August 11, 2006
Saint Clare of Assisi
“Do you see the King of Glory as I see Him?” Saint Clare asked this question of the Sister who was attending her as she was dying. It seems it was a literal question and Saint Clare was actually seeing her Beloved Jesus—the King of Glory—at that moment. This wasn’t the first time such a remarkable favor was granted to Saint Clare.
One Christmas Eve the Saint was confined—not to a plush sick bed, but to her straw mat on the stone dormitory floor of the convent. She was unable to attend the solemn Midnight Mass. Evidently the Lord did not intend for her to make such a sacrifice because Saint Clare was granted to see and hear the entire celebration and to miraculously receive Holy Communion. (It was this incident which earned her the position as Patroness of television.)
On another occasion, the Sisters’ bread supply was at a dangerously low ration—even for them! One loaf of bread was all there was in the Convent; half of this was given away. When bread and olive oil constitutes the whole menu, the cause for concern is clear! And, through Saint Clare’s prayers, there was enough to feed all 50 sisters living at San Damiano at the time!
Instantaneous healings were also known to occur at Saint Clare’s intercession. There are numerous accounts of her healing various illnesses of her Sisters and the Friars. Townspeople who would make their way to the cloister door would also find healing there. One such story is of a young boy who managed to get a pebble stuck in one of his nostrils. It could not be extracted even with medical help. Saint Clare made the sign of the cross over the boy and the pebble shot out! Another happy recipient of a miracle!
The power of Saint Clare’s prayers proved effective once again in the very dire circumstances of the invasion of the cloister by the mercenary soldiers of Emperor Frederick II. Saint Clare arose from her sick bed and, holding our Eucharistic Lord aloft in the window, begged Jesus to protect the Sisters and all the people of Assisi. The voice of the Child Jesus could be heard in reply: “Because of your love, I will watch over you and them always.”
The soldiers, who had already penetrated the cloister wall, turned and departed without harming any of the occupants of San Damiano. ( Saint Clare is often depicted with the Blessed Sacrament, harkening back to this event.)
In her over 40 years of religious life, many supernatural events have been recorded. As fascinating as this is, even more impressive is the testimony given by her Sisters of her day-in and day-out sanctity: her fidelity, her generosity, her charity, her cheerfulness, her service, and her prayer. It’s one thing to start out in a fervor; it’s another to remain faithful with deep charity and without compromise.
If you want to know what a person is really like, ask someone who lives with them! That is precisely what the Church does when investigating a cause for canonization. The Church is looking for evidence of heroic virtue, and the Sisters who lived with Saint Clare were more than ready to testify to it. They had been beneficiaries of her love, service, and prayer. They had been encouraged to their own vocations by her good example. ( Saint Clare was joined in the convent by her 2 sisters, her mother, 2 of her nieces, along with childhood friends and neighbors.)
And so, 2 years after her death, and 27 years after the canonization of Saint Francis, his first “little plant” was also canonized.
Saint Clare of Assisi is given to us as a Mother, a model, and a light on our way.
Holy Mother, Saint Clare, pray for us that we may see the King of Glory as you do.
Sr. Clare Matthiass, CFR
(facts about the life of Saint Clare and the testimonies for her canonization can be found in Clare of Assisi: Early Documents by Regis Armstrong, OFM Cap., New City Press 2006)
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