Yet, over and over again, the modern ethos produces such unhappiness and emptiness. But the lie, the illusion that material wealth can bring happiness and fulfillment is told over and over.
St. Clare is the antithesis of the modern ethos. She shows another way. She points to THE Way.
Clare was from an aristocratic family. She was beautiful, she lived in a castle, she had many suitors, in a sense she was the medieval equivalent of the Disney princess. And yet, she sensed the emptiness of the world of wealth and aristocracy. She became drawn to Christ particularly by the dynamic preaching of the itinerant St. Francis of Assisi who became a lifelong friend and spiritual guide.
Determined to dedicate her life to God, on Palm Sunday in the year 1212, Clare escaped one night from her Father’s home. Several miles away, she met St. Francis and his brethren at the poor little chapel of the Portiuncula. At the altar of Our Lady, she traded her rich clothing for the rough brown woolen habit of the Franciscans, exchanged her jeweled belt for a common rope with three knots to symbolize her poverty, chastity, and obedience, and caught off her long golden tresses. Thus she became espoused to Christ. Her sister Agnes, 14 years old, soon joined her, as did several other women, in the following weeks.
They lived a simple life of poverty, austerity, and seclusion from the world. Clare and her sisters went barefoot, slept on the ground, kept a vegetarian diet, and observed almost complete silence. This was the beginning of the cloistered order of Franciscan nuns known as the Poor Clares. Thus the Virgin Clare was made the mother of countless virgins consecrated to Christ.
You’d think because of their penances, their separation from the wealth and luxuries of the world, the Poor Clares would be joyless…but have you ever met one? Here in Cleveland, we have two cloisters of Poor Clare Nuns—the Poor Clare Colletines on Rocky River Dr, and the Poor Clares of Perpetual Adoration over at St. Paul’s Shrine on the east side. And they are anything but joyless, in fact, they are often bursting with joy. Their happiness far exceeds any woman who has made wealth, power, or fame the pursuit of their life. They have found Him who is the source of all joy, and spend their life in His presence.
May we, like Clare, trust God enough, love God enough, that we may have the courage enough to follow him out of the luxury of the world, away from the empty promises of our culture, to pursue the promises of Christ for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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For the Poor Clares and all those consecrated religious under St. Clare’s patronage, for their sanctification, and that they may be a witness to the whole Church to seek the holiness for which we were made.
That St. Clare may teach us seek the presence and protection of Christ in the Holy Eucharist, for increase in devotion to adoration of our Eucharistic Lord here and everywhere.
That the love of Christ, the divine physician, may bring healing to the sick and comfort to all the suffering. We pray.
For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, for all of the poor souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for the deceased priests, deacons and religious of the diocese of Cleveland, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord.
For the deceased priests, religious, catechists, staff, and volunteers of St. Clare parish, for our deceased family members, friends, and parish, for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for all who have fought and died for our freedom.
O God, you know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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