Today we celebrate a young woman so wonderful that it's hard to do her justice in a blog. She was born Clare Offreduccio, and her parents of course wanted her to marry and have children. She resisted this, and at the age of 15 she declared (pun intended) that she would join a religious order.
But the order she wanted to live her life in, the rule she wanted to live by, didn't seem to exist. Instead, there was a young man who lived nearby named Francis Bernardone who was beginning to live his life in a new way, radically following the poverty expressed by Jesus. Between them, Francis and Clare formed two orders: the Franciscans, and the Poor Clares. They both lived on scraps of food donated, due to their begging. Clare never left the walls of her convent, but Bishops and even Popes came to visit her and sought her counsel. They also pressured her to change her order to one that was less severe, and had a source of income. But she refused, and shortly before her death the Church approved her order and her rule.
Francis and Clare brought new life and breath into the church, which had been suffering from corruption and complacency for years. Because of their example, thousands of people joined their orders, and you can find religious brothers and sisters in the Franciscan and Poor Clare orders today, living simply, loving nature, and sharing the love of Jesus with everyone they meet. You can read more about St Clare of Assisi here.
How is God calling YOU to bring new life to the Church today? It is suffering from corruption and complacency today like it did in St Clare's time. How can you make a difference?
God, thanks for the radical and inspiring example of this faithful follower of Jesus. St Clare of Assisi, pray for us.
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