Franciscan Inspirations: Mary at the Cross
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
Both the devotion of Mary and the women witnessing Jesus’ death—and the gift of Mary as mother to us—are truths we cannot be without.
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Jim Van Vurst, OFM
Jim Van Vurst, OFM, was a Franciscan friar for over 65 years. After ordination, he received his graduate degree in psychology. He contributed widely to St. Anthony Messenger magazine and FranciscanMedia.org before passing away in 2021.
Franciscan Inspirations: Power Failures
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
One of the sure signs of maturity occurs when a young person begins to be accountable for his or her acts and decisions. It’s one of the nicest presents a young person can give his or her parents.
The Face of Jesus
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
Ancient tradition tells us that Luke, the author of the third Gospel, was a physician.
Franciscan Inspirations: Jesus Chooses His 12 Apostles
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
Many people find Jesus’ choice of his apostles curious. Why did he choose them in the first place? A cynic might think he could have done better blindfolded. The account of Jesus’ selection of his apostles as related in the Gospel of Luke (6:12-19) contains a lot of details about this important event. In fact, it tells us a lot of about Jesus himself at that moment.
Franciscan Inspirations: God Doesn’t Punish
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
It is common for religious people to attribute natural disasters as a punishment by God for sins. If that’s true, then God’s aim is off target because it’s usually the innocent who suffer rather than the guilty.
Franciscan Inspirations: Size Doesn’t Matter, Really
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
In our society, it seems that everything has to be bigger or the greatest. “More is more,” as they say. But the truth is this: size is not really that important.
Franciscan Inspirations: Reincarnation and Judgment
Jim Van Vurst, OFM
May 13, 2020
In recent years, we’ve heard references to the concept of reincarnation. This is the theory that the soul or spirit, after death, begins a new life in a new body depending on the moral quality of the person’s previous life.