Today is the Feast Day of Saint Clare. When Clare heard Saint Francis of Assisi preach his Lenten homilies at the Church of San Giorgo, she felt a fire stir within her soul and she was determined to live the Gospel in a radical way. On the evening of Palm Sunday, at the age of 18, she secretly left her home with her cousin Pacifica, never to return home again. In the middle of the night, Clare met Francis and his friars at the Portiuncola, the little chapel of ‘Mary of the Angels’. Francis cut her long blond hair and Clare laid aside her fine clothes, clothing herself in a simple dress of sackcloth and a thick veil. She vowed from that moment on to give herself totally to God, her Eternal Spouse.
Clare was placed by Francis temporarily with the Benedictine nuns until Francis built with his own hands a cloister for her and her community, the Order of Poor Ladies, later known as the Poor Clares. The Poor Ladies lived apart from the world and supported Francis and his followers through their hidden life of prayer and sacrifice.
Lover of the Eucharist
Clare loved to come before the Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament. She looked to the Lord in the Eucharist as her dearest Love. She received Jesus in Holy Communion as often as she was permitted. One day after she had received Holy Communion, the Child Jesus came to visit her. He lay in her arms and covered her with kisses.
Our Lord was close to Clare and her Sisters all the time. Once, He saved them from a great danger in answer to Saint Clare's prayer. An army of rough soldiers came to attack Assisi and they planned to raid the convent first. Although very sick, she had herself carried to the wall and right there, where the enemies could see it, she had the Blessed Sacrament placed. Then on her knees, she begged God to save the Sisters. "O Lord, protect these Sisters whom I cannot protect now," she prayed. A voice seemed to answer: "I will keep them always in My care." At the same time a sudden fright struck the attackers and they fled as fast as they could. This became known as the miracle of the Blessed Sacrament.
In speaking of Eucharistic Adoration, Saint Clare said,
"Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him."
And, imitate Him she did. Due to her great zeal and deep devotion for the Holy Eucharist, Clare came to resemble that which she consumed and gazed upon so frequently during her life. Saint John Paul II said of Saint Clare: "her whole life was a Eucharist because from her cloister she raised up a continual thanksgiving to God in her prayer, praise, supplication, intercession, weeping, offering and sacrifice. She accepted everything from the Father in union with His only begotten Son."
I have a very special love for Saint Clare, her profound devotion of the Eucharist and her life of contemplative prayer. I especially love the story of how she held up the Blessed Sacrament when Assisi was about to be attacked and the attackers fled in fright. Last year, I had the blessing of visiting Assisi and I remember being so moved by the statue of Saint Clare holding up the Blessed Sacrament. That is the power of the Eucharist. Jesus heals, protects and performs miracles through the Eucharist and Eucharistic Adoration. Whenever you have an opportunity to go to Eucharistic Adoration, go and sit in the Presence of the Lord. He is waiting for you. Like Saint Clare, the more you come to Him, the more He will make you like Him. When you gaze at Jesus in Eucharistic Adoration, He is gazing back at you with great love.
“Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! And transform your entire being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation." Saint Clare
Saint Clare, pray for us and all those we pray for through this ministry.
No comments:
Post a Comment