DAY ONE – AUGUST 2
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen. 
Seeking the Aid of Saint Clare of Assisi

During this first day of Prayer to Saint Clare we ask for her to open the doors of Heaven for us and illuminate our daily lives with the wisdom, knowledge and fervor to do God's will. 
In the beginning of her vocation, Clare escaped from her father's house in the middle of the night. The only door that was safe for her to leave was a door that was impossible for her to open. A heavy barred door that was used only in the time of death to remove the deceased. Normally it took several strong knights with all their strength to open that door - yet Clare a young girl of eighteen did it all by herself. 
Well, humanly speaking of course, obviously she had some other help. Today we ask Saint Clare to help us to open the heavy doors that are blocking are passageways to God. We ask her to fill us with that same courage and conviction to move ahead in our walk with Jesus, no matter the obstacles that are before us - to move ahead - in darkness - in impossibility but yet with joy and confidence to give our lives completely and totally to God. 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints. 

DAY TWO – AUGUST 3
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen.

Saint Clare's Trust in God

Today we begin the second day of our Novena with a look at how St Clare lived the Spirit of Poverty and how it filled her with great joy. 
In the beginning, Saint Clare embraced Poverty with strict rigidity and deprivation in her youthful fervor of total abandonment. She fasted so severely that her sister's feared for her life, and Francis himself had to command her to eat something each day. Her grasp of poverty in youth was more of stern denial than an embrace of God's will. But as she grew in wisdom and grace, like Saint Francis she began to view things differently. Merely to deprive oneself was not true poverty - for one could be as proud of one's poverty as one could be of riches. No, true poverty meant that one was totally and completely dependent upon God. If God provided a scrap of bread - to God was given the glory, if God provided a piece of cake - then again even as before - to God was given the glory. 
To be poor was to live in total and complete insecurity of life. As God fed the birds of the air and clothed the lilies of the field - so she trusted God to care for her needs and that of her sisters. To be poor meant they did not own lands and fields that brought in a steady income. Each day was left for God to provide. And what did she find? God did provide, each and every day. 
Only two miracles are recorded in her canonization of multiplication. Once of bread and once of oil. But I am sure in Clare's eyes these multiplications were performed every single day. When they woke in the morning with no bread and the sequestering brother brought them a loaf - or a villager brought them some fruit, or a relative came with a gift surely that was a miracle of multiplication as well! From day to day God provided and so each day there was new cause to praise God for his fatherly and loving care of them. 
Now we too, must daily grow in trusting God to provide for our needs as well. We ask Saint Clare to guide us as she guided her sisters - to live each day not fearful of the morrow but rather filled with praise for our God is a loving and caring God. He will provide. 
Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY THREE – AUGUST 4
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen.

Saint Clare - A Touch of Kindness
Because Saint Clare was born over 800 years ago, it sometimes seems hard to relate to her in the 21st century.  Cold, drafty castles, knights in shining armor, dragons, and gargoyles and all sorts of medieval trappings wrap her in a cloud of unreality. It sometimes, or at least to me - seems hard to think of her as a real person, doing ordinary things, with her sisters who were also ordinary. 
But God has always used ordinary people to do great things, and so it is true with Clare. Perhaps one of the best ways to find a common bondage with Clare is to look at how she lived among her sisters. How she related to them and they to her. Who is that quietly stepping down a dark hallway with a blanket to cover a sister shivering and quietly crying in bed, unable to sleep because of the cold? Who is that carefully setting a basin of water on the floor so as to wash the tired, cracked and bleeding feet of a sister returning from begging? Fourteen times in the canonization process we find Clare obtaining miracles of healing for her sisters. 
Kindness is a virtue that is not often extolled as being among the holiest of virtues, but in truth it is one of the greatest. Clare was kind. This kindness nurtured and blossomed in the monastery, spilled like an overflowing stream into the world. Because of her care and concern for others she was drawn always to pray and it was her prayers that brought much grace into a darkened world. I am sure there are hundreds of cures that Clare obtained that have never been recorded in her life time and thousands afterwards - but the ones that are recorded, 14 healings among her sisters, and many others from the area surrounding are all touched with a simple virtue of kindness. She was kind because she loved, and because she loved she was able to obtain many blessings from God for others. 
Marco Bartoli in his wonderful book, 'Clare of Assisi' states that over half of the miracles of healings that Clare obtained were for children. It is said that how we treat the young and the old, the poor and the infirm is a true measure of our greatness. Saint Clare was and is truly a great woman, not because she climbed lofty mountains or sailed stormy seas, but because all she met, whether in her heart or in her prayers - she met with kindness. Do not hesitate to ask St. Clare for help in any need, big or small, she will hold each one tenderly in her heart and present them as she always has to Our Blessed Mother and her most Holy Son. 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY FOUR – AUGUST 5
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen. 

Saint Clare and God's Creation

When one thinks of Saint Francis, one often thinks of birds and wolves and brother Sun. Saint Clare often linked to Saint Francis as Sister Moon only seemed to have a cat. A cat which she was by the way, very fond of. Perhaps if she had had the opportunity like Saint Francis to be out and about a bit more (which in the middle ages was rather frowned upon for women) she might have had a few wolf stories herself. As it was she had her cat. 
For many years of her later life, Saint Clare was very sick and had to spend a lot of time in bed. Her cat would sit on her bed as she knitted and Clare had trained her so that if the ball of yarn fell away, the cat would jump down and bring it back to her. Now you may think this a bit strange, but I do believe that how one loves the little creatures of God is also a sign of sanctity. A respect for life whether it belongs to a person or an animal, a bird or even a worm is a gift of praise to God who created it. Often times we think we have to do great things to give praise to God, but I think, as both Clare and Francis knew - we can give praise even in such a little thing as petting a wolf or holding a cat in purrfect content. 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY FIVE – AUGUST 6
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen

Saint Clare Finding God's Reflection in Others
One of the most delightful traits of Saint Clare was her simple openness to God and trust in his complete guidance. When she was faced with a situation or problem that she did not know how to handle she responded in two ways. The first way was prayer the second was to humbly ask others for help and guidance. In asking she did not just go to the so called "councilors" alone, instead she would most often present her needs before the whole community. In her writings she counsels her sisters to always pay attention to the least among them, for God often reveals to little ones that which is hidden from the wise. 
We need to take this to heart in our own lives. To be open to the fact that God is speaking through all his children, the young, the old, the rich, the poor. Those who have degrees from colleges and universities and those who have degrees from hardship and suffering. If we have any prejudices or blocks towards someone we must try very hard to move past them, because we may be cutting off the answer or help from them that God has given to them for us. 
During this fifth day of our Novena to Saint Clare let us ask her for help in becoming humble and accepting of others. Let us be open to God guiding and directing us through others - the very person we are having trouble with may be our angel of mercy in disguise! 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY SIX – AUGUST 7
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen.

Saint Clare - a Life of Praise
"The contemplative experience of Francis and Clare sprang from the incredible discovery of God's love, ..." (this is the beginning sentence of Art 4.1 in the Order of Nuns of St. Clare) but just taking even part of this sentence gives us such a clear look at Franciscan contemplation and prayer. Not a life of prayer for prayer's sake, but a prayer like the Blessed Mother's Magnificat that overflows from becoming aware of how good God is. 
So that an ordinary walk in the garden becomes an ecstasy of delight as each little blossom shouts out how wonderful God is. A pause at the window fills one with joy as white puffy clouds sail along like ships across the sky. Did Francis and Clare lead a somber life of poverty? Poverty from what? Gold and silver and fancy clothes, yes....but surely not poverty from the glory God constantly surrounded them with. Saint Clare used to counsel her sisters as they were to leave on a begging trip - to fill their hearts with praise at the beauty of a single flower. 
We need to do this too, to let our contemplation become one of awe-filled praise and worship. To focus not on our lacks or even our needs but rather instead to look about us and see with new eyes the great beauty that God sets before us. 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY SEVEN – AUGUST 8
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen.

Saint Clare and Quiet Prayer
["Art. 57] In every moment of our lives priority ought to be given to that dialogue of love in which God takes the imitative, accommodating himself to our littleness and making it possible for us to know Him." 
Prayer must be a dialogue. A sharing. Our thoughts - God's thoughts. God is of course speaking to us all the time. Sometimes in the quiet breeze and sometimes in the raging storm. Oftentimes we have fixed conceptions of how God should speak and act in our lives. What He should do and what He should not do. We have these same conceptions for ourselves and ourselves. But in our prayer, our dialogue with God we need to be open for God is full of surprises. Our relationship with God grows and develop as we allow God freedom to speak and move in our lives. 
Like little children we must totally trust God to take care of us. With this confidence we can fully enjoy every minute that is gifted to us. Even in the raging storm, with Jesus seemingly asleep in the boat we can rest assured nothing is going to happen that He is not aware of. 
In one part of scripture is a favorite quote of mine, "Fear is useless, what is needed is trust." With that same kind of trust, Saint Clare moved boldly in her life. We too must hold onto that faith to meet each day with courage and even joy. 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.  Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY EIGHT – AUGUST 9
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen

Saint Clare and Firmness of Purpose

One thing you will find out about Saint Clare as you read and pray over her life and that is her firmness of purpose. When Clare made up her mind to do something, she stuck to it. At eighteen she decided to follow Saint Francis - the costs were enormous, the risks were great, but she had made up her mind and she went for it. 
Saint Clare was the first woman to write a rule for woman. How did she do it? Well, actually she did it by refusing to accept the ones the Popes wrote for her! Not such an easy matter in itself, but she knew what she wanted for herself and her sisters and so she did not back down. She wanted to live a life of poverty, the same life that was given to Saint Francis. Unheard of for women the Popes insisted, women needed protection, they needed security, they needed ... . It took Clare her whole life - but on her deathbed, Pope Innocent the IV approved the rule she wanted and it was placed in her hands where she kissed it many times. 
Saint Clare, we ask you to fill us with this same conviction of purpose to follow the dreams and visions that have been given to us. Help us to abide in the present - but never to lose sight of the goals we are striving for. Help us also, to encourage others, our family, our friends and all our loved ones to wait, and pray and trust ... because as it says in Sirach, "Has it ever been known, that anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed?" 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar.   Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.

The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

DAY NINE – AUGUST 10
The Prayer of Saint Clare of Assisi

I pray you, O most gentle Jesus, having redeemed me by baptism from original sin, so now by your Precious Blood, which is offered and received throughout the world, deliver me from all evils, past, present and to come. 
By your most cruel death give me lively faith, a firm hope perfect charity, so that I may love you with all my heart and all my soul and all my strength. Make me firm and steadfast in good works and grant me perseverance in your service so that I may be able to please you always.  Amen.

Saint Clare in God's Care

"I will always take care of you.” Saint Clare is often pictured holding the monstrance as the Saracens are attacking the walls of the Monastery. Here is the account taken from the "Legend of St. Clare." 

Once when the fury of the enemy pressed upon Assisi, a city dear to the Lord, and the army was already near its gates, the Saracens rushed upon San Damiano, entered the confines of the place and even the enclosure of the virgins. The hearts of the ladies melted with fear; their voices trembled with it, and they brought their tears to their mother. She, with an undaunted heart, ordered that she be brought, sick as she was, to the door and placed there before the enemy, while the silver pyx enclosed in ivory with the Body of the Holy of Holies was most devotedly reserved, preceded her. 

When she had thoroughly prostrated herself to the Lord in prayer, she said to her Christ with tears [in her eyes]: "Look, my Lord, do you wish to deliver into the hands of pagans your defenseless servants whom You have nourished with Your own Love? Lord, I beg You, defend these Your servants whom I am not able to defend at this time." Suddenly a voice from the mercy-seat of new grace, as if of a little child, resounded in her ears: "I will always defend you." "My Lord," she said, "please protect this city which for Your love sustains us." And Christ said to her: "It will suffer afflictions, but will be defended by my protection." 

Then the virgin, raising her tear-filled face, comforted the weeping [sisters], saying: "My children, I guarantee, you will not suffer any harm. Just have confidence in Christ." Without delay, the subdued boldness of the Saracens began immediately to be alarmed. They were driven away by the power of the one who was praying, departing in haste over those walls which they had scaled. 

Today we may not be attacked by Saracens but to each of us there comes times of great troubles. Gang shootings, drugs, sickness, people who are angry with us, unemployment, loss of loved ones. In all these, let us remember that Christ in the most Blessed Sacrament will always defend us if we, like Saint Clare "just have confidence in Christ." 

Prayer to Saint Clare of Assisi
O seraphic Saint Clare, first woman to become a disciple of the Poor Man of Assisi, you left riches and honors for a life of sacrifice and extreme poverty, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek (mention your intention); and may we always humbly accept whatever He wills for us, completely confiding in the loving providence of our Heavenly Father. 
O Seraphic Saint Clare, who, although living apart from the world, did not forget the poor and afflicted, but showed a motherly solicitude for them by sacrificing your own wealth and working many miracles in their behalf, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we also, as becomes true followers of Christ, charitably help our brothers and sisters in all their necessities, whether of soul or body. 

O Seraphic Saint Clare, shining light of Italy, which you did prevent from being overrun and devastated by barbarians, obtain for us from God, we implore you, the favor we seek, (mention your intention); and may we with His help overcome the snares of a world having neither faith nor morals, maintaining in our homes true Christian peace, together with a salutary fear of God and a true devotion to the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. 
Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father.
The Blessing of Saint Clare of Assisi
May Almighty God bless You!
May He look with kindness upon you with the eyes of his mercy, 
and give you his peace -
May he pour forth his graces on you abundantly and in heaven -
may He place you among his saints.

Novena Kindness of our Poor Clare Sisters from Spokane, Washington