Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Homily – August 11, 2010 – St. Clare of Assisi

+ St. Clare of Assisi became a friend of St. Francis of the same town after hearing him preach. Her father was a count and her mother a countess. On Palm Sunday in 1212, her bishop presented Clare with a palm, which she apparently took as a sign. And with her cousin Pacifica, Clare ran away from her mother's palace during the night to enter religious life. She eventually took the veil from St. Francis at the Church of Our Lady of the Angels in Assisi, Italy.

Clare founded the Order of Poor Ladies (Poor Clares) at San Damiano, and led it for 40 years. Everywhere Franciscans established themselves throughout Europe, there also went the Poor Clares, depending solely on alms, forced to have complete faith on God to provide through people. This lack of land-based revenues was a new idea at the time. Clare's mother and sisters later joined the order, and there are still thousands of members living lives of silence and prayer.

Clare loved music and well-composed sermons. She was humble, merciful, charming, optimistic, chivalrous, and every day she meditated on the Passion of Jesus. She wanted very much to give her own life like the Franciscan martyrs of Morrocco did in 1221, but she was restrained. However, once when her convent was under attack she displayed the Blessed Sacrament in a monstrance at the convent gates, and prayed before it, and the attackers left; the house was saved and the image of her holding a monstrance became one of her emblems. Her patronage of eyes and against their problems may have developed from her name which has overtones from clearness, brightness, brilliance – like healthy eyes. Toward the end of her life, when she was too ill to attend Mass, an image of the service would display on the wall of her cell; thus the patronage of television. She was ever the close friend and spiritual student of Francis, who apparently led her soul into the light at her death!

The readings for today's Mass are certainly well chosen for the feast: Clare ever strained for the greatest goal of life on high with Christ Jesus, her Lord. God was her entire inheritance, therefore she did not need the wealth of an earthly inheritance from her father. And from the gospel: those who give up everything to follow Christ – especially in Clare and her Ladies case – in silence and prayer - will inherit a large number of brothers and sisters and eternal life besides. May we today and perhaps each day, imitate Clare and her Ladies and spend some time silence and in prayer – simple, open prayer of abandonment to the will of God – and see what happens!

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