Bethlehem Monastery of Poor Clares Bethlehem Monastery of Poor Clares
Spring, 2012
Because one small light flickered, faithful
Our dear Friends,
Yes, this light burned only...just flickered, faithful, till the final
sputter of yearning burst her drift of flesh. During the lifetime of our Mother St. Clare, she was only a small light burning, like a candle in the night. Eight hundred years ago, on Palm Sunday, March 18, 1212, that candle was lit by our Father St. Francis in the little chapel of Our Lady of the Angels – the Portiuncula, as it is perhaps better known today. A small beginning, you might say, and a rather tumultuous one besides. Her wealthy relatives were not pleased and stormed the Benedictine abbey where she was staying until St. Francis could find other accommodations. How dare she overturn all the plans they had for a fine marriage for her, with its promise of building a strong alliance in the various feudal wars of the times – perhaps even against the German emperor, Frederick II, as much the chief terrorist of that day as any in ours. And when, after a couple more skirmishes with her family, Francis finally settled her in the little place called San Damiano, where he had first heard the voice of Christ from the cross telling him to go, rebuild his Church, surely there were a lot of tsks and tuts among the townsfolk. Now, what those folks back then forgot – at least for a while – was that the Holy Spirit has rather different ideas than we do about what constitutes true greatness and about what to do to achieve it. And so, set into this peculiar little lampstand in the Church, this light burned and flickered faithful, living the Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
That light soon began to draw more and more young (and some not-so-young) women to follow after her. Thus it was then and thus it has been down through the centuries even to our own day. When we left you last time, we were a couple of weeks from the investiture of our then-postulant Kimberly, eagerly anticipating the revelation of her new name. Those of you who saw the two-page article about us in our diocesan newspaper already know that, on December 12th, in our very first investiture ceremony here on Mt. St. Francis, Kimberly became Sister Marie Elise of Jesus Crucified – a French name meaning “one consecrated to God”. Mother had said it was a name we would never guess – and she was right!
Being clothed in the garments of the lowly on the feast of Jesus’ holy Mother and ours for love of Him who was wrapped in such poor little swaddling clothes and laid in a manger proved to be the perfect preparation for our Christmas celebrations. This year we were led into the mysteries of the Incarnation by Father Christian Leisy, O.S.B., of the Abbey of Christ in the Desert out in Abiquiu, New Mexico, and, a week later, into this New Year of the Lord by Father Leo Joseph, C.F.R., who came to us from New Jersey. Each brought his own particular flavor to our observances, both in their insightful homilies and delightful anecdotes shared in several parlor recreations. As we turned yet another page in the calendar year on January 1st, we remembered each of you in our pre-midnight Holy Hour. We lifted up all your intentions to the Lord as our tower bells literally rang in this year which looks to be very momentous for all of us. And how significant it should begin under the patronage of Mary, Mother of God, for, as our Holy Father once remarked:
“Life is like a voyage on the sea of history, often dark and stormy, a voyage in which we watch for the stars that indicate the route. The true stars of our life are the people who have lived good lives…Who more than Mary could be a star of hope for us? With her ‘yes’ she opened the door of the world to God himself; she became the living Ark of the Covenant, in whom God took flesh, became one of us, and pitched his tent among us.”
Mary, Star of the Sea and Mother of Holy Hope, surely shone so brightly in the life of our Mother St. Clare that she, too, became a guiding star for those who look to her for help in their time of need, especially in this anniversary year of her dedication to Christ. The first months of 2012, in fact, have been spent preparing for the actual day—March 18 – in a very special way: the investiture of our Postulant Joscelyn. Yes, as we began this missive with the clothing of Sister Marie Elise, so we end with that of yet another member of our novitiate. We will not, however, as in the last issue, leave you guessing as to her new name! And so we share with you our joy that, on March 18, the very day our Mother St. Clare began her own religious life, our Joscelyn became Sister Mary Angelique of the Infant Jesus, and her nameday will be December 25, when the choirs of the angels appeared to announce the birth of the Infant Jesus and to sing His praises. Photos of our new novices appear on the Facebook page “Friends of Barhamsville Poor Clares.”
And so, when the people of Assisi and environs clucked their tongues and wondered Who would remember Clare wrapped in her silence once she was gone, God must have smiled. For, gazing down the centuries, He saw
The thousands strong who say no word, and lightly
Spurn the strange earth with their unslippered feet.
Who fling their gleaming hair away like laughter
(as did our Sisters Marie Elise and Angelique)
And turn their faces toward a nameless spring,
And sing! because one small light flickered, faithful;
And the Clare-candle lights the weary world!
We pray that Candle be a great navigational star for each of you throughout the Lent of this life until it leads us all to the great Paschal Feast of the new and heavenly Jerusalem.
Our Holy Week Liturgies in this year of the Lord 2012
April 5 Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper 5:00 p.m.
April 6 Good Friday Celebration of the Lord’s Passion 3:00 p.m.
April 7 Easter Vigil 11:00 p.m.
April 8 Easter Sunday Mass of the Lord’s Resurrection 9:00 a.m.