NOTE
NOTE
This remarkable prayer figures as the composition of St Francis in all the editions of his works from Wadding (Antwerp, 1623) to Fra Bernardo da Fivizzano (Florence, 1880). But we have (unfortunately) no satisfactory or scientific proof that the prayer was really the composition of the Seraphic Patriarch. Wadding took it from Ubertino da Casale “Arbor Vitæ Crucifixi Jesu” (Venice, 1485). Ubertino wrote his redoubtable book in 1305, and though he puts this prayer into the mouth of St Francis, the context points to the fact that he is rather attempting to reproduce the sentiments of the Saint, than giving a prayer literally written by him. And his indebtedness to the “Sacrum Commercium” is obvious. But whether written by St Francis or not, there can be no doubt that when he prayed, he often prayed after this fashion. It most faithfully reflects his spirit and ideas, and is admirably illustrative of the “Sacrum Commercium.” For this reason we have given it a place in the Appendix. It is also interesting as being the probable source whence Dante drew his beautiful idea that the Lady Poverty was more privileged than the Blessed Virgin, insomuch as she followed the Lord up on to the very Cross itself:
“Si che, dove Maria rimase giuso,Ella con Cristo salse[35]in su la croce.”
“Si che, dove Maria rimase giuso,Ella con Cristo salse[35]in su la croce.”
“Si che, dove Maria rimase giuso,Ella con Cristo salse[35]in su la croce.”
“Si che, dove Maria rimase giuso,
Ella con Cristo salse[35]in su la croce.”
The naïve sublimity of the concluding petition of the prayer “et alienis rebus semper cum usus penuria, dum vivit caro misera, sustentari,” is most characteristic of the Saint, not only in its sentiment but in its Franciscan directness. It strikes strangely upon modern ears to hear a Divine petition that certain men may ever be known as men who lived upon others. But it is logical, as Francis always was. There can be no evangelical poverty with possessions, and yet man must keep body and soul together; hence mendicancy is the only resource of the real lovers of my Lady Poverty. This sentiment recalls the famous saying of St Francis in the Fifth of his “Collationes Monasticæ”: “There is a compact between the World and my Brothers. They owe it a good example, and the World in return must provide them with all necessities. But if the Brothers, breaking faith, cease to give their good example, the World will, with justice, withdraw its helping hand.”
Very interesting, and of considerable importance, is the fact that this Prayer speaks of Christ being crucified with three nails only. Whether St Francis wrote the prayer or not, we may take this to have been his opinion, for it seems to have been the common opinion of the thirteenth century. And bearing in mind this opinion of his, it becomes impossible to attribute the phenomena of his Stigmata to subjective causes, or to that which is loosely called hysteria. The Stigmata of St Francis were not merely open wounds, but showed nails of a black fleshy substance, one in each hand and one in each foot. If these Stigmata had been the result of intense meditation on the Passion, then, seeing what his opinion was, the singular phenomena which were developed in him, would have shown one nail only for the feet, and not a nail in either foot. The point is of capital importance to investigators of a remarkable occurrence which, while proved beyond a doubt as a matter of fact, has hitherto found no scientific explanation.