25 December – Blessed Jacopone da Todi OFM

[Weedy]

25 December – Blessed Jacopone da Todi OFM
Also known as

Crazy Jim
Iacopone da Todi
Jacomo da Todi
Jacopo Benedetti
Jacopo Benedicti
Jacopone Benedetti da Todi
Jacopone of Todi
James da Todi

Memorial
25 December
22 December on some local calendars

(1230-1306)
Franciscan Friar, Confessor, Hymnist, Poet, Mystic, Lawyer, – an
Italian from Umbria in the 13th century. He wrote several laude (songs
in praise of the Lord) in the local vernacular. He was an early
pioneer in Italian theatre, being one of the earliest scholars who
dramatised Gospel subjects. Born in c 1230 at Todi, Italy as Jacopo
Benedetti and died on 25 December 1306 at Collazzone, Italy of natural
causes, as the Priest intoned the Gloria from midnight Mass. He is
also known as Jacomo da Todi, Jacopo Benedetti, Jacopo Benedicti,
Jacopone Benedetti da Todi, Jacopone of Todi, James da Todi.

Jacomo, was born a noble member of the Benedetti family in the
northern Italian city of Todi. He became a successful lawyer and
married a pious, generous lady named Vanna.

His young wife took it upon herself to do penance for the worldly
excesses of her husband. One day Vanna, at the insistence of Jacomo,
attended a public tournament. She was sitting in the stands with the
other noble ladies when the stands collapsed. Vanna was killed. Her
shaken husband was even more disturbed when he realised that the
penitential girdle she wore was for his sinfulness. On the spot, he
vowed to radically change his life.

Jacomo divided his possessions among the poor and entered the Secular
Franciscan Order. Often dressed in penitential rags, he was mocked as
a fool and called Jacopone, or “Crazy Jim,” by his former associates.
The name became dear to him.

After 10 years of such humiliation, Jacopone asked to be received into
the Order of Friars Minor. Because of his reputation, his request was
initially refused. He composed a beautiful poem on the vanities of the
world, an act that eventually led to his admission into the Order in
1278. He continued to lead a life of strict penance, declining to be
ordained a priest. Meanwhile, he was writing popular hymns in the
vernacular.

Jacopone suddenly found himself a leader in a disturbing religious
movement among the Franciscans. The Spirituals, as they were called,
wanted a return to the strict poverty of Francis. They had on their
side two cardinals of the Church and Pope Celestine V. These two
cardinals though, opposed Celestine’s successor, Boniface VIII. At the
age of 68, Jacopone was excommunicated and imprisoned. Although he
acknowledged his mistake, Jacopone was not absolved and released until
Benedict XI became Pope five years later. He had accepted his
imprisonment as penance. He spent the final three years of his life
more spiritual than ever, weeping “because Love is not loved.” During
this time he wrote the famous Latin hymn, Stabat Mater.

On Christmas Eve in 1306 Jacopone felt that his end was near. He was
in a convent of the Poor Clares with his friend, Blessed John of La
Verna. Like Francis, Jacopone welcomed “Sister Death” with one of his
favorite songs. It is said that he finished the song and died as the
Priest intoned the “Gloria” from the midnight Mass at Christmas. From
the time of his death, Brother Jacopone has been venerated as a saint,
both within and outside of the Franciscan Order, although never
formally Canonised.

Stabat Mater Dolorosa is a fine example of religious lyric in the
Franciscan tradition. It was inserted into the Roman Missal and
Breviary in 1727 for the Feast of the Seven Sorrows of the Blessed
Virgin Mary, celebrated on the Friday before Good Friday. Following
changes by Pope Pius XII, it now appears on the Feast of Our Lady’s
Sorrows celebrated on 15 September. Many composers have set it to
music

His contemporaries called Jacopone, “Crazy Jim.” We might well echo
their taunt, for what else can you say about a man who broke into song
in the midst of all his troubles? We still sing Jacopone’s saddest
song, the Stabat Mater, but we Christians claim another song as our
own, even when the daily headlines resound with discordant notes.
Jacopone’s whole life rang out our song: “Alleluia!” May he inspire us
to keep singing.

https://anastpaul.com/2020/12/25/


Readings
Here lie the bones of Blessed Jacopone dei Benedetti da Todi, Friar
Minor, who, having gone mad with love of Christ, by a new artifice
deceived the world and took Heaven by violence. – from the tomb of
Blessed Jacopone


“Let all your desires then be,
directed toward Him,
the Infinite One,
the Giver of all Good.”
--Bl Jacopone da Todi (1230-1306)


The Virgin today brings into the world the Eternal
And the earth offers a cave to the Inaccessible.
The angels and shepherds praise him
And the magi advance with the star,
For you are born for us, Little Child, God eternal!
-- Kontakion of Saint Romanos the Melodist


<><><><>
A prayer to the Infant Jesus, suitable for the Masses of the
Nativity of Our Lord:

Most dear Lord Jesus Christ, who, being made a Child for
us, didst will to be born in a cave to free us from the
darkness of sin, to draw us unto Thee, and to set us on fire
with Thy holy love; we adore Thee as our Creator and
Redeemer, we acknowledge and for tribute we offer Thee
all the affection of our poor hearts. Dear Jesus, our Lord
and God, graciously accept this offering, and that it may be
worthy of Thine acceptance, forgive us our sins, enlighten
us, and inflame us with that sacred fire which Thou camest
to bring upon the earth and to enkindle in our hearts. May
our souls thus become an altar, on which we may offer
Thee the sacrifice of our mortifications; grant that we may
ever seek Thy greater glory here on earth, so that one day
we may come to enjoy Thine infinite loveliness in heaven.
Amen.