Take up your Cross.
From today’s Scripture: “Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me.”—Mt 16:24 [?]
This is Christianity 101, but it’s the hardest lesson: “Take up your cross and follow me.” Today we celebrate the life of St. Clare of Assisi, close friend and collaborator to St. Francis in the 13th century. She walked away from the wealth of nobility to tend to the sick poor and to pray.
She sought in every way to follow Jesus, so effectively that she drew followers, known to this day worldwide as the Poor Clares. Her infirmary, outside the safety of Assisi’s walls, shone with Jesus’ love. And she was no dummy. Against the practices of her day, she insisted on strict poverty, and was the first woman to write the Rule for a religious order. She fought for her Rule of poverty for years; the pope approved it just before she died.
Let us pray: Today, Lord, teach me to die to myself that I might live for you.
Today’s author is John Feister, an award-winning journalist and leader of Glenmary’s Communications Team.
Free delivery! Sign up to receive this in English or in Spanish daily by email.