LETTER XIII.

第十三封信

To all Clerics.

致所有神职人员

To my Reverend Masters, all the clerics of the whole world, who live according to the rules of the Catholic Faith, little Brother Francis, their least servant, greeting, with all possible reverence, and humbly kissing their feet.

致我尊敬的神长们，全世界所有神职人员们，你们按照天主教信仰的法律生活，小兄弟方济各，你们最小的仆人，毕恭毕敬地问候，并谦卑地亲吻你们的脚。

Since I am become a debtor to all, but cannot now, on account of my infirmities, address you personally, I implore you to receive with all love and charity this admonition and instruction, which I write to you in few words. Consider, O clerics, the great sin and ignorance of which some are guilty towards the Sacred Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, His holy Name, and written Words, by which His Body is consecrated; for we know that the Body of Jesus Christ is not present until His Sacred Words are pronounced. We have nothing, and can see nothing corporally of God in this world, except the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, His holy Name and Words, by which we were created, and by which we have been restored from death to life. Let all those who minister in these most holy Mysteries, and especially those who do so carelessly, consider well within themselves whether the chalices, corporals, and linen which are used in the most adorable Sacrifice of the Body and Blood of Christ, be in a becoming state; whether Our Lord is not left in an improper place, carried about disrespectfully, received unworthily, and indiscreetly given to others. Sometimes even His holy Name and His written Word are trampled under foot, for the animal man cannot understand the things of God. Shall we not be moved to grief by this when we consider that this sweet Lord places Himself in our hands, and that we daily touch Him and receive Him in our mouth ? Do we not know that one day we shall fall into His Hands ? Let us then at once courageously correct ourselves of these faults and others; and wherever we find the Sacred Body of Our Lord kept disrespectfully and neglected, let us remove It thence, and securely place It in a carefully prepared tabernacle. And in like manner, if we find the Name or the written Words of Our Lord in unclean places, let us at once collect them, and put them away respectfully. And let us remember that we are bound to observe these things by the commandments of God, and the constitutions of our holy Mother the Church. And let him who neglects this know that he will have to give an account thereof before Our Lord Jesus Christ in the day of judgment. That this writing may be the better observed, let those be blessed by God who cause copies to be made of it. May Our Lord Jesus Christ fill you all, my Masters, with His grace and strength. Amen.

由于我成了所有人的债务人，但是现在由于我身体虚弱，不能亲自拜见你们，我恳请你们怀着极大的爱与慈善，接受我写给你们的这些简短的劝诫与教导。请你们想一想，哦，各位神职人员，一些人对我主耶稣基督的圣体、圣血、祂的圣名与圣言，所犯的大罪与无知，祂的身体被祝圣（成圣体），因为我们知道，直到祂的圣言被宣读，主耶稣的圣体才得以呈现（指面饼通过圣言成圣体的过程）。在这个世界上我们什么都没有，也看不到天主的肉身，除了耶稣基督的圣体和圣血，祂的圣名和圣言，我们因此被造，并因此死而复生。让所有在这些至神圣的奥秘中侍奉的人，尤其是那些漫不经心做此事的人，心里好好想一想，在基督最受尊崇的圣体、圣血的祭献中用到的圣爵、九折布、亚麻布是否处于一种合适的状态。我们的主（圣体圣血）是否被遗弃在一个不恰当的地方，被不尊重地携带，被不配地领受，并被轻率地给予别人。有时即便是祂的圣名与圣言也被践踏于脚下，因为属兽性的人是不能理解天主的事的。当我们想到如此甘饴的天主将祂自己放置于我们手中，我们每日触摸祂并以口领受祂，我们不会因此感动得伤心忧虑吗？我们不知道有一天我们将会落入祂的手中吗？让我们立刻勇敢地改正我们自己的这些和其它错误，无论何时当我们发现我们天主的圣体被不尊重地疏忽地保管时，让我们将其从那里移走，把祂安全地放置在一个精心准备的圣龛中。以同样的方式，倘若我们在不洁净的地方发现了天主的圣名或圣言，让我们马上把祂们恭敬地收集放置起来。让我们记住，按照天主的诫命及我们神圣的母亲教会的法律，我们必须遵守这些事。那忽略此事的人当知道在审判的那一天，他必须就此事在我们的天主耶稣基督面前交账。这封信可能更容易遵守，愿天主降福那些为这封信制作副本的人。愿我们的天主耶稣基督以祂的恩宠和力量充满你们所有人，我的神长们。阿门。