Francis of Assisi was in love with Our Lady Poverty; he married her and esteemed her because she was chosen by the Son of God, who had nowhere to lay his head.
He was so evangelically attracted to her that he took pity when he met creatures poorer than himself.
The Sources recount:
"It happened to him, during a journey, to meet a poor man. Seeing her nakedness, he was saddened in his heart and said to his companion in a voice of lamentation
"The misery of this man has brought us great shame; for we, as our only wealth, have chosen poverty: and behold, it shines more brightly in him than in us" (FF 1126).
And he advised Bernard, a citizen of Assisi, who later became his companion in the following of Christ, to leave his possessions, considered a false feud.
But to be sure, 'when morning came, they entered a church and, having prayed devoutly, opened the book of the Gospel, willing to carry out the first advice offered them.
They opened the book, and Christ manifested his advice in these words: 'If you want to be perfect, go, sell all you possess and give to the poor. They repeated the gesture, and the passage came up: "Take nothing for the journey". A third time again, and they read: "Whoever wishes to come after me, let him deny himself".
Without delay Bernard carried out everything and did not omit a single iota. Many others, in a short time, freed themselves from the mordacious cares of the world and, under the guidance of Francis, returned to the infinite good in the true homeland.
But it would take too long to say how each one achieved the prize of the divine call" (FF 601).
Clare herself had requested and obtained from Pope Gregory IX the Privilege of Poverty (17 September 1228) in written form.
This document assured the Poor Sisters of St. Damien the right to live without any property in this world, following in the footsteps of the One who, for our sake, became poor and the Way, the Truth and the Life.
In the same Rule, concerning those who wanted to enter the monastery to follow Christ, Clare says:
"And if she is fit, let the word of the holy Gospel be spoken to her: let her go and sell all her possessions and endeavour to distribute them to the poor. If this cannot be done, good will suffices' (FF 2757).
And in her first letter to Blessed Agnes of Prague, her spiritual daughter, she wrote:
"O blessed poverty! To those who love you and embrace you procure eternal riches!
O holy poverty! To those who possess and desire you God promises the kingdom of heaven, and infallibly offers eternal glory and blessed life.
O pious poverty! Thee the Lord Jesus Christ [...] deigned to embrace in preference to all else" (FF 2864).
«One thing you lack: go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me» (Mk 10:21)
Monday 8th wk. in O.T. (Mk 10:17-27)
