Chapter 6

1Let the brothers not make anything their own, neither house, nor place, nor anything at all etc.

2In this sixth chapter of his Rule, Saint Francis, by the fundamental and radical perfection of the deepest evangelical poverty of the Order of Lesser Brothers and his own, destroys and radically tears out the root cause of all evils in those who profess and follow his way; in an abundant and comprehensive way he taught and spelt out a sincere display of mutual love in which consists the fullness of every observance of the divine law.

3There was already a sufficiently clear and open explanation of this in the Earlier Rule in which he says:

4The rule and life of these brothers is this, namely: ‘to live in obedience, in chastity, and without anything of their own,’ and to follow the teaching and footprints of our Lord Jesus Christ, who says: 5If you wish to be perfect, go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. 6And: If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 7Again: If anyone wishes to come to me and does not hate father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 8And: Everyone who has left father or mother, brother or sister, wife or children, houses or lands because of me, will receive a hundredfold and will possess eternal life.

9And in his Testament he says:

And after the Lord gave me some brothers, no one showed me what I had to do, but the Most High himself revealed to me that I should live according to the pattern of the Holy Gospel. 10And I had this written down simply and in a few words and the Lord Pope confirmed it for me. 11And those who came to receive this life gave whatever they had to the poor and were content with one tunic, patched inside and out, with a cord and short trousers. We desired nothing more.

12Hence, the first and final intention of blessed Francis was that the brothers would have nothing of their own, neither personally nor in common. 13He used to say to all that Christ revealed to him that whoever wishes to be a Lesser Brother should have nothing other than a tunic, cord and short trousers, as the Rule allows, and those forced by necessity may have shoes.

14In the Earlier Rule is written:

Wherever the brothers may be, either in hermitages or other places, let them be careful not to make any place their own or contend with anyone for it. 15Whoever comes to them, friend or foe, thief or robber let him be received with kindness.

16And:

Let all the brothers strive to follow the humility and poverty of our Lord Jesus Christ and let them remember that we should have nothing else in the whole world except, as the Apostle says: having food and clothing, we are content with these. 17They must rejoice when they live among people considered of little value and looked down upon, among the poor and the powerless, the sick and the lepers, and the beggars by the wayside. 18When it is necessary they may go for alms. 19Let them not be ashamed and remember, moreover, that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the all powerful living God, set his face like flint and was not ashamed. 20He was poor and a stranger and lived on alms – he, the blessed Virgin, and his disciples.

21When people revile them and refuse to give them alms, let them thank God for this because they will receive great honour before the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ for such insults. 22Let them realize that a reproach is imputed not to those who suffer it but to those who caused it. Alms are a legacy and a justice due to the poor that our Lord Jesus Christ acquired for us. 23The brothers who work at acquiring them will receive a great reward and enable those who give them to gain and acquire one; for all that people leave behind in the world will perish, but they will have reward from the Lord for the charity and almsgiving they have done.

24Let each one confidently make known his need to another that the other might discover what is needed and minister to him. 25Let each one love and care for his brother as a mother loves and cares for her son, in those matters in which God has given him the grace. 26Let the one who does not eat not judge the one who does.

27Whenever a need arises, all the brothers, wherever they may be, are permitted to consume whatever food people can eat, as the Lord says of David who ate the loaves of offering that only the priests could lawfully eat. 28Let them remember what the Lord says: Be careful that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing, drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that the day catches you by surprise; 29for that day will assault everyone who lives on the face of the earth like a trap.

30Similarly, in time of an obvious need, all the brothers may do as the Lord has given them the grace to satisfy their needs, because necessity has no law.

31When the brothers go through the world, let them take nothing for the journey, neither knapsack, nor purse, nor bread, nor money, nor walking stick.

32And:

Whatever house they enter, let them first say: Peace to this house. 33And: They may eat and drink what is placed before them for as long as they stay in that house. 34Let them not resist anyone evil, but whoever strikes them on one cheek, let them offer them the other as well. 35Whoever takes their cloak, let them not withhold their tunic. Let them give to all who ask of them and whoever takes what is theirs, let them not seek to take it back.

36And in his Testament he says:

Let the brothers be careful not to receive in any way churches or poor dwellings or anything else built for them unless they are according to the holy poverty we have promised in the Rule. As pilgrims and strangers, let them always be guests there.

37I strictly command all the brothers through obedience, wherever they may be, not to dare to ask any letter from the Roman Curia, either personally or through an intermediary, whether for a church or another place or under the pretext of preaching or the persecution of their bodies. But wherever they have not been received, let them flee into another country to do penance with the blessing of God.

38As Brother Leo writes, Saint Francis wanted the brothers to avoid most carefully receiving or asking for anything that might exceed the limits of the poverty they had promised. 39So he says:

Brother Francis often said these words to the brothers: ‘I have never been a thief, that is, in regard to alms, which are the inheritance of the poor. I always took less than I needed, so that other poor people would not be cheated of their share. To act otherwise would be theft’.

40And he adds:

When the brother ministers urged him to allow the brothers to have something at least in common, so that such a great number would have some resources, Saint Francis called upon Christ in prayer and consulted him about this. 41Christ immediately responded that he would take away everything held individually or in common, saying that this is his family for whom he was always ready to provide, no matter how much it might grow, and he would always cherish it as long as it would put its hope in him.

42And he adds:

When blessed Francis was on a mountain with Brother Leo of Assisi and Brother Bonizo of Bologna to make the Rule, – because the first, which he had written at Christ’s instruction, was lost – a great many ministers gathered around Brother Elias, who was the vicar of blessed Francis. 43‘We heard that Brother Francis is making a new rule’, they told him, ‘and we fear that he will make it so harsh that we will not be able to observe it. 44We want you to go to him and tell him that we refuse to be bound to that Rule. Let him make it for himself and not for us.

45Brother Elias replied to them that he did not want to go because he feared the rebuke of Brother Francis. 46When they insisted that he go, he said that he refused to go without them; so they all went.

47When Brother Elias, with those ministers, was near the place where blessed Francis was staying, he called him. 48Blessed Francis responded and, seeing those ministers, he said: ‘What do these brothers want?’ 49‘They are ministers,’ Brother Elias answered ‘who heard that you are making a new rule. They fear that you are making it very harsh, and they say, and say publicly, that they refuse to be bound by it. Make it for yourself and not for them.’

50Then Brother Francis turned his face to heaven and spoke to Christ in this way: ‘Lord! Didn’t I tell you they wouldn’t believe you?’ 51The voice of Christ was then heard in the air, saying: ‘Francis, nothing of yours is in the Rule: whatever is there is all mine. And I want the Rule observed in this way: to the letter, to the letter, to the letter, and without a gloss, without a gloss, without a gloss.’ 52And he added: ‘I know of how much human weakness is capable, and how much I want to help them. Those who refuse to observe it should leave the Order.’ 53Then blessed Francis turned to the brothers and said: ‘Did you hear? Did you hear? Do you want me to have you told again?’ 54Then the ministers, confused and blaming themselves, departed.

55And he added:

When blessed Francis was at the General Chapter called the Chapter of Mats, held at Saint Mary of the Portiuncula, there were five thousand brothers present. Many wise and learned brothers told the Lord Cardinal, who later became Pope Gregory, who was present at the Chapter, 56that he should persuade blessed Francis to follow the advice of these same wise brothers and allow himself to be guided by them for the time being. They cited the Rule of blessed Benedict, of blessed Augustine, and of blessed Bernard, which teach how to live in a well ordered way. 57Then blessed Francis, on hearing the cardinal’s advice about this, took him by the hand and led him to the brothers assembled in chapter, and spoke to the brothers in this way: 58‘My brothers! My brothers! God has called me by the way of simplicity and showed me the way of simplicity. I do not want you to mention to me any Rule, whether of Saint Augustine, or of Saint Benedict, or of Saint Bernard. 59And the Lord told me what he wanted: he wanted me to be a new fool in the world. God did not wish to lead us by any way other than this knowledge, but God will confound you by your knowledge and wisdom. 60But I trust in the Lord’s police that through them he will punish you, and you will return to your state, like it or not.

61And he added:

Some of the brothers told blessed Francis: ‘Father, don’t you see that sometimes bishops do not permit us to preach, allowing us to remain idle in an area for many days before we can preach to the people? 62It would be better if you arranged to get a privilege from the Lord Pope; it would be the salvation of souls’. He answered them with a stern rebuke, telling them: ‘You, Lesser Brothers, you do not know the will of God, and will not allow me to convert and build up the whole world since it is the will of God and what I want, namely, that by humility, patience, good works and reverence we might build up the people and convert the prelates. 64Then, when they see your holy life and your reverence for them, they will ask you to preach and convert the people. These will attract the people to you far better than the privileges you want, which would lead you to pride. 65And if you are free of all avarice, and lead the people to give the churches their due, they will ask you to hear the confessions of their people. Although you should not be concerned about this, for if they are converted, they will easily find confessors.

66For my part, I want only this privilege from the Lord: not to have any privilege from any human being, except to be subject and to show reverence to all, and, by the obedience of the holy Rule, to convert everyone more by example than by word.’

67Saint Hilary, writing in Liber conciliorum, says:

Whoever has denied Christ as preached by the apostles is antichrist. 68The name of antichrist means to be contrary to Christ. 69I ask you bishops, you who work to safeguard the Church of Christ from secular ambition, what do you believe this to be, what means have you used to preach the Gospel, with what powers have you been helped in preaching Christ, etc?

70And he adds:

I believe that those who by manual work provide for themselves and assemble together within secret dining rooms, and who wander through villages, castles, and almost all peoples by earth and sea contrary to the decrees of the senate and the edicts of the kings, did not have the keys of the kingdom of heaven, nor did clear strength reach out its help against human hatred, when the more Christ was preached, so much the more were they hindered from preaching. 71But, alas, human support protects divine faith and, while ambition is linked to his name, Christ is stripped of his power, attacked and relies on the reputation of those speaking, consecrated by the dread of those persecuting; priests flee, and the dread spreads when the priests flee. 72If to be loved is to be glorified by the world, then this cannot be of Christ unless first one is hated by the world.

73And further:

One thing I advise, namely, beware of antichrist, wrongly have you formed a love for walls, wrongly do we honour the Church of God under roofs and in buildings, wrongly do you invoke the name of peace beneath these; is it unlikely that antichrist is located in these? 74Safer for me are mountains, islands, lakes, prisons and caves. 75The prophets prophesied while living or hidden in these.

76Saint Francis fully wanted the Religion of the Lesser Brothers, vowing to possess nothing in accord with the example of Christ and the Apostles, to be freed and distant through complete dispossession, through having nothing that belongs to the world and from every right coming from privileges, so that freed and unencumbered by any impediment of what is visible and of any cares and concerns, it would follow Christ more humbly and perfectly and cling more closely to his way of life. 77He foresaw that by such privileges they would fall more quickly from the truth of evangelical poverty and the firmness of the most holy humility of Christ, they would be infected with the poison of avarice and would not fear to think highly of themselves in pride.

78Saint Francis used to say that every disciple should look on Christ and his cross, and, strengthened in spirit, run after him through the narrow gate and the straight way. 79Not only should he be far from a love and ownership of all things that are under heaven, but he should become perfectly forgetful of them, so that he may enter into the inheritance of Jesus Christ the Son of God, who humbled and emptied himself being made for us obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. 80Hence, we who have promised to follow Christ and are called Lesser Brothers, are bound, in likeness to the Son of God, to be humiliated before all people, to embrace the foolishness and nakedness of his cross, to love to be regarded as people of no honour and to share in the taunts and sorrows of his cross, who did not turn away his face from the shame of those spitting upon him.

81The Son of God rests and lives in us, when, out of love for him, we hate all that the world loves, and when we exult and rejoice to be cast aside, reproached and despised for the name of him who became poor and needy for us and who, even though he was God, did not want to have in this world anywhere to lay his head. 82The Lesser Brothers are called to this so that they might show in works and speech that they are disciples of him whose kingdom is not of this world.

83Christ commanded them both individually and together:

Let the brothers not make anything their own, neither house, nor place, nor anything at all. As pilgrims and strangers in this world, serving the Lord in poverty and humility, let them go seeking alms with confidence, 84and they should not be ashamed because, for our sakes, our Lord made himself poor in this world. 85This is that sublime height of most exalted poverty which has made you, my most beloved brothers, heirs and kings of the Kingdom of Heaven, poor in temporal things but exalted in virtue. 86Let this be your portion which leads into the land of the living. 87Giving yourselves totally to this, beloved brothers, never seek anything else under heaven for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

88It is most evident from what Saint Francis did and taught in his Rule, Testament and in his other Words, revealed to him by Christ and approved by the Church as his Rule, that his first and final intention and will, as stated in writing, was that his Religion should not own anything in common or individually. 89That Saint Francis received this directly in a revelation from Christ was accepted as true by the three Popes, namely, Innocent, Honorius and Gregory, who saw him and heard it from his mouth. All subsequent Popes, the whole Order until today, 90and the multitude of all the faithful, who are the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth, accepted this as certain, approved, preached, supported and strengthened it with its authority.

91The common, apostolic and evangelical life that Christ wanted his apostles and disciples to observe, the life he had taught by his example, was to be guarded and imposed as a precept on those sent out to preach and it is based on the highest poverty that from its very foundation excludes any ownership by any individuals and by the whole community who profess it. 92Hence, if what is offered for their use and livelihood or acquired by the work of their hands, is taken from them, they, as people dead to the world and to all things belonging to the world, are neither to defend or demand a judgment in this.

93Saint Francis, taught by the Spirit of Christ, understood that the Son of God coming into the world and redeeming and reconciling us to the Father by his death, made all who believe in him one, so that as he is one with the Father, we, by virtue of his body and flesh that we eat, are one with one another and in him. 94For by the flesh and blood of Christ we are made to be in Christ and Christ in us. 95Thus, we are all one, because the Father is in Christ and Christ is in us, so that we live for him and not for ourselves, because he died for us.

96Just as we have carried the image of the earthly father, so, as people descended from him, we are born children of wrath; we were separated from God and from one another, seeking what are ours and not what are of God. 97But now, born from God, we carry the image of the heavenly man, Christ, seeking the things that are above and not the things that are upon the earth. 98For the first man of earth who was wise lost his innocence and incurred death of soul and body, the second man preaching hatred of the world and love of what is heavenly, restored innocence and promised glory to all who loved him; to those who love the perfection of evangelical poverty and observe it with a pure heart he said: If you will be perfect, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor, and come and follow me, and you will have treasure in heaven. 99And further: Every one of you who does not renounce all that he possesses, cannot be my disciple. 100And opening his mouth he taught them saying: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 101And the text: Do not possess gold or silver or money in your purses, and similar things contained in the sacred Gospels. 102The apostles, the disciples of Christ and other faithful, filled with theHoly Spirit and imitators of his life, pondered this and, conformed to the life of Christ, made every effort, as far as was possible for them, to throw away all their possessions and observe the common life that Christ had taught and lived with his apostles.

103About this, Philo, the most learned of the Hebrews, as Eusebius testifies, wrote many things in praise of his people and of that common apostolic life, as Saint Isidore states in Liber canonum et conciliorum, and Pope Clement in his Quarta epistola says:

Clement, bishop, sends greetings to our most dear brothers and fellow disciples living in Jerusalem, with our most dear brother and fellow bishop, James. 104A common life is necessary for everyone, especially for those who desire to serve God in a blameless way and want to imitate the life of the apostles and their disciples. 105Everyone should observe a common use of all things in the world, but by sin one says this is his, another claims that and so there arises a division among mortals. 106Then, one of the wisest Greeks, knowing that all things should be common, said that all should be common among friends. 107And just as the air and the brightness of the sun cannot be divided, neither can all other things given to people for their use, be divided but are all to be held in common. 108Hence, the Lord said through the prophet: Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to live together in unity. 109By retaining this custom the apostles and their disciples led a common life in the same way as we and you do.

110As you know well, none of them or of us says that anything is our own but all things are common to them and to us. 111He adds that Ananias and Sapphira lied to the apostles over this and so, before all standing nearby and the apostles, both were carried out dead.

112Blessed Pope Clement says the same when he teaches that there was one, uniform community among the apostles of Christ and among other believers who promised and chose to observe the most perfect divine life of the Lord and Saviour. 113There was such community in the group that nothing was owned and no one said something was his own, rather it was like the community that existed in the state of innocence among all peoples and as it would have been between all peoples, were it not for the corruption and sickness of original and actual sin. 114Such is a community in which the air and sun are common to all and in which ownership, dominion, and the desire for dominion and ownership of any object are completely given up with a pure heart and perfect charity and, in complete obedience to the law of the spirit, life, grace and truth of Christ, they use daily in a suitable way what has been offered for the necessities of nature, 115following the example of the Doctor of the Gentiles and of the holy fathers who lived in an apostolic and evangelical way from the work of their hands, and were provided for with a fuller increase and merit of virtues and love. 116So he orders that all things are to be sold and given to the poor, and a hundredfold is promised to those who leave everything for the sake of his honour, his love and the observance of the Gospel, while in this life there will be persecutions because of being made like him, but then eternal life, enthroned with him.

117Pope Damasus, in his Expositio secundae epistolae ad Corinthios, commenting on the verse: He has given to the poor, says about such an apostolic community and life:

118Here, he calls justice a generosity with temporal things or a recompense for distributing such goods. 119Such generosity is aptly called justice, because it is right that just as the earth has been given by God to all people to own in common and just as the heat of the sun and the moisture of rain are given equally to all by God, 120so also what comes from the earth by the gift of God, they should give away equally and use in common; this is justice because since God gives these for nothing, one should give back from it what another lacks.

121And in his Lettera ai Colossesi on the verse: Mortify your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, lust, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is the service of idols, he says:

122because he serves the devil who takes the worship and the cult of the omnipotent God, things fitting for God alone, and also the singular name to be used only for God, and as far as he can gives them to the devil. 123He also serves the devil who wrongly usurps for his own use the common gifts of the omnipotent God, gifts given in common to all people. 124For this reason, avarice is compared to idolatry so as to show that there is nothing worse. 125Avarice is the root of all evil.

126And in his Lettera agli Ebrei on the verse: He has prepared for them a city, he says:

It is certain that the fathers were pilgrims in that they did not even have a place to bury their dead. 127Therefore, the first virtue is be a pilgrim and guest in this world having nothing in common with the kings of this world but distancing oneself from them as a pilgrim should. 128Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called the God of those for whom he has prepared a city. 129So, they believed in God and took nothing of the world as their own as if they would put their hope in such things. 130For this reason God is not ashamed to be called the God of those for whom he has prepared a city, namely, the heavenly Jerusalem. 131And so he did not give them an inheritance in the present world.

132And in his Ai Corinzi on the verse: As having nothing, yet possessing all things, he says: ‘The apostles were as having nothing, because they had neither homes, gold, silver, male nor female servants, and all these things they possessed in those who owned them’, people whom they converted to Christ. 133He states, we can say this because in this world the apostles were as having nothing, but in their head, Christ, they possessed all things. 134And he adds: ‘No one has more than someone who needs nothing, but while the rich have much they need more because they want to have more than they already have. 135But a person who looks for nothing other than food and clothing needs nothing.’

136He says the same on the verse in the words of the Apostle: For the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that he gave to us etc.:

137All the good things that have been given to the human race are a grace from God. 138Since, when he was rich, possessing everything with the Father according to his divinity, he became so poor for us and for all believers that he did not have even what the foxes have, so that through his poverty you might be rich in heaven. 139And he became man to make us gods according to what the Psalmist says: I said, you are gods. 140And I give my advice in this, that you are to imitate his poverty.

141What Saint Francis laid down in this sixth chapter of his Rule concerning the evangelical life and poverty of Christ, blessed Basil writes in the Prologue of his Rule for religious living apostolically and evangelically in communities. 142Such a community is to have nothing of its own, just as Christ with his apostles had nothing; the first man in the state of innocence would have had nothing had he not sinned, and the angels and the blessed in heaven do not claim anything as their own.

143For he says:

However, since many of those striving in communities stimulate one another, being unable to forget to spur one another on, to encourage their prudence with the addition of directions and encouragement that moves them in the spirit to do good, we have thought it right to give them a word of consolation. 144It is necessary for them to know first of all into how great and what kind of good they have been transformed, and so exhort them in this matter that they might display a prompt and worthy readiness for the development of virtue. 145For they are, first of all, to return to the good that is in accord with nature, preserving the communion and table of one life. 146I call communion that most perfect life in which the ownership of any possession is banished, opposition of will or judgment is put aside, and disturbances and quarrels are cast outside. 147To have everything in common applies to the soul, the will, judgments, the body and whatever nourishes and develops the body. 148God is common to all, common also is what pertains to piety, to salvation, struggles, labours and crowns. 149Many are one and the one is not alone but with many.

150What is comparable to this way of life, what more blessed, what more attentive than this coming together and union, what more prompt and gracious than this assembly? 151Men inspired from whatever races and regions, joined together in so great a care of their identity, that in many bodies one soul is seen and many bodies are shown to be instruments of one will and judgment. 152Anyone sick in body has nearby many affectionate helpers. 153When one is sick and dispirited he has many who care for him and comfort him. They are equally servants to one another, lords in freedom to one another, that is, without any disharmony they show a most caring service to one another, not induced violently by necessity from an imminent danger, thereby bringing much shame on its captives, but based with joy on a spontaneous judgment as charity puts these free people in service to one another with the will guarding spontaneously what is free. 154They restore from the origins the ancient good of the first parent, Adam, who hid his sin. 155When sin had not weakened nature, there was no division, discord nor quarrelling among people. 156These were diligent imitators of the Saviour and lived in accord with how he lived in the flesh.

157As the Saviour in setting up the choir of disciples gave himself and all things to the apostles to be in common, just so do those who are obedient to the leader, who guard fully the rule of life of the apostles, imitate with care the way of life of the Lord. 158Such have striven to copy the life of the angels, that is, to contend with one another by zealously serving him. 159Among the angels there is no litigation, no contempt, no hesitation, but each one has what belongs to all and all keep intact among themselves all the goods. 160The riches of the angels are not something limited that should be divided by being distributed to many, but they are an immaterial possession, riches of mind and thought.

161For this reason the goods remain intact with each one so that all are equally rich with these and they work without hesitation and give their own possessions without quarrels. 162The treasure of the angels is the contemplation of supreme good, the clearest understanding of virtue, things for which it is lawful for all to see and for each to accept a full knowledge and possession. 163Such are those who act in accord with truth, are not embroiled in earthly matters but think on what is heavenly, and who by imperceptible arrangements hold these things intact as a treasure among all and each singly. 164For the possession of virtue and the riches of right orientation are a praiseworthy avarice, not a lamentable and insatiable theft; they earn a crown and whoever does not strive for this with violence, is guilty. 165For all such thieves and no other, Jesus our peace, rejoices divinely. 166These are they who steal the goods of the promised kingdom, showing their virtuous, holy life and sharing, their careful imitation of their way of life and constitution and that they have loved perfectly to possess nothing, having nothing of their own but holding all things with one another.

167The gain of such goods was given to us when the Saviour became man. Clearly, these have shown in the life of people their disrupted nature, broken into an infinite number of pieces, so that, as much as they could, they would lead it back again to itself and to God. 168For this is the primary intention of the Saviour in his flesh, namely, to bring back human nature to itself and to him, releasing it from its evil division and call it back to the former union, just as a perfect medical doctor with healing medicines restores a body cut into many parts.

169I have not reviewed these things for the sake of gaining honour and praising in words the virtue of those living in common, for my words do not have such force that they would attract more than flattery; on the contrary, I lament rather over the weakness of my report, but I will go on as much as possible and show the height and greatness of this life style. 170Where is there something equal that can be compared to this good?

171While there is only one father, many children have imitated the supreme Father, anxious among themselves to surpass the teacher with good intentions. 172They are in agreement with one another and graciously accept the father by virtuous actions, not defining the true cause of union, but relying on a word more strongly than on nature as the author and guard of union. 173What image of things on earth would they use to show the nature of virtue when there is nothing on earth able to do this? They have left this to him alone who is from above. 174The Father above is impassable without any defect and he uses a word to provide leadership in everything. 175The children from this Father above are without corruption. 176Not being corrupt has made them one. 177Charity joins what is above and charity has joined them to one another. 178Indeed, the devil himself was held back, not facing such a force and such great fighters so ready and uniformly united to fight against him and united among themselves with such charity and so underpinned in spirit that they give not even the smallest opening to these aggressors.

179Reflect with me on the shared struggle of the seven Maccabees and you will find in them a more fervent harmony. 180David the prophet called out in Canticles saying: Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. 181From what is good one proves what belongs to life, and one sees from the delight the joy of agreement and union. 182It seems to me that those who follow this life with diligence are reaching for the highest virtue.

183Gregory Nazianzus, in an exhortatory sermon sent to a certain prince, a man learned in all subjects, in answer to his questions, spoke as follows about what Saint Basil had written in this Rule and in his other treatises:

184Above all if you love eternal salvation and the wisdom descending from above then I say to you follow Basil, the holy religious head, with reverence and care, taking careful note of his words and most religious writings. 185They are not human but what he teaches and writes comes from the throne of God and the Lamb, and by the divine kindness he piously passes them on to us.

186From the words of these two doctors who professed and observed the evangelical perfection of Christ and the apostles and who, inspired by God, handed down to posterity in writing what they thought about it, anyone who wishes to study their words humbly will gain knowledge without error. 187For a clearer statement of the truth of the holy doctors, authorities may be brought forward who did not take on by vow the rule of the perfection of evangelical and apostolic life. This is done so that it may be clear to a reader how the one Spirit of Christ spoke through different saints of the vocation and state of the highest life of Christ and his disciples and of the poverty that is not its contrary but its harmonious accompaniment.

188Saint Ambrose says in Homilia X super Genesim:

Let us listen to what Christ, our Lord, commanded his priests and disciples, namely, everyone who does not renounce all that he possesses cannot be my disciple. 189Saying this I tremble. 190I say that I am firstly my own accuser, l am my first accuser, I utter my condemnations. 190Christ denies that a person is his disciple when seen to possess something and who has not renounced all that he possesses. 191What shall we do? How can we read this or expound it to people, we who not only have not renounced what we possess but want to acquire what we have never had before we came to Christ? 192Are we able to hide what is written because conscience troubles us? I do not want to be guilty of the crime of duplicity. 193I confess openly before the people that I have written these things even though I know that I have not acted on them.

194The same saint on the text of Matthew: No one can serve two masters.

195For if divine providence unceasingly provides food for the birds of the sky that have no need for cultivation nor does one of them benefit from an abundant harvest, it is seen to be true that the cause of our need is avarice. For them the provision of food comes without work, and they do not think to resell on the basis of some special ownership the food given to them in common for their nourishment. 197We lose common ownership when we sell what is ours. 198For something is not personal where nothing is lasting, nor is there a sure abundance where the outcome is uncertain. 199Why do you esteem riches when the Lord wanted us to hold provisions in common with other living persons? 200The birds of the sky do not sell anything for themselves, and so do not experience a lack of nourishment because they do not know how to envy others.

201Consider the lilies, how they grow etc. 202If God clothes in this manner the grass that is today in the field and tomorrow is cast into the oven. 203It is a good and moral speech prompting us to have faith in the divine mercy; in a literal sense we can add nothing without the favour of God to the stature of our body, or in a spiritual sense to anything beyond the measure of our stature. The Lord’s word has provoked us to compare ourselves to the flowers and grass. 204What else is such a moral persuasion than when you see even irrational creatures so clothed by the foresight of God that none of them lack grace or adornment? 205Much more should you believe that a rational creature, putting all his need in God, not giving up the effort to admire the faith, can never be in need from the fact that by right he has relied on divine favour.

206And on the text of Luke: Take nothing for your journey, he says:

What sort of person he should be who preaches the kingdom of God is made clear in the evangelical precepts, namely, a person without a staff, without shoes, without bread, that is, not needing the supports of temporal or secular assistance, and who thinks in faith that the less he needs these things, the more will they be provided for him.

207And on the same text he says:

If we are forbidden to possess gold or to take anything, the Apostle Peter, the first to carry out the command of the Lord, shows that the commands of the Lord are not spoken in vain, for when asked by a poor man to give him some money, he said: Silver and gold I have none. 208But Peter gloried not so much in not having silver and gold, but rather in observing the command of the Lord who laid down: Do not possess gold or silver, etc.

209And on the letter Ad Corinthios he says of the apostles:

As far as the present life is concerned they seemed to be poor, needy on earth, rich in heaven having nothing yet possessing all things. 210This was glorious in the apostles that without worry they could possess without a deed of possession not only the things they possessed but also their owners.

211And on the text: All these things shall be added unto you, he says: ‘He shows that grace will be lacking neither now nor in the future should those who now desire what is divine not look for what is earthly’.

212The same saint says Ad ecclesiam Vercellensem: ‘Do not refuse a poor person because Christ made himself poor for you. 213Do not extol yourself like a rich person for Christ sent the Apostles out without money’. 214‘Finally, the first of them said: Silver and gold I have none, as if glorying in poverty as a refuge from contamination. 215He says silver and gold, not gold and silver because one does not know the order who is not familiar with the use’.

216And later he wrote in Prima Petri: ‘Silver I have not but I do not need it; gold I do not have nor do I desire it’. 217And he adds: ‘Then you will be rich in all things if you were poor in spirit, since possessions do not make one rich; that is done by the soul’. 218And further: ‘When you pursue an increase of riches as almost a necessity, there is nothing necessary other than to know what is not necessary’.

219The same saint in De conflictu viltiorum says:

The Lord says: Be not solicitous saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? For after all these things do the heathens seek. 220Seek you first the kingdom of God and his justice and all these things shall be added unto you. 221What a blessed statement, how secure, how much to be embraced. 222No one in this life is as secure as he who possesses nothing other than the embrace of Christ, for he proves that in this agreement he has all that is necessary, 223just as Paul, that most learned poor man, said: As having nothing, and possessing all things, namely, not what is superfluous but what is necessary, as he himself confirms when he says: Having food and wherewith to be covered, with these we are content.

224The same saint, on the text of the Gospel: The land of a certain rich man brought forth plenty of fruits, says:

those who are carried away by a frenzy of the mind do not see things themselves but the fantasies of their passion, just as the mind of an avaricious person, once it is bound by the bonds of greed, always sees silver, always calculates the profit, and thinks it more pleasant to gaze on gold than on the sun. 225The prayer and petition to God of such a person is always asking for gold.

226And a little further on: ‘Sometimes gold is produced from gold by the most wicked skill of usury, but it is never enough nor will there be an end to greed’.

227And further on:

But someone says: How is it unjust if I look after my own possessions more carefully without intruding on what belongs to others? 228Imprudent person, you say your own possessions, then tell me which things, from those you have hoarded, did you bring into this world, when you entered into this light, when you came out of the womb of your mother, with what riches, I ask, with what resources surrounding you did you enter?

229And a little further on: ‘Do not claim as your own what is common, for to have more than is sufficient is to claim something taken with violence’. 230And further:

Is God unjust, not distributing equally to us what is needed for life, so that you indeed might be affluent and have an abundance, while others might have too little and be in need? 231Or is it because God wanted rather to confer on you experiences of his kindness and to crown another for the virtue of patience? 232But do you, after accepting the gifts of God and holding them close to you, think there is nothing wrong that you alone might have what would support the life of so many? 233Who is more unjust and greedy than a person who uses the provisions of many not for personal use but to build up an abundance and take pleasure in it? 234Nor is it less a crime to take what someone has than to deny to the needy what you could give and you have the resources to give them. 235The bread of the hungry that you hold, the clothes of the naked that you lock up, are the redemption of the suffering and the absolution you bury in the ground. 236Therefore, you know that you plunder the goods of many while you, being able to do so, are unwilling to help them.

237Saint Augustine in Super Ioannem:

By what right do you defend the buildings of the church, by divine or human law? 238We have divine law in the Scriptures, human law in the laws of kings, so from which does a person have a right to ownership? Is it from human law? 239For by divine law the earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. 240The Lord formed both poor and rich from the same earth and the same earth supports both poor and rich. 241But human law says: this is my residence, this is my home, this is my servant. Human rights are the rights of emperors’ etc.

242And in Distinctio prima:

The natural law is what is found in law and in the Gospel; by this law it is forbidden to do to others what one would not want done to oneself, and one is bound to do to others what one wants done to oneself.

243For by natural law all things are common to all, something it is believed was observed among them for we read of them: the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul, and it is found to have been handed down from earlier times by the philosophers. 244For example, in Plato there is a description of a city ordered in a most just way in which each person ignores personal desires.

245Further: ‘The natural law overrides custom and constitutions. 246Anything found in ways of conduct or in the Scriptures, if they are contrary to natural law, are to be regarded as vain and invalid’. This is from the Decretum.

247Saint Basil, speaking in his Rule of charity towards God and neighbour, shows that the seeds of all the commandments of Christ were scattered by the Creator. 248For he says:

Concerning the charity due to God from us, we say first that we have received strength beforehand for all the commands given to us by God so that we are not faced as it were with something new to be sought out, nor are we proud as if we are doing more than obeying a command. 249And indeed by this strength, working correctly and as is fitting we fulfil piously a life in accord with the strength; but when we abuse this strength we fall into malice. 250And this is the nature of the malice: Malice is an evil use, against a command of Christ, of things given to us by God to be used for a good purpose.

251Similarly Saint Athanasius said about this when writing to monks:

I ask you, do not be wary of the word virtue as something impossible, nor think of this study that depends on our judgment as a pilgrim or as something located far away, for the nature of this work is placed within us awaiting only our will. 252The Greeks pursue studies overseas and while remaining in a foreign land they look for masters of vain learning, while no necessity presses us to travel and cross the sea. 253The kingdom of heaven is found in every region of the world, for the Lord says: The kingdom of heaven is within you, the virtue within you needing only a human mind. 254Who doubts that the natural purity of a soul, provided it is not soiled within in any way, is a spring and source of virtues?

255Here is the statement on poverty of Saint Gregory Nazianzus in Sermo suus:

Nothing is more splendid in Christ than his love for poverty. 256How can one who is naked be held back? Any opulence can be overcome more easily than the nakedness of a Christian who loves the wisdom of Christ.

257The wild ass is sent out in the desert, is free, scorns the multitude of the city, and does not hear the scolding and voice of the driver. 258And should it be excluded by all on earth, then it adapts wings for itself like an eagle and goes back to the home of its Maker, that is, to God. 259I will add something briefly. There are two things in heaven that cannot be bound, namely, God and an angel. But there is a third on earth, namely, a Christian philosopher who like an incorporeal being living in the flesh, is heavenly even when confined within the body. 260He gives way in everything, is conquered in everything except in the freedom of his soul and he conquers more in that he gives to those wanting to take from him all he has.

261And he adds:

But they will reproach poverty and need, yet these are my riches for they have made me not only glorious but also proud. 262I seem to hear from enemies that I am walking in the footprints of him who was made poor for us; would that I were able to free myself of these clothes by which I seem to be surrounded, so that naked I might avoid the thorns of the world, that hold and call back anyone hastening to God.

263The same Saint in his Sermo contra Iulianum, the apostate, after a foretaste of the great proclamations about Christ, the apostles and the martyrs, says:

264You see these without life, without complaint, almost without flesh and blood, and in this way coming close to God; they are below but above the things below, they are among men and above human things, in chains but free, imprisoned and unable to be so held, having nothing in the world but all things that are above the world; they have a double way of living, namely, a contempt for what is clearly visible and a hurrying towards the other as if they are immortal from mortification, joined to God from being free, beyond desire, and with a divine love without passion.

265And he says of himself in Sermo apologeticus:

I did not preach to these lovers of God and brothers that I might have a life and love of wisdom without curiosity, in solitary quiet, leaving all things to whoever wants them; rather I speak to myself and to the Spirit as I thought of the Carmel of Elijah and the desert of John and so I judged the love of wisdom to be above what is earthly and above the present turmoil. 266And I have searched for some stone, a bank or a wall under which I might shelter.

267And a little further on:

They find riches in poverty, ownership in a dwelling, glory in disgrace, strength in weakness, in virginity the multiplication of beautiful children much better than children coming from the flesh, a progeny from God; they do not sit down with those who feast on delicacies, they are humble above the heavens, they want nothing in the world or above the world, outside the flesh or in the flesh, their lot is the Lord and they are poor for the sake of the kingdom and they reign through poverty.

268Likewise, Saint John Chrysostom in Super Matthaeum, when speaking of John the Baptist, says:

Elijah worked in towns and homes, but John lived all the time in the desert using pieces of materials, needing neither roof, nor room, nor any such thing, so that he might learn to be away from humans and have nothing in common with the earth, but to go back to the first nobility in which humans were before needing clothes.

269And in the last Homily in Super Matthaeum he says: ‘What kind of resources did the apostles have when they could say: Silver and gold we have not? Did they not go round clothed in one tunic and without shoes and yet they overcame all?’

270And he adds:

Why throw gold away and if I will throw it away do I possess the virtue of Peter? 271Tell me what made Peter blessed. Was it because he made a lame man stand up? No, but while he did not have this power, it was given by heaven. 272For he said two things: Silver and gold I have not and in the name of Jesus arise and walk. 273What made him famous and blessed, healing a cripple or throwing money away? 274He learnt this from Christ who did not say to the rich man anxious for eternal life: Heal cripples, but: Sell what you have and give to the poor. 275Nor did Peter say: Behold we have cast out demons in your name, but: Behold we have left all things and followed you. 276Nor did Christ answer him: If anyone has healed a cripple, but: Whoever has left house, lands, wives, sons or daughters for my sake shall receive a hundred fold, etc.

277Note how they stripped themselves of everything and gave all to those under instruction; these were people who allowed them to enter and to remain in their homes without bringing anything with them. 278In this way they were rescued from worry, and they persuaded their hosts that they had come only for their salvation, and while they had nothing they asked for nothing other than necessities. 279Nor did they want them to appear splendid only by signs, but also to be splendid by their own virtue before any signs. 280Nothing so points to a love of wisdom as not using what is superfluous and, as far as possible, to need nothing. 281The pseudo-apostles knew this. 282For this reason Paul said: That in what they glory they may be found as we. 283And if while living in a foreign land and going to unknown peoples, nothing more is to be asked for, then much more does this apply while they remain at home.

284And humiliating himself before the people he adds:

I have not suffered differently on your behalf as I have not had a long journey, nor have I come in clothing like theirs and bereft of possessions; for this we first of all accuse ourselves, namely, we are not without shoes and a second tunic and perhaps this is the reason why you omit what is your duty. 285However, this is not sufficient for excusing yourselves, but for us indeed is a greater judgment, namely, that this does not guarantee forgiveness for you.

286He says the same in his praise of the monks of Egypt:

Rather, we all, rich and poor, are ashamed because while they had nothing at all, other than a body and their hands, they would strive and argue to find money for the needy here; but we, after holding back twelve thousand for ourselves, hardly even touch what is superfluous.

287Saint Jerome in Ad Heliodorum: ‘A perfect servant of Christ has nothing other than Christ, or if he has anything other than Christ he is not perfect’. 288Whoever possesses Christ is most correct and secure for he waits for the morrow without worry. 289For he says: O God, you have provided for your poor.

290The same Jerome in Ad Demetriadem: ‘If you wish to be perfect, Christ said to the rich young man, sell not a part of your possessions, but everything, and give to the poor, not the rich, not to relatives, not for luxury, but to meet a necessity’. 291And he adds: ‘In the Acts of the Apostles, when the blood of Christ was still warm, and the new faith was fervent in the believers, they sold all their possessions and laid the price of them at the feet of the apostles, to show that money is to be trod underfoot’.

292And he says in his Epistola ad Titum:

A bishop who wants to imitate the apostles should be content with having only food and clothing. 293They that serve the altar, he says, live from the altar, not becoming rich. 294Hence, our money is derived from the cincture, we are clothed with a single tunic and we do not worry over the next day. 29 5It is a yearning for filthy lucre to plan beyond the present’.

296And in Contra Rufinum he says of himself and his brothers: ‘We neither have nor want money, but we are content with having food and clothing’.

297Pope Gregory in his book Dialogues praises Isaac as a perfect monk, because he did not want to receive possessions and money to be used by the monastery and he held to his firm opinion by which he used to say: ‘A monk who looks for possessions on earth, is not a monk’, yet while he approves this opinion he states that he has not observed it in his own monastery. 298And he says in Super Ezechielem: ‘Those who give help to the needy from their possessions, offer sacrifice in the good they do because they offer something to God and keep something for themselves; but those who keep nothing offer a holocaust’. 299And on the text in Job: He gives judgment to the poor he says:

What the rich young man heard, namely, go and sell all that you have and give to the poor is a special command to the poor and more perfect followers of the Gospel, not a command in general to all. 300For had he bound all by a general counsel under this precept it would be a fault for us to own anything of this world. 301But there is a difference in sacred Scripture between what is commanded to all in general and what is more particularly laid down for the more perfect.

302So that we might understand from these few quotes of the doctors what they taught in their many treatises about the heavenly and most divine life of Christ and his highest evangelical poverty, and what all the saints have equally and universally made clear and declared for the Church by their life and teaching, it is enough to have touched on these texts. 303So that we may retain more firmly in our memory what has been said, some examples and opinions of the holy fathers are added to what has already been said; these are taken from the uniform witness of their lives, teaching, example and by the most powerful miracles that support and proclaim the first and final holy perfection of the life of Christ.

304Saint Clement relates that once when he offered his services to Saint Peter, Peter gave him this reply:

305O Clement in what role will you serve me? In preparing the food or a room or bed coverings? My food is bread, water and olives, and rarely vegetables, my clothing is a tunic and cloak and, being content with these, I need nothing else, because my mind looks not to the present but only to those things that are eternal.

306Saint John the Evangelist said to the two brothers who, struck by an arrow of the devil, were sad that they had given everything away to the poor:

307Go, after changing sticks into gold and rocks into precious stones and redeem the lands you sold, buy clothes of silk for yourselves that for a time you may be as resplendent as a rose that flowers displaying both its perfume and colour then suddenly withers. 308You wanted to be like your servants and now that you have become poor you lament. 309Be in flower so as to wither; be rich for a while so that you may beg forever. 310Is the hand of the Lord not able to make servants of those who abound with riches? 311But he planned a struggle for souls, namely, to believe that they will have eternal riches who, for the sake of his name, have not wanted temporal wealth.

312He gives the example of that rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen, and who, after his death, was buried in hell, and of the poor man Lazarus whose soul the angels carried into Abraham’s bosom. 313He also gives the example of a human birth for a person is born naked and at death takes nothing from the world.

314He quotes also the example of creatures on which the sun, moon, stars, air, fire, water and rain are distributed to all of them as gifts in common, and so among humans all should be in common. 315An avaricious and rich person becomes, he says, a servant of riches and of the devil, because he does not own the riches but is owned by the riches, since no one can serve God and mammon, etc.

316When the apostle, Saint Bartholomew, cured King Polimius’ daughter, who was insane and unable to be cured by any medical skill, the king, wanting to pay the apostle, had camels laden with gold, silver and precious stones and launched a diligent search for him. 317In no way could the Saint be found, but suddenly on the following day he came before the king and said to him: 318‘Why have you wanted to come to me with gold and silver and searched for me the whole of yesterday? 319Such gifts are necessary for all who seek earthly goods, but I preach heavenly and eternal goods, desiring nothing earthly and nothing carnal’.

320The apostle, Saint Thomas, when he had raised Gath, the brother of Giundoforus, King of the Indians, from the dead, was put in prison in Abane by the King because the riches given to him by the same King for the construction of an imperial palace, that the apostle had described to him, had been given away to the poor. 321Gath, after his return to life and having related what he had seen, ran to the prison where the apostle of Christ was held locked up; he threw himself at his feet and asked him to have mercy on his brother the King who had ordered him to be put in prison; he undid his bonds and asked him to accept some precious clothing. 322The apostle said to him: Are you unaware that they who long for nothing carnal and nothing earthly, desire to have an inheritance and power in heaven.

323When the apostle, Thaddeus, sent to heal Abagarus, King of Edessa, according to the promise of the Saviour Lord, wrote a most holy letter in reply to the King and healed him by the touch of the sacred letter from an incurable illness by which he was constrained, the king offered many gifts to the same apostle. 324Saint Thaddeus refused to accept them and said to the king: ‘We who have left all our goods for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, how shall we accept what belongs to others? 325But what you offer me, have it given away to the poor so that you may have a treasure in heaven that fails not.

326You will find similar things written about all the apostles, the disciples of Christ and the apostles and especially about the coenobites who lived from the time of the apostles to the time of Saint Benedict and the Emperor Justinian. 327These observed and professed the apostolic life as is most clear from their histories, lives and the words of the doctors and fathers, 328but especially from the words and Rule of Saint Basil who was the first to treat most fully of the faith and sacraments and the difference between the secular and religious state; in doing this he teaches clearly the difference between, on the one hand, the apostles and a disciple of Christ and, on the other, a monk, a servant of the Lord.

329On this topic Gregory Nazianzus, Saint Jerome his disciple, Saint Diadochus bishop, Epiphanius, Saint Maximus monk, Saint Ephrem of Syria and John Spartiata have left many writings in the Greek language.

330Also John Cassian, who wrote in Greek and Latin the Collationes he had learnt from the fathers, while other doctors have left much on this topic in Greek and Latin, but our weakness does not allow us to examine them, 331even thinking of them as almost impossible. We have sweated in vain as we try to condescend even to dogmas of the philosophers that excite the ears as we turn back to an ardent desire to speak with skill and eloquence, abandoning the works and affections of penance, humility and charity. 332Whoever, with an affection and intention of imitating in proportion to the grace given to the person, would read and keep in mind the histories, life and teaching of the saints who founded the Church, would understand how the kingdom of God is not in human wisdom and speech, but in a love of truth, the virtue of humility and the working of charity.

333Not only does the Roman Church venerate and hold these things about the disciples of the apostle Peter, but if they were accepted and observed faithfully with due reverence they would suffice for the conversion, obedience of faith and holiness of life of the whole world.

334His disciple, Saint Lucius, was sent to preach Christ by his evangelical and truly angelic life; he wore only one cheap tunic and cloak, for forty years ate fresh vegetables twice a week and in Belvacus after the conversion of many to Christ was crowned with martyrdom.

335Saint Ionius, a disciple of the same apostle, wished for none of the things on earth, refreshed his small body only with vegetables, preached Christ by his heavenly way of life and his words were confirmed by God with signs and wonders; while preaching at Castrensis he was crowned with martyrdom.

336Sent also by the same Peter, Saint Apollinaris, completely apostolic in his life, miracles and teaching, like the two previous saints suffered martyrdom in the province of Ravenna.

337Cornelius a centurion in Caesarea, Mark an evangelist in Alexandria, Eutropius, son of the King of Babylon, in Aquitania and Sanctonis; 338Julian in Britain and Cenomanno, Martialis in Limoges, and Austragesillus in Bourges, Titianus in Touraine, another Eutropius in Autasica, Saturninus in Tholosa, Savinianus, Potentianus, Altinus and Serotinus in Senonis, Clement Flavius in Gaul and in the town of Metz, Frontonius in Le Périgord, where with seventy servants or monks of God, his disciples, he led an apostolic life and served the Lord Christ by preaching. 339Eucharius in Treviris, Anicius in Le Soissonais, Gregory in Beauvais, Nemius in the town of Châlons-sur-Marne in which he was the first bishop and who with a thread of the clothing of St Peter raised the deacon Domitianus from the dead. 340He chose to live in a cave named Bustaria, from where, leading with his disciples an apostolic life, he converted them to the faith of Christ by the example of his angelic way of life together with his prayers and words. 341Marcellus, Justus and Calimerus preached by their lives, virtues and words in Milan and in the region of Liguri.

342All these, disciples of St Peter, sent by him to preach the kingdom of God by their actions, words and by the power of prodigies, counted all things but as dung that they might gain Christ, and to love what is heavenly and to despise what is earthly, and to rejoice in the evangelical and most divine life of Christ and in poverty, 343and that they might instruct those to whom they preached to seek the eternal and to savour the things that are above and not the things that are upon the earth. 344For they that are according to the flesh, mind the things that are of the flesh, but they, however, that are according to the spirit, mind the things that are of the spirit. 345For the prudence of the flesh is death, but the prudence of the spirit is life and grace. 346Because the wisdom of the flesh is an enemy to God, for it is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be. 347For they who are in the flesh cannot please God.

348In his book De vitiis et virtutibus, Saint Nilus says:

The love of money or avarice is the root of all evil and nourishes the other passions as most evil branches. 349A monk owning nothing is an unburdened traveller who finds lodging in every place. 350A monk owning nothing is like an eagle flying to the heights, coming down for food when compelled by necessity. 351He is above all the temptations of this world, laughs at present reality and is raised up, lifted to what is of the future, withdraws from what is earthly and lives with what is above, and because he has light wings he is not weighed down by any worries. 352He overcomes adversity, and leaves a place without sadness, as death approaches he goes promptly and eagerly. 353No earthly bonds bind his soul, and the monk owning nothing will be enriched with the crowns of a more reformed life. 354One greedy for money fills the store-room with gold, but one who owns nothing builds up treasure in heaven.

355Saint Paphnutius in the deserts of Emilia and Thebaid lived an angelic life for eighty years, covered his small body with only one tunic made from cheap material and at one time never read the holy Scriptures but under the guidance of the Holy Spirit had a complete knowledge of the divine Scriptures.

356John Cassian writes in his Collationes of the fathers, that he taught him what follows about the triple renunciation:

The first renunciation is that by which we despise bodily all riches and goods of the world. 357The second is that by which we reject habits and vices, the former affections of the soul and flesh. 358The third is that by which we recall our mind from all that is present and visible, we contemplate only what is future and we desire those things that are invisible.

359And he adds:

In this it will be of no benefit to us to have undertaken with the utmost devotion of faith the first renunciation, if we do not undertake the second with the same attention and zeal. 360And in this way, when we will be adept at this, we will be able to move to the third by which we left the home of our former father, whom we remember was a father to us from the moment of our birth according to our old self when we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest, and we turn the whole attention of our mind to what is heavenly.

361And further:

For everyone who after the renunciation of this world returns to the old interests and is called back to former desires, proclaims by deed and intent with those who said: It was well with me in Egypt. 362I fear for these lest such a large number be found as we read happened with the large crowds who rebelled under Moses. 363For, of the six hundred thousand armed men who came out of Egypt, not more than two entered the promised land.

364He says further:

Leaving the visible riches of the world, we are throwing away not what is ours but what are the goods of others, in as much as we glory in them either as acquired by our own work or as left to us in an inheritance from our parents. 365For, as I have said, nothing is ours except what is held in our heart and what clings to our soul no one can take away. 366Christ reproves those who retain visible riches as their own and do not want to share them with the needy. 367If you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is not your own? 368Clearly, that these riches belong to others is taught not only by daily experience but is also affirmed and stated by the word of the Lord.

369And he adds:

Therefore, what we called the first is the renunciation of what belongs to others. 370By itself alone this does not bring the perfection of renunciation unless it reaches the second by which we genuinely renounce what belongs to us. 371When we have reached this by removing all vices, we will go on to the trials of the third renunciation, 372by which, transcendent in spirit and mind, we despise as subject to vanity and soon to pass away not only everything contained in this world, or owned personally by people, but also the fullness of all the elements thought to be magnificent; instead we look as is proper, according to the Apostle, not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. 373For the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.

374Of the perfection of the common and apostolic life, owning nothing in common, Saint Piamon says in his Collatio:

375The discipline of the coenobites had its origin from the time of the preaching of the apostles. 376For that whole multitude of believers, described in the Acts of the Apostles, lived in such a way: 377And the multitude of believers had but one heart and one soul, neither did anyone say that aught of the things which he possessed was his own, but all things were common unto them, and as many as were owners of houses and what follows. 378Then the whole Church was like this whereas now it is difficult to find even a few in monasteries.

379And he adds:

Therefore, this was the oldest form of monasticism, first not only in time but also in grace, and it endured intact for many years until the time of Abbot Paul and of Anthony. 380Even now we can see traces of them in smaller monasteries.

381Having related the origin of the Sarabaites and the difference between them and monks, he says: They, namely, the Sarabaites

do not accept the evangelical demands not to be preoccupied over daily provisions, nor to be caught up in family concerns. 382This is something carried out without any unfaithful hesitation by those who, freed form all the goods of this world, so submit themselves to the prescriptions of the monasteries that they do not claim even to be masters of themselves.

383And he adds: The Sarabaites work

not to place the results of their work at the disposition of the one charged with distributing but to earn money that they hoard. 384Note how great is the difference between them: They, that is the monks, thinking nothing of the morrow, offer to God the most pleasing fruits of their labour. 385The others, however, that is the Sarabaites, maintain an unfaithful worry not only for the following day but also for a span of many years, or believe God to be untruthful or powerless for God is either not able or not willing to give the promised daily provisions or clothing. 386The whole aim of the monks is that, stripped of all things, they might possess perpetual poverty, while the others pursue an affluence in everything. 387The monks plan the daily duties so as to rise above the struggle, so that whatever comes for the holy use of the monastery may be distributed according to the judgment of the abbot for the cells, the guest house, the hospital or the needy. 388The others hoard whatever is left over each day to provide more lavish pleasure or for the vice of avarice.

389And he adds:

The patience and restraint, by which the monks devoutly persevere in the profession they once made, make them living martyrs never doing their own will and being crucified daily to this world; the others sink into hell alive from the lukewarm quality of their judgment.

390In the Collatio of Abbot John:

The aim of a monk is to mortify and crucify his own will and not to think of the morrow according to the salutary command of evangelical perfection. 391Isaiah the prophet blesses and praises such a person describing him as: If you turn away your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your own will in my holy day, and glorify him, while you do not do your own ways, and your own will is not found so that you do not speak a word. 392Then shall you be delighted in the Lord, and I will lift you up above the high places of the earth, and will feed you with the inheritance of Jacob your father. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.

393He says in the twenty-third Collatio on the perfection of a true monk:

By the loss of what family possession will a person who is glorious in perfect nakedness be crucified, a person who voluntarily rejects for Christ all the goods of this world, and who regards all desires for them in general as dung so that he might gain Christ? 394Of what privation will a person be saddened who makes no personal claim to anything that could be taken by others but says with unconquered force: We brought nothing into this world, and certainly we can carry nothing out? 395The force of such need will for sure be overcome in a person who knew not to have a sack for the journey, money in the belt, clothes for seasons, but with the Apostle glories in many fastings, in hunger and thirst, in cold and nakedness, etc.

396St Ephrem, in his work, Liber exhortationum ad Monachos, says:

397Old and young, wise and simple, healthy and sick, those serving the Lord in monasteries and in solitude, we should beware of satan who as a roaring lion, our adversary, goes about seeking to call back from the goal of perfection those who have left everything and are as people dead to the world, who, inspired by the grace of God, have committed themselves to live for Christ alone and to seek only what is heavenly. 398He does not cease from attacking and tempting them secretly and openly to see if in any way, be it in the beginning, the middle, or at the end, he may be able to bring them to a care for the body and a love of what is visible, and so strip them of the trust of faith. 399So that he might weaken and destroy in them the constancy of faith, the firm pursuit of holiness and the love of perfection, he reminds them of the length of time and of life, the rigour of work and the pain in penance, the austerity in bearing nakedness and cold, the perpetual lack of all the things that nourish the body, the fragility of nature, the troubles of sickness, the desolation in not having the support of homage, and many similar things; in this way they become timid and, racked with tiredness and fear they look back and are found unworthy of the kingdom of heaven.

400But God is faithful in his promises and says: I will not leave you, nor forsake you. 401The Lord commanded his disciples: Be not solicitous for your life, what you shall eat, nor for your body, what you shall put on, but seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things shall be added unto you. 402But if we do not believe that God takes care of his servants, providing for the needs of their temporal bodies and for what is useful for acquiring virtue, those servants who for love of him have denied themselves, left everything, and suffer in forgetting everything that happens, 403how can we believe that bodies will be raised up from the dust and the bowels of the elements, as he promised, and taken up to the vision of his glory? 404If we are unfaithful to him now in the least things, much more in that terrible and tremendous judgment will we be found to have been unbelieving and unfaithful to the promise of ineffable goods that he has prepared and promised to give us in eternity.

405Concerning the highest poverty of the monks, brothers and friends of Barlaam, in the Historia Barlaam is written: 406Josaphat said to Barlaam:

You will complete what remains from your baptism, and you will receive from me inheritances, clothes for food and for the protection of yourself and your friends, as you hasten to the place of your way of life, enjoying the peace of God,

and what follows.

407Barlaam says: There is nothing that hinders the acceptance of the sign of Christ. 408For the rest prepare yourself and, with the help of God, you will complete your vow. 409About what you said to me concerning giving furnishings to my friends, how can you give alms to the rich when you are poor? 410The rich always give away alms to the needy but the needy do not give to the rich. 411The least of my friends is richer than you, and incomparably more set up as a lord. 412But I trust in the mercy of God, and, as much as you do not have now, God will make you richer, and in the end you will be the best of benefactors.

413Josaphat said to him: Explain your words to me, namely, how the least of my friends exceeds me in wealth when we see them living in great need, distressed by total penury? 414How can you say that now I am poor but I will be rich, and how can you say I will become a good benefactor when you now see me to be an excellent benefactor?

415Barlaam replied: It is not poverty in which they now seem to be abased, but indestructible riches with which they are adorned. 416For to add inheritances to what is already owned and not to restrain the urge of owning but to desire riches insatiably is the end of poverty. 417But those who despise what is present, seek with desire for what is forever and judge what is present to be rubbish. So that they might put on only Christ, they cast away worry over all food and clothing, rely on the Lord for these, are joyful in their need, not like any of the others who love the world and who rejoice in riches and passing things; they possess the riches of virtue and delight in what are immortal goods, and so I rightly call them richer than you and every earthly king.

418With God enriching you, you will receive an abundance of such spiritual substance, that by keeping it intact and always desiring to be more just, you will not want to be deprived of these at any time since they are true riches. 419For whoever has contemplated the abundance of spiritual riches will have more with which to be useful to his friends. 420Rightly then have I spoken of these least friends who indeed love heavenly goods, have denied themselves what is earthly and transitory and have fled from these as one flees from a snake. 421If my companions and fellow soldiers had killed a friend and trod him underfoot, and I were to receive him from you alive once again, I will say to them that I will become a cause of war and evil, I will always be an evil angel to you; may it not happen that I would do this.

422You should think the same way about clothing. 423Stripping away of the old corruption, as much as is in them, denying themselves, putting on Christ as the garment of salvation and putting on the stole of joy, how can they want me to be covered with clothes of skins? 424And how can those who have put aside the clothing of confusion, want to be soiled by clothes offered to them? 425No one among such people is my friend. 426For I know that the things that are in the desert and the teaching on the pursuit of virtues are sufficient to meet their needs and they regard this as most true. 427The goods and clothing, that you say you want to give them, looking on them as needy, put aside for yourself as an inexhaustible treasure in the future and, by their prayers, make God your support, etc.

428Josaphat said to Barlaam

Since you did not want to accept anything for your fellow soldiers who are with you in the desert, accept for yourself a small gift of food, covering and clothing for your body. 429Who said to him: If I have not accepted anything from you for my brothers, for they have no need to accept anything from the elements of this world from which they have voluntarily distanced themselves, how can I allow myself what they refused? 430However, if it is good to possess these goods, then perhaps I would have got them for myself before this. 431But since I regard the possession of these things to be a loss, neither they nor I submit to such snares.

432As one unable to believe such words, Josaphat made a second request of Barlaam, namely, that he would give him his torn clothing and cheap cloak in memory of their informative study and at the same time, for his protection against every diabolical seduction, he would accept for himself something in exchange, as if it were given by me, he said, and so when I see it, in my memory I will recall your humility.

433The old man said to him: To give my old and torn clothing to you and receive new clothing is not allowed, for I would not want to be condemned for accepting a payment for my slight work. 434However, not to destroy your trust, let us make an exchange so that you give me give me very old clothes no different from the clothes I have. 435When the son of the king heard this, he looked for coarse and old hair cloth and gave them to the old man, accepting with joy what had been his, and he regarded them as incomparably better than every ornament and precious regal purple.

436You will find from their life and teaching that all the perfect and earliest saints held and taught the same understanding and behaviour in despising and hating the world. 437And if at times they condescended out of charity to the weakness and imperfection of sick subjects, in this following the example of Christ of whom we read that he had money for the poor and infirm, they themselves, dead to the world and alive to Christ, mourning, sorry and lamenting, as an exercise of virtue used cheap goods suitable for food and clothing but without any ownership. 438We read in the life of Saint Bessarion that, when he was eating after a week without food, he was filled with such ecstasy of mind and fervour of spirit that, as he said, he set aside the food of beasts and most rarely felt inclined to eat; with an incredible flow of tears he covered his limbs with torn and the cheapest cloth, for the sake of the common life of the brothers.

439Abbot Dulas, his disciple, as recorded in the Vitae patrum, said of him:

440Once when I went to the cell of Abbot Bessarion I found him praying with hands extended towards heaven and he remained in this position for fourteen days. 441After this he called me and said: Follow me.

442Walking by the sea I said: Abbot, I am quite thirsty. He prayed and said to me: Go and drink from the sea, and the water had become as sweet as honey. 443When I had drunk I drew off a little into a flask and the old man said to me: Why have you done that? And I said to him: Father, allow me in case I get thirsty again. 444And the old man said: The God who did this is here and everywhere. 445When we reached the wide river Crisorona, he prayed and crossed walking on the water with dry feet. 446When he went to visit another old person, the sun was setting and he said: May the sun stand still until I reach your servant; and so it happened.

447On leaving and walking through a desert, I said to him when I was very thirsty, Father, I am thirsty. 448He took a sheepskin and walked away from me, about a stone’s throw away and, after praying, brought it back to me full of water.

449The same Abbot Dulas said to the monks:

When I was in the desert with my Abbot Bessarion, a servant came to him and reported to him saying: 450That secular who served us in the desert has left this life in a very holy way and has left all his possessions to the monastery. 451On hearing this, Abbot Bessarion was saddened and cried out loudly: Woe to him because he has put my soul in danger of damnation. 452The brother said to him: Pardon me, Father, what are you saying? The old man replied and said to him: I, for a similar reason was in danger of losing my soul.

453And he told us: While I was in the world and, in accord with the counsel of Christ I was going to sell all my possessions and give them to the poor, I thought in my heart to give the estate of great value I owned to a monastery of virginal nuns in Alexandria, in which three hundred virgins served the Lord while owning nothing, that they might live without worry, and pray without ceasing to God for me and for all the faithful. 454I spoke with Isidore of Alexandria about what I was thinking and planning to do. 455He said to me: Be careful because what you want to do is neither expedient nor lawful. 456Those who have professed the poverty of Christ cannot accept an estate; sell the estate and from the price see how you can with all diligence help their present needs, and what is over, as with your other possessions, give also to the poor. 457I was not happy with this wise advice, but I went to the Archbishop and discussed with him the good thing I was planning to do. 458With the consent and authority of the imperial authorities, with documents drawn up, I left the estate to the monastery of nuns and I became a monk in Scytus.

459When I had been serving the Lord for five months under the discipline and teaching of the monks, in the sixth month, while I was praying towards the middle of the night, behold the roof of the oratory was opened and light shone in the oratory like a midday brightness; with the light many angels came down and placed thirteen thrones, and they put a fourteenth one large and bright in the middle of the seats. 460Immediately afterwards a lady, resplendent in inexpressible glory and splendour, with thirteen attendants, shining with a great elegance of brightness, came from heaven and sat on the thrones. 461The one seated on the right of the lady of glory, angrily turned his eyes towards me and gave orders to the angels standing nearby, saying: Go and throw out that antichrist. 462When they were about to carry out the order, the lady called them back to her saying: Do not throw him out, but bring him to me.

463As I trembled, not daring to look at the glory of her face, she questioned me saying: Do you know who I am and who is the one who ordered you to be cast out of the oratory as someone contrary to Christ? And I said: I do not know. 464I, she said, am she who gave birth to the Creator and Redeemer of the world and the one always seated on my right in glory is his Precursor, John the Baptist, to whom the care, protection and correction of all religious has been given by God; all religious are to look on him, and they should imitate his holiness and poverty. 465Because you have not listened to the advice of my servant Isidore you have offended Christ, myself and him, by giving riches to the handmaids of Christ who follow the nakedness of the poverty of Christ, of myself and of his Precursor. 466Christ was able to give riches to me and to his disciples, he who by a single word is able to change stones and wood into precious stones and gold, and water into balsam or anything valuable.

467But the servants and handmaids of God trade with the sorrows of penance and the inconveniences of life for invisible, eternal goods that surpass all understanding, and are freed in this way from the snares of the demons and defilement from concupiscence of the flesh and the world. 468For he taught them by action and word to run after him with joy and exultation imitating him in poverty and tribulation and to spend the whole of life as partakers of his sufferings now, that they might share for eternity in the consolations of his kingdom.

469Therefore, hurry to Alexandria and, taking Isidore my servant with you, get back the estate from the handmaids of Christ and sell it and give to the poor. 470I will be with you so that without hindrance you will carry out what I order you to do. 471Turning to the Precursor, she said: John, trace a sign of the cross on his chest and forehead so that he will know for certain that this is a vision from God.

472When this was done, the vision disappeared.

473Early in the morning I journeyed to Alexandria and reported to Saint Isidore what I had seen. 474When he had heard all, we went to Saint Theophilus, the Patriarch, who was well disposed to us after hearing the matter. 475Going to the monastery of nuns, we found the Abbess and all the sisters unanimous and anxious to give back the estate they had accepted. 476I sold it to the imperial authorities and the gold I received for it, I gave to the poor. 477Having done this, I said to Saint Isidore: I do not think it would be good to give alms to the nuns. He said to me: To give and offer estates and possessions to those who have professed to observe the poverty of Christ so that they might have riches and the right of ownership, is a sin for those giving and receiving. 478No alms is more pleasing to God, than to provide what is necessary for virgins, for the sick and needy, according to what their present necessity requires. 479Also to give alms to lepers so that they might be able to live and cover their sick bodies, is greatly pleasing and acceptable to God.

480And he added: This, brother, is the reason why I said that whoever leaves his possessions to a monastery has put his soul in danger of damnation. 481Because those receiving act against their own soul and those giving to them offend God equally.

482That great old man answered a brother who asked: What am I to do so that I may be saved? 483Taking off his clothes, he covered his loins and stretched out his hands towards the sky and said: A monk should be naked of anything of the world and crucify himself against the temptations and struggles of the world. 484For voluntary poverty is the treasure of monks, by which they build up an inestimable treasure in heaven for themselves so that they might rest in glory with the angels and saints forever. 485For this reason the servants and handmaids of the Lord leave everything in the world so as to merit to serve eternal goods. 486They have no need of payments, money nor gold and they want to own nothing lest they be cheated of the heavenly kingdom.

487On the evidence of Saint Jerome, in the desert in the town of the Thebaid in which Joseph with Mary and the child Jesus lived when they fled, Saint Apollonius at the command of angels built a monastery in which there were five hundred monks of the highest perfection, owning nothing and not wanting to have anything except Christ. 488He, by his life and the apostolic signs he worked, converted part of Egypt from the worship of idols and those who lived in the same town served the Lord in the desert, leading a life that was more angelic than human.

489He writes of Saint John the anchorite that for three years he always remained standing as he prayed within a cave of rock and he received the Eucharist only on Sundays both for spiritual food and for the nourishment of his bodily life. 490An angel of the Lord appeared to him after three years, touched him, healed his body, and said to him: The Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit give you an abundance in word and knowledge. 491Rise and edify the brothers by your life and teaching. 492Through the Holy Spirit, his way of life, his power against demons, his grace of healing and the spirit of prophecy that shone in him in a singular way, were known to all the brothers even to those who were absent. 493And while he did not need bodily food, he made harnesses for beasts with his hands.

494You will find similar things written about the most holy man Mark, an anchorite. 495When he was a boy he was crossing one of the most barren islands of the Cyclades in which there was no water and for eighteen years he lived with nothing more than grass, the leaves of trees and sea water; afterwards, for two years without let up he bore innumerable torments from the evil spirits, but later an angel of the Lord appeared to him, healed him of the wounds and blows inflicted on him by the demons, and for a further eighteen years he was nourished by heavenly bread. 496Saint Serapion, named Syndonius, was sent by a divine miracle to bury him; after discoursing in the forum of the Athenians on the parable of the three debtors, to whom his father had left him obliged, with a holy angel teaching and directing him, he found him alive, wrote his life and glorious death and made it known to the fathers for the edification of future readers.

497Genuine monks and perfect anchorites, made holy and strengthened by the Holy Spirit, had nothing in common with the world, but while living in the flesh they did not live according to the flesh but, endowed with heavenly virtue, they savoured only what is heavenly.

498On these matters, the holy father Peter John, a man of great holiness, virtue and remarkable learning, whose own received him not, wrote many treatises. In his writings, moved by Christ, he argued in a masterly fashion, as will be clear in the end as God magnifies him, that to those who understand them in a pious and Catholic way they stand out as a divine light against every blindness of ignorance and the various opinions of many.

499On the sixth chapter of the Rule he says:

500Let the brothers not make anything their own, etc., he says that it is clear that were the brothers in the whole Order, or in any province or convent to make something their own, then already they falsify in part what is said, namely, Let the brothers not make anything their own.

501Secondly, what follows immediately, neither house, nor place, that is, nor any piece of land. 502For it is clear that in religions of this kind it is not the practice nor are they able to own in an honest way except by owning in common as a group.

503Thirdly, it also adds, that they are to be as pilgrims and strangers in this world. 504It is clear that it is contrary to the idea of a pilgrimage to own land as is implied in being and in being called a pilgrim. 505The Rule wants us to be pilgrims, not only concerning this or that thing or land but in general concerning the whole world. 506It was not enough for him to say pilgrims but he added strangers, so that it applies not only to the present and to the future but also to the past and in this way he instructs and teaches us to have nothing in common with the world. 507For a stranger is foreign, coming from elsewhere and knows that the land to which he has come is not his home region, and so he knows that he is a stranger. 508But a pilgrim, as one distant from his own home, longs for it now and in the future and knows that the land in which he is travelling is strange or foreign to him both now and in the future.

509In this, the Rule is following the lead of the Psalm that says: For I am a stranger with you, and a sojourner as all my fathers were. 510Although in the circumstances of that time virginity and poverty were not prescribed, they did have them in practice, as is shown elsewhere. For this reason here and in another psalm, the psalmist claims that neither in heaven nor on earth does he seek or have a share in or any portion other than God; he says: For what have I in heaven and besides you what do I desire upon earth, as if to say nothing other than you. 511And so he adds: God is my portion forever.

512There follows the text of blessed Peter in his First Letter, chapter 2, where he says: I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, to refrain yourselves from carnal desires which war against the soul etc. 513Towards the end of the last book of his Contra Iovinianum, Jerome agrees with this when he says: ‘All those I see who are handsome, with hair curled, with hair fashioned, with ruddy cheeks, belong to your herd, rather they grunt among your swine, they are from your flock. 514Those who are sad, pale, dirty and are like pilgrims of this world, even though at first they are silent, they do proclaim by their habit and their actions: Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged’.

So Jerome.

515Fourthly, because he adds let them go seeking alms with confidence it is neither proper nor fitting to hold in common what is necessary.

516Fifthly, lest a shame of such poverty, need and having to beg might disturb the spirits of the brothers, he adds an example of poverty and need when he says: and they should not be ashamed etc. 517Nothing of this would have been said were it not known without any doubt that Christ himself observed the poverty of a pilgrim and the need of a mendicant.

518Sixthly, from the excellent praise of poverty immediately following, he presents it to the eye as something singular and distinctly admirable, saying: This is that sublime height etc. 519Such a singular praise and demonstration would be ridiculous unless he openly presumed that poverty was prescribed, that it was most excellent and high, and he not only praises it especially for the superlative height and holiness of its form, calling it sublime, and above in chapter five most holy, but also for its superlative efficacy and effect, namely, by ascribing three notable effects to it: 520The first concerns the reward, or the heavenly kingdom of which they are not only heirs, nor only kings, but at the same time kings and heirs. 521Not every heir is a king, even though he is the heir of a king, according to a text of the Apostle: As long as the heir is a child, etc; nor is every king an heir of a kingdom because sometimes he is not king forever but only for a time. 522The second concerns the things of this world, for the further we are from them the more are we free of every stain, snare and danger of temptation; he notes this by saying: Poor in temporal things. 523The third concerns the virtues and charisms of the Holy Spirit, not introduced as something inferior or mediocre but rather in a grade of sublime perfection; and so he adds: Exalted in virtue.

524Seventhly, because like a testator he gives us this only as an inherited portion, he adds: Let this be your portion, where he shows the fourth effect that is caused by the three preceding by adding: Which leads into the land of the living. 525In this way he teaches that poverty is closest and ultimately joined to the final end, namely, eternal life. 526Many testators commonly say, when drawing up something in a special way, I want them to be content and at peace with this. He does this when he adds may the brothers giving themselves totally to this, that is, with complete affection in word and action, never seek anything else under heaven other that this alone. Note how in this passage more than elsewhere he calls them most beloved brothers and beloved brothers. 527He uses an oath here in a singular way by saying: For the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 528He uses here also words from the psalm he sang at his transitus to express that as he died at the end he was most fully joined to eternal life. 529We read there: O Lord, I said, you are my hope, my portion in the land of the living.

Words of Olivi.

530Concerning the article on expropriation, the aforementioned Masters ask whether the brothers can buy, sell, change, borrow, lease what they produce, and mortgage or give away the things that are for their use. 531They answer negatively except for cases that contain no element of dominion, rights or ownership. 532They are not able to buy when buying involves paying a price in money except when the price of what is to be bought, with no obligation involved, is the same as the payment obtained for the thing bought. 533They are not able to sell when selling involves transferring something they own into the ownership of others, and they receive a price for it as if it were something of their own. 354But they can sell when it involves leaving something entirely to another, and to receive for a simple use something else instead without any dominion or right; and they explain other cases in similar ways. 535They explore also what it means to appropriate, and they say it is the same as to make something your own or to transfer it into your dominion. 536Something is one’s own when it comes under one’s own power of decision, so that one may do with it what one wants by using, exchanging, giving away or mortgaging it.

537Concerning the words, as pilgrims and strangers, the aforementioned Masters ask whether the poverty to which the brothers are bound forbids them from being able to have some fixed income for their support, in the way that some persons wanted to arrange a fixed income by which the brothers in some place would be supported but without ownership existing among them. 538They ask also whether it forbids them from having lands, so that just as they have gardens for vegetables and fruits they might also have vineyards and fields, in which, by their skill and work, they might produce what is necessary for their sustenance, in such a way, however, that the ownership remains with another person.

539In reply to these questions they say:

It seems to us that there is a double necessity of evangelical poverty, as the saints say, one that is imperfect, namely, poverty of spirit that retains nothing temporal that is superfluous, but does retain whatever is necessary; 540the other is perfect poverty that with poverty of spirit retains with ownership neither what is superfluous nor necessary but depends on the providence of God and this is the poverty of mendicancy. 541The poverty here described is the poverty of the Lesser Brothers. 542This is shown in two things: one is that they may not receive anything fixed such as a wage and this is because they are as pilgrims and strangers serving the Lord in poverty. 543The other is that they should be poor in the use of things so that they may be both poor and beggars for which reason there is added let them go seeking alms with confidence.

544The end of the Quatuor Magistri.

545Wherever the brothers may be and meet one another, etc.

546Evangelical poverty and a total abdication and expropriation of all things, as it removes one from the love of all that is visible and makes the one who professes and observes it a stranger, shows that its secrets, by divine working, are to be a humble pilgrim in the world, conformed to the way of life and desires of Christ and perfectly united in the love of God and neighbour; 547it makes one, always and everywhere in word and deed, close to and at home with all, because it loves, reveres and accepts Christ, to whose worship one is consecrated, in his brothers. 548And since the love of Christ exceeds and surpasses all natural love, therefore, more completely and sincerely than a mother loves and cares for her son according to the flesh does a poor and humble disciple of Christ love his fellow servants and brothers, and shows his affection in times of health and sickness by the practice of his love. 549So the rule of the love and grace of Christ wants all who belong to the same Religion and life to show one another that they are close and members of the same family, as disciples of Christ and faithful observers of his holy life and charity, 550and as members of the one house living together they may trustfully and confidently make known their spiritual and bodily need to the other, and they will most faithfully provide what is necessary, and reverently and devoutly care for and serve one another with more love than a mother for her son.

551And when they are sick, one is to serve another in the way they would wish to be served themselves, that is, according to the law of mutual charity taught by Christ when he said: 552All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them.553For this is the law and the prophets.

554In the Earlier Rule was written:

If any of the brothers falls sick, wherever he may be, let the other brothers not leave him behind unless one of the brothers, or even several of them, if necessary, is designated to serve him as they would want to be served themselves. 555In case of the greatest need, however, they can entrust him to someone who should do what needs to be done for his sickness.

556I beg the sick brother to thank God for everything and to desire to be whatever the Lord wills, whether sick or well, because God teaches all those he has destined for eternal life by the torments of punishments, sicknesses, and the spirit of sorrow, as the Lord says: Those whom I love, I correct and chastise. 557If anyone is disturbed or angry at either God or his brothers, or perhaps anxiously and forcefully seeks medicine with too much of a desire to free the flesh that is soon to die and is an enemy of the soul, this comes to him from the Evil One and is carnal. He does not seem to be one of the brothers because he loves his body more than his soul.