Chapter 1

(1) The Gospel doctrine—pure, supremely perfect, and divine—which the most gentle Son of God brought us from heaven, and which He Himself taught us by His example and deeds, is that which surely teaches and shows us the straight path leading to God and to the summit of religious perfection. Our Seraphic Father Saint Francis, at the beginning and end of his Rule, expressly mentions the observance of the Holy Gospel and affirms in his Testament that it was revealed to him that he must live according to the form of this very Gospel. We therefore exhort the Brothers always to keep it before the eyes of their mind, and, following the example of the holy virgin Cecilia ¹, to bear it in the innermost part of their heart. Accordingly, we order that every day, except Friday, the reading of the Holy Gospel take place in our houses at the beginning of dinner. In the evening, it shall be replaced with the reading of another book of Holy Scripture.

(2) Moreover, since the Rule of Saint Francis is a most pure mirror of Gospel perfection, we decree that every Friday in each of our houses, it shall be read clearly, with the reverence and devotion it deserves, along with the Testament of our blessed Father, so that, being engraved in our minds, it may be more faithfully observed.

(3) The will, not only of our Seraphic Father Saint Francis, but also of Christ our Redeemer, is that the Rule be observed simply, literally, and without commentary—as our first Fathers observed it. We therefore renounce anew and forever all privileges and glosses that, by relaxing it, would turn us away from its pure observance and distance us from the merciful, just, and holy intentions of Christ, who spoke through Saint Francis. We accept no interpretation of its true and authentic meaning except the declarations of the Sovereign Pontiffs—especially those of Nicholas III ¹ and Clement V ²—as well as the most holy life, doctrine, and examples of our Seraphic Father. However, we do not intend by this to reject the interpretations and expositions of approved authors who combine zeal for regular observance with doctrinal soundness.

(4) And so that, as true and legitimate children of Jesus Christ—our Father and Lord—reborn by His grace in the person of Saint Francis, we may abundantly share in His inheritance, we order that all the Brothers observe the Testament left to us by this blessed Father when, at the hour of his glorious death, adorned with the sacred Stigmata, ablaze with fervor, and filled with the Holy Spirit, he expressed his most ardent desires for our salvation. We receive this Testament as a gloss and the primary exposition of our Rule, since our Father wrote it with this intention: that the Rule we have professed may be observed more holily and more perfectly.

(5) And since we are the children of Saint Francis to the extent that we follow his doctrine and examples, in accordance with these words of our Savior to the Jews: “If you are Abraham’s children, do the works of Abraham” ³, we exhort the Brothers to strive with all their strength to imitate this good Father, who has been given to us as guide, model, and example—not only in the Rule and the Testament, but also in his fervent words and all-holy deeds. To this end, his writings and life should be read frequently, along with those of his blessed companions and other books of the Order which help us understand the spirit of our Seraphic Father—such as the Chronicles and the Book of Conformities.

(6) Finally, our blessed Father—entirely absorbed in the contemplation of the Supreme Good and enflamed with divine love—saw God in all creatures, especially in man, even more so in the Christian, and in a most eminent way in the Priest. In particular, he desired that, according to apostolic teaching ⁴, his Brothers be subject to this supreme Majesty in the person of all men, out of love for Him who so humbled Himself for us. Thus, in order to imitate the profound humility of our crucified Lord, who came to serve and became obedient unto the most painful death of the cross ⁵, and also to fulfill the intentions of our Father—who called us Friars Minor to teach us not only to consider ourselves inferior to all men, but even to seek the lowest place in the Church Militant among those invited to the wedding of the most holy Spouse, Jesus Christ ⁶—we command the Brothers to be humbly subject to the Roman Pontiff, Father of all Christians, to whom they are also bound to obey as their supreme Superior by virtue of their vow of obedience ⁷, and to show great respect to all prelates and priests, as well as to all who teach us the way of God. Let them be firmly convinced that the more humble the person obeyed for love of Our Lord, the more meritorious and pleasing that obedience is to God.