Following the Lives and Examples of Holy Heroes
The Fall of the Roman Empire gave rise to a powerful Christian Empire; the Roman Catholic Church became organized into a developed hierarchy with the pope as the head in western Europe (papal ascendancy and supremacy). As well, power was shared and frequently fought over by secular kings and the religious Church. In the medieval social order, the Church stood above culture; it communicated Christian teachings, provided spiritual guidance, and served the government in different affairs. Similar to the Church, medieval society was organized into a rigid hierarchy, reflecting differences in social status and generating a general societal competition and separation.
The Medieval Period was known as "The Age of Faith"; humanity's main purpose was to serve God. Life was viewed as a journey; nevertheless, the afterlife was the ultimate end of humanity, due to the fact that the present life was considered imperfect and incomplete. Precisely, worldly pleasures were thought to prevent human beings from coming near to God and hence, a total detachment from the world was necessary to obtain the fullness of life in union with God. Furthermore, the life of greatest value was the contemplative life, one entirely devoted to God; God was the center of humanity's world during the Middle Ages. As well, virtues such as compassion, suffering and humility were essential in humanity's journey towards the encounter with God in the eternal life; faith and obedience also constituted essential values within medieval Christianity.
Medieval Christian identity was shaped by unique values, ideals, and beliefs that permanently clashed or conflicted with specific values strengthened by the medieval society. In the midst of the powerful Christian Empire and the various differences in social status during the Middle Ages, human beings like Francis and Clare became authentic examples of Christian holiness. Even though they were both born in wealthy and middle class families, they decided to contradict their societal and cultural values, in order to start a life journey towards their encounter with God. They abandoned their social status and opposed their gender expectations, in order to follow a humble life of simplicity, austerity, poverty, preaching, prayer, suffering as sacrifice, compassion, obedience, and silence. They detached themselves from the world of pleasure, luxury, and materialism, with the primary objective of building up holy communities of faith. They disconnected their lives from the sinful, finite, and contingent world, becoming authentic and holy heroes.
Medieval Christians recognized the sinful nature of human beings; they understood that worldly pleasures prevented them from encountering the true and eternal life in union with God. However, sometimes, societal values such as material contempt and pleasure impeded medieval Christians from wholly and truly following the life and example of Jesus Christ. Therefore, human examples like Francis and Clare shaped Christian identity on the basis of a total detachment from the material and temporal world, and a subsequent participation in a "radical and rigid" life of simplicity, humility, poverty, suffering, prayer, and compassion, in order to imitate the sacrificial power of Jesus Christ (particularly embodied in the Cross; in His crucifixion).
Francis and Clare renewed medieval Christian identity throughout a genuine understanding of human holiness or sanctity; they structured an authentic Christian culture by building up isolated communities (mendicant orders) fully and faithfully devoted to God, completely detached from the material world, and dedicated to a life of holiness toward the true and eternal encounter with God in imitation of Jesus Christ crucified. Saint Francis' Prison, as well as the Dormitory of Saint Clare and The Cloister constitute unique cultural artifacts of the Medieval Period that reflect the clash of values between societal expectations and the renewed life of holiness embodied by Francis and Clare.
The Medieval Period was known as "The Age of Faith"; humanity's main purpose was to serve God. Life was viewed as a journey; nevertheless, the afterlife was the ultimate end of humanity, due to the fact that the present life was considered imperfect and incomplete. Precisely, worldly pleasures were thought to prevent human beings from coming near to God and hence, a total detachment from the world was necessary to obtain the fullness of life in union with God. Furthermore, the life of greatest value was the contemplative life, one entirely devoted to God; God was the center of humanity's world during the Middle Ages. As well, virtues such as compassion, suffering and humility were essential in humanity's journey towards the encounter with God in the eternal life; faith and obedience also constituted essential values within medieval Christianity.
Medieval Christian identity was shaped by unique values, ideals, and beliefs that permanently clashed or conflicted with specific values strengthened by the medieval society. In the midst of the powerful Christian Empire and the various differences in social status during the Middle Ages, human beings like Francis and Clare became authentic examples of Christian holiness. Even though they were both born in wealthy and middle class families, they decided to contradict their societal and cultural values, in order to start a life journey towards their encounter with God. They abandoned their social status and opposed their gender expectations, in order to follow a humble life of simplicity, austerity, poverty, preaching, prayer, suffering as sacrifice, compassion, obedience, and silence. They detached themselves from the world of pleasure, luxury, and materialism, with the primary objective of building up holy communities of faith. They disconnected their lives from the sinful, finite, and contingent world, becoming authentic and holy heroes.
Medieval Christians recognized the sinful nature of human beings; they understood that worldly pleasures prevented them from encountering the true and eternal life in union with God. However, sometimes, societal values such as material contempt and pleasure impeded medieval Christians from wholly and truly following the life and example of Jesus Christ. Therefore, human examples like Francis and Clare shaped Christian identity on the basis of a total detachment from the material and temporal world, and a subsequent participation in a "radical and rigid" life of simplicity, humility, poverty, suffering, prayer, and compassion, in order to imitate the sacrificial power of Jesus Christ (particularly embodied in the Cross; in His crucifixion).
Francis and Clare renewed medieval Christian identity throughout a genuine understanding of human holiness or sanctity; they structured an authentic Christian culture by building up isolated communities (mendicant orders) fully and faithfully devoted to God, completely detached from the material world, and dedicated to a life of holiness toward the true and eternal encounter with God in imitation of Jesus Christ crucified. Saint Francis' Prison, as well as the Dormitory of Saint Clare and The Cloister constitute unique cultural artifacts of the Medieval Period that reflect the clash of values between societal expectations and the renewed life of holiness embodied by Francis and Clare.
“Remember that when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given.” -St. Francis of Assisi
“Sanctify yourself and you will sanctify society.” -St. Francis of Assisi
“Above all the grace and the gifts that Christ gives to his beloved is that of overcoming self.” -St. Francis of Assisi
“Gaze upon Him, consider Him, contemplate Him, as you desire to imitate Him.” -St. Clare of Assisi
“Totally love Him, Who gave Himself totally for your love.” -St. Clare of Assisi