|
ETIKA A |
SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI |
www.etika.com |
|
51E3 |
TO THE RULERS OF THE PEOPLE |
The Writings of Saint Francis of Assisi, Translated by Ignatius Brady
O.F.M., Casa Ed. Francescana - Assisi, Ed. Porziuncola, p. 179f. |
To all mayors and consuls, judges
and governors, everywhere on earth, and to all others to whom this letter may
come, Brother Francis, your servant in the Lord God, little and contemptible,
wishes health and peace to all of you.
Pause and see that the day of death
is nigh at hand. I emplore you therefore, with all the respects I can, that by
reason of the cares and worries of this world which you have, you do not forget
the Lord and turn away from His commandments, because all those who do forget
Him and turn away from His commands are accursed, and will be forgotten by Him.
And when the day of death comes,
all that they thought they possessed shall be taken from them. And the wiser
and more powerful they were in this world, so much the greater will be the
torments they will endure in hell.
For this reason I strongly advise
You, my lords, to put aside all care and solicitude and gladly receice the most
holy Body and the most holy Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in the holy
commemoration of Him.
And You should stir up such great
honour to the Lord among the people committed to You that each evening a herald
should proclaim or some other sign announce that praise and thanksgiving be
offered to the Lord God Almighty by all the people. And if You have not done
this, know that You must render an account before the Lord Your God Jesus
Christ on the day of judgment.
Whoever will keep this writing with
them and fulfill it in action, let them know that they are blessed by the Lord
God.
Saint Francis
Belchite
(Spain), destructions in the Spanish Civil War 1936 - 1939, more fotos