We all hear about the Little Flowers of St. Francis, full of beautiful stories of the miracles of St. Francis and Clare. These are the wonderful stories that most people know about Francis and Clare. But it might be a great time to read these stories in full.
Please share with your local fraternity Peace, Dona
What do you know about…?
The Little Flowers of St. Francis FA:ED, vol. 3, 566 (FA:ED=Francis of Assisi: Early Documents)
(The background quotes below come from a much longer introduction to the Little Flowers as found on the Franciscan Intellectual Tradition website. You can read all the chapters mentioned and many more at that same link–below.)
About the “Little Flowers:”
- “The popularity of these preachers [the friars] and the curiosity of the people may well have inspired what quickly became known as The Little Flowers of Saint Francis.”
- “Written between 1328 and 1343 by Hugolino of Monte Giorgio and an unknown collaborator, the Actus Beati Francisci et sociorum ejus [The Deeds of Blessed Francis and His Companions] was a collection of “little flowers” or anecdotes about Francis and his first brothers.”
- “Many of the stories were rooted in both the written and oral Franciscan tradition.”
- “In a sense, the Little Flowers epitomized much of the Franciscan hagiography of the fourteenth century.”
(Hagiographieshave been written from the 2nd century to instruct and edify readers and glorify the saints.) - Read the complete introduction to the Little Flowers and all of the stories at the link below.
Artwork – Josep Benlliure
The titles of some of the more famous stories about Francis and Clare found in the “Little Flowers” are:
Chapter 8: “O Brother Leo, write that here and in this is perfect joy.” FA:ED, vol. 3, 579
Chapter 10: “Why after you? Why after you?” (Bro. Masseo to St. Francis) FA:ED, vol. 3, 583
Chapter 15: How saint clare ate with saint Francis and his brother companions in Saint Mary of the Angels. FA:ED, vol. 3, 590
Chapter 16: How saint Francis, counseled by Saint Clare and holy brother Sylvester to preach and convert many people, formed the Third Order, preached to the birds, and made the swallows remain silent. FA:ED, vol. 3, 591
[For the history of the founding of the Third Order, please see the FUN Manual chapter on the Nature of the Secular Franciscan Order.”]
Chapter 21: The story of the Wolf of Gubbio FA:ED, vol. 3, 601
Chapter 24: How Saint Francis converted to the faith the Sultan of Babylon and the prostitute who invited him to sin. FA:ED, vol. 3, 605
Chapter 33: How Saint Clare, at the Pope’s command, blessed the bread that was on the table; and on every loaf there appeared the sign of the cross. FA:ED, vol. 3, 624
Chapter 35: How Saint Clare, while she was ill, was miraculously carried to the church of Saint Francis on the night of the feast of Christmas and heard the office there. FA:ED, vol. 3, 626
For discussion or to comment on in your journal:
- How do the stories of the lives of Francis and Clare and their miracles inspire you in your life as a Secular Franciscan?
- How do these stories line up with biographies of Francis and Clare that you have read?
- What is the purpose of hagiography?
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Para leer “Las florecillas de San Francisco” en español, visite el enlace abajo:
http://www.franciscanos.org/florecillas/menu.html
Para platicar o comentar en su diario:
- ¿Cómo le inspiran las historias de la vida y los milagros de Francisco y Clara en su vida como franciscano seglar?
- ¿Cómo se alinean estas historias con las biografías de Francis y Clare que ha leído?
- ¿Cuál es el propósito de la hagiografía? (Las hagiografías se han escrito desde el siglo II para instruir y edificar a los lectores y glorificar a los santos).
Diane F. Menditto, OFS
Chair, National Formation Commission
Minister, Our Lady of the Angels Region
—
Peace and blessings,
Dona Gibbons OFS
Regional Formation Director
Juan de Padilla Region
Kansas~NW Missouri~Oklahoma
