Saints and Giving

I finished reading St Francis by G.K. Chesterton yesterday. Francis was quite the stud; he loved more and more deeply than probably any other man that ever lived. He preached to the birds, and called the sun and the trees his brothers. He sang always, and was loved by everyone he ever met. He once wandered upon a noble party, and the guests were so enthralled by him that one man gave him a mountain. An entire mountain!

Aside from his abounding and overflowing love, I was most enthralled by his take on personal possessions. Every monk in the Franciscan order was allowed three possessions - his robe, a rope for a belt, and a harp or lyre. Why such strict requirements?? For Francis, it was simple. As wanderers and travellers, they were constantly in the world. Yet as monks and followers of God they were called to not be of the world. The most common thing the world uses over individuals is materialism - the attraction of having things, having money, having security. And so Francis had a revolutionary idea to turn materialism on its head:

"No one can ever take what you've already given away."