Possessing nothing

Source: Angelo Clareno’s Commentary on the Rule

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.