Though St. Clare of Assisi was born over seven centuries ago, her struggles were not so different from what many of us face today. Her family had their own ideas about her future, and though she enjoyed a life of comfort, she felt called to something more. When she decided to run away and become a nun, they continually tried to prevent her from pursuing the consecrated life.
But Clare had made her choice – and she wouldn’t let anything stop her from answering God’s call. With the help of St. Francis of Assisi, she went on to found a new religious order known as the Poor Clares, and today, it has nearly 900 monasteries across five continents!
As we celebrate the Memorial of St. Clare of Assisi on August 11, we invite you to reflect on her timeless wisdom with 10 of her most insightful quotes about Christian love, living for the Lord, and more.
On Love
“Love him totally who gave Himself totally for your love.”
“Let the love you have in your hearts be shown outwardly in your deeds.”
“Love God, serve God; everything is in that.”
“Love that cannot suffer is not worthy of that name.”
On Living for the Lord
“Our body is not made of iron. Our strength is not that of stone. Live and hope in the Lord, and let your service be according to reason.”
“Therefore, let us be very careful that, if we have set out on the path of the Lord, we do not at any time turn away from it through our own fault and ignorance.”
“And I beg you … to praise the Lord by your very life, to offer the Lord your reasonable service and your sacrifice always seasoned with salt.”
On Overcoming the Trials of the World
“Our labor here is brief, but the reward is eternal.”
“Melancholy is the poison of devotion. When one is in tribulation, it is necessary to be more happy and more joyful because one is nearer to God.”
“Let us pray to God for one another, for by carrying each other’s burden of charity in this way we will easily fulfill the law of Christ.”
Sources:
A Dictionary of Quotes from the Saints, Paul Thigpen.
“Contemplate God With St. Clare,” Benedictine College.
“Quotes from Saint Clare of Assisi,” Franciscan Media.
