Three attitudes towards the letter of the Law. One for lay people to avoid, one for religious to avoid, and one to be emulated. Of course, all applies to all.
The Apostle says: "The letter kills, but the spirit gives life" (2 Cor 3:6). Those have died by the letter who desire to know only the words, so as to be esteemed as wiser among others and be able to acquire great riches to be given to relatives and friends. And those religious have died by the letter, who do not want to follow the spirit of Divine, but rather desire only to know the words and to explain them to others. And those have been vivified by the Divine Letter, who do not attribute every letter, which they know and desire to know, to the body, but in word and example render them to the Most High Lord God, of whom every good belongs. Admonition of St. Francis VII
