Overview: The Memorial of Saint Clare, VirginA Reflection for the Memorial of Saint Clare, VirginI continue my pursuit toward the goal,the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Reading the Scripture selections for today—both the ordinary ones and the optional readings for the Feast of St. Clare of Assisi—I’m struck by two intertwined themes: those of sweetness and those of perseverance. Children, after all, are not interested in being rich so much as they are in loving and being loved. But the perseverance called for in today’s readings is something different: It’s the perseverance of devotion, of deep and simple and sweet love. At times, fighting the uphill battle against Italian bureaucracy, further slowed by the summer heat and ensuing sluggishness, feels Sisyphean.