Although this is a small book on the spirituality of a medieval woman from a glorious past, it is also a book about Christian life today. Clare's decisive emphasis on the person of Jesus Christ is an emphasis on the human person as well, what we are and what we are called to be. —From the Introduction

Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love explores Clare's deep desire to live the gospel life, more precisely, her desire for all of us to reflect on Christ and his crucifixion in order to see our own strengths and weaknesses, and most importantly, our capacity to love. Ilia Delio illustrates how Clare, through her life, her writings, letters, prayer and example, is truly a mystic who helped generations of Catholics clearly see how Christ took on human flesh, not just to suffer and die for us, but to help us all in turn reflect back the face of Christ to the world.

Clare was not simply a follower of Francis, she was a formidable, resolute, devout and loving saint whose life centered on this essence of human identity—Christ is in each of us—and who sought to teach us to just be ourselves and to let God dwell within us. In Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love, Ilia Delio shows us just how Clare's simple, but powerful beliefs transformed the way we all think about Christ—even today.

ILIA DELIO,O.S.F., is associate professor of ecclesiastical history and director of spirituality studies at the Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C. She wrote Franciscan Prayer and The Humility of God: A Franciscan Perspective (St. Anthony Messenger Press),Crucified Love: Bonaventure’s Mysticism of the Crucified Christ (Franciscan Press) and Simply Bonaventure: An Introduction to His Life, Thoughts and Writing(New City Press).