Hello John, As holy week approaches, I often try to meditate on the life of St. Francis of Assisi, who held the season of Lent in high esteem. Today I am reminded of the moment when⊠Francis bore the wounds of Christ. In September 1224, while praying on Mount La Verna, Francis received the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ. And though physical pain and sickness could rattle even a saintâs foundation, he found this affliction a blessing because it brought him closer to Jesus. In the Life of St. Francis, Bonaventure wrote, âFrancis was overwhelmed and his whole body was flooded with a mixture of joy and sorrow. He rejoiced because of the gracious way Christ looked upon him, but the fact that he was fastened to a cross pierced his soul with a sword of compassionate sorrow.â While an event like this might seem like a horror story to those of us in this century, Francis saw his affliction as a way to mirror his Savior. In smaller measures, we at Franciscan Media try to reflect the Gospel. Itâs that simpleâand itâs that challenging. Lent is the perfect time to share your faith. Will you consider sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ, Mary, and the saints through Franciscan Media? To do so, click here to donate.
Peace and all good!
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Christopher Heffron
Editorial Director |
Saint of the Day for March 22: Nicholas Owen (? â 1606)
Saint Nicholas Owenâs Story Nicholas, familiarly known as âLittle John,â was small in stature but big in the esteem of his fellow Jesuits. Born at Oxford, this humble artisan saved the lives of many priests and laypersons in England during the penal times (1559-1829), when a series of statutes punished Catholics for the practice of their faith. Over a period of about 20 years, Nicholas used his skills to build secret hiding places for priests throughout the country. His work, which he did completely by himself as both architect and builder, was so good that time and time again priests in hiding were undetected by raiding parties. Nicholas was a genius at finding and creating places of safety: subterranean passages, small spaces between walls, impenetrable recesses. At one point he was even able to mastermind the escape of two Jesuits from the Tower of London. Whenever Nicholas set out to design such hiding places, he began by receiving the holy Eucharist, and he would turn to God in prayer throughout the long, dangerous construction process. After many years at his unusual task, Nicholas entered the Society of Jesus and served as a lay brother, althoughâfor very good reasonsâhis connection with the Jesuits was kept secret. After a number of narrow escapes, he himself was finally caught in 1594. Despite protracted torture, Nicholas refused to disclose the names of other Catholics. After being released following the payment of a ransom, âLittle Johnâ went back to his work. He was arrested again in 1606. This time he was subjected to horrible tortures, suffering an agonizing death. The jailers tried suggesting that he had confessed and committed suicide, but his heroism and sufferings soon were widely known. Nicholas Owen was canonized in 1970 as one of the 40 Martyrs of England and Wales. Reflection Nicholas was a clever builder and architect who used his skills to protect endangered priests. Without his help, hundreds of English Catholics would have been deprived of the sacraments. His gift for spotting unlikely places to hide priests was impressive, but more impressive was his habit of seeking support for his work in prayer and the Eucharist. If we follow his example, we may also discover surprising ways to put our skills to Godâs service. |
Learn how a universal pattern can be found in all societies, spiritualities, and philosophies, and how embracing this pattern can give us hope in difficult times and the courage to push through disorganization and even great chaos to find a new way of being in the world! |
Poverty of Spirit Iâve been climbing this mountain as many days as I can this Lent, finding a place among the rocks, looking down on the valley. This is a quiet place, a place where Creation speaks in its fullness. âWe all live by robbing nature, but our standard of living demands that the robbery shall continue.â These words from the farmer and writer Wendell Berry ring in me like the words of John the Baptist: repent, for the kingdom of God has come near. Iâm as much a participant in this theft as anyone else. I drive too much, buy too much, use too much. Iâm addicted to convenience and choice, Iâm in the thrall of that old vice luxury. And yet, like so many others I want peace, I want wholeness, I want the creation to be full and alive. But I/we need to begin again. The time I have on the rocky edge runs thin. Iâll have to descend soon enough, but for a moment I feel the grandeur of creation and my smallness in it. For a moment I have no worries, only the sense of Godâs abiding grace in the world. It is that sense to which all penance pointsâa clearing away, an opening to the light all around. It is the way of humility, the poverty of spirit, which lets us see it. âfrom St. Anthony Messengerâs âLearning to Live Poorer: A Meditation for Lentâ
by Ragan Sutterfield |
In this new take on the last words, author Dan Horan brings a fresh perspective to this time-honored meditation as he challenges readers to look at their lives through the lens of Jesusâs suffering and death. Yet interlaced with suffering, the focus throughout is on the immense love of God for human beings, shown in the gift of Jesus, God made flesh. |
Gentleness of You Reflect Can we begin the morning in the most gentle way possible? Simply being? Just knowing in the silence that God is already here. Pray Today God, I ask to breathe in the tenderness of you, like morning light
moving softly as the trees appear, first as dark silhouettes.
Then the sun keeps rising, and trunks and branches take on color
as if peace rises within them.
From this tranquil place, the day opens wide.
Help me to enter it, carrying you gently. Act How can you bring more of Godâs softness into your life today? Can you slow down in the daily tasks that you have performed hundreds of times, and touch the world more gently? Today's Pause+Pray was written by Maureen O'Brien. Learn more here! |
These three words, gather the fragments, elicit within me a desire to protect them, the surest sign of love. âfrom Gather the Fragments by Maureen O'Brien |
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