Thursday, April 30, 2015

Christ as a Mirror - The Fourth Letter of St Clare to St Agnes

This is one of my favorite letters mostly because of the part about running with our Beloved and His embrace.  I took private vows at one point in my journey and renewed them every year and on the day I would read the Song of Songs.  I felt like I was truly the spouse of Christ on those days.

I also think that the contemplation of Christ as a mirror is one that is easier and more understandable to me, but Ina good way.  I think I got that contemplation wrong in the past.  I was holding up that mirroepr as a way to contrast myself with Him.  To chastise myself and berate myself.  I see now that isn't what Clare, a so loving mother was doing.  Clare is asking us to look in the mirror of Christ and see ourselves, honestly.  We should see that we are Christs brothers and sisters, there is a resemblance.  How can we see Christ in others if we can't see Him in ourselves?

The start of Clare's letters always seem strange to me.  We see Clare as a saint, almost someone unreal.  It is almost like a lie or a strange boast to write how imperfect she is.  We would never revel I our imperfections like she did.  But maybe because she sees her self honestly in the mirror of the Beloved. She knows herself and loves herself as she honestly is.  She knows she is saved by Him whom she adores, she isn't afraid of who she is.

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