THE RULE - Chapter 2 The Way of Life - 17

The Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order Chapter 2 - The Way of Life

17.

In their family they should cultivate the Franciscan spirit of peace, fidelity and respect for life, striving to make of it a sign of a world already renewed in Christ.

By living the grace of matrimony, husbands and wives in particular should bear witness in the world to the love of Christ for His Church. They should joyfully accompany their children on their journey by providing a simple and open Christian education and being attentive to the vocation of each child.

“May whoever observes all this be filled in heaven with the blessing of the most high Father, and on earth with that of his beloved Son, together with the Holy Spirit, the Comforter.”
Blessing of Saint Francis from the Testament.

Francis on Prayer

The following may be the only instance in which we find an example of how Francis responded to his brothers’ request to teach them how to pray.

O Our Father most holy:Our Creator, Redeemer, Consoler, and Savior:

Who are in heaven:In the angels and the saints,
enlightening them to know, for You, Lord, are light;
inflaming them to love, for You, Lord, are love;
dwelling in them and filling them with happiness,
for You, Lord, are Supreme God, the Eternal Good,
from Whom all good comes
without Whom there is no good.

Holy be Your Name:
May knowledge of You become clearer in us
that we may know
the breadth of Your blessing,
the length of Your promises,
the height of Your majesty,
the depth of Your judgments

Your kingdom come:That you may rule in us through Your grace
and enable us to come to Your kingdom
where there is clearer vision of You,
perfect love of You,
blessed companionship with You,
eternal enjoyment of You.

Your will be done on earth as in heaven:
That we may love You
with our whole heart by always thinking of You,
with our whole soul by always desiring You,
with our whole mind by always directing all of our intentions to You,
and by seeking Your glory in everything,
with all our whole strength by exerting
all our energies and affections of body and soul
in the service of Your love and of nothing else;
and we may love our neighbor as ourselves
by drawing them all to Your love with our whole strength,
by rejoicing in the good of others as in our own,
by suffering with others at their misfortunes,
and by forgiving offense to no one.

Give us this day:
in remembrance, understanding and reverence
of that love which [our Lord Jesus Christ] had for us
and of those things that He said and did and suffered for us.

Our daily Bread:Your own beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Forgive us our trespasses:
through Your ineffable mercy
through the power of the passion of Your beloved Son
and through the merits and intercession
of the ever blessed Virgin and all Your elect.

As we forgive those who trespass against us:

And what we do not completely forgive,
make us Lord, forgive completely
that we may truly love our enemies because of You
and we may fervently intercede for them before You,
returning no one evil for evil
and we may strive to help everyone in You.

And lead us not into temptation:
hidden or obvious,
sudden or persistent.

But deliver us from evil:past
present,
and to come

Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Source: Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents

The Admonitions XX - THE GOOD AND THE VAIN RELIGIOUS

Blessed is that religious who has no pleasure and delight except in the most holy words and deeds of the Lord and, with these, leads people to the love of God with gladness and joy. (Ps 51:10)

Woe to that religious who delights in idle and empty words and leads people to laughter with them.


ADMONITIONS XX – THE GOOD AND THE VAIN RELIGIOUS
St. Francis of Assisi

Source: St. Francis of Assisi, The Saint, Early Documents

Train Your Soul - Saint Bonaventure

 Train your soul with unflagging zeal for prayer.

To make progress in the spiritual life it is especially important for a bride of Christ to train her soul in the flagging zeal for prayer. If a religious lacks devotion and is lukewarm, and prays only infrequently, she is miserable and unprofitable. As a matter of fact, in God’s sight her soul is dead through her body is still alive.

The power of persevering prayer is such that it is efficacious under all circumstances We can derive profit from it at all times: in winter and summer, in fair weather and foul, day and night, on holy days and work days, in sickness and in health, while standing, sitting or walking, when in choir and out of choir. In fact, through an hour’s prayer one can gain more than the world is worth. By single devout prayer, a man can gain the kingdom of heaven.

Now, there are three requisites for perfect prayer. First, when at prayer close your senses and concentrate with all your being, body and soul, and calmly dwell with sorrow and contrition on all your weaknesses past, present and future.

The second requisite in prayer for a bride of God is thanksgiving. Thank the creator in all humility for blessings already conferred and those still to be granted by him. Nothing renders man so worthy of God’s gifts as to thank him always for those that have been received.

The third requisite from perfect prayer is for the mind to think of nothing else except that for which prayer is being offered. In speaking with God it is very improper to speak one thing with the lips and another with the heart so that only half one’s heart is directed to heaven while the other half remains on earth.

Make no mistake, be not mislead, nor lose the rich fruit of prayer. Do not forfeit its sweetness, nor cheat yourself of the delight you should derive from prayer. Prayer is the cup for drinking the grace of the Holy Spirit from the abundant fountain of delight, the Blessed Trinity. Be recollected during prayer, enter the chamber of your heart with your beloved and tarry there alone with him. Forget everything outside and with all your heart, all your mind, all your longing, all your devotion rise above yourself. You must not grow weary of praying but soar aloft in ardent prayer till you enter the wonderful dwelling place, the house of God.

Saint Bonaventure on the Life of Perfection