Franciscan Spirituality

There’s something attractive about Lent beginning in the middle of an ordinary week, catching us in the midst of our daily occupations and asking us to take time out to find God there.

My lifelong curiosity prompts me to ask: 1) When and how did Ash Wednesday originate? 2) What was the specific thinking that inspired this practice? 3) Can you recommend reference sources on this subject?

God is love. That is all we know and all that matters in the end.

Christ shared his glory with his disciples. He breathed upon them and sent his Holy Spirit upon them for the forgiveness of sins. He does the same for us today.

One way the Franciscan tradition should shape or influence our lives is to remind us that our relationship with God is no different than other relationships. It takes communication, time, effort, attention, and love.