When Francis experienced his conversion, he did not set out to found a religious order. He simply desired to follow the path the Lord had placed before him. Yet the trust Francis showed throughout his life also extended to welcoming those who wished to share in his way of life. 

In the first years after Francis began preaching, six men joined him. Thomas of Celano, the earliest biographer of St. Francis, identifies three of them as Bernard, Giles, and Philip, while the others remain unnamed. When a seventh brother joined the group, making eight including Francis himself, the Holy Spirit moved Francis to send them out in pairs to preach the Gospel. Bernard and Giles traveled toward Santiago de Compostela in Spain, Francis departed with one of the other brothers, and the remaining pairs were sent to other regions. 

Not long after they separated, Francis desired to see the brothers again. He prayed, and the Lord inspired all of them to return and gather once more, without any human summons. 

Like the Apostles returning to Christ, the brothers shared the experiences of their journeys and received both encouragement and correction from their spiritual father. The Order quickly continued to grow. Thomas of Celano records that four more men soon joined them, bringing the number to twelve. At this point, Francis recognized the need to establish a simple rule of life for the community. 

What had begun as one man’s personal conversion had become a source of renewal for many others. In sending the brothers forth, Francis was fulfilling the Lord’s command to “rebuild my Church.” His trust in going forth continues to bear fruit even 800 years later. 

This week, let us trust God enough to go where He calls us. Even small acts of faith and obedience can become part of something far greater than we imagine.