Memorial of Saint
Clare of Assisi, virgin
(Ezekiel 1:2-5a.24.24-28c; Matthew 17:22-27)
Next to St. Francis himself, St. Clare was responsible
for the Franciscan revolution of the thirteenth century. Their innovations, along with those of St.
Dominic, transformed religious life. They
rejected the privilege to which monks and nuns at the time had long been
accustomed. In its place they begged for
the food they ate to conform themselves radically with the gospel. Interestingly, their rules of religious life
were not spurned by contemporaries but attracted phenomenal numbers of
adherents. In today’s gospel Jesus shows
himself to be an even more daring innovator.
People think of God with such a powerful persona that suffering
for Him would be contradictory. Yet
Jesus, accepting the title of Christ or Son of God, openly announces his imminent
passion and death. The passage also has
Jesus humbly paying his taxes. He
refuses any privilege of office as he has come exclusively to serve.
In a world that still pays great homage to power, we must
remember who our Savior is. He did not
crush foes but allowed himself to be executed as an innocent person. We follow him by rendering humble service to
others and by refusing to be impressed by displays of force.
