Sveti Franjo Asiški

[Bernard]

Saint Francis of Assisi and the First Nativity Scene

 

 
 

 

 

 

Details cycle of frescos dedicated to the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi by Niccolo Circignani (1517/1524 - after 1596); Royal Spanish Academy in Rome. Cloister.

commons.wikimedia.org

 

 

Saint Francis of Assisi, the Christmas Manger

Fragments from the book Vita Prima by Thomas of Celano

 

The supreme aspiration of Francis, his most fervent desire and his highest purpose was to observe in all things and at all times the Holy Gospel and to follow the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ in all steps with the utmost attention, with all care, with all the yearning of his mind, with all the fervor of his heart. In asiduous meditation he remembered His words and with a most sharp consideration he reviewed His works. He had so present, in his memory, the humility of the Incarnation and the charity of His Passion that it was difficult for him to think about anything else.

Worthy of remembrance and celebration with pious memory, Francis did so before his glorious death, near Greccio, on the day of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ. In that place lived a certain man by the name of John, of good reputation and an even better life, whom blessed Francis loved with a singular love, for in the place where he lived he held a noble and honorable position in as much as he despised the nobility of his blood and aspired to the nobility of spirit.

Blessed Francis sent for this man, as he often did, about fifteen days before the birth of the Lord, and he said to him: "If you want us to celebrate this festivity of the Lord at Greccio, go with haste there and promptly prepare what I am going to tell you. I wish to celebrate the memory of the Child who was born in Bethlehem and I want to contemplate, in some way, with my own eyes, what he suffered in his discapacity as a child, how he was reclined on the manger and later was placed on hay between the ox and the donkey. Upon hearing this, the good and loyal man, ran in haste and prepared the place that the Lord had indicated.

The day arrives, a day of joy and exultation. Brothers were called from their various places. Men and women of that neighborhood, overflowing with joy, prepared, according to their means, candles and torches to light up that night that, with its sparkling star, lit up all the days and years.

At last, the Saint of God arrived and, seeing that all things were properly placed, he contemplated them and was overjoyed. The manger is prepared, the hay is brought in, and the ox and ass are led in. There simplicity receives honor, poverty is exalted, humility is valued, and Greccio is converted into a new Bethlehem.

The night is resplandecente like the day; a pleasant night for both men and animals. The people come and, before the new mystery, they savor new delights. The forest resounds with voices and the rocks respond to the hymns of joy. The brothers sing the praises of the Lord and the whole night passes with songs of happiness. The Saint of God is standing before the manger, overflowing with sighs, filled with overwhelming piety, melting in ineffable bliss. The solemn rite of the Mass is celebrated over the manger and the priest enjoys a most singular consolation.

The Saint of God is clothed with the vestments of the deacon, for he was one, and with a most sonorous voice he sings the Holy Gospel. His strong and sweet voice, his voice clear and with good timbre, invites all to the supreme rewards. Later he preaches to the people attending, and as much as when he speaks of the nativity of the poor King as well as the small village of Bethlehem, he expresses words that are felt as honey. Many times, when wanting to mention Christ Jesus, aflame with love, he calls Him "Child of Bethlehem" and pronounces it as "Bethleem", like a sheep that is bleating, and his mouth is full of a resounding voice; and even more so of a most tender affection. When he would call Him "Child of Bethlehem" or "Jesus" he spoke as if he was tasting and savoring with his palate the very sweetness of these words.

The gifts of the Almighty are multiplied there; a virtuous man has an admirable vision. There was a child that, studiously absorbed, was reclined over the manger; the saint of God approaches and awakes him from what was like a deep somnolence. This vision does not lack sense, since the Child Jesus, buried by the forgetfulness of the hearts of many, resucitated by His grace, through his servant Francis; and his image remained imprinted in those hearts in love. Having ended the solemn vigil, all returned to their homes filled with abundant happiness.

The hay placed in the manger is preserved so that, just like the Lord multipled his Holy mercy, through Him donkeys and other animals would be cured. And this is what happened: many animals from the surrounding region that suffered diverse illnesses, by eating this hay, were cured. Moreoever, women with long and painful labors, gave birth happily once a little of this hay was placed over them. And the same happened with persons of both sexes: with that hay, they obtained their cure from diverse afflictions.

The place of the manger was later consecrated in the temple of the Lord: in honor of the most blessed father Francis, over the manger was built an altar and a Church was dedicated so that, where in another time the animals fed from the fodder of hay, there men would continuously eat, for the health of their souls and body, the flesh of the Immaculate and uncontaminated Lamb, Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who gave Himself to us with the highest and ineffable love, and Who lives and reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit and is God, eternally glorious, for ever and ever. Amen. Alleluja, Alleluja.

(Here ends the first book about the life and acts of Blessed Saint Francis.)
 

Translated from the Spanish version of the work Vita Prima by Thomas of Celano; Franciscan Province of the Holy Evangelium of Mexico - franciscanosenmexico.com.mx

 

 

 

 

 

 The Chapel of the Nativity Scene, which was dug into the rock. The heart of the Sanctuary is the small Chapel of the Nativity built in the grotto that according to local tradition is where Francis arranged the Nativity of Christ. A rock under the altar indicates the place where Christ’s image was placed in the manger. Above the altar a 15th century fresco depicts the Nativity. The Virgin Mary is depicted in the intimate gesture of breastfeeding the Child in the presence of Saint Joseph. On the left there is a scene representing Francis’ gift of the Nativity to Greccio. It shows Francis wearing the dalmatic of a deacon kneeling in front of the infant Jesus. Behind him the people of Greccio witness the miracle.

www.becomemore.net

https://catholictruth.net/CTNet_RC/en/archive.asp?d=20161219

[Bernard]

 

[Bernard]

[Bernard]

 »Najprej te prosim, da bi do dna občutil v svoji duši in na svojem telesu tisto bolečino, ki si jo ti, o mili Jezus prestal v svojem bridkem trpljenju. In potem te prosim, da bi se moje srce, kolikor je le mogoče, napojilo s tisto brezmejno ljubeznijo, ki je razvnela tebe, Sina Božjega in te prisilila, da si tako vdano toliko pretrpel za nas grešnike.«     

                                         

[Bernard]

»Signasti hic, Domine, servum tuum signis redemptionis nostrae.«

(Tukaj, o Gospod, si zaznamoval svojega služabnika z znamenji našega odrešenja)

 

Sv. Frančišek ni nikoli govoril o svojih mističnih izkustvih. Nikoli ne bomo mogli prodreti v globino njegove zavesti. Tako globoko lahko prodrejo samo tisti, ki so kot na primer njegov življenepisec sv. Bonaventura doživeli enaka izkustva kot sv. Frančišek. In vendar, tudi če bodo Frančiškove ekstaze v umbrijskih votlinah za nas zmeraj ostale skrivnost, se je na La Verni zgodilo nekaj otipljivega, česar se spominjamo še danes. Že več kot osem stoletij zvonijo na La Verni v nočnih urah zvonovi in manjši bratje (v začetku so se tako imenovali in ne frančiškani) gredo iz velike samostanke cerkve (bazilika) v majhno kapelo. Tam dva od njih pokažeta na kamen pred oltarjem, drugi pa pojejo: »Signasti hic, Domine, servum tuum signis redemptionis nostrae.«

                                              

                                            

[Bernard]

                         

Frančišek se je vedno bolj umikal od zunanjega življenja in vodstva svojega reda. Avgusta leta 1224, se je, kakor ponavadi, umaknil na goro La Verno, da bi se v samoti čim lepše pripravil na praznik sv. Mihaela. Na tej gori je imel v skalo izdolbeno celico oziroma kapelico. Tu je bil navadno čisto sam, da se je mogel nemoteno posvetiti premišljevanju. Na praznik Povišanja sv. križa (14. septembra) je zjutraj molil in z veliko ljubeznijo ter nežnim, globokim sočutjem premišljeval trpljenje Križanega in ga želel sodoživljati. Prikazal se mu je križani Kristus. Ko je prikazen začela izginjati, je bila Frančiškova duša polna ljubezni do trpečega Kristusa, na njegovih rokah, nogah in na desni strani pa so se pojavile Kristusove rane, iz katerih je pozneje večkrat tekla kri.

Konec septembra je prišel spet v Assisi in tam nadaljeval svoje trpljenje prav do smrti. Vse trpljenje je prenašal junaško, združen z Bogom. Ko je slutil, da se bliža konec njegovega zemeljskega življenja, je skoraj že popolnoma slep zapel svojoSončno pesem (1224-1225).

Ta pesem je vsebina in odmev Frančiškovega življenja.

Ko je Frančišek zaslutil, da je zdaj smrt že res prav blizu, je prosil svoje brate, naj ga prenesejo k Porciunkuli, da bi svoje življenje sklenil tam, kjer se je naselil s svojimi brati in se ves posvetil Bogu. Od tam je poslal prve misijonarje po svetu, tam so se vsako leto ob binkoštih zbirali njegovi bratje iz vseh krajev. Zvečer 3. oktobra leta 1226 so ga na njegovo željo prinesli v porciunkulsko cerkvico in ga položili na gola tla. Poklical je k sebi vse brate in jih ljubeče prosil, naj ljubijo Boga, ostanejo zvesti veri in se natančno držijo uboštva. Od njih se je poslovil z besedami: “Zbogom bratje, ostanite v božjem strahu, jaz grem k Očetu, čigar milosti vam priporočam.” Nato je izdihnil, star komaj 44 let.

Papež Gregor IX. je 16. julija 1228, dve leti po smrti, razglasil Frančiška Asiškega za svetnika in določil, da se njegov god obhaja 4. oktobra. Na papeževo željo je brat Elija sezidal v Assisiju veličastno cerkev, posvečeno sv. Frančišku Asiškemu. 25. maja 1230 so Frančiškovo truplo prenesli iz cerkve sv. Jurija v to cerkev.

[Bernard]

Psalm 142

8 Izpelji iz zapora mojo dušo, da se bom zahvaljeval tvojemu imenu.

[Bernard]

"Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received - only what you have given: a full heart, enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage." ~ Francis of Assisi

[Bernard]

                                  

 

                                   

Božja slava in temine srca

 

O vzvišeni in veličastni Bog,

razsvetli temine mojega srca.

Daj mi pravo vero,

trdno upanje

In popolno ljubezen,

razumnost in spoznanje,

O Gospod,

Da se bom držal

tvoje svete in resnične zapovedi.

 

Molitev pred Križanim v cerkvi sv. Damijana