Wednesday is the Feast day of Saint Clare of Assisi
Wwebmaster • August 6, 2021
Saint Clare of Assisi was born into a wealthy Italian family but soon shunned her luxurious upbringing to embrace the life of piety and poverty. Inspired by the words of Francis of Assisi, Clare fled her home and joined Francis, establishing her own religious order. The group became known for their austere and devout lifestyle and for the power of their prayer, which is credited with saving Assisi from invaders twice. After Francis' death, Clare continued his work and broadened her own influence. Clare died in 1253 and was canonized two years later by Pope Alexander IV.
Clare was born in Assisi, Italy, in 1193 to wealthy parents, and was taught to read and write as well as spin yarn and do needlework. She had little interest in her luxurious surroundings (she lived in a palace), and influenced by her mother's religious devotion, Clare dedicated her life to God at an early age. She also showed early on that her calling would involve helping the poor, as she set aside food from her family table to give to the needy on the streets.
When Clare was 18, Francis of Assisi came to preach in the church of San Giorgio at Assisi. Inspired by his words, Clare asked Francis to help her in dedicating her life to God, and he vowed to do so. The following year (1211), Clare's parents chose a wealthy young man for Clare to marry, but she pointedly refused, fleeing soon after for the Porziuncola Chapel, where Francis received her. She took vows dedicating her life to God, and that moment, occurring on March 20, 1212, marked the beginning of the Second Order of Saint Francis.
The third Sunday of Advent is also called ‘Gaudete Sunday’. ‘Gaudete’ means ‘Rejoice’ in Latin. We rejoice because during the Advent season, as our hearts are in the middle of this longing, waiting and penitential period; Our Saviour who we are expecting is fast approaching. As today’s Reading said: “The coming of the Lord is at hand”. Therefore, the third candle we light up this weekend, as well as the Priest’s and Deacon’s vestments change from purple to rose colour, to reflect the rejoicing spirit in our hearts.
What St Joseph might be thinking by the Crib… I was initially bewildered when I heard that Mary was pregnant with ‘The Lord’ from Elizabeth’s mouth. I love her so, and I just want to serve her as my lady, not treating her as my wife. But then I got this shocking news! I didn’t understand. She is God’s Possession. Who am I? I dared not to get close to her…and with a broken-heart I wanted to run away. But God, You has a Plan for me, Your Angel’s Message calm my fear and showed me my Vocation. I am delighted to do Your Will, yet I felt I have failed on the first mission You gave me – I can’t even prepare for You a proper place for Your Holy and Glorious Birth. But Your Wish is beyond human thinking. Not only You wished to take our fragile form of human flesh instead of the angel’s. You also desired to be born in a cave instead of a palace, accompanied by beasts instead of servants, wrapped in swaddling cloth instead of silk and gold…I marvelled that You can be with such humility, such sacrifice to Your Divinity! Ah, The Word Incarnate came with His Words and His Action, to open our eyes and mind, and made us understand and realise what Love really is, how much He Loves us, how precious we are to Him. Indeed, Your Love to us can even made the Angels jealous! Although You are my God and I fear You, like Moses hid his face in front of the Burning Bush, I also prostrated in front of Your brilliant Light in the Nativity Cave when You first born; yet as Mary invited me to come closer and the moment she placed Your little Body in my arms I just want to love You, joyful tears ran down my face. I adore You. You opened Your eyes and looked into mine, You took my soul and breath away. Oh, my Divine Child, You are the fountain of all happiness, just looking at You, just being with You, Your Real Presence made my whole being went into ecstasy, like all the unspeakable joy of the whole Heaven have come down on me. You chose me to be Your father on earth out of all men, how privilege I am! How unworthy I am! But I humbly wish to be Yours forever. From this day onwards, I will use all my strength to protect You, even if it might costs my life; I will use my very last breath to prevent any harm come to You. I love You, my dear Baby Jesus, my God and my All!
‘‘Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.’’ (Matthew 11:3-6) O God, who see how your people faithfully await the feast of the Lord's Nativity, enable us, we pray, to attain the joys of so great a salvation and to celebrate them always with solemn worship and glad rejoicing. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Rosminian Fathers would like to invite you to join their Chr istmas Masses:
On this day in Rome, many people bring in their Baby Jesus figures (Bambinelli) to St Peter’s Square to be blessed by the Pope. In our Parish, you are all invited to bring your Baby Jesus figures from home or from your Nativity Crib to the Church this weekend to be blessed by the Priest during Mass, and take this Christmas Blessing back to your home and family.
If you wish to donate a poinsettia for decorating the Church during Christmas in memory of a loved one or you have a special prayer intention. Please bring poinsettias from 18th December until 21st December . Either leave them at the back of Church (under the table) or at the Presbytery.
Child: But this totally shattered the image of a God in my mind! Shouldn't God be in Heaven, like a King, enjoying all He has, looking down from above as a ruler of us all, charging His Angels and receiving our offerings and worship? Why did He do this? Mother: Because He is our Saviour. It is Love which driven Him to do that. His Love made Him forget Himself and lost Himself...Because of Love, from having everything He became poor, from the Almighty He became powerless, from being the Ruler He became subject to human, from the majestic rank He became the lowliest form of human beings, became a helpless babe. Through His humble Birth, He gently showed us how much He can sacrifice for us, how deep His Love can do for us. Child: I see. So because of Love, there is nothing that He will not do for us. Even if it means ‘losing’ His power, dignity and life? Mother: Yes, darling. But do we realise this? Do we appreciate it? He is the Love who seeks love - the love from our hearts. This is His time, His Birthday...The day He came to look for His Love ones – every single one of us. So next time when you go to the Crib, instead of just looking at a baby being born, try to think about who He really is and why is He there. Because without Christ, there is no Christmas.
“‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’... ‘I baptise you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire…” (Matthew 3:2,11) Almighty and merciful God, may no earthly undertaking hinder those who set out in haste to meet your Son, but may our learning of heavenly wisdom gain us admittance to his company. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Monday 8 December Mass at 10am All are welcome! “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
In Pope Pius XI’s encyclical letter, he mentioned “[Christ’s] empire includes not only Catholic nations, not only baptized persons…but also all those who are outside the Christian faith; so that truly the whole of mankind is subject to the power of Jesus Christ.” “Nor is there any difference in this matter between the individual and the family or the State; for all men, whether collectively or individually, are under the dominion of Christ. In him is the salvation of the individual, in him is the salvation of society” (Quas Primas #18). “When once men recognize, both in private and in public life, that Christ is King, society will at last receive the great blessings of real liberty, well-ordered discipline, peace and harmony. Our Lord’s regal office invests the human authority of princes and rulers with a religious significance; it ennobles the citizen’s duty of obedience” (#19). As we celebrate this glorious solemnity, the last Sunday of the Church’s liturgical year, deepen your faith in the mystery it celebrates, and strengthen your resolve to embrace the Kingship of Christ in your life, so that through you, His Kingdom will become all the more present in the world all around you.