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On the day of your canonization as the first saint born in the United States, I happily anticipated the well-deserved attention your remarkable life would receive.
There is a long tradition of seeing suffering as a test: a test of our strength, of our courage, of our faith. But what kind of test comes from a blessing?
In Francis’ day, some people admired him very much for thinking in new ways.
Living out the Gospel message is central to Franciscan spirituality. St. Francis took the teachings of Jesus to heart, living a life of love, humility, and service.
Without prayer, we run the risk of forgetting who we have become, and slowly we begin to feel as if God is distant and uninterested.
While many of us are still enjoying the celebration of the New Year, January 1 is also known as the World Day of Peace.
Always bear in mind as a safe general rule that while God tries us by his crosses and sufferings, he always leaves us a glimmer of light by which we continue to have great trust in him and to recognize his immense goodness. I urge you, therefore, not to be entirely disheartened in the face of the cross…heaven bestows on you, but to continue to have boundless confidence in the divine mercy.
Former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjold penned the following words in his journal, Markings: “For all that has been—thanks! For all that shall be—yes!” These are apt words for the New Year.
“Grace comes and wakes us up,” says Sister Helen Prejean, who has dedicated her life to fighting capital punishment in the United States. “It’s what you do with it when it comes that counts.”
