Francis of Assisi: The Message in His Writings

CHAPTER 6. PARTICULAR VOCATIONS

143 Particular Vocations CHAPTER 6 PARTICULAR VOCATIONS In the preceding chapters, we have dealt with people in general— what they are, what they do, and what they are called to become. We were speaking in generalities, about things that are applicable to all Christians. Although some of the passages we examined were addressed to particular categories of people, they were also applicable to all believers and were presented in that perspective. However, parts of Francis’s writings refer to specific vocations— the “penitents,” the Friars Minor, and the sisters at San Damiano. The two versions of the Letter to the Faithful are addressed to “penitents.” The Earlier and Later Rules, the Rule for Hermitages, the Testament, the Testament of Siena, and the Letter to the Entire Order describe and legislate for the lives of the friars, while three brief documents refer to the sisters at San Damiano. In this chapter, we shall examine each of these vocations, keeping in mind that what we have said above about Christians in general is valid also for them and does not need to be repeated. We wish only to show what is special to each of the vocations in question, remembering that the basic elements, the demands and promises of the Gospel, are always applicable and are the same for everyone. THE WAY OF THE “PENITENTS” Why do we speak about “penitents” when this word does not appear anywhere in Francis’s writings? The Second Letter to the Faithful does not prescribe a way of life meant for the laity alone, but is addressed to “all Christian religious: clergy and laity, men and women.” No doubt it would have been clearer if Francis had written to “all Christians living in the world.” Instead, he used the term “religious” to indicate the group for whom he wrote the letter; and to understand fully the meaning he attached to this word, “religious” (which he repeats in v. 36), we must analyze what he meant by “penance.” This term appears no less than twenty-eight times in his writings. In eighteen cases, it indicates the process of conversion, of changing 144 Francis of Assisi–His Writings one’s life. That is to say, it has the same significance for Francis as it has in the Gospel and refers to the metanoia, the change of heart, which Christ and John the Baptist preached. The other ten examples concern the sacrament of penance, confession. Now, “penance,” in the sense of conversion, is found almost exclusively in the texts addressed to “Christian religious” (seven times in the two Letters to the Faithful) and in passages referring, not to the friars, but to people in general (eight times—RegNB 12:4; 21:3,7f; 23:4,7; 1EpCust 6). Only three texts deal with the friars (Test 1—Francis himself: Test 26 and EpOrd 44—the other friars), and here again reference is to living the Gospel life. In the First Letter to the faithful, a chapter heading reads “Those who do not do penance.” Here Francis advises the friars, when they are preaching, to urge “all those…who are not living in penance” 1EpFid 2:1; 2EpFid 63) to “perform worthy fruits of penance” (RegNB 21:3). From this, we can gather that some Christians, cleric or lay, men or women, had made the decision to take the Good News seriously and to meet the demands of the Gospel as fully as possible. Such people were called “religious” and were invited to live according to “the command and counsels” of the Gospel (2EpFid 39), as did the Poor Men of Lyons and the Humiliati. The Second Letter to the Faithful proposes a mode of Gospel life which, in itself, could apply to all Christians. It certainly includes people who remained living in general society. We know that they did not have to dispose of their possessions since they were encouraged to give alms (2EpFid 30f.) and could still make bad use of their property (vv. 72-80). It is surprising to find that material poverty, the renunciation of property and the restricted use of things, is not recommended or even mentioned, although such poverty was so prominent in the lives of the friars. Among those to whom the letter was addressed there were some, perhaps magistrates or priests, who had the power to judge others, a function which demanded discernment and especially mercy on their part (vv. 28f.). In fact, certain counsels in this letter presuppose the existence of...