Franciscan Spirit

Like every family—like the human family—all of them are a little wounded. We are a little chipped or cracked, held together and shored up by those who care for us, but we all journey to Bethlehem hoping for healing.

The suffering, injustice, and devastation on this planet are too great now to settle for any infantile gospel or any infantile Jesus.

There is a lot of talk these days about unity. Some of it is legit. Some of it is more of a cop-out—a reaction to feeling uncomfortable with tension, which is core to progress.

What better moment to reflect on both the brevity and great expanse of time than at the close of one year and the beginning of the next?

One wonderful gift that God gives us is the virtue of hope. Will the acceptance of this gift be different this year because of recent and ongoing tragedies?

There is no child of God’s that does not have the opportunity of hearing God’s voice in some way. Be still and listen.