A letter from Clare of Assisi ()

Translated letter:

1. To Ermentrude, dearest sister, Clare of Assisi, humble handmaid of Jesus Christ, greetings and peace. 2. I know that you, o dearest sister, have fled the filth of the world, with the help of God's grace; 3. for which I rejoice and give thanks with you and again rejoice that you tread the paths of virtue strenuously with your daughters. 4. Be faithful, dearest, to him to whom you are promised until death, and you will be crowned by him with the laurel of life. 5. This labor of ours is brief, but the reward is eternal; let the noises of the fleeting world and its shadow not confound you; 6. let the empty specters of the deceiving world not drive you mad; shut your ears to the whispers of hell and, strong, break down its attempts [against you]; 7. willingly bear adverse evils and let provident goods not puff you up; for the one requires faith, the other demands it; 8. what you promised God, faithfully render, and he will repay you. 9. O dearest, look on heaven that invites us, and bear the cross and follow Christ who preceded us; 10. indeed, after various and many tribulations we shall enter through him into his glory. 11. Love with your whole heart God and Jesus, his son, crucified for our sins, and never let his memory escape your mind; 12. make yourself mediate continually on the mysteries of the cross and the anguish of the mother standing beneath the cross. 13. Pray and be always vigilant. 14. And the work that you began well, finish and the ministry you assumed, fulfil in holy poverty and sincere humility. 15. Do not fear, daughter, God is faithful in all his words and holy in all his works, he will pour out his blessing on you and your daughters; 16 and he will be your helper and your best consoler; he is our redeemer and our eternal reward. 17. Let us pray God for each other, for in bearing each other's burden of charity we shall fulfil the law of Christ. Amen.

Original letter:

1. Ermentrudi sorori carissimae Clara Assisias humilis ancilla Jesu Christi, salutem et pacem. 2. Novi te, o carissima soror, mundi e caeno, opitulante gratia Dei, feliciter aufugisse; 3. quamobrem gaudeo et congratulor tibi ac iterum gaudeo te semitas virtutis cum tuis filiabus strenue calcare. 4. Esto, carissima, fidelis ei cui promisisti usque ad mortem, ab eodem enim coronaberis laurea vitae. 5. Brevis est labor hic noster, at merces aeterna; non te confundant strepitus mundi fugientis ut umbra; 6. saeculi fallacis non te dementent inania spectra; ad sibila inferni aures obtura et eius conatus fortis infringe; 7. adversa mala libenter sustine et prospera bona non te extollant:haec enim fidem exposcunt et illa exigunt; 8. quae Deo vovisti fideliter redde et ipse retribuet. 9. O carissima, caelum suspice quod nos invitat, ac tolle crucem et sequere Christum qui nos praecedit; 10. etenim post varias et multas tribulationes per ipsum intrabimus in gloriam suam. 11. Ama ex totis praecordiis Deum et Jesum, Filium eius, pro nobis peccatoribus crucifixum, nec de tua mente unquam excidat eius memoria; 12. fac mediteris iugiter mysteria crucis angoresque matris sub cruce stantis. 13. Ora et vigila semper. 14. Et opus quod bene coepisti instanter consumma et ministerium quod assumpsisti in paupertate sancta et humilitate sincera adimple. 15. Noli pavere, filia, fidelis Deus in omnibus verbis suis et sanctus in omnibus operibus suis effundet super te et super filias tuas benedictionem suam; 16. et erit auxiliator vester et consolator optimus; redemptor noster est et merces aeterna. 17. Oremus Deum invicem pro nobis, ic enim altera alterius onus caritatis ferentes seviter adimplebimus legem Christi. Amen.

Historical context:

Ermentrude was a Flemish follower of Clare and Francis, who founded monasteries according to their example. According to Regis Armstrong, two letters from Clare to Ermentrude were mentioned by a 16th century scholar of early Franciscan texts, and the letter we now have may be his compilation of the two, but the originals are not extant and questions have been raised about the text(1). Nonetheless, as Armstrong says, "since the sixteenth century, it has been consistently presented as part of the patrimony of Clare."

Scholarly notes:

(1) See Regis J. Armstrong, Clare of Assisi, Early Documents (New York: Paulist Press, 1988), 51. Armstrong translated Clare's writings and those written to her, including the letters.

Authenticity:

According to Regis Armstrong, two letters from Clare to Ermentrude were mentioned by a 16th century scholar of early Franciscan texts, and the letter we now have may be his compilation of the two, but the originals are not extant and questions have been raised about the text(1). Nonetheless, as Armstrong says, "since the sixteenth century, it has been consistently presented as part of the patrimony of Clare."

Printed source:

Leben und Schriften der Heiligen Klara, ed. Engelbert Grau, (Werl: Dietrich-Coelde, 1997, 1st pub.1951), 230.