In a letter, Francis defined the faithful as "mothers of God". We can, like Mary, conceive, carry in our heart and body and give birth to God by good works. Thus we can do our share so that God is really made present in this world, seen and experienced (2EpFid 53). Clare adopted this thought in which her inner experience culminates. She wrote to her friend, Agnes of Prague:
Love Him totally who gave Himself totally for your love. His beauty the sun and moon admire, and of His gifts there is no limit in abundance, preciousness and magnitude. I am speaking of Him who is the Son of the most High, whom the virgin brought to birth and remained a virgin after His birth. Cling to His most sweet Mother who carried a Son whom the heavens could not contain; and yet she carried Him in the little enclosure of her holy womb and held Him on her virginal lap (RAg 15-19).
The infinitely Great One becomes limited, the Incomprehensible One becomes touchable. Clare used the theme of an ancient hymn to Mary:
He, whom earth, sea and sky
praise, adore and venerate;
He, the Lord of all three realms
is enclosed in Mary's womb.
It is important to reflect for a while on the free self-limiting and self-confining of God. This should become the central thought of the Christian faith. Creation itself is already such an act of self-limitation. God withdraws, as it were, limiting self so that creation may come into being, that an autonomous history, the freedom of human beings may be possible. And when God reveals himself, the Godhead is subject to creation; God is given into the hands of human beings, is touched by them and becomes present in all things and events.
Clare carried this thought further:
Indeed, is it not clear that the soul of the faithful person, the most worthy of all creatures because the grace of God, is greater than heaven itself? For the heavens with the rest of creation cannot contain their Creator. Only the faithful soul is His dwelling place and His throne, and this is possible only through the charity which the wicked do not have. He who is the Truth has said: "Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father and I too shall love him, and We shall come to him and make our dwelling place with him" (Jn 14:21), (3LAg 21-23)
What happened in Mary "physically-historically" remains on the mystical-spiritual level a real possibility for every believing Christian: the Incarnation of God in the human person.
From "Comprehensive Course on Franciscan missionary Charism" Lesson Unit 1, Christianity – a Religion of the Incarnation, P 14-15)
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