By divine inspiration, Francis had understood that to adhere to Christ and his holy will, the sure Way was to remove oneself from the mentality of the world and live by the Gospel.
In fact, the Sources inform us:
"His highest aspiration, his prevailing desire, his firmest will was to observe perfectly and always the holy Gospel and to imitate faithfully with all vigilance, with all commitment, with all the zeal of soul and heart the doctrine and the examples of our Lord Jesus Christ" (FF 466).
And again:
"Listening to him, the servant of God felt filled with the consolation of the Holy Spirit, because he had conceived his first son, and exclaimed:
"Such advice we must ask of God!".
As it was now morning, they entered the church of St Nicholas. After praying, Francis, a devout worshipper of the Trinity, opened the book of the Gospels three times, asking God three times to confirm Bernard's intention.
At the first opening he came across the passage that says: "If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor".
At the second: "Carry nothing on your journey".
To the third: "Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me".
This,' said the Saint, 'is our life and Rule and that of all those who wish to join our company. Go, then, if you wish to be perfect, and do as you have heard" (FF 1054).
Francis had a watchful eye on the renegade capacity of those who wanted to enter that evangelical fraternity.
In fact, in the Franciscan documents, we find a very significant episode.
The Minim of Assisi, travelling through the province of the Marches to preach, met a man who asked him to join his community.
The father addressed him thus:
"Brother, if you want to enter our family, it is necessary first that you distribute all your goods to the poor, according to the perfection advised by the holy Gospel, and then that you renounce your will completely" (Sources 1567).
At these words the man inspired by carnal and not spiritual love, gave all his goods to his kinsmen.
Then he went to Francis reporting that he had deprived himself of all he had.
But the father asked him how he had done it.
He replied: 'Brother, I have given all mine to some relatives who were in need' (Sources 1567).
The passage continues: 'Francis knew, through the Holy Spirit, that this was a carnal man, and immediately took him away:
"Go your way, Brother Fly, for you have given yours to your kinsmen, and now you would like to live on alms among the brothers".
And he went on his way, refusing to distribute his possessions to other poor" (Sources 1567).
Losing one's life for the sake of the Gospel was, therefore, the foundation of the path of Francis and his sons.
