Sacred Exchange Between Saint Francis and Lady Poverty
THE SACRED EXCHANGE BETWEEN SAINT FRANCIS AND LADY POVERTY
INTRODUCTION
The Franciscan Order has been saddled with the controversy on the issue of the observance of poverty. During the lifetime of Saint Francis of Assisi, there were already factions in the Order; the faction that were in favour of living the Franciscan charism in a new dimension are called the lenient and the wise, and those who are in favour of keeping to the original way of living the Franciscan Charism, are often called the companions; “we who were with him”. After the death of Francis, the controversy became more intense between the Friars of the Community, who sought to live the Rule and poverty of the Franciscan life in towns and cities with the inspiration of the founder, and the spirituals that sought to live the literal observance of Rule with a more austere adherence. This controversy on the issue of the observance of poverty prompted so many friars from both factions to publish books in defense of the observance of poverty. Examples of books published include: Sacred Exchange between St Francis of Assisi and Lady Poverty by an unknown author, The Legend of the Three Companions by Br. Leo, Br. Rufino and Br. Angelo, The Tree of the Crucified Life of Jesus Christ by Ubertino Da Casale, The Tribulations of the Order of Lesser Ones by Angelo Clarino, the Little flowers of St Francis etc. In this essay, I will be explaining in details the information that the author is trying to pass across from some of the subthemes of the book entitled, “The Sacred Exchange between St Francis of Assisi and Lady Poverty”, that is specifically written in defense of the literal observance of poverty, indicating where the author is writing from, the year of composition and the aim of the author and the society of his time. The Sacred Exchange in other words, called the holy commerce between St Francis and Lady Poverty was written or composed between 1237 and 1239, few
INTRODUCTION
The Franciscan Order has been saddled with the controversy on the issue of the observance of poverty. During the lifetime of Saint Francis of Assisi, there were already factions in the Order; the faction that were in favour of living the Franciscan charism in a new dimension are called the lenient and the wise, and those who are in favour of keeping to the original way of living the Franciscan Charism, are often called the companions; “we who were with him”. After the death of Francis, the controversy became more intense between the Friars of the Community, who sought to live the Rule and poverty of the Franciscan life in towns and cities with the inspiration of the founder, and the spirituals that sought to live the literal observance of Rule with a more austere adherence. This controversy on the issue of the observance of poverty prompted so many friars from both factions to publish books in defense of the observance of poverty. Examples of books published include: Sacred Exchange between St Francis of Assisi and Lady Poverty by an unknown author, The Legend of the Three Companions by Br. Leo, Br. Rufino and Br. Angelo, The Tree of the Crucified Life of Jesus Christ by Ubertino Da Casale, The Tribulations of the Order of Lesser Ones by Angelo Clarino, the Little flowers of St Francis etc. In this essay, I will be explaining in details the information that the author is trying to pass across from some of the subthemes of the book entitled, “The Sacred Exchange between St Francis of Assisi and Lady Poverty”, that is specifically written in defense of the literal observance of poverty, indicating where the author is writing from, the year of composition and the aim of the author and the society of his time. The Sacred Exchange in other words, called the holy commerce between St Francis and Lady Poverty was written or composed between 1237 and 1239, few
Bibliography: Francis of Assisi, “Sacred Exchange between Saint Francis of Assisi and Lady Poverty” in Regis J. Armstrong Et al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, VOL. I: The Saint (London: New City Press, 1999), pp. 529-554.