Brief Background:

St. Clare of Assisi (1194–1253) was born into a wealthy family in Assisi, Italy. Inspired by the preaching and example of St. Francis of Assisi, she left behind a life of privilege to dedicate herself completely to Christ through poverty, prayer, and simplicity. She founded the Order of Poor Ladies, later known as the Poor Clares, and served as their spiritual mother for many years. Her life was marked by deep devotion to the Eucharist, contemplation, and trust in God.

Patron Saint of: Television and telecommunications, embroiderers, laundry workers, and those with eye ailments.

REFLECTION:

The readings today remind me of my youngest nephew. He’s only seven months old now, and I love hanging out with him. He’s reached that stage where he wants to grab everything around him. If something is within reach, he wants it. And most of all, everything goes into his mouth.

It doesn’t matter what it is. A toy, his hand, somebody else’s hand—whatever he can get his hands on, eventually he wants to chew it, taste it, and figure out what it is. So, of course, when we’re around him, we have to be vigilant. We have to make sure he doesn’t swallow something he’s not supposed to swallow or eat something he’s definitely not supposed to eat.

Then I hear today's first reading, and God tells the prophet Ezekiel: “Eat this scroll.”

Now, that's probably not something you want to tell a seven-month-old. “Here, eat this piece of paper.” Please don't use Ezekiel as your baby-feeding manual.

But there is something beautiful behind this strange command.

God doesn't tell Ezekiel simply to read the scroll. He doesn't say, “Study it.” He doesn't even say, “Memorize it.” God tells him to eat it. In other words, take my Word into yourself. Let it become part of you. Digest it. Let it nourish you. And Ezekiel says that when he ate it, it was “as sweet as honey” in his mouth. Maybe my nephew understands something about this better than I do. When he gets something in his hands, he doesn't just look at it from a distance. He wants to experience it. He wants to taste it. He wants to take it in. And perhaps that's the invitation for us with God's Word.

Sometimes we can keep Scripture at a distance. We hear it proclaimed at Mass. We read a reflection. We listen to a homily. Maybe we even know certain passages by heart. But God's Word isn't meant simply to pass through our ears. It's meant to enter our hearts and eventually become part of the way we live. That's where today's Gospel connects. Jesus places a child in the midst of His disciples and tells them, “Unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven.”

Children receive. Children trust. Children are dependent. And children are curious. They reach out.

Maybe Jesus is asking us today: What are you reaching for? And what are you feeding yourself? Because unlike my seven-month-old nephew, who doesn't yet know what is good for him and what isn't, we have choices. Every day we consume all kinds of things—not only food. We consume conversations. We consume social media. We consume news. We consume gossip. We consume people's opinions. We consume negativity. And whatever we continually take into ourselves eventually begins to shape us.

So perhaps the question isn't simply, “Am I reading God's Word?” The better question is, “What am I allowing to feed my heart?”

St. Clare of Assisi understood this. She came from wealth and privilege, but when she encountered Christ, she chose a life of simplicity, poverty, prayer, and complete dependence upon God. She didn't merely admire the Gospel. She wanted to live it. The Word she received became the life she lived. And that may be why today's Gospel fits her so beautifully. Jesus tells us that greatness in the Kingdom isn't about becoming bigger, more powerful, or more important. It's about becoming small enough to depend completely upon God.

My nephew will eventually grow out of the stage where everything goes into his mouth—at least I hope so. But maybe there is one thing we shouldn't grow out of: that hunger to reach for what will nourish us.

Today God puts His Word before us and says, in a sense, the same thing He said to Ezekiel: Take it. Eat it. Let it become part of you.

Because when we truly consume the Word of God, eventually the Word of God begins to consume our lives—our choices, our relationships, our priorities, and the way we treat one another. And hopefully, like Ezekiel, we discover that a life shaped by God's Word really can be as sweet as honey.