Novena to St. Clare of Assisi

Day 3

10 min

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Novena to St. Clare of Assisi

Opening prayer:

O glorious St. Clare, mirror of holy poverty and bride of Christ, you left all things to follow the poor and crucified Lord. Draw my heart away from the passing things that weigh it down, and teach me to gaze, as you did, upon the face of Jesus. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 3: The contemplative gaze

In her letters to Agnes of Prague, Clare urged her to gaze upon Christ, consider Him, contemplate Him, and desire to imitate Him, calling Him the mirror in which we see our true face. Her whole spirituality flows from this loving look fixed upon the Crucified, who became poor that we might be rich. She teaches that we are slowly transformed into whatever we behold with longing.

O St. Clare, who taught that Christ is the mirror of all virtue, obtain for me the grace to gaze upon Him daily with a quiet and longing heart, that beholding His face I may be slowly remade into His likeness. Amen.

Today's intention:

For the grace to fix my eyes on Jesus amid the noise of the day.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

St. Clare, who held the Blessed Sacrament before the enemy and saw your sisters delivered, hold me before your Lord and shield me in every danger of soul and body. Obtain for me the grace I now implore, and a heart wholly given to Christ as yours was. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.