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 One
of the more sugary movies made about Francis of Assisi pictures Clare as a
golden-haired beauty floating through sun-drenched fields, a sort of
one-girl counterpart to the new Franciscan Order.
The beginning of her religious life was indeed movie material. Having
refused to marry at 15, she was moved by the dynamic preaching of Francis.
He became her lifelong friend and spiritual guide.
At 18, she escaped one night from her father’s home, was met on the road by
friars carrying torches, and in the poor little chapel called the
Portiuncula received a rough woolen habit, exchanged her jeweled belt for a
common rope with knots in it, and sacrificed the long tresses to Francis’
scissors. He placed her in a Benedictine convent which her father and uncles
immediately stormed in rage. She clung to the altar of the church, threw
aside her veil to show her cropped hair and remained adamant.
End of movie material. Sixteen days later her sister Agnes joined her.
Others came. They lived a simple life of great poverty, austerity and
complete seclusion from the world, according to a Rule which Francis gave
them as a Second Order (Poor Clares). Francis obliged her under obedience at
age 21 to accept the office of abbess, one she exercised until her death.
The nuns went barefoot, slept on the ground, ate no meat and observed almost
complete silence. (Later Clare, like Francis, persuaded her sisters to
moderate this rigor: "Our bodies are not made of brass.") The greatest
emphasis, of course, was on gospel poverty. They possessed no property, even
in common, subsisting on daily contributions. When even the pope tried to
persuade her to mitigate this practice, she showed her characteristic
firmness: "I need to be absolved from my sins, but I do not wish to be
absolved from the obligation of following Jesus Christ."
Contemporary accounts glow with admiration of her life in the convent of San
Damiano in Assisi. She served the sick, waited on table, washed the feet of
the begging nuns. She came from prayer, it was said, with her face so
shining it dazzled those about her. She suffered serious illness for the
last 27 years of her life. Her influence was such that popes, cardinals and
bishops often came to consult her—she never left the walls of San Damiano.
Francis always remained her great friend and inspiration. She was always
obedient to his will and to the great ideal of gospel life which he was
making real.
A well-known story concerns her prayer and trust. She had the Blessed
Sacrament placed on the walls of the convent when it faced attack by
invading Saracens. "Does it please you, O God, to deliver into the hands of
these beasts the defenseless children I have nourished with your love? I
beseech you, dear Lord, protect these whom I am now unable to protect." To
her sisters she said, "Don’t be afraid. Trust in Jesus." The Saracens fled.
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