The Testament of St. Francis of Assisi (1226)
With Franciscan Clarean Commentary
1.
The Lord gave me, Brother Francis, thus to begin to do penance: for when I was in sins it seemed too bitter for me to see lepers. And the Lord Himself led me among them, and I showed mercy to them. And when I left them, that which seemed to me bitter was changed into sweetness of soul and body. And afterward I delayed a little and left the world.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis begins not with triumph, but with his disgust — and his conversion through the lepers. This is the heart of Franciscan spirituality: God meets us not in the sanitized places, but in the wounds of the world. For Clareans today, this means: don’t run from what is bitter — poverty, trauma, injustice — because there is where grace waits to be discovered.
2.
And the Lord gave me such faith in churches that I would simply pray and say thus: We adore Thee, Lord Jesus Christ, in all Thy churches which are in the whole world, and we bless Thee, because by Thy holy cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis roots his faith in Christ’s presence everywhere, especially in humble chapels. The church building is not an idol, but a signpost of redemption. Clareans today can reclaim this prayer: to see every holy space — cathedral, storefront chapel, park bench — as a place where Christ’s cross redeems.
3.
Afterward the Lord gave me and gives me still such faith in priests who live according to the form of the holy Roman Church, because of their order, that, if they should persecute me, I wish nevertheless to have recourse to them. And if I should have as much wisdom as Solomon and should find poor priests of this world, I wish not to preach in their parishes against their will.
Clarean Commentary:
Here is Francis’s obedience, but also his humility. Even when priests were corrupt or unkind, he still honored their role. For Clareans today, the lesson is twofold: respect the wider Church, but do not be naïve about its flaws. We honor the office without excusing abuse, and we remain faithful to Christ above all.
4.
And those who embraced this life gave all they had to the poor, and they were content with one tunic patched inside and out, with a cord and breeches. And we wished for no more. We clerics said the Office as other clerics did; the lay brothers said the Our Father; and we remained gladly in churches. And we were simple and subject to all.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis recalls the early fire: simplicity, poverty, and joy. They had nothing but patched tunics and prayer, yet they were glad. For Clareans today, this is our reminder: joy doesn’t come from abundance, but from freedom. To live simple is to live unchained.
5.
And I worked with my hands, and I wish to work still; and I earnestly desire that all the other brothers give themselves to honest work. Let those who do not know learn, not for the sake of receiving the price of their labor, but for example, and to keep away idleness. And when the price of labor is not given to us, let us have recourse to the table of the Lord, begging alms from door to door.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis links work with dignity, not profit. Work is not about greed but witness. And when work fails, he has no shame in begging — because even Christ was poor. For Clareans today, this critiques our culture’s obsession with productivity. Work to serve, not to dominate. And never be ashamed of holy dependence on God and others.
6.
The Lord revealed to me that we should say this salutation: “The Lord give thee peace.”
Clarean Commentary:
This simple greeting — “Peace” — became the Franciscan hallmark. It is more than words; it is mission. For Clareans today, this must be our brand: when we show up, people should feel the peace of Christ embodied. Peace is both our salutation and our revolution.
7.
And all the brothers must be Catholics, live and speak as Catholics. But if any shall have strayed and not be Catholics, let them confess their sins to a Catholic priest and amend what is wrong. And let us hold fast the words, life, and teaching, and holy Gospel of Him who humbled Himself, who prayed to His Father for us, and blessed us.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis frames his movement as deeply Christian, rooted in the Gospel. For Clareans today, the call is the same: whatever our progressive lens, we are centered on Christ’s humility, prayer, and blessing. Our Catholicity is not narrow sectarianism, but universality — “catholic” in the truest sense: wide, inclusive, Gospel-shaped.
8.
And the ministers must warn the brothers, and humbly and kindly correct them, not commanding them imperiously. And the brothers must obey their ministers willingly. And I strictly enjoin on the brothers that they do not receive letters from the Roman Curia, either for a church or another place, or under pretext of preaching, or for persecution of their bodies; but wherever they may not be received, let them flee into another land to do penance with the blessing of God.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis warns against chasing privileges, protections, or power from Rome. He doesn’t want the movement entangled in politics. For Clareans today, this speaks loudly: our strength is not in securing institutional favor, but in living the Gospel boldly — even if it means exile or rejection. Faithfulness matters more than approval.
9.
And I firmly wish to obey the General Minister of this fraternity and the other guardian whom it shall please him to give me. And I wish to be a captive in his hands and not go beyond his will, for I am infirm and unwise. And I wish to always have a cleric who will perform the Office for me, as it is contained in the Rule.
Clarean Commentary:
Even at the end, Francis emphasizes humility and obedience, not as weakness but as freedom. He entrusts himself like a child. For Clareans today, this models spiritual accountability: no one is above correction, not even founders. The true leader is the servant.
10.
And let the brothers take care not to receive churches, nor poor dwellings, nor anything built for them, unless they be such as befits holy poverty, which they promised in the Rule. And let them dwell in them as strangers and pilgrims.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis feared property would kill the Spirit. Even churches should be poor, not monuments to pride. For Clareans today, this challenges us: are our spaces simple, or are they built to impress? Pilgrims need shelter, not palaces. Holy poverty must shape even our buildings.
11.
And I strictly enjoin on all the brothers, both clerics and laymen, that they do not place glosses on the Rule or these words, saying: “Thus they are to be understood.” But as the Lord has given me to speak and to write simply and purely, so also without gloss let them understand it, and with holy operation observe it unto the end.
Clarean Commentary:
Francis’s final plea: don’t water this down. No loopholes, no endless reinterpretations. Live it simply. For Clareans today, this is convicting. We are tempted to soften the Gospel to make it comfortable. Francis thunders from his deathbed: stop explaining it away. Just live it.
Sister Abigail Hester 
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