The lives of Francis Bernadone and Clare Offreduccio reach back eight
centuries to a small Italian village of Assisi in the Umbrian valley.
Francis and Clare were friends who experienced a change of heart (conversion) and left lives of promising prestige and wealth to “follow in the footprints of Jesus.” God changed the hearts of Francis and Clare and their hearts changed the world.
Francis was thoroughly enamored of the profound humility of God demonstrated in the Incarnation – God taking on humanness and living among us. For Francis, the passion of Christ illustrated in the most powerful way God’s unfathomable, unconditional love for humans and indeed the entire world. His appearance marked the moment when people could be reconciled not only to God but to nature, and most difficult of all, to themselves.
"He was poor and lowly, but the Most High God looked upon him…and made him a practitioner, a leader and a herald of Gospel perfection and set him up as a light for believers so that by bearing witness to the light he might prepare for the Lord a way of light and peace into the hearts of his faithful." --Life of Francis, St. Bonaventure
The image of Christ closest to Clare’s heart was that of God who was placed poor in the crib, lived poor in the world, and remained naked on the cross. It was the goal of Clare to clearly mirror the loving, compassionate face of this poor Christ Incarnate. The centerpiece of her life was poverty. For Clare all of life was seen in the light of the primary goal - the transformation of one’s life through contemplation into the image of the Divine. She continually encouraged her followers to gaze, to consider, to contemplate the face of Christ crucified.
"O wondrous blessed clarity of Clare! In life she shone to a few; after death she shines on the whole world! On earth she was a clear light; now in heaven she is a brilliant sun." --Pope Innocent IV- Decree of Canonization
To learn more about St. Francis and St. Clare visit our Resources page.
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