Becoming what we love

Today, if it wasn't a Sunday, we'd be celebrating St Clare of Assisi, a woman whose name - Chiara - means clear. She is often depicted as Sorella Luna - Sister Moon to Francis's blazing Brother Sun - a pale, luminous beauty; but this is no pale, aqueous moon, but one filled with guts and shot through with steel.

It takes guts to hold out against an arranged marriage and run away from home, especially when you know that your father and brothers are armed and dangerous and will undoubtedly pursue you. It takes even more guts, and persistence, in an unstable society which insists on protecting women, to insist even more on radical poverty and the insecurity that brings. And it definitely takes guts - and an abundance of faith - to face hordes of Saracens armed only with the Blessed Sacrament, and an unwavering belief in its miraculous power.

At the beginning of this year Clare became my patron for 2013. I was therefore delighted, a couple of months later, to come across this quote by her, which has somehow hung around ever since:

We become what we love and who we love shapes what we become

It is absolutely simple and absolutely true, and speaks of a gradual process of transformation, whereby we allow ourselves to be shaped by and into the self-giving love of God. It speaks, too, of becoming the love we have received, which takes me back to an insight in January. And beyond that, that there's very little more I can add...

Well, just one thing more... I came across this quote on Twitter, posted by a young woman whose profile said she hoped to become a Poor Clare postulant. The only other things I remember from her profile were that she is British and enjoyed running. I've searched for her but she seems to have vanished from Twitter - hopefully into that Poor Clare monastery, to allow herself to continue to be shaped by and into the One she loves. Anyway, whoever and wherever she is, I'm saying a special prayer for her today, and invite you to do likewise.

Comments

  1. A beautiful post Silvana. Thank you. It will not be long now before I re join the world of blogging. I am settling. I am thinking of you very much today, even if I have not made eclairs in the kitchen. :-) xx

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  2. What a lovely quotation. And I like the image of Clare as Sorella Luna - didn't she speak of becoming a mirror of Christ - like the full Moon on a clear night reflecting the light of the Sun.

    Silvana, I've sent you an email which I hope reaches you - and your blog is now loud and clear on my blogroll!

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