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19Look, I say, at the border of this mirror, that is, the poverty of Him
Who was placed in a manger and wrapped in swaddling clothes.a
20O marvelous humility! O astonishing poverty!
21The King of angels,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
is laid in a manger!
22Then reflect upon, at the surface of the mirror, the holy humility, at least the blessed poverty,b
the untold labors and punishments
that He endured for the redemption of the whole human race.
23Finally contemplate, in the depth of this same mirror,
the ineffable charity that He chose
to suffer on the tree of the Cross
and to die there the most shameful kind of death.
24Therefore,
that Mirror, suspended on the wood of the Cross, warned those passing by that here are things to be
considered, saying:
25”All you who pass by the way, look and see if there is any suffering like my suffering!”c
26”Let us respond to Him,” It says,
“crying out and lamenting, in one voice, in one spirit:
‘Remembering this over and over
leaves my soul sinking within me!’”
- The three dimensions of the medieval mirror that Clare mentions in this passage are difficult to translate. This is particularly so since Clare mixes these images with three periods in the life of Christ. The medieval mirror was a thin disk of bronze that was slightly convex on one side. Its border, therefore, reflected an image in an obscure way. Parts of the surface would do the same. Only certain in-depth parts of the mirror reflected an image clearly. Cf. Regis J. Armstrong, “Clare of Assisi: The Mirror Mystic,” The Cord (1985): 195-202.
- In contrast with these other virtues, Clare adds saltem [at least] to her encouragement to reflect upon poverty. This indicates that which is still preserved, that which remains or holds good, in spite of something opposed to it and so is consistent with her continual emphasis on poverty as the primary virtue of Christ.
- In much the same way, we find Francis continually inviting his brothers to respond to this invitation of Christ Crucified, cf. Office of the Passion VI 1.
Epistola Ad Sanctam Agnetem De Praga III, Fontes Franciscani, p. 2282-2283
19Attende, inquam, principium huius speculi paupertatem positi siquidem in praesaepio et in panniculis involuti. 20O miranda humilitas, o stupenda paupertas! 21Rex angelorum, Dominus caeli et terrae j in praesaepio reclinatur. 22In medio autem speculi considera humilitatem, saltem beatam paupertatem, labores innumeros ac poenalitates quas sustinuit pro redemptione humani generis. 23In fine vero eiusdem speculi contemplare ineffabilem caritatem, qua pati voluit in crucis stipite et in eodem mori omni mortis genere turpiori.
24Unde ipsum speculum, in ligno crucis positum, hic consideranda transeuntes monebat dicens: 25O vos omnes qui transitis per viam, attendite et videte si est dolor sicut dolor meus 26respondeamus, inquit, ei clamanti et eiulanti una voce, uno spiritu: Memoria memor ero et tabescet in me anima mea.