One can imagine with what pious care he prepared himself and with what faith he listened to the divine teachings.
One day, it was probably February 24, 1209, the festival of St.
Matthias, mass was being celebrated at the Portiuncula.[30] When the priest turned toward him to read the words of Jesus, Francis felt himself overpowered with a profound agitation.

He no longer saw the priest; it was Jesus, the Crucified One of St.Damian, who was speaking: "Wherever ye go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, cast out devils.

Freely ye have received, freely give.

Provide neither silver nor gold nor brass in your purses, neither scrip nor two coats, nor shoes nor staff, for the laborer is worthy of his meat.'" These words burst upon him like a revelation, like the answer of Heaven to his sighs and anxieties.
"This is what I want," he cried, "this is what I was seeking; from this day forth I shall set myself with all my strength to put it in practice." Immediately throwing aside his stick, his scrip, his purse, his shoes, he determined immediately to obey, observing to the letter the precepts of the apostolic life.
It is quite possible that some allegorizing tendencies have had some influence upon this narrative.[31] The long struggle through which Francis passed before becoming the apostle of the new times assuredly came to a crisis in the scene at Portiuncula; but we have already seen how slow was the interior travail which prepared for it.
The revelation of Francis was in his heart; the sacred fire which he was to communicate to the souls of others came from within his own, but the best causes need a standard.