Born in a Manger
Clare follows the ‘Poor Christ’. In the excerpt of today from the Fourth Letter (1253) Clare tells that Christ was born in a manger, poor, needy and vulnerable like every other human, and maybe even more. The cards for day 4 and 5 in this period of Advent circle around the theme of the poverty of Christ.
“(19) Look closely, I say, to the beginning of the life of this admired one, indeed at the poverty of him who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. (20) O marvelous humility! O astonishing poverty! (21) The King of the angels, the Lord of heaven and earth is laid to rest in a manger! (22)” (Fourth Letter)
The card for today is meant as a starting point for thoughts about why the poverty of Christ was so important for Clare’s spirituality. The question is:
Why is it vital to Clare that Christ is born poor and needy?
The card that I pulled is Temperance from the Tarot of the Crone.
A figure walks on a path between fire and ice, drawing in the opposite forces, and blending them in herself. Jesus, represented by the hooded figure on the card, knows about two worlds: heaven and earth. Jesus blends heaven and earth together. Coming from heaven, Jesus brings heaven to earth. The hope is that because Jesus is from heaven, he knows the way back there, and can bring us there.
“(19) Look closely, I say, to the beginning of the life of this admired one, indeed at the poverty of him who was wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger. (20) O marvelous humility! O astonishing poverty! (21) The King of the angels, the Lord of heaven and earth is laid to rest in a manger! (22)” (Fourth Letter)
The card for today is meant as a starting point for thoughts about why the poverty of Christ was so important for Clare’s spirituality. The question is:
Why is it vital to Clare that Christ is born poor and needy?
The card that I pulled is Temperance from the Tarot of the Crone.
A figure walks on a path between fire and ice, drawing in the opposite forces, and blending them in herself. Jesus, represented by the hooded figure on the card, knows about two worlds: heaven and earth. Jesus blends heaven and earth together. Coming from heaven, Jesus brings heaven to earth. The hope is that because Jesus is from heaven, he knows the way back there, and can bring us there.