There was a time in the history of the Franciscans where we were a raucous, contentious, squabbling bunch – each group claimed to know St. Francis’ real intention about the way to follow Christ. The minister general of the day, St. Bonaventure, gathered the friars together- and like Moses, gave a sermon that was not too mysterious or too arcane. In a way, he simply told them that to truly follow the intention of St. Francis they had to choose. Choose what each friar would become as a result of their choices and, just as important, consider what the world becomes because of their choices. They were becoming a religious order noted for internal infighting. And because of it, the world was becoming darker because of their example of following Christ.
Continue readingTag Archives: choice
In the time we are given
“Jesus said to his disciples: “In those days after that tribulation the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” (Mark 13:24-25)
Maybe it is as simple as the ever shortened days we live in. Days of diminished light intensity and warmth; days of growing shadows. The same news seems a little worse. Maybe it is that the news is in fact becoming worse. That there is a persistent of wintry shadows whose tendrils reach into the recesses of life and imagination. Shadows that make reading the signs of the times more difficult; that make us wonder if there is a reason for Hope. Wonder if these are the end of days. Continue reading
Beyond Choice
Today the Church offers a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of Unborn Children. Several years ago I came across a well written and thought out post by Julia Smucker. She holds a master’s degree in Systematic Theology from Saint John’s School of Theology in Collegeville, Minnesota. Since being received into the Catholic Church in 2010, she has sought to integrate the gifts of her Mennonite heritage within her newfound ecclesial home. Her commitment to nonviolence has found deep resonance with Catholic teaching on the dignity of all human life.
The choices we make
There was a time in the history of the Franciscans where we were a raucous, contentious, squabbling bunch – each group claimed to know St. Francis’ real intention about the way to follow Christ. The minister general of the day, St. Bonaventure, gathered the friars together- and like Moses, gave a sermon that was not too mysterious or too arcane. In a way, he simply told them that to truly follow the intention of St. Francis they had to choose. Choose what each friar would become as a result of their choices and, just as important, consider what the world becomes because of their choices. They were becoming a religious order noted for internal to fighting. And because of it, the world was become darker because of their example of following Christ. Continue reading