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Tag Archives: St. Francis

Learning to Love

Spirituality of Letting Go: Week 2 Learning to Love Sunday, September 4, 2016 I did not know what love was until I encountered one that kept opening, and opening, and opening. —Christian Wiman [1] If your only goal is to love, there is no such thing as failure. Francis of Assisi succeeded in living in… Continue Reading Learning to Love

Unconditional and Conditional Love

Two Halves of Life: Week 2 Unconditional and Conditional Love Tuesday, June 21, 2016 The only happy people I have ever met are those who have found some way to serve. I do mean that. Such folks are not preoccupied with self-image, success, and power. They almost always began conservative and traditional with rules, discipline,… Continue Reading Unconditional and Conditional Love

Steps Eight and Nine

Twelve-Step Spirituality: Week 2 Steps Eight and Nine Monday, June 6, 2016 Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others. [1] Making a list of the persons… Continue Reading Steps Eight and Nine

Blinded by Privilege

Bias from the Bottom: Week 2 Blinded by Privilege Sunday, March 27, 2016 You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it. —Harper Lee (1926-2016), To Kill a Mockingbird Once in a place of power, after the 4th… Continue Reading Blinded by Privilege

Everything Belongs

Alternative Orthodoxy: Week 2 Everything Belongs Wednesday, February 17, 2016 Like Jesus, St. Francis did not go down the self-protective and exclusionary track. They both knew what they were for—and who they were—not just what they were against. That is the heart of the matter. Jesus and Francis had a genius for not eliminating or… Continue Reading Everything Belongs

Alternative Orthodoxy: Week 1 Summary

Alternative Orthodoxy: Week 1 Summary: Sunday, February 7-Friday, February 12, 2016 Franciscan alternative orthodoxy doesn’t bother fighting popes, bishops, Scriptures, or dogmas. It just quietly but firmly pays attention to different things—like simplicity, humility, non-violence, contemplation, solitude and silence, earth care, nature and other creatures, and the “least of the brothers and sisters.” (Sunday) In… Continue Reading Alternative Orthodoxy: Week 1 Summary

A Different Worldview

Alternative Orthodoxy: Week 1 A Different Worldview Monday, February 8, 2016 Before we begin to outline Franciscan alternative orthodoxy, it is helpful to look at the Franciscan worldview, which grew out of the historical and cultural context in which St. Francis lived. Today’s meditation will be a little longer to give a full background. Francis… Continue Reading A Different Worldview

The Face of the Other

Incarnation: Week 1 The Face of the Other Friday, January 15, 2016 It was probably St. Francis who first brought attention to the humanity of Jesus. Paintings of Jesus, prior to the life of St. Francis, largely emphasized Jesus’ divinity, as they still do in most Eastern icons. Francis is said to have created the first… Continue Reading The Face of the Other

The Hidden Secret

Love: Week 2 The Hidden Secret Monday, January 4, 2016 Bonaventure, the Franciscan philosopher and theologian, taught, “We are each loved by God in a particular and incomparable way, as in the case of a bride and bridegroom. Francis and Clare of Assisi knew that the love God has for each soul is unique and… Continue Reading The Hidden Secret

Step 1: Admitting Our Powerlessness

Twelve-Step Spirituality: Week 2 Step 1: Admitting Our Powerlessness Sunday, November 22, 2015 We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable. —Step 1 of the Twelve Steps The very first step of the Twelve Step program is our admission that we have come to the end of ourselves. Once again we… Continue Reading Step 1: Admitting Our Powerlessness

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