Find what you’re looking for
At this point in our Lenten journey, we may be growing weary of the promises we made at the beginning of the season. In those moments, we must remember St. Clare’s determination.
All too often, we see God as a distant figure. When we do that, though, we fail to see the many ways that God is working in our lives. Perhaps God is present in a friend or family member who is helping or consoling us.
St. Clare of Assisi probably would have been uncomfortable hearing such accolades. Clare wanted only to follow and serve Christ. She chose to do so in a quiet and humble way, along with her sisters.
Clare shared her faith and wisdom with so many outside San Damiano and far beyond her own time. Indeed, she counseled and nursed an ailing Francis during one of his visits. How might we be in service to others?
Each of us has been created for a different purpose. Clare’s path was different from each of ours, yet in many ways it is the same. We’re all blessed to have been created. What will we do with that blessing?
We live in a world that is constantly changing—minute by minute—right before our eyes. We are surrounded by the never-ending cycle of social media, news, streaming services, and a whole host of other “here this minute, gone the next” sources of information and entertainment.
In 1240, a group of Saracen mercenaries attacked the convent at San Damiano on their way to the city of Assisi. St. Clare, though sick and weak, confronted the men and held them off by raising the monstrance containing the Eucharist.
For Clare, Christ’s love was the greatest gift. She always looked to praise God for the many blessings bestowed on her, even if they didn’t seem obvious.
Most of us will never be canonized as saints. We are flawed individuals trying to live a life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice. That does not mean, however, that we are not called to do our very best to follow “the path of the Lord,” as St. Clare said.
One of the mistakes most of us make is to think that we always have enough time. We put off things we should do, promising to get to them later. What we don’t think about, though, is the possibility that there might not be a later.
