The Legend of the Three Companions is a biography of Saint Francis of Assisi written in 1246 and narrated by three of his first companions. In the biography, friars Leo, Angelo, and Rufino talk about St. Francis opening the missal on the altar of the Church of San Nicolò to find out what the Lord wanted him to do. St. Francis found these three passages:
Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him, "You are lacking in one thing. Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
He said to them, "Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic."
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me."
This missal still exists, and is preserved in the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. On December 7, Minister General Friar Carlos Trovarelli viewed the missal while on visit to the US.
(This is an excerpt from an article by Friar Jakub Czajka posted on the Order’s website. To read the entire article: https://www.ofmconv.net/en/un-messale-che-ricorda-il-tempo-di-san-francesco/)
