Franciscan Spirit

Through the eyes of love, we see a tree as kin to us, a fellow God-made creature, with its own dignity and its own right to live and grow.

St. Francis lived the spirituality of subtraction. He let go not only of his property, but also of his status, his pride, his ambition, his ego, and his need to be right.

Given the year we've had, finding reasons to be joyful is a challenge. ​​​​​​​But the Bible reminds us that laughter is good for our bodies and our souls.

Easter is a beginning, not an ending. And this Easter story from Thomas of Celano reminds us that for Francis, the challenge to remain true to the Gospel was one that needed to be renewed again and again.

As we come now to the celebration of Easter, we recall that one of the hallmarks of Francis’s life was a deep joy in the love of Christ and the glories of creation.