Prayer In The Writings Of Francis Of Assisi And The Early Brothers

Abstract

The early Franciscan Writings, identified as Francis's Opuscula, witness to the connection between life and prayer. Among these writings of Francis and the early brothers, one can identify approximately twenty prayers either as freestanding texts or as parts of larger texts. This chapter demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between the Franciscan form of life and the Franciscan form of prayer as that appears in these early writings. It first analyzes the texts to demonstrate that the Franciscan matrix of prayer is the life itself of the brothers. Then, the meaning of both prayer and life as praise as it emerges in these texts are developed. Finally, the language and content of Franciscan prayer is analyzed by focusing on two psalms from the Office of the Passion and the Canticle of Creatures.Keywords: Canticle of Creatures; early brothers writings; early Franciscan writings; Franciscan prayer; Office of the Passion