St. Clare of Assisi was a friend of Francis of Assisi and founder of the Poor Clares. Her advice to her sisters and other followers, as well as for us today is this:
Place your mind before the mirror of eternity! Place your soul in the brilliance of glory! Place your heart in the figure of the divine substance! And transform your whole being into the image of the Godhead Itself through contemplation!
St. Clare of Assisi - Window of the Chapel at St. Joseph's Monastery in Aptos, CA
On the feast of St. Clare of Assisi, I’d like to share a wonderful discovery. The chapel of St. Joseph’s Monastery of the Poor Clares in Aptos, CA has a beautiful set of stained glass windows illustrating aspects of Franciscan spirituality. The window for St. Clare is shown here. The website for the monastery has pictures of the windows and an explanation of the symbols associated with each of eight saints.
For St. Clare the text is as follows:
“St. Clare is shown holding the Monstrance, associated with the miracle performed by Clare of protecting the nuns living at the San Damiano Monastery. Over her arm is a towel, implying her role as a servant of God. The towel is embroidered in a style now known as the Assisi stitch. Above her are acorns, representing the cloister, and the oak branches extending from Francis. She stands on the deep river of spirituality.”
Thank you to the Sisters of St. Clare for all your prayers for us and our world. And thank you, St. Clare for all the doors you continue to open today, for new forms of ministry and outreach.
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The long-awaited Synod has begun. Bishops, priests, nuns, and lay persons from around the world have gathered in Rome to pray, listen, and reflect on where the Holy Spirit is leading us as a community in this new era. We are invited to join them in prayer:
