In the Franciscan Office
for today, one of the readings is St. Clare’s Fourth Letter to Agnes of Prague,
who became a poor Clare, leaving all of her wealth to follow Jesus. St. Clare
writes: “At the surface of the mirror [of the Cross], consider the holy humility, the blessed poverty, the untold
labors and burdens that Jesus endured for the redemption of the whole human
race. Then, in the depth of this same mirror, contemplate the ineffable charity
that led Jesus” to suffer excruciating pain and unutterable torture throughout
his passion and death. Consider God’s charity
in hanging naked on the cross dying a shameful and humiliating death for our
sakes.
As I contemplated God’s charity,
poverty and humility, I was brought to my own knees. Here is the Creator of the Universe nailed
shamefully and cruelly on this tree of torture, giving up His very life for my
sake, for the salvation of us all. What do I do when I am asked to give up
something for the sake of the other, for the common good of the family, the
community, the mission of the Church? I had to admit my own shortcomings,
weaknesses, and, yes, even sinful selfishness when it comes to letting go, not
of my very life as Jesus did, but of my addiction to work, my clinging to my
way, my unwillingness to sacrifice for a good greater than myself.
What about you? Ever find
yourself face to face with this challenge of selfless giving, of being poor for
the sake of the other, of needing to ask forgiveness for a pouting stubbornness
and entrenched selfishness that reveals itself in your withholding love, being
unwilling to turn off the TV, put down the cellphone, turn off the computer in order
to help another?
