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We too, have–and will have–suffering in our life and death. It’s part of our human existence and we have to receive it as such. If Jesus suffered and died, how can we expect our personal history to be any different?
In her final letter to Saint Agnes of Prague, Clare encouraged her friend to look deeper than the surface level of the mirror.
Dutch-born saint Charles of Mount Argus spent 35 years in Ireland and England, never really mastering the language. But as a priest his friendliness and healing gifts made him beloved by all.
Saint Cajetan was a lawyer who became a priest working in the Roman Curia. He came to realize that the Church needed reform, so he and three friends founded the Theatines, a small congregation dedicated to addressing the very issues that were at the heart of the Protestant Reformation.
It was Clare’s conviction to defend that which she felt so strongly about that serves as a model for us today.
Spirituality expands our empathy and awareness of others’ pain. It inspires us to challenge everything that hurts those around us, most especially institutional, governmental, and economic injustice.
Whatever happened on Mount Tabor within the hearts of Peter, James and John, we will never know. The experience was more than words can describe. But certainly, the three Apostles had an experience of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
We need to remember that our final happiness depends on our participation in the life of the glorious Christ. We have to be aware that God invites us to participate in Christ’s kingdom.
Clare’s way of living the Gospel was not Saint Francis’ way, yet she left a profound mark on the life of the Church through her own form of ministry.
Jesus is the greatest of teachers. He used the experiences of common people to demonstrate the eternal truth of God’s word.
