Spiritual growth demands that, in reaching out to our neighbors, we will serve the Lord with gladness, seeing the face of Christ in every person we serve.

Ethelbert himself was eventually baptized in 601 and received a congratulatory letter and gifts from the pope. He was the first English king to convert to Christianity.

Her very name means “light,” and so I ask St. Clare to light our path this Lent. St. Clare, pray for us.