The first work that blessed Francis undertook,
after he had gained his freedom
from the hands of his carnally-minded father,
was to build a house of God.
He did not try to build a new one,
but he repaired an old one,
restored an ancient one.
He did not tear out the foundation,
but he built upon it,
always reserving to Christ his prerogative,
although unaware of it,
for no one can lay another foundation,
but that which has been laid,
which is Christ Jesus.
When he had returned to the place mentioned where
the church of San Damiano had been built in ancient times,
he repaired it zealously within a short time,
aided by the grace of the Most High.
This is the blessed and holy place where
the glorious religion and most excellent Order
of Poor Ladies and holy virgins
had its happy beginning,
about six years after the conversion of the blessed Francis
and through that same blessed man.
The Lady Clare,
a native of the city of Assisi,
the most precious and strongest stone of the whole structure,
stands as the foundation for all the other stones.
For
after the beginning of the Order of Brothers,
when this lady was converted to God
through the counsel of the holy man,
she lived for the good of many
and as an example to countless others.
Noble by lineage, but more noble by grace,
chaste in body, most chaste in mind,
young in age, mature in spirit,
steadfast in purpose and most eager in her desire for divine love,
endowed with wisdom and excelling in humility,
bright in name, more brilliant in life, most brilliant in character.
A noble structure of precious pearls arose above this woman,
whose praise comes not from mortals but from God,
since our limited understanding is not sufficient to imagine it,
nor our scanty vocabulary to utter it.
First of all,
the virtue of mutual and continual charity
that binds their wills together
flourishes among them.
Forty or fifty of them can dwell together in one place,
wanting and not wanting the same things
forming one spirit in them out of many.
Second,
the gem of humility,
preserving the good things bestowed by heaven
so sparkles in each one
that they merit other virtues as well.
Third,
the lily of virginity and chastity
diffuses such a wondrous fragrance among them
that they forget earthly thoughts
and desire to meditate only on heavenly things.
So great a love of their eternal Spouse arises in their hearts
that the integrity of their holy feelings keeps them
from every habit of their former life.
Fourth,
all of them have become so distinguished
by their title of highest poverty
that their food and clothing
rarely or never
manage to satisfy extreme necessity.
Fifth,
they have so attained the unique grace
of abstinence and silence
that they scarcely need to exert any effort
to check the prompting of the flesh
and to restrain their tongues.
Sixth,
they are so adorned with the virtue of patience
in all these things,
that adversity of tribulation,
or injury of vexation
never breaks or changes their spirit.
Seventh,
and finally,
they have so merited the height of contemplation
that they learn in it everything they should do or avoid,
and they know how to go beyond the mind to God with joy,
persevering night and day
in praising Him and praying to Him.
For the moment
let this suffice
concerning these virgins dedicated to God
and most devout servants of Christ.
Their wondrous life
and their renowned practices received from the Lord Pope Gregory,
at the time Bishop of Ostia,
would require another book
and the leisure in which to write it.
[1] Armstrong, Regis J. O.F.M. Cap. et.al. Francis of Assisi: Early Documents, Volume I, The Saint. Pages 196-9. New York: New York City Press, 2000.
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