Franciscan Spirit
Franciscan Inspirations: Jesus Chooses His 12 Apostles
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: The Power of Novenas
The Latin word novena means “nine.” Novenas are a form of prayer in which a person, individually or with a group, prays for some special intention for nine days.
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Franciscan Inspirations: God Doesn’t Punish
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.
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On the Feast of Stephen: A Meditation from Pope Francis
December 26: Violence is Conquered by Love http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/122616.cfm Readings: Acts 6:8–10; 7:54–59; Matthew 10:17–22
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In the Footsteps of Saint Kateri
Saint Kateri Tekakwitha repeats the example of the saints: Holiness thrives on the cross, anywhere.
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The Loneliness of Gethsemane
Truth finds us in different ways. Sometimes we learn what something means not in a classroom, but in a hospital. Several years ago, I was visiting a man dying of cancer in a hospital room. He was dying well, though ...
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Franciscan Inspirations: Size Doesn’t Matter, Really
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.
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