A Prayer from St. Clare of Assisi

Here is a lovely prayer that one of my friends from school sent me the day after my consecration. It is attributed to St. Clare, although I don't think we know for sure that she herself wrote it.

Still, it captures my own feelings marvelously. Even though I don't think St. Clare was a consecrated virgin in the strict sense of the term (that is, having received the Rite of Consecration--obviously, she was a virgin who was consecrated by religious profession), I have always admired her for the totality with which she “fell in love” with Christ.

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“My Lord, open the golden coffer, for within it I wish to place my heart. Tonight, I light this eternal flame over the world's censer. I want this flame to flicker forever in the wind, long after the stars fade and disappear.”

“My Lord, my one and only master, stretch your wings over the horizon of my world. I will walk barefoot with you until all the torches of the world are extinguished. For me there is only one voice, one face. Nothing will come between us, save the sword of fidelity.”

“I am young. I know very few things about life. They have spoken to me about autumns. There are no autumns in your spheres. I have heard that love is threatened by the poisons of tedium and routine. They even speak of desertion and indifference, things that are unimaginable to me. I know that the flag of faith will always flutter in your bell tower, and that you will carefully guard my gift in your golden coffer until the end of time.”

“My Lord Jesus Christ, place your seal on my words and graciously accept my consecration.”