Reading Holy Scripture should lead us to God and inspire us to seek Him more fervently in prayer. However, studying scripture for selfish purposes - to feed pride, to gather information only for the purpose of teaching or to satisfy our curosity - is dangerous. Francis teaches us that scripture should be read for inspiration in prayer because it is through prayer that we are able to touch, and be touched by, God.
Francis has a reputation, amongst some modern day 'scholars', as being anti-learning. And it is true that throughout his recorded sayings he tells the brothers to avoid studies, to not possess (spiritual) books and avoid reading in general. However, this is a misunderstanding of what Francis' actually felt about studying scripture.
Francis actually loved scripture and spent a great deal of time reading and meditating on it. He read so much scripture - both from the Old and New Testaments - that he actually memorized (without really intending to!) large sections of it. He knew that scripture, understood in faith, contained God's power to change everyone and everything for good.
We all know how devoted Francis was to Christ in the Eucharist. This devotion extended to both holy 'things' (e.g., vestments, chalice, servers, etc.) and consecrated priests since God used them to accomplish the miracle of trans-substantiation (make something that is one thing into something else without changing its form or appearance). However, he taught that it was the Holy Words of God in the liturgy that made priest and instruments holy and transformed the bread and wine into Jesus' body and blood. God's words, in Francis' eyes, were very powerful and precious!
The ultimate proof of Francis' great devotion to the Word of God can be seen in how often he quotes scripture - both in his every day conversations but also in his letters to others as well as official documents. If necessity required him to teach, he made every effort to use God's word to express the spiritual ideas he knew needed to be shared. When he presented the first Rule at the Holy See, the Pope was a bit disconcerted to see that it was made up entirely of Jesus' words - verses strung together to convey the simple (but profound) ideas of the Gospel. Jesus' words were clear, simple and self-explanatory so Francis felt nothing more was needed.
Francis wasn't initially suspicious of learning nor did he feel it was evil to study of scripture from a scholarly perspective. Rather than being 'anti-learning', Francis just wanted to emphasize the utter necessity as well as the amazing benefits of prayer - of talking to God, heart to heart. He considered St. Paul's words, "Knowledge fills a person with pride . . . ".
Francis felt that it was only through one's personal encounter with God that a person made progress in the spiritual life. He loved scripture but also realized it was ultimately only a means to an end. Jesus said, 'You search in the scriptures thinking that in them you will find life. However, they speak of Me and yet you won't come to Me!" Francis wanted his brothers to find Jesus. He knew that the most powerful spiritual tool we can use to find Jesus is in seeking Him through prayer.
'Studies' eventually did become something negative in Francis' mind when he saw that they had come to interfere with the prayer lives of the brothers. One who wanted to spend MOST of his time reading, writing and/or teaching was on the wrong track - a dangerous road that could end in spiritual destruction. Francis taught that the Friars were called, first and foremost, to pray, worship and serve Christ in the poor. "Reading" was down very low on his list of priorities.
Francis said: "To brother Anthony my Bishop, brother Francis gives greeting: It is agreeable to me to have you read sacred theology to the brothers, so long as over this study they do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion, as contained in the Rule."
It appears that, at this time, brother Anthony (known to us today as St. Anthony of Padua - an extremely beloved saint!) was not a bishop so why did Francis call him 'my Bishop'? There is ample proof that Francis had the gift of prophecy and some say that Francis was predicting that brother Anthony would become a Bishop one day - something which actually happened!
Though I have not yet discovered the circumstances that prompted Francis to write this little note to brother Anthony, it appears that he might have been responding to a message he had received from Anthony. Brother Anthony was a good friar who took his vow of obedience seriously and would have wanted to consult with the Minister General of the Order - Francis of Assisi - about what he felt God was leading him to do. Francis gives his answer to brother Anthony; he found it 'agreeable' (worthwhile) for brother Anthony to teach the brothers.
We all know that theology is the study of God and of all things related to God. Francis calling it 'Sacred' emphasizes the fact that this is not something earthly or fleshy - it doesn't come about through man's intellectual capacity nor does it arise through some innate goodness of man. Sacred means it is something that comes solely from God - and is given to those that have received the 'gift of faith', as St. Paul says. Sacred theology gives God's children the power to understand 'the mysteries of God' hidden within Jesus' words.
Francis then says something curious - "so long as over this study they do not extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion, as contained in the Rule." How does studying scripture extinguish the spirit of prayer and devotion? If anything most find that reading scripture actually encourages them in their prayers.
A friend told me this interesting story: Approximately 100 years ago a minister, in his 'reading' of scripture, came across the story of Jesus cursing a fig tree because He did not find fruit on it. This curse caused the tree to immediately wither up. This minister became very upset when he thought about what Jesus had done because he felt it was unreasonable for Jesus to expect to find fruit on it given that "it was not the season for figs," as the scripture say. Using purely 'natural' human reasoning, he came to the conclusion that a Jesus who could be so unreasonable and unjust was not a person he could believe in (trust). As a result of his 'reading' he turned his back on the faith and gave up his position as minister.
A few years later he died and a few years after that a close friend of his - a fellow minister who never lost his faith - found himself in the Holy Land and asked a farmer about the local fig trees. The farmer told him that if a fig tree had a lot of leaves on it, even if the 'season for figs had passed', it was VERY PROBABLE that the tree would still have figs on it. Thus, this man found out that Jesus' expectation of finding figs on the fig tree was reasonable and His curse was justified.
The man who depended on his own reasoning rather than humbly seeking (in prayer) the truth that comes from the Holy Spirit, ended up losing his faith. This story illustrates what Francis feared would happen to his brothers if they studied scripture (without faith in the goodness of God, humbly and prayerfully) like this man - turning away from God and losing their eternal souls.
Prayer should go before reading, happen during reading and continue after reading because the reading of scripture is supposed to be fuel for the fervent fires of prayer. Scripture reading/meditation SHOULD lead to greater devotion for God AND fervent prayer. If it doesn't, then some thing is wrong with the way we are reading.
Francis could meditate on a single verse and find the spiritual power and encouragement in it to get lost in God, through prayer, for hours. He also felt that the scripture the brothers heard during the Liturgy of the Hours and at Mass was ample for their prayerful meditation.
We read scripture to find God and be with Him. Reading solely for intellectual stimulation, out of curiosity or for 'bragging rights', is both arrogant and presumptuous - sins (acts of rebellion against God). We must guard against our sinful fleshy natures, otherwise we could end up with a great knowledge of scripture and . . . little true knowledge of God.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, You are 'the Way, the Truth and the Life'. Moses and all the prophets knew, as Francis did, that You and You alone are the answer to the deepest needs of our hearts. Help us to let Your words live within us so that in praying with them, fwe come to find You in them. Jesus, help us to not become Biblical scholars but Mystical Theologians, experiencing and coming to know You intimately. Brother Anthony, pray for us so that, like You, we might draw close to God and become empowered to love God like Jesus did. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
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