August 12

St. Clara, Abbess

Preparation. - “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mat. 5. 3). We shall consider tomorrow, first, how perfectly St. Clara practiced the virtue of poverty, and secondly, the advantages she derived therefrom. As fruit of our meditation we shall resolve to be detached from earthly vanities, so as often to soar heavenward in our thoughts, desires and affections.

I. Poverty Of St. Clara

Issued from a noble and rich family, St. Clara of Assisi, at the age of eighteen years, left the world notwithstanding the opposition of her parents, and laying aside all vain and worldly ornaments, she put on a dress of sack-cloth with a cord for a girdle, in order to consecrate herself to Him who became poor for our sake. Although the superior of her community, her detachment was admirable, indeed. She, who had been reared in wealth, so regulated her convent as to possess no revenue, and forbade even a storing of provisions therein. Being satisfied with what was strictly necessary, she preferred the alms of dry crusts rather than of fresh whole loaves.

Her eagerness to please the King of the poor, caused her constantly to refuse the least mitigation of her Rule with regard to poverty, for she never lost sight of the example of the Sovereign Lord of the universe, who wished to possess nothing in this world, from the stable of Bethlehem to His tomb near Golgotha. Moreover, she well knew that poverty is the companion of humility, the mother of devotion, the sister of recollection and the nurse of mental prayer. The heart that is detached from every thing, enjoys a profound peace, and easily rises to the contemplation and desire of heavenly and eternal goods.

Are we, like St. Clara, moved by the examples of detachment Christ has given us? Do we look upon riches as mere dust when compared with sanctifying grace, with the merit of good works and the divine promises? Why therefore should we suffer our affections to cling to what is of little value, though convenient to us, and not attach ourselves solely to the Supreme Good? We even, at times, venture to displease Him, in order not to sacrifice to Him what grace requires of us. We so easily bestow our affections on the things that flatter our sight, our taste, our sense of feeling, and we are so reserved toward the Supreme Good, who satiates all the elect.

O my God, impart to me the spirit of the saints, who eagerly sought in time the goods of eternity. Enable me to live here below as a traveller spending a day on his way in an inn, and resuming his journey on the following day without attaching himself to any thing he saw or heard. As the Gospel teaches, I will keep myself always ready to depart from this life, without desiring transitory goods. Enable me to long for the virtues and merits that make man worthy of dwelling forever with Thee in the heritage of the saints.

II. The Advances St. Clara Derived From Poverty

With how many precious favors was not St. Clara’s voluntary poverty repaid! Many times God granted her the power of multiplying the bread and oil needed by her Community. He showed her the Infant Jesus lying in the poor manger, protected her against the Saracens who came to pillage and ransack her convent. During the forty-two years she spent in the severest privations, she not only never uttered a complaint, but always felt joy in her heart. As she asserted before her death, she never found difficulty in sufferings, in penances, nor any thing disagreeable in sickness, so true it is, that a soul wholly disengaged and clinging to God alone, participates in the happiness of God Himself.

Also how delightful was the death of our saint. She was visibly assisted by Jesus, Mary and a multitude of saints who, during her last moments spread over her extenuated body a cloth of wonderful beauty and value, as a mark of how much the virtues of poverty and purity, its companion, are pleasing to God. Let us learn therefrom to despise earthly goods and sensual pleasures, which cannot profit us at the hour of death, whilst the thought of having preferred God to every thing, brings to the dying so much contentment and sweet hope.

Let us examine how we practice the virtue of poverty. We say that we are not afraid to suffer the want of every thing, but when at a meal, for instance, we are overlooked, or the victuals are not to our taste, or we have to wait to be served and thus have the opportunity of exercising the patience befitting the poor of Jesus Christ, how loudly and persistently do we not complain! Were we reduced to the want of every thing, we should still be better off than He who had not where to lay His head (Mat. 8. 20).

O my amiable Saviour, Thou didst disclose to me the treasure hidden in evangelical poverty. Grant that I may cling to Thee and to the solid goods, of which Thou art the fountain. Under the protection of the Immaculate Virgin and St. Clara, her faithful servant, I am resolved, first, to examine my heart from time to time to see whether it has no earthly attachment; secondly, to place my happiness and hopes in Thy friendships and merits; and thirdly, often to repeat with the psalmist: “O God, Thou art the God of my heart and my portion forever” (Ps. 72. 25, 26).