Pause+Pray

We don’t often think of Jesus as making jokes, and yet when we hear him tell the disciples that they are worth more than many sparrows, it is easy to picture him with an ironic grin.

In a world often overshadowed by uncertainty and turmoil, the spirit of Franciscan optimism offers a beacon of hope—a reminder that even in the midst of life's challenges, there is reason to rejoice and find joy in the journey.

Ask someone how they are doing today. Not just a “How are you?” with a “I’m good” response in passing, but genuinely sit down and have a conversation with a friend, family member, or even a coworker.

Today, consider the tender insights that the Franciscan author Ilia Delio offers on Jesus’ words: “I came to bring fire to the earth and how I wish it were already kindled” (Lk 12:49). She writes, “the heart is the ‘hearth’ ...

Have you ever waited and waited for something important in your life? Consider the story of holy Simeon—who experienced a revelation that he would be graced with the gift of his eyes resting on Israel’s Savior before his death.