Episode 029 - Daily Mass Homily | How Surrender Turns Fear Into Freedom (Assisi Edition)

Well, we are blessed to be here in Assisi.

This morning we spent time meditating on the life of Saint Francis.

And now we find ourselves in this beautiful church of Saint Clair.

It is here in Assisi where the gospel stopped being this idea and where the gospel has for centuries been lived out in the flesh.

And nowhere is that clearer than here at where St.

Clair is.

People described Claire as someone that was gentle, someone who was quiet.

But the truth is she was one of the strongest women in Christian history.

Strength in that Franciscan spirituality was not loud.

It's the kind of strength that comes when nothing stands between your relationship with Christ.

Claire understood Francis in a way that no other person did.

She saw that the heart of his conversion wasn't simply poverty, it was freedom.

And many of you know that in my doctoral dissertation, I'm writing about the theology of freedom.

So I find this very fascinating, Claire's relationship with Francis and the role of Franciscan spirituality when we understand freedom.

Why?

Because freedom from fear, freedom from control, from the freedom to cling to everything, her whole spirituality can be summed up in what she wrote to Agnes of Prague.

She said, look upon him, consider him, contemplate him.

Because you see, when Christ becomes our gaze, everything else loses its power to imitate you, to manipulate you.

One scene tells you who Claire really was.

There's a story that she was sick in bed and there was an invading army approaching Frederick II.

Unable to even rise from bed, but she did it anyway.

She went and she grabbed the monstrance with the blessed sacrament.

She placed the Eucharist at the door and prayed out loud, Lord, protect these sisters you have given me.

And the soldiers fled.

That's the authority of the heart that's entirely surrendered to God, a heart that truly trusts in God's providence.

So today, as pilgrims here to Assisi, what does Claire ask of us today?

Well, I came up with three simple, uncomfortable questions for us.

One, what am I holding that Christ is asking me to release?

Two, where is he asking me to trust without a safety net?

And then finally, an uncomfortable question is what part of my life needs to be rebuilt?

Not superficially, but spiritually.

Claire shows us that holiness is not complicated.

It is costly, yes, but it's not complicated.

It begins with empty hands and an honest heart.

And it always leads us back to the Eucharist.

The center of Claire's life, her strength, her joy, her courage, everything about her came from the strength in the Eucharist.

And so, my brothers and sisters, as we celebrate this Mass here in this beautiful church, where down below you will venerate the body of Claire, ask the Lord for a bit of her clarity, of her fearlessness, her freedom.

She will help you if you ask for her intercession.

She will steady you, she will teach you, just as she taught Francis, that when Christ passes by, you don't negotiate, you follow, you trust, you surrender.

Saint Claire Vassisi, pray for us.

Saint Francis, pray for us.