The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano: FA:ED, vol. 1, p. 252

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FA:ED, vol. 1, 252The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano

The Life of Saint Francis by Thomas of Celano - 252

He replied: "Son, I do this because they have the letters which make the glorious name of the Lord God.^{Dt 5:11} And the good that is found there does not belong to the pagans nor to any human being, but to God alone ‘to whom belongs every good thing.' "^a

What is even more amazing is this: when he had letters written as greetings or admonitions he would not allow a single letter or syllable to be erased from them even when they included a repetition or mistake.

⁸³ How handsome,
how splendid!
How gloriously he appeared
^{2 Sm 6:22} in innocence of life,
in simplicity of words,
in purity of heart,
in love of God,
in fraternal charity,
in enthusiastic obedience,
in agreeable compliance,
in angelic appearance.^{Jgs 13:6}

Friendly in behavior,
serene in nature,
affable in speech,
generous in encouragement,
faithful in commitment,^{Prv 11:13}
prudent in advice,
efficient in endeavor,^b
he was gracious in everything!^{Est 2:15}

Tranquil in mind,
pleasant in disposition,

Although the statement is an echo of ER XVII 18, it also resonates with the long-standing tradition of Christian education and the appropriation of pagan language and learning found in the practices of the Middle Ages. This is expressed in Saint Augustine’s On Christian Doctrine and Hugh of Saint Victor’s Didiscalion.
These two attributes, "in consiliis providus, in negotiis efficax [prudent in advice, efficient in endeavor]" are taken from William of Saint Thierry, Arnold of Bonval, Geoffrey of Auxerre, Vita prima s. Bernardi III 1,1. In this same passage, William, author of the First Book, also describes, as does Thomas, Bernard’s physical appearance and inner strengths. Cf. PL 185: 303.

Vita PrimaFontes, 358

Vita Prima, Fontes Franciscani, p. 358

reverentissime colligebat illud et in sacro vel honesto reponebat loco, ea reverentia qiuidem, ne ibi esset nomen Domini vel ad id pertinens scriptum.

—³Enimvero cum a quodam fratre quadam die fuisset interrogatus, ad quid etiam paganorum scripta et ubi non erat nomen Domini, sic studiose colligeret, respondit dicens: « Fili, quia ibi litterae sunt , ex quibus componitur gloriosissimum Domini Dei nomen, ⁴Bonum quoque quod ibi est, non pertinet ad paganos, neque ad aliquos homines, sed ad solum Deum, 'cuius est omne bonum' ».

—⁵ Et quod non minus est admirandum, cum litteras aliquas salutationis vel admonitionis gratia faceret scribi, non patiebatur ex eis deleri litteram aliquam aut syllabam, licet superflua saepe aut incompetens poneretur.

83 ¹ O quam pulcher,
quam splendidus,
quam gloriosus apparebat
in vitae innocentia,
in simplicitate verborum,
in puritate cordis,
in dilectione Dei,
in charitate fraterna,
in flagranti obedientia,
in concordi obsequio,
in aspectu angelico!

²Dulcis in moribus,
natura placidus,
affabilis in sermone,
commodissimus in exhortatione,
fidelissimus in commisso,
providus in consilio,
in negotio efficax,
gratiosus in omnibus.

³Mente serenus,
animo dulcis,

247 248 249 250 251 252 253 254 255 256 257 Contents

Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, vol. 1, p. 252

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