July 11, 1194 marks the birth of Clare who was the eldest daughter of a prosperous and devout family in Assisi, Italy. During her teens, she was deeply impressed by the life-style and preaching of St. Francis along the streets of her hometown. On March 20, 1220, she fled her home at night to follow the hero of Assisi and his way of life. St. Francis welcomed her without a second thought. Then at the little Chapel called Portiuncula, Clare exchanged her silken clothes for a rough tunic and her jeweled belt for a knotted rope while her golden tresses became victim to the merciless scissors of her newly found spiritual mentor, St. Francis. The vows of poverty, chastity and obedience became her life-long guide. Since St. Francis did not have a convent for women, Clare was escorted to a nearby Benedictine Convent for shelter. Her father stormed the Benedictine monastery to drag her home by force. But an equally determined Clare clung to the altar and refused to budge even an inch. She then moved to the nunnery of St. Angelo on Mount Subasio where her sister (St.) Agnes followed her. Within a short time, both of them shifted to San Damiano, in Assisi, where their widowed mother joined them. These three formed the nucleus of the Order of Poor Clares.Assiduous prayers, frequent fasts, constant silence, manual labour, frugal meals, cloistered life and evangelical poverty marked them apart from the rest of the world. More over, they slept on the floor, walked barefoot and subsisted on voluntary contributions from the local people. Then in 1215 Clare obtained from Pope Innocent III the “Privilege of Poverty” (privilegium paupertatis), which guaranteed the Clarists the practice of absolute poverty, ie. to live only on alms without owning any personal or communal property. Clare strenuously defended this privilege all her life when well-meaning Church Officials wanted to water down this stringent provisions regarding evangelical poverty. She was a great contemplative and an ardent devotee of the Holy Eucharist. It is reported that when marauders invaded Assisi and attempted to ransack San Damiano as well, an ailing Clare placed the Blessed Sacrament above the walls of the Convent facing the invaders and prayed: “Lord, protect these sisters whom I cannot protect.” An inner voice seemed to whisper: “I will keep them always in my care.” Amazingly, a sudden fright gripped the plunderers who fled in confusion. Illness and austere life hastened Clare’s death, which came on August 11, 1253. She was canonized two years later (1255) by Pope Alexander IV.
Reflection: Lives of holy men and women are a great pathfinder to respond to God’s call. The exemplary life of St. Francis inspired Clare to follow him. St. Agnes was brought to God through the blazing example of Clare. Both these women influenced the lives not only of their widowed mother but also of thousands of young women who continue to walk in their footsteps. A committed life of love and service can always produce a chain reaction for good.
They say that we are too poor, but can a heart which possesses the infinite God be truly poor? (St. Clare)
