Christmas Night at San Damiano

As Clare in her infirmity was mindful of Christ, so Christ also visited her in her sufferings. At the hour of the Nativity, when the earth sings with the angels of the new-born Babe, the other Ladies went to the oratory for Matins and left the Mother alone, weighed down with illness. Clare then began to think on the little Jesus and to grieve sorely that she might not be present at His praises, and said with a sigh, “Lord God, behold I am left alone with Thee in this place.” And lo! suddenly the wonderful music that was being sung in the Church of S. Francesco began to resound in her ears; she heard the voices of the Friars chanting the psalter, she listened to the harmonies of the singers; she even perceived the sound of the organ. She was by no means so near to the place that all this could happen in the natural order unless either the solemnity was brought nearer to her by Divine influence or her hearing was endowed with superhuman power. But what surpasses even this marvel is the fact that Clare was worthy to see the manger of the Lord. In the morning when her daughters came to her the Blessed Clare said: “Blessed be the Lord Jesus Christ, who when ye left me did not abandon me. By the grace of Christ I have indeed heard all the solemnities which were celebrated last night in the Church of S. Francesco.”