Dear John, When January rolls around, I try to meditate on the life of St. Francis of Assisi. Today I am reminded of the moment when . . . Francis heard a sacred calling. One of my favorite stories is when Francis found the ruins of the San Damiano Chapel. While he was deep in prayer, a voice told him to rebuild the church. Dutifully, he began collecting materials to repair it. I also love that Francis was so literal: When he heard the call to rebuild the church, God meant the worldwide Churchânot a rundown chapel. Suddenly, Francis had a bigger job on his hands. Repairing Godâs house is a high callingâand we do not take this work lightly. As members of one body of Christ, our faith lives are interconnected. You are part of this work as well. Join the friars and our faithful community in the work of evangelization through your gift to Franciscan Media. Donate today! Peace and all good! Christopher Heffron
Editorial Director |
Saint of the Day for January 21:
Agnes (d. c. 258) Listen to Saint Agnesâ Story Here Almost nothing is known of this saint except that she was very youngâ12 or 13âwhen she was martyred in the last half of the third century. Various modes of death have been suggestedâbeheading, burning, strangling. Legend has it that Agnes was a beautiful girl whom many young men wanted to marry. Among those she refused, one reported her to the authorities for being a Christian. She was arrested and confined to a house of prostitution. The legend continues that a man who looked upon her lustfully lost his sight and had it restored by her prayer. Agnes was condemned, executed, and buried near Rome in a catacomb that eventually was named after her. The daughter of Constantine built a basilica in her honor. Reflection Like that of Maria Goretti in the 20th century, the martyrdom of a virginal young girl made a deep impression on a society enslaved to a materialistic outlook. Also like Agatha, who died in similar circumstances, Agnes is a symbol that holiness does not depend on length of years, experience, or human effort. It is a gift God offers to all. Saint Agnes is the Patron Saint of: Girls
Girl Scout
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Hands for Work, Hearts for Prayer While thousands of years ago humans relied completely on hunting and gathering for food (and therefore did little to disturb the earth), the dawn of tools, industry and technology transformed the way humans obtain food. The birth of farming and agriculture added a social dimension to the way we draw food from the earth. Energy and nutrients from the earth flow from farms through factories and stores to our homes and tables. Daily we depend on the fruit of the earth and the work of human hands. The industrialization of agriculture has freed most Americans from having to work the land. Farm work is very hard work, and our lives are more comfortable as a result. Yet our farming ancestors had an intimate relationship with the earth through their work. They depended upon the elements and seasons, plants and animals, and the cycles of life. In some ways our modern lives are easier, but has not this distancing from agriculture contributed to our alienation from creation? âfrom the book Care for Creation: A Franciscan Spirituality of the Earth
by Keith Douglass Warner, OFM, Ilia Delio, OSF, and Pamela Wood |
Develop a more personal relationship with God inspired by the spirit of Francis! Dating God: Live and Love in the Way of St. Francis |
Hiking La Verna Reflect In episode one of Franciscan Mediaâs Off the Page podcast, Bruce Epperly talks about his new book about St. Bonaventure, Head, Heart, and Hands, and Bonaventureâs own transformative experience at La Verna, a mountain of retreat for Francis and his brothers where Francis is said to have received the stigmata. God does not always give us mystical experiences, but I believe God walks with us and enjoys experiencing the world in us and through us. Pray Francis came here, panting after peace, and Bonaventure too,
accepting his own plight to restore the order.
You pierced each in their own way with a mystical awakening.
La Verna goes with meâmystical euphoria, I know nothing of it,
yet you walked with me, I think, I hope, I know,
on the trail toward the precipice, where a dense fog
drifted beneath us like a river and seemed to say to me,
âIsnât this fun, walking with each other, seeing what we can see?â Act Consider going on a walk, hike, or, if not physically able, a virtual hike at a place of your choosing via the Internet. Contemplate the reality that God walks with you, beside you, in you, and through you, as the two of you experience the beauty of creation together. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Stephen Copeland. Learn more here! |
In southwest Ohio, an organization called Healthy Moms & Babes is quietly revolutionizing maternal and infant care. |
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