St. Clare of Assisi Is The Person Who Have Had Big Impact On My Life Essay

I chose St. Clare of Assisi to be my saint in Confirmation because she had everything, yet she traded it all for the glory of God. I admire her bravery and determination to do what she thought was best. Her feast day is on August 11 and she was born into a wealthy family on July 16, 1194 as Chiara Offreduccio. She was the eldest daughter of her sisters and was very loyal to prayer as a young girl. When she was 18, she heard St. Francis of Assisi preaching during a Lenten service. On Palm Sunday of 1212, she left her home to meet him. She cut her long hair and she was given a simple robe and veil in exchange for her expensive dress. She joined the community of the Benedictine nuns under Francis' orders. When her father found her, he tried to make her come back home, but she refused to follow his orders. She told him that her only husband would be Jesus Christ. Francis, as a good friend, attempted to help Clare out and sent her to another Benedictine nuns' monastery to give her the peace she desired. Her sister, Catarina, taking the name Agnes, joined her later. More women joined as time passed, wanting to be devoted to Jesus and to live without money. They became known as the "Poor Ladies of San Damiano." The women ate no meat, wore no shoes on their feet, lived together in simple houses and kept silent most of the time, praying. Living such a simple life could upset and confuse others, but the "Poor Ladies" were very happy, because God was close to them all the time. In 1224, an army of soldiers came to attack Assisi. Most likely, they weren't followers of Jesus and either didn't approve of their ways or didn't understand their motives. Although Clare was very sick, she went out to meet them. She placed the Blessed Sacrament on the wall where the enemies could see it. She begged on her knees to God to save her Sisters. She is an example of faith to me because to her, "riches" were the love of God, not the expensive fabric she wore or the kind of house she had. She was made a saint because of her decision and her belief system. Her #1 was God, she devoted most of her time praying, fasting and keeping silent. She grew spiritually with the Sisters and they were her family during her lifetime. St. Francis of Assisi was a very important figure in her life because he was the first person to establish this kind of lifestyle in her head. Although she was very devoted to God from the start, St. Francis gave her a final push. She can help me grow in faith by showing me that you don't need a luxury-filled, popular, expensive life to be happy. You just need a life of simplicity with the basic necessities and God by your side.