Clare of Assissi: A Heart Full of Love » (New Edition)

Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love explores Clare's deep desire to live the gospel life, more precisely, her desire for all of us to reflect on Christ and his crucifixion in order to see our own strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, our capacity to love. Ilia Delio illustrates how Clare, through her life, her writings, letters, prayer and example, is truly a mystic who helped generations of Catholics clearly see how Christ took on human flesh, not just to suffer and die for us, but to help us all in turn reflect back the face of Christ to the world.

Clare was not simply a follower of Francis, she was a formidable, resolute, devout and loving saint whose life centered on this essence of human identity-Christ is in each of us-and who sought to teach us to just be ourselves and to let God dwell within us. In Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love, Ilia Delio shows us just how Clare's simple but powerful beliefs transformed the way we all think about Christ-even today.

About the Author:
Ilia Delio, O.S.F., is professor of ecclesiastical history and director of spirituality studies at the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C.

Acknowledgments     vii
Preface     ix
Introduction     xi
The Poverty of God     1
The Poverty of Being Human     10
The Mirror of the Cross     26
Image and Identity     42
Contemplation     54
Transformation     67
Eucharist     80
The Power of the Spirit     96
Conclusion     113
Light: A Poem   Ilia Delio, O.S.F.     119
Bibliography     122
Index     124
Scripture Index     129