She had spent her life deeply devoted to Christ’s Passion and had spoken about carrying His cross in her heart. During her lifetime, she was known for intense prayer, fasting, mystical experiences, and reports of miracles.
This was Clare, an Italian nun who died at about age 40 in 1308. She lived in Montefalco, a town in Umbria, Italy, where she spent most of her religious life.
In medieval Catholic tradition, the remains of people believed to be holy could be kept and honored as relics.
During the examination of Sister Clare’s remains, unusual things were reportedly found.
Inside her heart was a small figure resembling a crucifix. Other shapes were said to resemble things connected to Christ’s Passion: three nails, a spear, a stick with a sponge, a whip, a crown of thorns, and a pillar.
Her gall bladder reportedly contained three small stones that were similar in shape, size, and weight and arranged in a triangle. The sisters saw them as a symbol of the Holy Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
We all carry something inside us.
Anger. Fear. Gratitude. Faith. Resentment. Compassion. Love.
What we carry inside eventually affects how we live outside.
Today, we spend a lot of time taking care of what people can see: our appearance, our posts, our words, our image.
If the contents of our inner life became visible, what would they reveal about us?
Let’s keep learning the saints’ way—day by day.
⌨ ᴛʸᵖⁱⁿᵍ ᴏᵘᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ʙˡᵘᵉ ᵈᵃʳᵉᵐ ᵐᵘˢⁱᶜ ᵇˡᵒᵍ