De harp van Sint-Franciscus

by Felix Timmermans

Franciscus, de rijke koopmanszoon uit Assisi, trekt de lompen aan van een bedelaar en zal zijn leven in armoede wijden aan Christus. De troubadour, die hij ooit geweest is, wordt de zanger voor God. Franciscus verbroedert met iedereen. Hij spreekt tot de vogels want het zijn geen dieren meer, maar zusters en broeders.

Franciscus is hier uitgebeeld in zijn zoeken en zijn onzekerheid. Als de temperamentvolle dromer-dichter die het soms moeilijk heeft met ‘verstandige’ volgelingen en bezorgde beschermers. Maar vooral is hij de vereerde heilige: moedig en consequent geeft hij alles voor zijn ideaal.

Genres: Biography, Religion, Nonfiction, Christianity, Literature, Catholic, Christian

272 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1932

About the author

Leopold Maximiliaan Felix Timmermans was een Vlaamse schrijver en dichter. Hij was de vader van Lia Timmermans.

Felix Timmermans in de Nederlandstalige Wikipedia

Felix Timmermans in de Digitale Bibliotheek voor de Nederlandse Letteren

Felix Timmermans bij "Schrijversgewijs"


Leopold Maximiliaan Felix Timmermans was a Flemish writer and poet. He was the father of Lia Timmermans

Felix Timmermans in the English Wikipedia

Reviews

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I strongly recommend this book to anyone who wants to know about Saint Francis. He was a truly amazing and humble man, and this book provides a great insight to how a rich, sometimes selfish young man could defeat the evils of society and give his life to God and serving the poor. This is an inspirational book, and it really captures you, too. I read the whole thing in a couple of days, though I still find myself thinking of his amazing story often. I think you should read this book. I really do.

[Amanda Foto · Rating 4 out of 5]

“O Little Brother Lamb, note that that is perfect joy! For above all the gifts of the Holy Spirit that Christ gives to his friends is the grace of conquering oneself and of suffering pain, injustice, mistreatment willingly, for love of Christ!”

This books reads east like a novel and is filled with many beautiful stories of Francis’ life from his conversion to his death. His life is a testament to great suffering - both physical and emotional - yet great joy and childlike trust in God…St. Francis, pray for us!

[Maddly Peculiar · Rating 4 out of 5]

st francis and st therese are bffs you can’t change my mind

[Kyle R · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this historical fiction book about the life of Saint Francis. I was reading it before I went on my Jubilee Year Pilgrimage and made a stop in Assisi as well so I wanted to get an idea of his life. I thought it really captured well his daily thoughts, the joy he had for life, his perspective on suffering for uniting him to Christ, and for how ecology and theology are related with all being connected.

[emmalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

not a lot for me to say. it’s a book ab st. francis haha. but it was an easy read and i enjoyed it. since it was for a class i wont write a lengthy review, i’ll leave it at this haha.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book taught be a lot about the power of one life.

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

Easy read. Loved it.

[Sean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gave birth to my devotion to St. Francis. I long knew about him as being the saint most closely resembling our Lord.

[Jose Favian Fragoso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book I love all the details, only thing that would have made it better was talk about some topics a bit more

[Tadhg Hennessy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was inspired by this quote. I'm not quite sure if he really said this or not since it is a biographical novel written by Felix Timmermans, but it is inspiring nonetheless.

"Brothers," cried Francis, "when you are on the road, two by two, going to your far-off hermitages or to your distant lands, keep silence as you walk, and pray as if you were in your cells. For no matter where we are, we always take our cells along with us. Brother Body is our cell. And our soul is the hermit who dwells in it, praying and thinking of God!"

I was also inspired by the scene where Francis visits the manger in Bethlehem: " Little Brothers," cried Francis, "here is the Crib with the tiny Child in it. He is just a ball of light, as though He were not yet quite a human being. And Mary, our poor sweet Mother, is kneeling there on some straw. And she is filled with heavenly joy now that she has brought into the world the Child from Heaven, formed with her flesh and blood. And Joseph is standing over there, trembling with happiness. Listen to the angels singing--look at them, up above that opening in the rock--the sky is full of them, of their light and beauty. There are rows and rows of them stretching right up to the stars--there is no longer any limit separating Heaven and earth! They are singing--and the whole world is echoing their song--every living creature, even the fish and the seashells are echoing it! Oh, what a marvelous mystery! And now the shepherds are kneeling here, clasping their rough hands and bending their worn faces forward..."
It reminds me of this song by Swami Kriyananda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyV15...

[Abby Noel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good!! I couldn’t put it down, I finished it in about a week!! I was in awe of the way Zimmermans captured the essence and heart of this great saint and was able to more fully convey that through the dialogue in this book. Honestly would recommend this to anyone, such a captivating read.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very inspiring book. Written more for the 10-14yr old crowd, I still found it interesting. It certainly opens ones eyes to see how little sacrifice I do.

[Elaine Reinhard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written life story of St Francis of Assisi. At times it makes you smile, at times it makes you cry but it always has you thanking God for this beautiful Saint.

[Phillida Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

De schrijfstijl van Felix Timmermans is zo zalig om te lezen en het was een mooie en leuke manier om het leven van Sint-Franciscus te lezen in zijn schrijfstijl

[Luc Dejonghe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gelezen voor mijn reis naar Assisi.
Mooi verteld, aangenaam om te lezen

[Erin Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deepened my love for St. Francis. The story was told so well, and I learned so much about him.

[Jules S · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Hij stond met al zijn licht in het licht.”

[Zosia · Rating 4 out of 5]

i love you Francis

[Gabrielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautiful, poetic, deeply moving. reading it is like a prayer!

[Cam1981 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book excellent. Not only did it tell St. Francis' story in an interesting way, it captured his spiritual gifts and why he remains an inspirational figure. It was so much more than a dry recitation of his life.

[Melissa Howe · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for formation. It was absolutely beautiful. There were a few parts where I couldn't help but wonder if the author made Francis seem line he was whining or if he really did in real life. I have a difficult time believing this to be true so I gave the book 4 stars instead of 5 (due to the writing not the story). Other than that the writing was awesome. It was so inspiring to read of St. Francis ' many different triumphs and evangelization missions! He was an amazing man!

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I have a favorite saint, it is Francis of Assisi. In preparation for a trip to Assisi and other religious locations in Italy, I decided it was time to read more about this man's amazing and devoted life. The author tells the story of Francis in a simple, yet inspiring style.

[Matt Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written. I highly recommend this book.

[Michel Van Goethem · Rating 4 out of 5]

De harp van Sint-Franciscus
by Felix Timmermans