st. francis original rule of 1209 was evidently lost. the following is taken from his rule of 1221. the rule of 1223 is in more legal language and, i believe, accepted as the formal rule of francis order (the franciscan order). this is believed to be more reflective of francis' actual wording. his original spirit of seeking to imitate Christ was soon lost due to other influences in the church which eroded much of what was practiced originally and possibly led francis to step down from an active role in the order he founded. he died in 1226.
chapter 1 the friars are to live in obedience, without property and in chastity.
the rule and life of the friars is to live in obedience, in chastity and without property, following the teaching and the footsteps of our Lord Jesus Christ who says, if thou wilt be perfect, go, sell what thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and com, follow me (mt. 19.21); and, if anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me (mt. 16.24). elsewhere He says, if anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple (lk. 14,26). and everyone who has left house, or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for My name's sake, shall receive a 100fold and shall possess life everlasting. (mt. 19.29)
chapter 2 of the reception and clothing of the friars
..give him 2 tunics without a hood, a cord and trousers and a caperon (upper garment) reaching to the cord...the friars who have already made their profession of obedience may have one habit with a hood and, if necessary, another without a hood..all the friars must wear poor clothes and they can patch them with pieces of sackcloth and other material, with God's blessing
chapter 3...fasting
..all the friars without exception must fast from the feast of all saints until christmas, and from epiphany, when our Lord began his fast, until easter. the friars are not bound by the rule to fast at other times, except on friday..
chapter 5 the correction of the friars who have fallen into sin
all the friars, both the ministers (who were over groups of friars) , who are servants and their subjects, should be careful not to be upset or angry when anyone falls into sin of gives bad example; the devil would be only too glad to ensnare many others thru one man's sin. they are bound, on the contrary, to give the sinner spiritual aid, as best they can..
all the friars without exception are forbidden to wield power or authority, particularly over one another...far from doing or speaking evil to one another, the friars should be glad to serve and obey one another in a spirit of charity.
chapter 7 work and the service of others
the friars who are engaged in the service of lay people for whom they work should not be in charge of $ or of the cellar. they are forbidden to accept positions of authority in the houses of their employers..they should be the least and subordinate to everyone in the house..everyone should remain at the trade and in the position in which he was called. in payment thy may accept anything they need, except $. if necessary, they can go for alms like the rest of the friars. they are allowed to have the tools which they need for their trade.
all the friars must work hard doing good, as it has been said, 'always be doing something worthwhile; then the devil will always find you busy' (st. jerome, epistle 125) and 'idleness is the enemy of the soul'. (st. anselm, epistle 49)
chapter 8 the friars are forbidden to take $
our Lord tells us in the Gospel, take heed and guard yourselves from all covetousness (lk. 12.15)..they..are forbidden to take or accept $ in any way or under any form or have it accepted for them, for clothing or books or as wages or in any other necessity, except to provide for the urgent needs of those who are ill. we should have no more use or regard for $ in any of its forms than for dust. those who think it is worth more or who are greedy for it, expose themselves to the danger of being deceived by the devil. we have left everything we had behind us..if ever we find $ somewhere, we should think no more of it than of the dust we trample under our feet..)eccles. 1.2)
if any of the friars collects or keeps $, except for the needs of the sick, the others must regard him as a fraud and a thief and a robber and a traitor..the friars are absolutely for bidden to take $ as alms, or have it accepted for them; so too they cannot ask for it themselves or have others ask for it, for their houses or dwelling places. it is also forbidden to accompany anyone who is collecting $ for their houses.
chapter 9 begging alms
the friars should be delighted to follow the lowliness and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ, remembering that of the whole world we must own nothing; but having food and sufficient clothing, with these let us be content (I tim. 6.8)..they should be glad to live among social outcasts, among the poor and helpless, the sick and the lepers, and those who beg by the wayside. if they are in want, they should not be ashamed to beg alms, remembering our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the living, all -powerful God set his face like a very hard rock (isa. 50.7) and was not ashamed. he was poor and he had no home of his own and he lived on alms..
if people insult them and refuse to give them alms, they should thank God for it, because they will be honored before the judgement-seat of our Lord Jesus Christ for these insults. the shame will be imputed to those who cause it, not to those who suffer it. alms are an inheritance and a right which is due to the poor because our Lord Jesus Christ acquired this inheritance for us...everything people leave after them in this world is lost, but for their charity and almsgiving they will receive a reward from God.
the friars should have no hesitation about telling one another what they need, so that they can provide for one another. they are bound to love and care for one another as brothers, according to the means god gives them, just as a mother loves and cares for her son...they..can eat ordinary food...
in times of urgent need, the friars may provide for themselves as God gives them the opportunity, because necessity knows no law. (ancient proverb)
chapter 10 the sick
if a friar falls ill, no matter where he is, the others may not leave him, unless someone has been appointed to look after him as they should like to be looked after themselves.
in case of grave necessity, however, they can leave him with some lay person who undertakes to care for his illness.
i beg the friar who is sick to thank God for everything; he should be content to be as God wishes him to be, in sickness or in health, because it is those who were destined for eternal life (acts 13.48) that God instructs by sickness and affliction and the spirit of compunction. He tells us Himself, those whom I love I rebuke and chastise. but if the sick friar lets his illness upset him and becomes angry with God or with the other friars, always looking for medicine in an effort to relieve the body that is soon to die and is the enemy of the soul, it is a result of evil in him and a sign that he is a carnal person; he does not seem to be a real friar, because he cares more for his body than for his soul.
chapter 11 the friars must love one another; detraction or speaking injuriously of one another is forbidden
far from indulging in detraction or disputing in words the friars should do their best to avoid talking, according as God gives them the opportunity. ..they must prove their love by their deeds..they are to speak evil of none (tit. 3.2)they must give no thot even to the slightest faults of others (mt. 7.3; lk. 6.41), but rather count over their own in the bitterness of their soul (isa. 38.15)
chapter 12 evil relations with women must be avoided
no matter where they are or where they go, the friars are bound to avoid the sight or company of women, when it is evil. no one should speak to them alone..
chapter 13 the penalty for incontinence
if a friar is tempted and commits fornication, he must be deprived of the habit. by his wickedness he has lost the right to wear it and so he must lay it aside completely and be dismissed from the order. they he should do penance for his sins.
chapter 14 how the friars are to travel
as they go about the country, the friars are to take nothing with them for their journey, neith staff, nor wallet, nor bread, nor $ (lk.9.3) . when they enter a house, they are to say first of all, peace to this house (lk. 10.5) and they should remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they have (lk. 10.7)
they should not offer resistance to injury; if a man strikes them on the right cheek, they shold turn the other cheek also towards him (mt. 5.39). if a man would take away their cloak, they should not grudge him their coat along with it. they should give to every man who asks and if a man takes what is theirs, they should not ask him to restore it (lk. 6. 29-30)
chapter 15 the friars may not keep animals or ride horseback
..unless they are forced to it by sickness or real necessity.
chapter 16 missionaries among the saracens and other unbelievers
..the friars who are inspired by God to work...must get permission to go from their minister..
..avoid quarrels or disputes and be subject to every human creature for God's sake (I pet. 2.13) so bearing witness to the fact that they are christians...proclaim the word of God openly, when they see that is God's will, calling on their hearers to believe in God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the Creator of all...that they may be baptized and become Christians, because unless a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (jn. 3.5)
may they tell them all that and more, as God inspires them..no matter where they are, the friars must always remember that they have given themselves up completely and handed over their whole selves to our Lord Jesus Christ and so they should be prepared to expose themselves to every enemy, visible or invisible, for love of Him. (mk.8.35; mt. 5.10; jn 15.20; mt. 10.23; 5.11; lk.6.23; 12.4; mt. 24.6; lk. 21.19; mt. 10.22 then quoted)
chapter 17 preachers
the ministers and preachers must remember that they do not have a right to the office of serving the friars or of preaching and so they must be prepared to lay it aside without objection the moment they are told to do so. in the love which is God (I jn. 4.8) i entreat all my friars, whether they are given to preaching, praying or manual labour, to do their best to humble themselves at every opportunity; not to boast or be self-satisfied or take pride in any good which God says or does or accomplishes in them or by them..
we must be firmly convinced that we have nothing of our own, except our vices and sins. and so we should be glad when we fall into various trials ( james 1.2)..we must all be on our guard against pride and empty boasting and beware of worldly or natural wisdom. a worldly spirit loves to talk a lot but do nothing, striving for the exterior signs of holiness that people can see, with no desire for true piety and interior holiness of spirit...the spirit of God, on the other hand, inspires us to mortify and despise our lower nature and regard it as a source of shame, worthless and of no value..
chapter 19 the friars must be catholic
all the friars are bound to be catholics and live and speak as such...we must regard all other clerics and religious as our superiors in all that concerns the salvation of the soul and is not contrary to the interest of our religious life. we must respect their position and office, together with their ministry.
chapter 22 an exhortation to the friars
remember the words of our Lord, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (mt.5.44) our Lord Jesus Christ Himself..called the man who betrayed Him His friend and gave Himself up of His own accord to His executioners. therefore, our friends are those who for no reason cause us trouble and suffering, shame or injury, pain or torture, even martyrdom and death. it is these we must love and love very much, because for all they do to us we are given eternal life.
we must hate our lower nature with its vices and sins; by living a worldly life, it would deprive us of the love of our Lord Jesus Christ and of eternal life, dragging us down with it into hell. by our own fault we are corrupt, wretched, strangers to all good, willing and eager only to do evil..
we have left the world now and all we have to do is to be careful to obey God's will and please Him. we must be very careful or we will turn out to be like the earth by the wayside, or the stony or thorn-choked ground..
..and so we friars should leave the dead to bury their won dead (mt. 8.22)...we should beware especially of the malice and wiles of satan; his only desire is to prevent man from raising his mind and heart to his Lord and God. he goes about, longing to steal man's heart away under the pretext of some good or useful interest, and obliterate the words and commandments of God from his memory. by the anxieties and worries of this life he tries to dull man's heart and make a dwelling for himself there (quotes mt. 12.43-5)..and so we must all keep close watch over ourselves or we will be lost and turn our minds and hearts from god, because we think there is something worth having or doing, or that we will gain some advantage.
in that love which is God, i entreat all my friars, ministers and subjects, to put away every attachment, all care and solicitude and serve, love, honor, and adore our Lord and God with a pure heart and mind; this is what He seeks above all else. we should make a dwelling-place within ourselves where He can stay, He who is the Lord God almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit...
chapter 23 prayer, praise and thanksgiving
Almighty, most high and supreme God, Father, holy and just, Lord, King of heaven and earth, we give you thanks for Yourself. of Your own holy will you created all things spiritual and physical, made us in Your own image and likeness and gave us a place in paradise, thru Your only Son, in the Holy spirit. and it was thru our own fault that we fell. we give You thanks because, having created us thru Your Son..You decreed that he should be born, true God and true manllwe give You thanks because Your Son is to come a second time in the glory of his majesty and cast the damned, who refused to do penance and acknowledge you, into everlasting fire; while to all those who acknowledged you, adored You, and served You by a life of penance, He will say: Come..
we Friars Minor, servants and worthless as we are, humbly beg and implore everyone to persevere in the true faith and in a life of penance; there is no other way to be saved...
with all our hearts and all our souls, all our minds and all our strength, all our power and all our understanding, with every faculty and every effort, with every affection and all our emotions, with every wish and desire, we should love our Lord and God who has given and gives us everything, body and soul, and all our life; it was He who created and redeemed us and of His mercy alone He will save us; wretched and pitiable as we are, ungrateful and evil, rotten through and through, He has provided us with every good and does not cease to provide for us.
we should wish for nothing else and have no other desire; we should find no pleasure or delight in anything except in our Creator...
nothing, then, must keep us back, nothing separate us from Him, nothing come between us and Him...
in the name of God i entreat the friars to grasp the meaning of all that is written in this rule for the salvation of our souls, and recall it to mind again and again...i beg them all to love, observe, and treasure this rule..i command the friars to follow this rule and no other.
Glory be to the Father..Son..Holy Spirit..world without end. amen.
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