Saint Clare of Assisi
“To pray, we do not need to close our eyes and hide from the world.”
11 August: Feast of Saint Clare
Her life
Saint Clare was born in the city of Assisi, Italy, around 1194. From childhood she radiated innocence. She learned the foundations of the faith from her mother and surrendered herself to the Holy Spirit to be shaped as he willed, and he made her a pure vessel able to hold every grace. She spontaneously reached out to help the poor and used her wealth to ease their suffering.
She would deprive herself of fine food and secretly carry it to poor orphans. So charity grew in her while she was still in her parents’ home, together with a tender spirit that took pity on the unfortunate. Prayer was the best thing with which she filled her time. When she felt the surge of a greater love rising in her heart, she renounced the display of worldly beauty.
Clare heard of Saint Francis, whose fame had spread, and she soon longed to follow in his footsteps. She went to him and opened her heart, telling him of her desire to consecrate herself entirely to God and to live the Gospel in poverty and prayer. When Francis agreed, she left her home and family behind and set out for the church of Our Lady of the Angels. There Francis and the brothers received her, and Clare bade the world a final farewell. The journey had begun! The news spread quickly through the family; everyone condemned Clare’s decision, and they agreed to rush together to the monastery.
But their attempt failed, and soon her sister Agnes joined her, despite the family’s fierce opposition.
Before long, women and girls were flocking to her. The community grew quickly and flourished under her guidance, young as she was. All of them lived in complete poverty and wholehearted obedience, because the love of God was their driving force.
“We are God’s co-workers”
Saint Clare was servant and mother to her sisters. She would wake them for the midnight prayer and do the humblest tasks herself. She had great faith in the human person: she was a true school of formation, built on a positive view of the human being. She said that the faithful soul is greater than the heavens, because the heavens cannot contain God, while the faithful soul is a dwelling place for the Lord.
“God did not create possessions but gifts”
Saint Clare wanted her sisters to live in the monastery without possessions and without worrying about tomorrow. She wanted one privilege only: the privilege of living without privileges! For her, poverty was a matter of identity: following the poor and crucified Christ. She embraced poverty because her Beloved had embraced it too.
“Looking and contemplating”
Clare’s prayer was very visual; she made great use of the senses: looking, contemplating, gazing. To pray, we do not need to close our eyes and hide from the world. Rather, we need to look: to look at the world with the eyes of God, and to look at Christ, our mirror.
