Matthew 16:24-26: Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world,Continue reading “The Humility of St. Francis”
Tag Archives: Poverty
The Conversion of St. Francis
Mark 1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!” In the last reflection, we completed our investigation into the meaning of the word “Victory” in the context of the celebration of Easter. As aContinue reading “The Conversion of St. Francis”
Victory, Part One
In the first reflection in this series, I recounted a very intimate experience of the Passion that the Holy Spirit was kind enough to grant me. I closed the main body of that writing with the words, “He (Jesus) has made my hope for eternal salvation possible! This is the Victory of Easter!” As IContinue reading “Victory, Part One”
The Holy Spirit and the Idea of Easter
Isaiah 60:1-3 (from the 1st Reading for The Epiphany of the Lord) Rise up in splendor, Jerusalem! Your light has come,the glory of the Lord shines upon you. See, darkness covers the earth,and thick clouds cover the peoples;but upon you the LORD shines,and over you appears his glory. Nations shall walk by your light,and kings byContinue reading “The Holy Spirit and the Idea of Easter”
Encounter
Introduction:The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.– Amen. God, come to my assistance:-Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:-As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Hymn: Shepherd Me, O God Shepherd me,Continue reading “Encounter”
The Canticle of the Creatures: Creation as Revelation of God
The Major Legend of Saint Francis by St. Bonaventure, Chapter Nine: Aroused by everything to divine love, he rejoiced in all the works of the Lord’s hands and through their delightful display he rose into their life-giving reason and cause. In beautiful things he contuited Beauty itself and through the footprints impressed in things heContinue reading “The Canticle of the Creatures: Creation as Revelation of God”
Canticle of the Creatures: The Attributes
Genesis 1:29 Then God said. “I give you every seedbearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food.” In the last reflection, we looked at the structure of the Canticle of the Creatures in terms of the flow ofContinue reading “Canticle of the Creatures: The Attributes”
Leisure as Opposition to the World
The relationship between Poverty, Penance, and the “world” is a common theme in most of the reflections I write. Whenever I need to define either Poverty or Penance, I invariably do so in reference to the word “world.” I like to suggest that in the Franciscan charism the core practice of both Poverty and PenanceContinue reading “Leisure as Opposition to the World”
Petition and Supplication
Introduction:The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.– Amen. God, come to my assistance:– Lord, make haste to help me. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: -As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Hymn: Just a Closer WalkContinue reading “Petition and Supplication”
4: The Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano, the Second Book, Chapters 4 through 7
Read the chapters (pages 266 to 277) multiple times with the passage below in mind. Pay close attention to how the suffering of Francis is a theme that runs through the narrative. “His right side was marked with an oblong scar, as if pierced with a lance, and this often-dripped blood, so that his tunicContinue reading “4: The Life of St. Francis by Thomas of Celano, the Second Book, Chapters 4 through 7”
OFS Ongoing 