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tion of Christ,a they were content to live on alms and realized that because of the world’s contempt they would be blessed.
The lord pope was amazed at the parable presented to him, and recognized without a doubt that Christ had spoken in this man. He remembered a vision he had seen only a few days earlier, and instructed by the Holy Spirit, he now believed it would come true in this man. He saw in a dream the Lateran basilica almost ready to fall down. A religious man, small and scorned, was propping it up with his own bent back so it would not fall.b “I’m sure,” he said, “he is the one who will hold up Christ’s Church by what he does and what he teaches!” Because of this the lord pope easily bowed to his request; from then on, filled with devotion to God, he always loved Christ’s servant with a special love.c He quickly granted what was asked and promised even more.
Visiting towns and villages, Mt 9:35
Francis began, with the authority now granted him,
to preach passionately
and to scatter the seeds of virtue.
Chapter XII
SAINT MARY OF THE PORTIUNCULA
HOW THE SAINT LOVED THIS PLACE,
HOW THE BROTHERS LIVED THERE, AND HOW THE BLESSED VIRGIN LOVED IT
18 Francis, the servant of God,
was small in stature,
humble in attitude,
and lesser Lk 9:48 by profession.
While living in the world
he chose a little portion of the world
- The Latin text reads: in imitatione Christi, the only reference to this theme of spirituality found in the writings of Thomas of Celano. In 1C 25, Francis is described as "an imitator of those whom the Jewish leaders considered ignorant and without learning." In 2C 109 Sylvester becomes "a perfect imitator of the man of God," i.e. Francis. For its importance, see Alfonso Marini, " ‘Vestigia Christi Sequi’ or ‘Imitatio Christi’: Two Different Ways of Understanding Francis of Assisi’s Gospel Life," GR 11:3 (1997), 331-358. For development of this Christological theme in Thomas, see Duane Lapsanski, Evangelical Perfection: An Historical Examination of the Concept in the Early Franciscan Sources (St. Bonaventure, NY: Franciscan Institute Publications, 1977), 103-105; 135-138.
- The Latin text, proprio dorso submisso, ne caderet, sustentabat [propping it up with his own bent back so it would not fall], includes the notion of submission in order to hold up. In the next sentence, the pope bows to Francis’s request. Compare 1C 33 where Thomas writes that Innocent, "a very high and lofty tree in the world, bent himself so kindly to his wish and request."
- See L3C 51, supra, 97 a. The Quaracchi editors note that in Thomas’s text, there is an addition to the Dominican text that Francis is "small and scorned" and will hold up the Church "by what he does and by what he teaches." Cf. AF X 141, note 8.
Vita Secunda Sancti Francisci, Fontes Franciscani, p. 459-460
imitatione Christi contenti eleemosynisque viventes, per mundi opprobria futuros se beatos agnoscant.
3Miratur dominus papa propositam sibi parabolam, et indubitanter Christum locutum in homine, recognoscit. 4Recordatur visionis cuiusdam quam viderat diebus paucis ante transactis, quam et in hoc homine fore complendam, Spiritu Sancto docente, affirmat. 5Viderat in somnis Lateranensem basilicam fore proximam iam ruinae, quam quidam religiosus, homo modicus et despectus, proprio dorso submisso, ne caderet, sustentabat . 6« Vere », inquit, « hic ille est qui opere ac doctrina Christi sustentabit Ecclesiam ». 7Inde dominus ille petitioni eius tam facile se inclinat; hinc, Dei devotione repletus, Christi famulum m speciali semper dilexit amore. 8Proinde postulata cito concessit, et his plura adhuc devotus concedere repromisit.
9Coepit exinde auctoritate sibi concessa
virtutum semina spargere,
civitates et castella circuiens
praedicare ferventius.
De sancta Maria de Portiuncula.
Caput XII
De amore sancti in hunc locum,
de conversatione fratrum ibidem et de amore
beatae Virginis in eumdem.
18 1Servus Dei Franciscus,
persona modicus,
mente humilis,
professione minor,
in saeculo degens
portiunculam pro se et suis de mundo elegit,