In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus speaks to us gracious words that are a source of consolation, of confirmation and of peace.  He says “your Father knows what you need before you ask him,” Mt 6:9; and, “Your Father knows you need them all” Mt. 6:33; and again “You are worth more than hundreds of sparrows … not one of them falls to the ground without your Father knowing it.” Mt 10:29

I look at our life as Poor Clare’s; we thought that we renounced ourselves, left everything and came to live a life of penance; yet here we are, assured of  our meal  everyday and sometimes we even manage to have leftovers. We are eating food prepared by the loving hands of our sisters, planned for by the loving heart of our sister gardeners and labored upon by our sisters and the help of our workers.  And for that matter we are eating the fresh and best of food.  When we think that our Father St. Francis had to beg food from door to door and our Mother St. Clare sent for alms, every meal becomes sacred.  We eat it with reverence.

What about clothing? Our sisters in charge of the sewing room notice before ourselves that we need a new veil or that our apron is worn out…and they provide even without our asking for it!

And how many times have we been offered important items, tools, machines or devices that we could not afford to buy, or services provided for our needs as individuals and as a community; people offer generously their expertise, energy and resources to help and support us! Yes, “your Father knows what you need.”

We came to live in enclosure, in solitude with God and for humanity, hidden and forgotten, and yet we find ourselves a point of reference.  Nothing happens in our families, our country and the world without our being notified of it and asked for our prayers.  The list can go on and on.

I hear Jesus telling me: “Welcome these blessings; your Father knows you need them all”.  This is the source of our peace, our joy, our serenity to know God cares, loves and values us more than we can imagine, not only us but all those he has called into being. He has chosen, called and given us the mission to be here and connect with all humanity and creation and to lift them up to Him in the Name of Jesus.  May we live to praise him – the God of our life, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to him be Glory for ever and ever. Amen