48. A letter to the entire Order

Shortly before his death Francis wrote a letter to all the members of the Order. Half of this rather long letter deals with the presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. It is interesting to see how this letter echoes thoughts expressed by Francis in his Admonitions and in his Testament. It has been pointed out in earlier meditations how Francis, even in the first of his Admonitions, exhorted the brothers to show great reverence for the Lord present in the Eucharist and for priests. A good third of this letter is addressed directly to priests who are members of the Order. He says to priests: 'If the Blessed Virgin is so honoured, as is becoming, because she carried Him in her most holy womb … how holy, just and fitting must he be who touches with his hands, receives in his heart and mouth, and offers to others to be received the One Who is not about to die but Who is to conquer and be glorified, upon Whom the angels longed to gaze'. Associated for Francis with the Eucharist was a reverence for any 'divine written words' wherever they may be found. Francis asks this because 'many things are made holy by the words of God and the sacrament of the altar is celebrated in the power of the words of Christ'. Having asked for reverence to be shown to anything and anyone associated with the Blessed Sacrament, Francis ends by acknowledging his sinfulness and asking pardon of the brothers. He adds the prayer: 'Inwardly cleansed, interiorly enlightened and inflamed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, may we be able to follow in the footprints of Your beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ'.