Where one of purity goes, others will follow

     That's just what Saint Clare of Assisi did! She was born into a life of nobility and wealth. She had every opportunity to feel and act entitled, but chose to listen to the Holy words of Saint Francis at a Lenten preaching. His words, coming down from deep within his pure soul, moved her so much, that she secretly escaped her home and traded her fine clothes for a rough tunic, cutting off her hair, so as to take religious vows. Needless to say, her relatives attempted (forcibly) to drag her back home. But St Clare was steadfast, and eventually moved to the Church of San Damiano. Her mother and her sister Agnes, joined her religious community sometime later. Claire established a cloistered community, called the Poor Clares, centered on extreme simplicity, following in Saint Francis's example of going barefoot, eating no meat, and owning no property. She is said to have protected Assisi from invading soldiers by holding up the Blessed Sacrament at the convent wall, causing the soldiers to flee in panic. She is also to have had a "television" vision, where being bedridden before her death, she miraculously saw and heard a Christmas Mass on her cell wall, leading Pope Pius XII to name her the "patron Saint of television". 

     St Clare of Assisi, died August 11th, 1253. She was canonized just two years later by Pope Alexander IV.

     From hearing and listening to who became her closest dearest friend St Francis, Clare was able to have the direction of her life changed for so much more worth than all the riches she had become accustomed to.

     So next time you happen to hear someone speaking words that (just maybe) you needed to hear, listen up! It's Jesus talking to you! 

     St Clare of Assisi, beloved friend, pray for us!