St Clare of Assisi and the Blessed Sacrament Exposed
In 1241 the Saracens attacked Assisi, and as they approached the Poor Clare's convent on the slope of the hill, Saint Clare, whose faith in the Blessed Sacrament was unbreakable, took in their hands guarding her with the consecrated host and raised her in front of the attackers saying, "Lord, keep these servants of yours, for I cannot keep them." Then a soft voice was heard saying, "I will always defend you!"
The chronicles tell that the attackers experienced in that moment so great terror that they fled in terror leaving the city and its desire for war.
Many of us would see in this episode the reason why Sister Clare is represented by taking custody of the sacred host ... but it is more than that: it is a test of faith and power in Christ, our Lord: Because it is He who protect and invite us to fight, as Saint Paul asks: "... strengthen yourselves in the Lord and in the strength of his power." Since this struggle is not only against an enemy of flesh and blood that can flee, but that it is "Against the powers, against the rulers of this world of darkness, against the spirits of evil ..." (Eph 6, 11-12).
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