Francis of Assisi: The Message in His Writings

Editor’s Note viii
Abbreviations ix
Foreword xi
PART ONE: The Message and the Medium 1
Chapter 1—The Man and His Message 3
The Man and His Message 4
Biographies of Francis: His Writings 5
An Unusual Author 7
Introducing the Writings 8
Contents of the Writings 11
Scripture in the Writings 15
Francis’s Use of Scripture 16
Other Influences 20
Dating the Writings 21
Contemporary History in the Writings 22
Reading and Interpreting the Writings 25
The Possibility of a Comprehensive View 26
Limitations 28
Chapter 2—Keys to Reading Francis 31
Francis’s Credo (RegNB 23:1-6) 31
A Program for the Christian Life 38
Foundation: the Father Sends the Word 39
Welcoming Christ and Being Saved by Him 42
The Gospel Way 42
The End of the Road 45
A Comprehensive View 48
PART TWO: God and Humanity 49
Chapter 3—The Trinity 51
God, Whose Name “No One is Worthy to
Mention” 51
Perfect Trinity and Simple Unity 54
The Primacy of the Father 54
The Father, Our Happiness 57
“The Word of the Father, So Worthy, So Holy
and Glorious” 59
Christ in Francis’s Writings 60
The Beloved Son in the Father’s Plans 61
Christ, Present With Us 65
In the Footsteps of Christ 72
Praying to Christ 75
“The Spirit of the Lord and Its Holy Manner
of Working” 76
Francis’s “Theology” 82
Chapter 4—Humanity, A Vision of Contrasts 85
Creation, God’s loving Plan 85
In the “Image” and “Likeness” of God 86
Human Values and Structures 88
The Power of Love 90
“To do more and greater things” 91
“To reach the Most High” 93
Individuals 94
The Community of the Church 102
Chapter 5—The Christian Journey 111
“With our hearts turned to the Lord” 111
“We must . . . be Catholics” (EpFid 32) 117
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself”
(Mt 22:39) 121
“Hold back nothing of yourselves for
yourselves” (EpOrd 29) 125
“Let us acknowledge that all good things
belong to God” (EpOrd 29) 126
“Nothing belongs to us except our
vices and sins” (RegNB 17:7) 127
“Bearing daily the holy cross
of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Adm 5:8) 129
Following in the footsteps of our Lord
Jesus Christ” 134
The Franciscan “Beatitudes” 136
A New View of the World 141
Chapter 6—Particular Vocations 145
The Way of the “Penitents” 145
The Life of the Friars Minor 148
“This Is the Life of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ” (RegNB Prol. 1) 148
The Central Theme of the Friars’ Life 150
Special Elements 151
The Poor Ladies 163
PART THREE: Interpretation and Relevance of
Francis’s Vision 167
Chapter 7—Interpretation and Relevance of
Francis’s Vision 169
Francis’s Originality 169
His Theology 170
His Vision of Humanity 171
Approach and Style 172
Relevance of His Message 174
The Task Remaining 175
APPENDIX 179
BIBLIOGRAPHY 205