MEMORIAL ST CLARE, AUGUST 11, 2021

PANEL PAINTING OF ST CLARE OF ASSISI (1194-1253) WITH SCENES FROM HER LIFE

MASS READINGS

A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Mt 18:15-20

Jesus said to his disciples: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have won over your brother. If he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, so that every fact may be established on the testimony of two or three witnesses. If he refuses to listen to them, tell the Church. If he refuses to listen even to the Church, then treat him as you would a Gentile or a tax collector. Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Again, amen, I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything for which they are to pray, it shall be granted to them by my heavenly Father. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

REFLECTION:

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”

Clare of Assisi was born to a wealthy family. At the age of 18 she refused to be married and in fact ran away from home to follow St Francis of Assisi. The parents tried to kidnap her back to her home, but despite their protests Clare founded her own austere religious order, the "Poor Clares" in tandem with St Francis of Assisi. She embraced a life of piety, poverty, charity and humility. It was a monastic religious order in the Franciscan tradition.

The altar screen shows St Clare in the center with the events of her life on the periphery.

After the death of St Francis of Assisi, she continued with his work. She once used a consecrated Host to ward off invaders. She displayed the Sacrament in a monstrance at the convent gates, and prayed before it; the attackers left.

Toward the end of her life on Christmas Eve 1252, Clare was upset that her illness was keeping her from Mass in the new Basilica of St. Francis. Suddenly, she was blessed with a vision of the Mass on her wall, both hearing and seeing it miraculously from several miles away. Because of this vision, she has been pronounced the patron saint of television and the patron of sore eyes.

St Clare forgave her parents for mistreating her. Her Poor Clare nuns helped people and prayed for one another. In today's Gospel, God shows us that He will be in the midst where 2 or more people are gathered. And with forgiveness and reconciliation to her family and the rigorous praying of the nuns, the Poor Clares were able with the leadership of St Clare, to bring peace to Assisi. Her mother and sister joined the order.

Never give up on one another, don't hold grudges or ill feelings, and be willing to forgive always trusting that the Lord will be in our midst.

God bless you.