and love their neighbours as themselves, who hate their bodies with their vices and sins, who receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and who produce worthy fruits of penance. O how happy and blessed are these men and women while they do such things and persevere in doing them, because the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon them and make Its home and dwelling place among them, and they are children of the heavenly Father Whose works they do, and they are spouses, brothers, and mothers of our Lord Jesus Christ…
Blessing to Brother Leo
May the Lord
bless you and keep you.
May He show His face to you
and be merciful to you.
May He turn His countenance to you
and give you peace.        

    Admonitions

    1. On the Body of the Lord
    The Lord Jesus says to His disciples: "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. If you had known Me, you would know My Father as well; in a litte while will know Him and see Him." Phillip says to Him: "Lord, show us the Father, and that will suffice for us." Jesus says to him: "For so long a time I am with you, and you do not know Me? Phillip, he who sees Me, sees even My Father" (John 14:6-9).
    The Father dwells in light inaccessible (cf. 1 Timothy 6:16), and God is spirit (John 4:24), and no one has ever seen God (John 1:18). Therefore He can be seen only in spirit, since it is the spirit which vivifies, the flesh brings forth nothing (John 6:64). But neither is the Son, because He is equal to the Father, seen in Him otherwise than the Father, otherwise than the Holy Spirit. Whence all who saw the Lord Jesus acccording to the Humanity and both did not see and believe according to the spirit the Divinity also, that He Himself is the true Son of God, have been damned; so even now all who see the Sacrament, which is sanctified by the words of the Lord upon the Altar by the hand of the Priest in the form of bread and wine, and does not see and believe according to the spirit the Divinity also, that this is truly the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, have been damned, since the Most High Himself testifies, who said: "This is My Body and My Blood of the new testament (which is poured forth for the many" (Mt. 14:22,24); and "He who eats My Flesh and drinks the Blood of the Lord." All Others, who do not have according to this same spirit and presume to receive Him, eat and drink judgement upon themselves (cf. 1 Cor. 11:29). Whence: "Sons of men, how long with a heavy heart?" (Ps 4:3) So that you may know the truth and believe in the Son of God (cf. John 9:35))
    Behold, every day He humbles Himself (cf. Phil 2:8), just as when from royal thrones (Wis. 18:15) He entered into the womb of the Virgin; every day He comes to us presenting Himself humbly; everyday He descends from the bosom of His Father to the Altar into the hands of the Priest. And just as to the holy Apostles in true flesh, so even now He shows Himself to us in the Sacred Bread. And just as when they gazed at his very own fleah they saw only His flesh, but contemplating with their spiritual eyes believed Him to be God, so even we seeing bread and wine with our bodily eyes, may see and firmly believe them even to be His Most Holy Body and Blood, living and true. And in such a manner the Lord is always His faithful ones, just as He says: "Behold I am with you even to the comsumation of the age" (cf. Mt. 28:20)
    2. On the wickedness of one's own wilfulness
    The Lord said to Adam: "Of every tree eat, however of the tree of good and evil you shall not eat" (cf. Gen 2:16.17). Of every tree of paradise he could have eaten, since while he did not go against obedience, he did not sin. For he eats of the tree of the knowledge of good, who appropriates his own will to himself and exalts himself on account of the good things, which the Lord says and works in him; and so by means of the suggestion of the devil and the transgression of the command it is made the fruit of the knowledge of evil. Whence it is fitting, that he should undergo punishment.
    3. On perfect obedience
    The Lord says in the Gospel: "He who will not renounce all that he posseses, cannot be My disciple" (Lk 13:33); and: "He who would save his soul, loses it" (Lk 9:24). That man relinquishes all that he posseses, and loses his own body, who entirely offers his very own self to obedience in the hands of his prelate. And whatever he does and says, that he himself knows, which is not contrary to the will of the latter, as long as what he does be good, is true obedience. And if when the subject may see better and more useful things for his own soul than those which the prelate may command him, may he not fail to fulfill them. For this is loving obedience (cf. 1Pet 1:22), since it satisfies God and neighbor. If truly the prelate would command anything against his own soul, it is licit for him not to obey, however he should not abandon him. And if for that reason he will endure persecution by others, let him love them more for God's sake. For he who endures persecution rather that wishing to be separated from his brothers, truly remains in perfect obedience, since he lays down his own soul (cf. John 15:13) on behalf of his brothers. There are many religious, who under the appearance of seening better things than those which their prelates command, look back (cf. Lk 9:62) and return to the vomit of thier own willfulness (cf. Prov. 26:11; 2 Pet 2:22); these are murderers and on account of thier wicked examples cause many souls to perish.
    4. That no one should appropriate to himself the office of superior
    "He did not come to be ministered unto, but to minister" (cf. Mt 20:28), says the Lord. Let those, who are set up over others, glory as much on account of that office of superior, as if they were appointed to the duty of washing the feet of the brothers. And in as much as they are so greatly disturbed on account of the loss of their office of superior than the duty regarding feet, they assemble purses for themselves to the danger of their souls (cf. John 12:6).
    5. So that no one may be proud, let him glory in the Cross of the Lord
    Be attentive, oh man, in you the Lord God has placed so many excellent things, since He created and formed you to the image of His own beloved Son according to the body and to His likness according to the spirit (cf. Gen. 1:26). And all creatures, which are under heaven, after you serve, know and obey the Creator better than you. And even the demons did not crucify Him, but you with them have crucified Him and even now you crucifiy Him by delighting in vices and sins. Therefore how can you glory? For if you were so subtle and wise that you had all science and knew to interpret every kind of tounge (cf. 1 Cor 12:28) and to search subtly after celestial things, in all these things you cannot glory; since one demon knew of celestial things and now knows of earthly things more than all men, eventhough there be one, who received from the Lord a special understanding of the highest wisdom. Similarly even if you be more handsome and wealthy than all and even if you were to work miracles, as would put to flight demons, all those things would be injurious to you and none of them would pertain to you nor could you glory in them. But in this we can glory, in our infirmities (cf. 2 Cor 12:5) and in bearing each day the Holy Cross of Our Lord Jesus Christ (Lk 14:27).
    6. On the imitation of the Lord
    Let us be attentive, all friars, to the Good Shepherd, who endured the passion of the Cross to save His won sheep. The sheep of the Lord have followed Him in tribulation and persecution, shame and hunger, in infirmity and temptation and other things; and on account of these they have received from the Lord everlasting life. Whence we should be greatly ashamed as servants of God, because they did holy deeds but we by reciting them wish to receive glory and honor.
    7. That good work should follow science
    The Apostle says: "The letter kills, the spirit however vivifies" (2 Cor 3:6). Those are dead by the letter who desire to know only the words, so as to be held as wiser men among others and be able to acquire great riches to be given to relatives and friends. And those religious are dead by the letter, who do not know how to follow the spirit of the divine letter, but only desire to know great words and to explain them to others. And those have been vivified by the divine letter, who do not attribute every letter, which they know and desire to know, to the body, but in word and example return them to the Most High Lord God, of whom is every good thing.
    8. On avoiding the sin of envy
    The Apostle says: "No one can say, "Lord Jesus," except in the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:3);" and "There is no one who does good, not even to one" (Rm 3:12). Whoever therefore would envy his own brother on account of the good, that the Lord says and works in him, would tend towards the sin of blasphemy, since he would be envying the Most High Himself (cf. Mt 20:15), who says and works every good thing.
    9. On loving
    The Lord says: "Love your enemies [do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who are persecuting and calumniating you] (Mt 5:44). For he truly loves his enemy, who does not grieve over the injury, which has been done to himself, but for the sake of the love of God burns on account of the sin against his own soul. And mansfiests love for such a one in deeds.
    10. On the chastisement of the body
    There are many, who while they sin or receive injury, often blame their enemy or neighbor. But such is not the case: since each one has under his own power the enemy, namely the body, through which he sins. Whence blessed is that servant (Mt. 24:46), who has surrendered such an enemy into his own power; since, as long as he does this, no other enemy visible or invisible can harm him.
    11. So that no one may be corrupted by the evil of another
    No thing ought to displease the servant of God except sin. And in whatsoever manner another person should sin, even on account of this the servant of God for the sake of charity should not be upset or grow angry, hoarding up fault for himself (cf. Rom 2:5). That servant of God, who does not grow angry nor disturbes himself on account of another, lives rightly without anything of his own. And blessed is he, who does not let anything remain behind for himself, returning those things which are Caesar's to Caesar, and those which are God's to God (Mt. 22:21)
    12. On recognizing the spirit of God
    Thus can the servant of God be known, if he has the spirit of the Lord: when the Lord works through him anything good, if his flesh for that reason does not exalt itself, since it is always contrary to every good, but if rather he holds himself up before his own eyes as more vile and esteemes himself less that all men.
    13. On patience
    Blessed are the peacemakers, since they shall be called sons of God (Mt. 5:9). The servant of God cannot know how much patience and humility he has in himself, so long as is self satisfied. However when there comes the time, which those who ought to satisfy him, do the contrary to him, as much patience and humility as is there, that much he has and not more.
    14. On poverty of spirit
    Blessed are the poor in spirit, since their is the Kingdom of Heaven (Mt. 5:3). There are many, who persisting in prayers and offices practice many abstinences and make afflict their own bodies, but on account of a single word, which seems to be injurious of their bodies or on account of anything, which is brought against them are, like the scandalized, continually disturbed. These are not poor in spirit; since he who truly is poor in spirit, hates himself and loves those who beat him in the face (cf. Mt 5:39)
    15. On peace
    Blessed are the peacemakers, since they shall be called sons of God (Mt. 5:9). Those are true peacemakers, who concering all those in things, which they suffer in this age, preserve peace in soul and body for the love of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
    16. On cleanliness of heart
    Blessed are clean of heart, since they themelves shall see God (Mt. 5:8). Truly are they clean in heart who despise earthly things, seek heavenly ones and always withdraw from adoring and beholding Our Lord, living and true, with a clean heart and soul.
    17. On the humble servant of God
    Blessed is that servant (Mt 24:46), who does not exalt himself more on account of the good, which the Lord says and works through him, than that which He says and works through another. A man sins, who desires rather to receive from his neighbor, what he, of himself, does not want to give to the Lord God.
    18. On compassion for one's neighbor
    Blessed is the man, who supports his neighbor on account of his frailty, to the extent that he would want to be supported by him, if he were to fall into a similiar situation. Blessed is the servant who returns all his good to the Lord God, since he who retains anything conceals within himself the money of the Lord his God (Mt 25:18) and what he thought he had will be born away from him (Lk 8:18).
    19. On the humble servant of God
    Blessed is the servant, who does not consider himself better, when he is magnified and exalted by men, than when he is considered to be vile, simple, and despised, since as much as he is good before God, that he is and nothing more. Woe to that religious, who hase been placed by others on high and does not wish to descend on his own will. And blessed is that servant (Mt. 24:46), who is not placed on high on account of his own will and always desires to be beneath the feet of others.
    20. On the good and the vain religious
    Blessed is that religious, who has not pleasure nor joy except in the Lord's most holy discourses and works, and with these leads men forth to the love of God with gladness and joy (cf. Ps. 50:10). Woe to that religious, who delights himself in idle and vain words and with these leads men forth to laugh.
    21. On the inane and loquacious religious
    Blessed is the servant, who when he speaks, does not manifest all his learning for the sake of reward and is not swift to speak (cf. Prov. 29:20), but wisely provides, what he should speak and answer. Woe to that religious, who does not retain in his heart (Lk 2:19.51) the good things, which the Lord displays to himself, and does not display them to others in deed, but for the sake of reward desires to display them rather in words to men. He himself has received his reward (cf. Mt. 6:2; 6:16) and his hearers bring back little fruit.
    22. On correction
    Blessed is the servant who would endure discipline, accusation and rebuke as patiently from another as from himself. Blessed is the servant, who having been rebuked, acquiesces kindly, submits meekly, confesses humbly and makes satisfaction freely. Blessed is the servant, who is not swift to excuse himself and humbly endures shame and rebuke on account of sin, where he has not commited any fault.
    23. On humility
    Blessed is the servant, who is found to be as humble among his own subjects, as when he is among his own superiors. Blessed is the servant, who remains under the rod of correction. A faithful and prudent servant is he (cf. Mt. 24:45), who does not delay to punish all his own offenses interiorly by contrition and exteriorly by confession and works of satisfaction.
    24. On true love
    Blessed is the servant, who would so love his own brother, when he is infirm and cannot repay him, as when he is healthy and can repay him.
    25. Likewise regarding others
    Blessed is the servant, who would so love and fear his own brother, when he is far from him, as when he is with him, and would not say anything behind him, which he could not with charity say before him.
    26. That the servants of God should honor the clergy
    Blessed is the servant, who puts faith in the clergy who live rightly according to the manner of the Roman Church. And woe to those who dispise them; for though they may be sinners, no one however should judge them, since God Himself alone reserves to Himself their judgement. For as much as their task is greater, as they care for the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, because they themselves receive and they themselves alone minister Him to the other men of this world.
    27. On the virtue of fleeing vice
    Where there is charity and wisdom, there is fear and not ignorance. Where there is patience and humility, there is neither wrath nor disturbance. Where there is poverty with happines, there is neither cupidity nor avarice. Where there is fear of the Lord to guard the entrance hall (cf. Lk 11:21), there the enemy can have no way for entering. Where there is mercy and discretion, there is neither superfluity nor hardness.
    28. On concealing good lest it be lost
    Blessed is the servant, who stores up in Heaven (Mt. 6:20) the good thing, which the Lord shows to him and does not desire to manifest them to men for the sake of reward, since the Most High Himself will manifest his works to whosoever He pleases. Blessed is the servant, who attends to the secrets of the Lord in his heart (cf. Lk 2:19.51).


    The Letter to St. Anthony

    To Friar Anthony, my bishop, Francis (sends) greetings. It pleases me that you would teach sacred theology to the friars, so long as in the study of this you do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion, just as it says in the Rule.


    A Letter to the Clergy

    N.B. The Bold Faced phrase is that which distinguishes the first and second recesions, other then paragraphs.
    (First Recension) [EpCler I]
    1. Let us attend, all clerics, to the great sin and ignorance, which certain men have concerning the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most holy Names and His written words, which sanctify the Body.
    2. We know, since there cannot be a Body, unless first it is sanctified by the word. For we have and see nothing corporally of the Most High Himself, in this age, except the Body and Blood, Names and words, through which we have been made and redeemed from death and life (1 Jn 3:14). However all those who minister such holy mysteries, should consider within themselves, most of all those who minister illicitly, how vile are the chalices, corporals, and altar linenes, where the His very Body and Blood are sacrificed. And by many in vile places He is placed and abandoned, borne about in a wretched manner and consumed unworthily and ministered to others indiscretely. Even His Names and writted words are sometimes tred under foot; since the bestial man does not perceive the things that are of God (1 Cor 2:14). Is not our piety stirred concerning all these things, when the pious Lord Himself offers Himself into our hands and we handle Him and consume Him each day with our mouth? Or are we ignorant that we must (one day) fall into His Hand? Therefore let us correct quickly all these things and the others; and wherever the Most Holy Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been illicitly placed and abandoned, let Him be removed from that place and let them be placed in an honorable place. All these things all the clerics are bound to observe above everything even to the end of the universe. And those who will not have done this, let them know that they must render an account before the Lord on the day of judgement (cf. Mt 12:36). This has been written so that it may better be observed; let them know themselves to be blessed by the Lord God, who would have it copied.


    A Letter to the Clergy II

    (Later recension) [EpCler II]
    Let us attend, all clerics, to the great sin and ignorance, which certain men have concerning the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the most holy Names and His written words, which sanctify the Body. We know, since there cannot be a Body, unless first it is sanctified by the word. For we have and see nothing corporally of the Most High Himself, in this age, except the Body and Blood, Names and words, through which we have been made and redeemed from death and life (1 Jn 3:14). However all those who minister such holy mysteries, should consider within themselves, most of all those who minister illicitly, how vile are the chalices, corporals, and altar linens, where the His very Body and Blood are sacrificed. And by many in vile places He is placed and abandoned, borne about in a wretched manner and consumed unworthily and ministered to others indiscretely. Even His Names and writted words are sometimes tred under foot; since the bestial man does not perceive the things that are of God (1 Cor 2:14). Is not our piety stirred concerning all these things, when the pious Lord Himself offers Himself into our hands and we handle Him and consume Him each day with our mouth? Or are we ignorant that we must (one day) fall into His Hand? Therefore let us correct quickly all these things and the others; and wherever the Most Holy Body of Our Lord Jesus Christ has been illicitly placed and abandoned, let Him be removed from that place and let them be placed in an honorable place. All these things all the clerics together are bound to observe according to the precepts of the Lord and the constitutions of Holy Mother Church. And those who will not have done this, let them know that they must render an account before the Lord on the day of judgement (cf. Mt 12:36). This has been written so that it may better be observed; let them know themselves to be blessed by the Lord God, who would have it copied.


    A Letter to the Custodes I

    First Variant [EpCust I]
    To the custodes of the whole of the Friars Minor, to whom these letters will have come in the Lord God, your servant and little man, (sends) greetings with new signs in Heaven and on earth, which are great and most excellent before God and reputed least by many religious and other men. I beg you more than on my own account, in so far as when it is fitting and when you see that it is expedient, that you clerics should humbly request that the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ and the His Holy Names and written words, which sanctify the Body, should be venerated above all things. Chalices, corporals, the ornaments of the altar and all things which pertain to the sacrifice, should be held precious. And if in any place the Most Holy Body of the Lord will have been very poorly placed, according to the mandate of the Church let Him be put in a precious place by them and let Him be sealed up and with great veneration borne about and with discretion ministered unto others. Even the Names and written words of the Lord, wherever they be found in unclean places, let them be gathered, and they should be placed in a honorable place. And in every sermon, which you make, you should warn the people about punishment, and that no one can be saved, except him who receives the Most Holy Body and Blood of the Lord (cf. Jn 6:54), and, when He is sacrificed by a priest upon the Altar and borne about in any part, let all the nations upon bended kneed render praise, glory and honor to the Lord God living and true. And on account of His praise in all (parts) of the countryside always by the whole people, let praise and thankss echo through all the earth to God Almighty. And, to whomsoever of my friar custodes this writing should come, both let them copy it and keep (a copy) for themselves and for the friars, who have the office of preaching and the custody of the friars, let them make copies and preach all the things, which are contained in this writing, even until the end; let them know that they have the blessing of the Lord God and of myself. And this is (to be) for them a true and holy (command) of obedience. Amen.


    Letter to the Custodes II

    Second Variant [EpCust II]
    To all the custodes of the Friars Minor, to whom these letters might come, friar Francis, the least of the servants of God, (sends) greetings and holy peace in the Lord. Know, that in the sight of god there are certain things exceedingly high and sublime, which are sometimes reputed among men as vile and abject things; and there are others dear and notable among men, which in the presence of God are held as the most vile and abject. I beg you in the presend of the Lord Our God, as much as I can, that you give those those letters, which treated of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord, to bishops and other clerics; and that you retain in your memory, those things which I have recommended to you concerning these. Of the other letters, which I am sending you, that you give them to rulers, consuls, and rectors, and regarding those things which it contains, so that the Praises of God may be published among the peoples and in the streets, immediately make many copies, and with great diligence distribute these, which should be given away.


    Letter to the Faithful I

    (Former recension) [EpFid I]
    (An Exhortation to the Brothers and Sisters of Penance)
    In the Name of the Lord!
    [Chapter I]
    On those who do penance
    All who love the Lord with their whole heart, with their whole soul and mind, with all their virtute (cf. Mk 12:30) and love their neighbors as they do themselves (cf. Mt 22:39), and hold thier bodies in hatred with its vices and sins, and receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and bring forth fruits worthy of penance: O how blessed and blest are those men and women, while they do such things and persevere in them, since upon them rests the Spirit of the Lord (cf. Jn 14:23), and they are sons of their Heavenly Father (cf. Mt 5:45), whose works they do, and they are spouses, fathers and mothers of Our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 12:50). We are spouses, when by the Holy Spirit the faithful soul is joined with Our Lord Jesus Christ. We are His brothers, when we do the will of the Father who is in Heaven (Mt. 12:50). Mothers, when we carry Him in our heart and body (cf. 1 Cor 6:20) by divine love and a pure and sincere conscience; we give birth to Him by holy work, which should shine upon others as an example (cf. Mt 5:16). O how glorious it is, holy and great, to have a Father in Heaven! O how holy, to have such a Paraclete, beautiful and admirable, as a Spouse! O how holy and how beloved, very pleasing, humble, peacable, sweet, lovable and desirable above all things to have such a Brother and such a Son: Our Lord Jesus Christ, who layed down His soul for His sheep (cf. Jn 10:15) and prayed to His Father saying: "Holy Father, guard them in Thy Name" (Jn 17:11) and "For them I sanctify Myself" (Jn 17:19). Not for them only do I pray, but for those who will believe in Me through their words" (Jn 17:20), "so that all may be sanctified in one" (cf. Jn 17:23) even as We are" (Jn 17:11). And "I wish, Father, that where I am they also may be with Me, so that they may see My Brightness" (Jn 17:24) "in Thy Kingdom" (Mt. 20:21). Amen.
    [Chapter II]
    On those who do not do penance
    However all those men and women, who are not in penance, and do not receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and work vices and sins and who walk after wicked concupiscence and after the wicked desires of their flesh, and who do not observe, what they have promised the Lord, and are slaves to the world in their bodies by carnal desires and by the anxieties of the world and by the cares of this life: (these) ones held back by the devil, whose sons they are and whose works they do (cf. Jn 8:41), are blind, since they do not see the True Light Our Lord Jesus Christ. They do not have spiritual wisdom, since they do not have the Son of God who is the True Wisdom of the Father, concerning whom it is said: "Accursed are those who turn away from Thy commands" (Ps. 118:21). They see and do not understand, they know and work wicked things and they themselves knowingly loose their souls. See, blind ones, deceived by your enemies: by the flesh, the world, and the devil; since it is sweet to the body to work sin and bitter to work to serve God; since all vices and sins come forth and proceed from the heart of man, just as the Lord says in the Gospel (cf. Mk 7:21). And you will have nothing in this age nor in the one to come. And you think you will posses the vanities of this age for a long time, but you are deceived, since there will come the day and hour, of which you do not think, know or pay attention; the body weakens, death approches and so one dies a bitter death. And wheresoever, whensoever, howsoever a man dies in culpable sin without penance and satisfaction, if he can make satisfaction and does not, the devil tears his soul from his body with such anguish and tribulation, that no one can know it, except him who experiences it. And all talents and power and knowledge and wisdom (2 Chron 1:12), which they thought they had, and he bears it away from them (cf. Lk 8:18; Mk 4:25). And they forsake neighbors and friends and these bear off and divide his substance, having said: "Cursed be his soul, since he could have given us more and acquired what he did not acquire." Worms eat their body, and so they perish body and soul in this short age and they will go into Hell, where they will be tortured without end. All those to whom these letters might have come, we beg in the Love which God is (cf. 1 Jn 4:16), that they receive kindly those abovesaid sweet-smelling words of Our Lord Jesus Christ with divine love. And (for) those who do not know how to read, let them have them read often; and let them keep (these letters) for themselves with holy work even to the end, since these are spirit and life (Jn 6:64). And he who would not do this, will be held accountable on the day of judgement (cf. Mt 12:36) before the tribunal of Our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Rm 14:10).


    Letter to the faithful II

    (Later Rececnsion) [EpFid II]
    In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spriit. Amen. To all christian religious, clerics and lay people, men and women, to all who dwell in the whole world, friar Francis, their servant and subject, (offers) submission with reverence, the true peace from heaven and sincere charity in the Lord. Since I am the servant of all, I am bound to serve all and administer the sweet-smelling words of my Lord. Whence considering in mind, that since personally on account of the infirmity and debility of my body I cannot visit each of you, I have proposed by these present letters and announcements to repeat to you the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Word of the Father, and the words of the Holy Spirit, which are spirit and life (Jn 6:64). This Word of the Father—so worthy, so holy and glorious—the Father of heaven has announced by Saint Gabriel His angel in the womb of the holy and glorious Virgin Mary, from whose womb He received the true flesh of humanity and of our fragility. He whom, although you say is (2 Cor 8:9) above all things, willed in the world with the Blessed Virgin Mary, His Mother, to chose poverty. And near His passion He celebrated the passover with His disciples and taking bread He gave thanks and He blessed it and broke it saying: "Take and eat, this is My Body." (Mt 26:26) And taking the chalice He said: "This is My Blood of the new testament, which for you and for the many will be poured out in remission of sins." (Mt 26:27) Then He prayed to the Father saying: "Father, if it can be done, let this chalice pass from me." And His sweat became as drops of blood flowing down upon the earth (Lk 22:44). However, he layed down his own will for the will of the Father, saying: "Father, Thy will be done" (Mt 26:42); "not as I will, but as Thou" (Mt. 26:39). Of whose Father such was the will, that His Son, blest and glorious, whom He gave to us and who was born for us, would offer his very self through His own Blood as a Sacrifice and Victim upon the altar, not for His own sake, through whom all things were made (cf. Jn 1:3), but for the sake of our sins, leaving us an example, so that we may follow in his footsteps (cf 1 Pet 2:21). And He willed that all might be saved through Him and that we might receive Him with a pure heart and our own chaste body. But there are few, who want to receive Him and be saved by Him, though His yoke is sweet and His burden light (cf. Mt: 11:30). Those who do not want to taste how sweet the Lord is (cf. Ps 33:9) and love shadows more than the Light (Jn 3:19) not wanting to fulfill the commands of God, are cursed; concerning whom it is said through the prophet: "Cursed are they who turn away from Thy commands." (Ps 118:21). But, o how blessed and blest are those who love God and who do as the Lord himself says in the Gospel: "Love the Lord thy God with your whole heart and with your whole mind and your neighbor as your very self (Mt 22:37.39). Let us therefore love God and adore Him with a pure heart and a pure mind, since He Himself seeking above all has said: "True adorers will adore the Father in spirit and truth." (Jn 4:23) For it is proper that all, who adore Him, adore Him in the spirit of truth (cf. Jn 4:24). And let us offer (lit."speak to") Him praises and prayer day and night (Ps 31:4) saying: "Our Father who art in Heaven" (Mt 6:9), since it is propter that we always pray and not fail to do what we might (Lk 18:1). If indeed we should confess all our sins to a priest, let us also receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ from him. He who does not eat His Flesh and does not drink His Blood (cf. Jn 6:55.57), cannot enter into the Kingdom of God (Jn 3:5). However let him eat and drink worthily, since he who receives unworthily eats and drinks judgement for himself, and he does not dejudicate the Body of the Lord (1 Cor 11:29), that is he does not discern it. In addition let us bring forth fruits worthy of penance (Lk 3:8). And let us love our neighbors as our very selves (cf. Mt 22:39). And if one does not want to love them as his very self, at least he does not charge them with wicked things, but does good (to them). Moreover let those who have received the power of judging others exercise it with mercy, just as they themselves wish to obtain mercy from the Lord. For there will be judgment without mercy for those who have not shown mercy (James 2:13). And so let us have charity and humility; and let us give alms, since this washes souls from the filth of their sins (cf. Tob 4:11; 12:9). For men lose everything, which they leave in this world; however they carry with them the wages of charity and the alms, which they gave, for which they will have from the Lord a gift and worthy recompense. We should also fast and abstain from vices and sins (cf Sir 3:32) and from a superfluity of food and drink and we shold be catholics. We should also frequently visit churches and venerate the clerics and revere them, not only for their own sake, if they be sinners, but for the sake of their office and administration of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which they sanctify upon the altar and receive and administer to others. And let us all know firmly, since no one can be saved, except through the words and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which the clerics speak, announce and minister. And only they should minister and not others. Moreover the religious especially, who have renounced the world, are bound to do more and greater things, but not to give up these (cf. Lk 11:42). We should hold our bodies, with their vices and sins, in hatred, since the Lord says in the Gospel: "All wicked things, vices an sins, come forth from the heart." (Mt 15:18-19) We should love our enemies and do good to them, who hold us in hatred (cf. Mt 5:44; Lk 6:27). We should also deny ourselves (cf. Mt 16:24) and place our bodies under the yoke of servitude and holy obedience, just as each one has promised the Lord. And no man is bound out of obedience to obey anyone in that, where crime or sin is committed. However to him whom obedience has been committed and whom is held to be greater, let him be as the lesser (Lk 22:26) and the servant of the other friars. And let him show and have mercy for each one of his brothers, as he would want done to himself, if he were in a similar case. Nor let him grow angry with a brother on account of the crime of a brother, but with all patience and humility let him kindly admonish and support him. We should not be wise and prudent according to the flesh, but rather we should be simple, humble and pure. And let us hold our bodies in opprobrium and contempt, since on account of our own fault we are all wretched and putrid, fetid and worms, just as the Lord say through the prophet: "I am a worm and no man, the opprobium of men and the abject of the people." (Ps 21:7) Let us never desire to be above others, but rather we should desire that upon all men and women, so long as they will have done these things and persevered even to the end, the Spirit of the Lord might rest (Is 11:2) and fashion in them His little dwelling and mansion (cf. Jn 14:23). And they will be the Heavenly Father's (cf Mt 5:45), whose works they do. And they are spouses, brothers and mothers of Our Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 12:5). We are spouses, when the faithful soul is joined by the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ. For we are brothers, when we do the will of His Father, who is in heaven (cf. Mt 12:50); mothers when we bear Him in our heart and body (1 Cor 6:20) by love and by a pure and sincere conscience; we give birth to Him through holy work, which should shine upon others as an example (cf Mt 5:16). O how glorious and holy and great to have in Heaven a Father! O how holy, to have a Paraclete, beautiful and admirable, as a spouse! O how holy and how beloved, pleasing, humble, peaceable, sweet and lovable and above all things desirable to have such a Brother and Son, who layed down his life for His sheep in the world,"they were Thine and Thou has given them to Me." (Jn 17:6) "And the words, which Thou has given to me, I have given to them; And they have received these and know truly, that I have gone forth from Thee and they have believed, that Thou has sent Me" (Jn 17:8); "I beg for them and not for the world" (cf Jn 17:9); "Bless and sanctify them." (Jn 17:17). And "for them I sanctify My very self, so that they may be sanctified in" one (cf. Jn 17:19) "just as we" are (cf. Jn 17:6). And "I wish, Father, that where I am they also may be with Me, so that they may see My brightness" (Jn 17:24) "in Thy Kingdom" (Mt 20:21). For Him, moreover, who endured so many thing for us, conferred all good things and who will confer them in the future, let every creature, which is in Heaven, on earth and in the abyss return praise, glory, honor, and blessing to God (cf Apoc 5:13), since He Himself is our virtue and strength, who is the only Good, the only Most High, the only Almighty, admirable, glorious and who alone is holy, worthy of praise and blest throughout the infinite ages of ages. Amen. Moreover all those, who are in penance and do not receive the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, and work vices and ins, and who walk after wicked concupiscence and wicked desires, and who do not observe, what they have promised, and serve the world bodily with carnal desires, cares and the anxieties of this age and the cares of this live, having been deceived by the devil, whose sons they are and whose works they do (cf Jn 8:41), are blind, since they do not see the True Light, Our Lord Jesus Christ. They do not have spiritual wisdom, who do not have the Son of God in themselves, He who is the True Wisdom of the Father; concerning these it is said: "Their wisdom has been swallowed up." (Ps 106:27) They see, they do not acknowledge, they know and they do wicked things; and they knowingly lookse thier souls. See, blind ones, deceived by our enemies, namely, by the flesh, by the world, and by the devil, since sweet to the body is the working of sin and bitter the serving of God, since all wicked things, vices and sins come forth and proceed from the heart of men (cf. Mk 7:21.23), just as the Lord says in the Gospel. And you will have nothing in this age nor in the one to come. You think you will posses the vanities of this age for a long time, but you are deceived, since there will come the day and hour, of which you do not think or know or pay attention. The body weakens, death approches, there comes neighbors and friends saying: "Dispose of your things." Behold his wife and his sons and neighbors and friends feign weeping. And looking back he sees them weeping, he is moved by a wicked emotion; thinking within himself he says: "Behold my soul and body and all my things I place in your hands." Truly, this man is cursed, who confides and casts his soul and body and all his things into such hands; whence the Lord through the prophet: "Cursed the man who confides in man." (Jer 17:5) And immediately they make the priest come; the priest says to him: "Do you want to receive a penance on account of all your sins?" He answers: "I do wish it." "Do you wish to satisfy on account of the sins you committed and those things of which you have defrauded and deceived men, as you are able from your substance?" He answers: "No." And the priest says; "Why not?" "Since I have disposed of everthing into the hands of my neighbors and friends." And he begins to loose speech and so than man dies a wretch. But let all know, that wheresoever and howsoever a man die in culpable sin without satisfaction and he can make satisfaction and he does not make satisfaction, the devil tears his souls from his body with such anguish and tribulation, that no one can know how much, except he who experiences it. And all the talents and power and knowledge, which he used to think he had (cf. Lk 8:18), is born away from him (Mk 4:25). And he leaves neighbors and friends, and they bear off and divide his substance and say afterwards: "Cursed be his soul, since he could have given us more and acquired what he did not acquire." Worms eat the body; and so perishes body and soul in this brief age and he will go into Hell, where he will be tortured without end. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. I friar Francis, your lesser servant, beg and entreat you in the charity, which God is (cf 1 Jn 4:16), and willingly kissing your feet, that you should receive and put into practice and observe these words and the others of Our Lord Jesus Christ with humily and charity. And all those men and women, who kindly receive these, understand them and send others copies, and if they persevere in these even to the end (Mt. 24:13), may them the Father and Son and Holy Spirit bless. Amen.


    The Letter to Friar Leo [EpLeo]

    Friar Leo, friar Francis (sends) greetings and peace. I say to you thus, my son, as a mother: since all the words which we have said on the road, I arrange briefly in this words (sic) and counsel, and if afterwards counsel is fitting (for you ?) (regarding) coming to me, since as counsel (I say) to you thus: "In whatever manner it seems better to you to please the Lord God and to follow His footstep (sic) and poverty, do with the blessing of the Lord God and my obedience. And, if it is a neccessity to you that your soul on account of anything (have) its consolation, and you want to, Leo, come to me, come."


    A Rule given for those in hermitages

    (The number of) those, who wish to remain religiously in hermitages may be three or as much as four; let two of these be the mothers and let them have two sons or at least one. These two are mothers, they shoulobserve the life of Martha and the two sons should observe the life of Mary (cf. Lk 10:38-42) and should have one cloister, in which each one has his own cell, in which he might pray and sleep. And let them always say the Compline of the day immediately after sunset; and let them strive to keep silence; and let them say their Hours; and let them rise for Matins and seek first the Kingdom of God and His justice (Mt. 6:33). And let them say Prime in the hour it occurs and after terce they are absolved from silence; and they can speak and go to their mothers. And, when it may please (them), they may seek from these alms just as poor children do for the love of the Lord God. And afterwards let them say Sext and Nones; and let them say Vespers in the hour it occurs. And in the cloister, where they are staying, they should not permit any person to enter nor eat there. Those friars, who are mothers, let them strive to remain far from every person; and in obedience to their minister let them guard their sons from every person, so that no one may speak with them. And the sons should not speak with any person except their mothers and with the minister and their custode, which it might please them to visit with the blessing of the Lord God. Truly let the sons, whenever they assume the office of the mothers, as alternatively for them for a time it will have seemed to have been arranged, strive to observe it sollicitiously and studiously according to all the abovesaid things.


    The Praises of God Most High

    Thou art the Holy Lord, the Only God, who works miracles (Ps. 76:15) Thou art strong, Thou art great (cf. Ps 85:10), Thou are the Most Hight, Thou art King Eternal, Thou Holy Father (cf. Jn 17:11) King of Heaven and earth. (Mt 11:25)
    Thou art three in one Lord, God of gods (cf Ps 135:2), Thou art Good, all good, Highest Good, Lord God living and true. (cf. 1 Thes 1:9).
    Thou art Love, Charity; Thou art Wisdom, Thou art humility, Thou art patience (Ps 70:5), Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness; Thou art secutiry, Thou art quiet, Thou art joy; Thou art our Hope and Joy, Thou art justice, Thou art temperance, Thou art all our riches unto sufficiency.
    Thou art Beauty, Thou art gentleness, Thou art Protector (Ps 30:5), Thou art our guard and defender, Thou art fortitude (cf. Ps 42:2), Thou art refreshment.
    Thou art our Hope, Thou art our Charity, Thou art our Sweetness, Thou art our eternal Life: Great and admirable Lord, God Omnipotent, merciful Savior.


    The Blessing given to Friar Leo

    May the Lord bless thee and keep thee; may He show His faice to thee and be merciful to thee. May He turn His countenance to thee and give thee peace (cf. Num 6:24-26). May the Lord bless, friar Leo, Thee. (cf. Num 6:27b)


    An Exhortation to praise God

    Fear the Lord and give Him honor (Apoc. 14:7).
    Worthy is the Lord to receive praise and honor (cf. Apoc 4:11)
    All who fear the Lord, praise Him (cf. Ps 21:24)
    Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with Thee. (Lk 21:24)
    Praise Him Heaven and earth. (cf. Ps 68:35)
    Praise the Lord all you rivers. (cf. Dan 3:78)
    Bless the Lord you sons of God (cf. Dan 3:82)

    This is the day which the Lord has made, let us exult and rejoice in it. (Ps. 117:24)
    Alleluia, Alleuia, Alleluia! King of Israel! (John 12:13)
    Every spirit praise the Lord. (Ps. 150:6)
    Prasie the Lord, since He is Good. (Ps. 146:1)
    All you who read this, bless the Lord. (Ps. 102:21)
    All you creatures bless the Lord. (cf. Ps. 102:22)
    All you birds of heaven praise the Lord. (Dan 3:90; cf. Ps 148:7-10)
    All you children praise the Lord. (cf Ps 112:1)
    You youths and virgins praise God (cf. Ps 148:12)
    Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive praise, glory and honor (cf. Apoc 5:12).
    Blessed be the Holy Trinity and undivided Unity.
    St. Michael the Archangel defend us in battle.


    The Exposition of the Our Father [ExpPat]

    O Most Holy Our Father: Creator, Redeemer, Consolor and Our Savior.
    Who art in Heaven: in the Angels and in the Saints; enlightening them unto knowlege, since Thou, Lord, art Light; inflaming them unto love, since Thou, Lord, art Love; indwelling and filling them unto blessedness, since Thou, Lord, art the Highest, the Eternal Good, from whom is all good, without whom nothing is good.
    Hallowed be Thy Name: may the knowledge of Thee in us be made bright, so that we may know, what is the breadth (cf. Ep 3:18) of Thy kindnesses, the length of Thy promises, the sublimity of Thy Majesty and the depth of Thy judgements.
    Thy Kingdom come: so that Thou may reignest in us by grace and makes us come unto Thy Kingdom, where vision of Thee is made manifest, love of Thee made perfect, company with Thee blessed, enjoyment of Thee everlasting.
    Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven: so that we may love Thee with our whole heart (cf. Lk 10:27) thinking of Thee always, with our whole soul desiring Thee always, with our whole mind directing unto Thee all our intentions, seeking Thy honor in all things and with all our strength expending our every strength and sense of soul and body in submission to Thy love and nothing else; and may we love our neighbors as ourselves drawing all to Thy love to the extent of our abilities, rejoicing over the good things of others just as over our own and compassionating them in evils and giving offense to no one (cf. 2 Cor 6:3).
    Give us this day, Thy beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, our daily bread: to remember and understand and reverence the love—which He had for us— and those things, which He did, said or endured for us.
    And forgive us our debts: by Thy ineffable mercy, through the virtue of the Passion of Thy beloved Son and by the merits and intercession of the Blessed Virgin and all Thy elect.
    As we forgive our debtors: and what we do not fully forgive, may Thou, Lord, make us, fully forgive, so that we may truly love our enemies for the sake of Thee and intercede devoutly for them with Thee, returning to none evil for evil (cf. 1 Thes 5:15) and striving to advance all unto Thee.
    And lead us not into temptation: hidden or manifest, suddent or importune.
    But deliver us from evil: past, present, and future.
    Glory to the Father, ....


    A Prayer before a crucifix [OrCruc]

    Most High, glorious God, enlighten the shadows of my heart, and grant unto me a right faith, a certain hope and perfect charity, sense and understanding, Lord, so that I may accomplish Thy holy and true command.


    A Salutation to the Blessed Virgin Mary [SalBMV]

    Hail Lady, Holy Queen, Holy Mary Theotokos,1 who art the Virgin made church and the One elect by the Most Holy Father of Heaven, whom He consecrated with His Most Holy beloved Son and with the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete; Thou in whom was and is all fulness of grace and every good.
    Hail His Palace;
    Hail His Tabernacle;
    Hail His Home.
    Hail His Vestment;
    Hail His Handmaid;
    Hail His Mother
    And hail all you holy virtues, which through the grace and illumination of the Holy Spirit are infused into the hearts of the faithful, so that from those unfaithful you make them faithful to God.


    1 While St. Francis uses the phrase "Dei genitrix" here, which is usually translated as "Mother of God" in English, "Theotokos" has been chosen instead since this is an exact and familiar equivalent of the latin phrase, and in fact is the term of which the latin is itself the translation.


    A Salutation to the virtues [SalVirt]

    Hail Queen Wisdom, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy-Pure Simplicity.
    Lady Holy Poverty, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy Humility.
    Lady Holy Charity, the Lord salute thee with thy sister Holy Obedience.
    Most holy virtues, the Lord salute all of you, He from whom you come and proceed.
    There is scarcely a man in all the world, who can have one of you, before he dies.
    He who has one and offends not the others, has all.
    And he who offends one, has none and offends all. (cf. Jm 2:10)
    And any whatsoever confounds vices and sins.
    Holy Wisdom confounds satan and all his wickednesses.
    Pure Holy Simplicity confounds all the wisdom of this world (cf. 1 Cor. 2:6) and the wisdom of the body.
    Holy Poverty confounds cupidity and avarice and the cares of this world.
    Holy Humility confounds pride and all the men, who are in the world, and likewise all the things, which are in the world.
    Holy Charity confounds all the diabolic and carnal temptations and all carnal fears.
    Holy Obedience confounds all things corporal both carnal and one's own willings and holds the body mortified in obedience to the spirit and in obedience to one's brother and is subject and submissive to all the men, who are in the world and not only to men, but even to all the beasts and wildlife, so that they might do with him, whatever they will, as much as it will have been given them from above by the Lord (cf. Jn 19:11).


    The Canticle of Brother Sun or The Praises of the Creatures

    Most high, all powerful, all good Lord! All praise is yours, all glory, all honor, and all blessing. To you, alone, Most High, do they belong. No mortal lips are worthy to pronounce your name.

    Be praised, my Lord, through all your creatures, especially through my lord Brother Sun, who brings the day; and you give light through him. And he is beautiful and radiant in all his splendor! Of you, Most High, he bears the likeness.

    Be praised, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars; in the heavens you have made them, precious and beautiful.

    Be praised, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air, and clouds and storms, and all the weather, through which you give your creatures sustenance.

    Be praised, My Lord, through Sister Water; she is very useful, and humble, and precious, and pure.

    Be praised, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom you brighten the night. He is beautiful and cheerful, and powerful and strong.

    Be praised, my Lord, through our sister Mother Earth, who feeds us and rules us, and produces various fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

    Be praised, my Lord, through those who forgive for love of you; through those who endure sickness and trial. Happy those who endure in peace, for by you, Most High, they will be crowned.

    Be praised, my Lord, through our Sister Bodily Death, from whose embrace no living person can escape. Woe to those who die in mortal sin! Happy those she finds doing your most holy will. The second death can do no harm to them.

    Praise and bless my Lord, and give thanks, and serve him with great humility.

    A Letter to a certain Minister Provincial [EpMin]

    May the Lord bless you, Friar N. minister (cf. Num 6:24a). I tell you, as I can, for the state of your soul, that those things which impede you to love the Lord God, and whatever else would be an impediment for you or the other friars, even if they whip you, all these you ought to hold on to for the sake of grace. And want it so and not something else. And let this be for you by a true obedience from the Lord God and from myself, because I know firmly, that such is a true obedience. And love them who do these things to you. And do not desire anything from them, except as much as the Lord will give you [to desire it]. And in this love them; and do not wand that they be better christians. And lest that be more to you than a hermitage. And in this I want you to know, if you love the Lord and myself, His servant and yours, that if you do that, namely that there be no friar in the world, who will have sinned, as much as one can sin, who, after he has seen your eyes, will never leave without your mercy, if he seeks mercy. And if he does not seek mercy, you are to ask from him, if he wants mercy. And if he would sin a thousand times before your eyes, love him more than me for this, that you draw him to the Lord; and you will always pity such ones. And you will announce this to the guardians, when you can, that you are firmly decided to do such yourself.
    Moreover out of all the chapters, which are in the Rule, which speak of mortal sins, with the Lord helping, we will make such a chapter with the counsel of the friars in the Pentecost Chapter:
      If any of the friars at the instigation of the enemy will have sinned mortally, he is bound by obedience to have recourse to his own guardian. And all the friars, who know him to have sinned, are not to shame him nor utter detraction against him, but let them have great mercy upon him and keep very private the sin of their brother; "because a doctor is not needed" by the healthy, "but by those who are sick." (Mt 9:12) Similarly they are bound by obedience to absolve him canonically, just as has been said. And these are to have entirely no power of enjoining any other penance except this: "Go and sin no more." (cf. John 8:11)
    This was written, so that you should observe it better; keep it with you until Pentecost; be there with your friars. And this and all other things, which are lesser in the rule, with the Lord God helping, you will take care to fulfill.


    A letter sent to the whole Order, along with the prayer "Omnipotent eternal.."

    In the Name of the highest Trinity and Holy Unity of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen!
    To all the reverend and much beloved friars, to friar N., Minister General of the religion of the Friars Minor, their lord, and to the others, who will be Ministers General after him, and to all the ministers and custodes and humble priests in Christ of the same fraternity and to all the simple and obedient friars, first and last, Friar Francis, vile and fallen, your tiny little servant, sends greetings in Him who redeemed and washed us in His most precious Blood (cf. Apoc 1:5), upon hearing whose Name, you are to adore Him with fear and reverence "prostrate upon the ground" (cf. 2 Esdr 8:6), the Lord Jesus Christ, "Son of the Most High" is His Name (cf. Lk 1:32), "who is blessed throughout the ages." (Rom 1,25)
    Listen, sons of the Lord and brothers mine, "and turn your ears to my words" (Acts 2:14). "Incline the ear" (Is 55:3) of your heart and obey the voice of the Son of God. Keep with all your heart His mandates and fulfill His counsels with a pure mind. "Confess" Him"since He is good" (Ps 135:1), and "exalt" Him "in your works" (Tob 13:6); "since for that reason" He sent you (cf Tob 13:4) into the whole world, so that by word and work you may give testimony to His voice and make all know, that "there is no Omnipotent besides Him" (cf Tob 13:4). "In discipline" and holy obedience "persevere" (Heb 12:7) and fulfill what you have promised Him with a good and firm resolution. May the Lord "God" offer us "as sons" to Himself. (cf Heb 12:7)
    And so I entreat all of you friars with a kiss upon your feet and with that charity, of which I am able, to exhibit every reverence and every honor, as much as you can, to the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom everything in the heavens and everything on earth are, are pacified and are reconciled to the omnipotent God (cf Col 1:20)
    I beg also in the Lord that all your my friar priests, who are or will be or desire to be priests of the Most High, that whensoever you may want to celebrare Mass, you do so pure and faultlessly with reverence to the true sacrifice of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, with a holy and clean intention, not for any earthly thing for out of fear of love for any human, as pleasers of men do (cf Eph 6:6; Col 3:22); but let every will, as much as grace helps it, be directed to God, desiring for that reason to please solely the Highest Lord Himself, because He alone is at work there, as it pleases Him; since just as He himself says "Do this in My memory" (Lk 22,19; 1 Cor 11,24), if anyone would do otherwise, he would become the traitor, Judas, and be "answerable for the Body and Blood of the Lord " (cf 1 Cor 11:27).
    Remember my friar priests, what is written in the law of Moses, how one transgressing in corporals things died without any pity by the sentance of the Lord (cf Heb 10:28). "How much" more and "worse" does one merit to suffer "torments, who tramples underfoot the Son of God and reckons the Blood of the Testament, in which he was sanctified, to be defiled, and insults the Spirit of grace" (Heb 10:29). For a man despises, defiles, and tramples underfoot the Lamb of God, when, as the Apostles says, "not recognizing" (1 Cor 11:29) nor discerning the Christ's sacred Bread from other foods or works, or eating unworthily or even, if he is worthy, eating vainly and as one unworthy, since the Lord says through the Prophet: "Cursed be" the man, "who" does the work of God "fraudulently" (cf Jer 48:10). And the priests, who do not want to keep this at heart, He in truth condemns saying: "I will curse your blessings" (Mal 2:2).
    Listen, my friars: if the blessed Virgin is so honored, as is right, because She carried Him in Her most holy womb; if the blessed Baptist tremebled and did not dare to touch the crown of the head [sanctum verticem] of God; if the sepulcher, in which He layed for some time is so venerated, how holy, just and worthy ought he to be, who holds in his hands and receives in the mouth and offers to others to be received Him who will die no more, but who will forever conquer and be glorified, upon whom "the angels long to gaze" (1 Pt 1:12)?
    "See your" dignity, "friar" (cf 1 Cor 1:26) priests, and be holy, because He himself is Holy (cf Lv 19:2). And just as beyond all others on account of this ministery the Lord God has honored you, so even you are to love, revere, and honor Him beyond all others. Great miseries and miserable infirmity, when you hold Him so near and you care for anything else in the whole world. Let the entire man tremble with fear, let the whole world begin to tremble, and let heaven exult, when there is upon the Altar in the hand of the priest "Christ, the Son of the living God" (Jn 11:27)! O admirable height and stupendous esteem! O lofty humility! O humble loftiness, which the Lord of the universe, God and the Son of God, so humbles Himself; that for our salvation under the limited, little form of bread, hides Himself! See, friars, the humility of God and "pour out your hearts before Him" (Ps 61:9); humble even youselves, so that you may be exalted by Him (cf 1 Pt 5:6; Jm 4:10). Therefore keep nothing of yourselves for yourselves, so that He may receive you whole, because He manifests Himself wholely to you.
    I warn you therefore and exhort you in the Lord, that in the places, in which the friars are staying, only one Mass be celebrated during the day according to the manner [formam] of Holy Church. If in fact there are very many priests in the place, let each be content by means of the love of charity to hear the celebration of the other priest; because Jesus Christ fulfills [replet] those present and absent, who are worthy of Him. Who, though He seems to be in very many places, remains however indivisible and knows no loss, but Himself one everywhere, as may please Him, works with the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, unto the ages of ages. Amen.
    And, because "he who is" from God "hears the words of God" (cf John 8:47), we, who have been more especially charged with the divine services, should not only hear and do, what the Lord says, but also take care to instill in ourselves the height of Our Creator and in our subjection to Him to guard the vessels and other appurtenances, which contain in His holy words. On that account I warn all my friars and in Christ I urge them, to this extent, that wheresoever they might find the divine words written, let them venerate them, as they are able, and, in as much as it pertains to them, if they be not stored well or if they lay dishonorably scattered in some place, they are to gather them together and store them once again, honoring in their speech the Lord, "who spoke these things" (3 Kg 2:4). For many things are sanctified by the words of God (cf 1 Tm 4:5), and in virtue of the words of Christ the Sacrament of the Altar is confected.
    Furthermore I confess all my sins to the Lord God, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, to the Blessed Mary Ever-Virgin and to all the saints in Heaven and on earth, to friar N. the Minister of our religion, as to my venerable lord, and to the priests of our Order and to all my other blest friars. In many things I have offended out of my own grave fault, in particular that I have not kept the Rule, which I have promised the Lord, nor have I said the office, as the Rule commands, whether out of negligence or the occasion of my infirmity or because I am ignorant and an idiot. And therefore by all means I pray, as I am able, that friar N. my lord Minister General, have the Rule inviolably observed by all; and have the clerics say the office with devotion in the presence of God [coram Deo], not attending to melody of voice, but to the consonance of mind, so that voice agrees with mind, and mind indeed agrees with God, so that they might be able by purity of heart to please God and not with playfulness [lascivitate] of voice to tickle [demulcere] the ears of the people. For I promise to keep these things firmly, as the Lord might give me the grace; and that I will teach the friars, who are with me, that these things are to be observed in the office and in the other things established by the Rule. Whosoever of the friars, however, might not want to observe these things, I do not consider catholic nor my friars; I do not want even to see them nor speak with them, until they have done penance. I say this too concerning all others, who go about wandering, foregoing the discipline of the Rule; since Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His own life, rather than squander His obedience to His Most Holy Father (cf Phil 2:8).
    I, friar Francis, a useless and unworthy creature of the Lord God, by means of Our Lord Jesus Christ tell friar N., the Minister of our entire religion and all the Ministers General, who will be after him, and all the custodes and guardians of the friars, who are and will be, to keep this writing with them, to read it and to studiously copy it. And I prevail upon them [exoro ipsos] to sollicitiously keep and diligently to have those things, which are written in it, observed according to the good pleasure of the Omnipotent God, now and always, so long as this world shall be.
    He blesses you by the Lord (Ps 113,13), who made it and may the Lord be with you forever. Amen.
    Omnipotent, Eternal, just and merciful God, grant to us wretches that doing for Thy sake, what we know Thou wants, and always wanting, what pleases Thee, as ones interiorly cleansed, interiorly illumined and inflamed with the fire of the Holy Spirit, we might follow the footsteps of Thy Beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and attain to Thee, Most High, by Thy grace alone, who in perfect Trinity and simple Unity lives and reigns and is glorified as the Omnipotent God, for all the ages of ages. Amen.


    A Letter to the Rulers of the nations

    To all the authorities and consuls, judges and rulers of whatever lands and to all others, to whom these letters may come, Friar Francis, your tiny and despised servant in the Lord God, chooses to send greetings and peace to you all.
    Consider and see, that the day of death approaches (cf Gen 47:29). I beg you therefore with reverance, as I am able, on account of the cares and sollicitudes of this age not to surrender the Lord to forgetfulness nor to turn away from His mandates, because all those, "who" surrender Him to forgetfulness and "turn away from" His "mandates" have been "cursed" (cf Ps 118:21) and by Him "they will be surrendered to forgetfulness" (Ez 33:13). And since the day of death wil come, everything, which they think they have, will be borne away from them (cf Lk 8:18). And, in as much as they were wiser and more powerful in this world, so much greater will be the torments they will endure in Hell (cf Ws 6:7).
    Whence I firmly counsel you, my lords, to consider of less account all care and sollicitude and to kindly receive the Most Holy Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ during His holy commemoration [i.e. the Sacrifice of the Mass]. And to confer upon the people committed to you by the Lord such an honor, that on whatever evening there be announced by a messanger or by another sign, by which praises and thanks are to be given to the omnipotent Lord God by all the people. And, if you will not do this, know that you must render "an account on the day of judgement" in the presence of your Lord Jesus Christ (cf Mt 12:36).
    This has been written so that they who will have kept it with them and observed it, may know themselves blessed by the Lord God.


    The Form of Life given to Saint Clare [FormViv]

    Because you have by divine inspiration made yourselves daughters and handmaids of the Most High and Highest King, the Heavenly Father, and have espoused yourselves to the Holy Spirit by choosing to live according to the perfection of the Holy Gospel: I want and promise that I and my Friars will always exercise a diligent care and special sollicitude concerning yourselves just as for them.


    Fragments of another non-approved Rule, taken from the Codex of Worcester

    YET TO BE PUBLISHED


    Fragments of another non-approved Rule, found in Hugo of Digne's "Expositione super regulam Fratrum Minorem"

    YET TO BE PUBLISHED


    Praises to be said at every hour

    Here begin the praises which our most blessed Father Francis ordained and himself said at every hour of the day and night and before the Office of the Blessed Virgin Mary, beginning thus: Most Holy, Our Father who art in heaven, etc.. with the Glory be. Then the praises are to be said:
    Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was and who is to come (cf Apoc 4:8) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Worthy are Thee, Our Lord God, to accept praise, glory and honor, and blessing (cf Apoc 4:11) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.    Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain to accept virtue and riches1 and wisdom and fortitude and honor and glory and blessing (Apoc 5:12) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Let us bless the Father and the Son with the Holy Spirit : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    All you works of the Lord bless the Lord (Dan 3:57) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Recite praise to Our God all you His servants and you who fear God, tiny and great (cf Apoc 19:5) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Praise Him the Glorious One you heavens and earth (cf Ps 68:35; Ps Rom) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.    And every creature, which is in Heaven and on the earth and which is beneath the earth and the sea and those which are in it (cf Apoc 5:13) : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit : And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be always and unto the ages of ages. Amen
    And let us praise and exalt Him above all throughout the ages.
    Prayer
    Omnipotent, Most Holy, Most High, and Highest God, all good, highest Good, wholely good, who alone is good (cf Lk 18:19), to Thee do we render all praise, all glory, all thanks, all honor, all blessing and all goods. So be it. So be it. Amen.


    1  "Divinity"  is the litteral rendering of the Vulgate here, which however differs from the Greek text, which has "riches." [pluton] In fact in classical usage, "riches" [divitia] and "divinity" [divinitas] were often exhanged in Latin (and similarly in Greek) on account of the close association of the God of wealth [Dives / Pluto] with the nature of Divinity in itself; perhaps the most literal translation would be "the riches of divinity," that is the divine glory which the Son of God forsook, for a time, in becoming the Son of Mary, and with which the Father again glorified Him in His Resurrection.



    The Office of the Passion of the Lord

    YET TO BE PUBLISHED


    The Regula Bullata

    Click here for the entire English text of Pope Honorius III's Bull "Solet Annuere."
                          
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