Francis began to preach in deserted chapels near Assisi. His simple gospel of love and service generated a faithful following. For those willing to join him in renouncing wealth, he drafted a set of rules for living” (they are captured in three Bible verses):
(1) Jesus said unto him, “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor.” Matthew 19:21a
(2) “Take nothing for your journey neither staff, wallet, bread nor money.” Luke 9:3
“If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow me.” Luke 9:23
“Centuries later, Martin Luther would severely criticize the Franciscan tradition because of its emphasis on good works–salvation comes by faith alone, he would say. But in many ways these two reformers fought the same foe: a church that cared mainly about preserving its own status and had forgotten the simple teaching of Scripture.
At the height of his fame, in October 1226, Francis died…His last words were “I have done my duty; may Christ now teach you yours.”
Kenneth Curtis, Stephen Lang and Randy Petersen in Dates with Destiny: The 100 Most Important Dates in Church History (Tarrytown, NY: Fleming H. Revell, 1991) 79-80.