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Unlike the rich man in our biblical text, Francis of Assisi was willing to give up all his riches for the kingdom.
Francis had stolen goods that belonged to his father and had given them to the poor. His father, Pietro, brought his son before the city council to settle the case. It was a cold morning but many people in the city came to see the outcome of this prominent family squabble. The bishop ruled in favor of the father against the son. Francis had brought back the money to give to his father, but he also astounded the crowd by tearing off his expensive bright clothes and stripping down to his hair shirt, a sign of penitence.
Then shocking all present, Francis exclaimed, "Hear ye all, and understand: until now have I called Pietro Bernadone my father; now I give back all that I had of him, desiring to say only, 'Our Father, which art in heaven,' with whom I have laid up my whole treasure and on whom I have set my trust and hope."
Francis had stolen goods that belonged to his father and had given them to the poor. His father, Pietro, brought his son before the city council to settle the case. It was a cold morning but many people in the city came to see the outcome of this prominent family squabble. The bishop ruled in favor of the father against the son. Francis had brought back the money to give to his father, but he also astounded the crowd by tearing off his expensive bright clothes and stripping down to his hair shirt, a sign of penitence.
Then shocking all present, Francis exclaimed, "Hear ye all, and understand: until now have I called Pietro Bernadone my father; now I give back all that I had of him, desiring to say only, 'Our Father, which art in heaven,' with whom I have laid up my whole treasure and on whom I have set my trust and hope."
