St. Clare's Prayer to Our Lord
Brother John Raymond
St. Clare, the great friend of St. Francis and the Foundress of
the Poor Clare Nuns was born in Assisi, Italy in 1194. At a young
age she left her wealthy home to found the poor and austere life of
the "Poor Ladies" as they were first called. St.Clare was joined by
many women during her lifetime, including her own sister and mother.
St. Clare had a very special devotion to the Most Blessed
Sacrament and to this day her monasteries have Eucharistic
Adoration. St. Clare used to pray to the "Divine Heart of Jesus in
the Blessed Sacrament" when she entered the chapel. This is perhaps
one of the first instances in the history of spirituality of uniting
devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus with the most Blessed
Sacrament.
St. Clare's Eucharistic love and confidence were demonstrated by
her heroic defense of the City of Assisi. During the year 1244 an
army of Saracens was advancing toward Assisi. They scaled the walls
and approached the convent. The nuns rushed to their holy foundress
who was sick and in bed. With the assistance of her nuns St. Clare
went to the door of the monastery. Holding high the Sacred Vessal
with the Most Blessed Sacrament before the invaders St. Clare prayed
"O my God, I beseech Thee to protect these nuns whom I am not able
to protect." A vioce like that of a small child spoke from the
Sacred Host, reassuring St. Clare with the words, "I will have thee
always in My Care." When the soldiers saw the Blessed Sacrament a
sudden panic confused them all, resulting in their immediate retreat
from the City! Thus the Blessed Sacrament and St. Clare saved the
City!
Like St. Francis, who wanted churches properly adorned, St. Clare
was most careful in providing beautiful articles to adorn churches.
A fellow sister, Sister Francesca, said that St. Clare made over one
hundred corporals (the white cloth under the Chalice and Paten) of
the finest materials for various churches. St. Clare amazingly is
considered patroness of television. Just as we watch something far
away on our television, so St. Clare was able to do a similar act by
the grace of God. Once on Christmas Eve as she lay sick in bed she
was able to see the entire Mass from her bed even though it was said
in the church.
St. Clare was abbess for forty years. She was sick for many years
but she bore this suffering patiently. She wrote the rule for her
Sisters which insisted on no ownership of property either by the
individual Sisters or the community. It was approved by Pope
Innocent IV two days before she died. In 1253, at the age of sixty,
forty-two years after her religious profession, St. Clare entered
her eternal reward. Pope Alexander IV canonized her in 1255.
St. Clare's Prayer to Our Lord
Glory and Praise be to You, Most loving Jesus Christ, for the
Most Sacred Wound in Your Own Side. By that Adorable and Holy Wound
You made known to the soldier Longinus, in the opening he made in
Your Side, Your infinite mercy.
O most gentle Jesus I ask You, that, having redeemed me by
Baptism from the stain of original sin, do now by Your Precious
Blood, which is offered and which is received throughout the world,
deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come.
By Your most bitter death give me a lively faith, firm hope and a
perfect charity, that with my whole heart I may love You with all my
soul and strength. Make me persevere in Your service, firm and
steadfast in good works, so that I may be always able to please You,
my Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.