Season of Caring for Creation: Sept. 28-Oct. 4
How do I trust in the presence of the “divine seed” in all of God’s creation?
Season of Caring for Creation: Sept. 21-27
How can I demonstrate being meek towards God’s created Earth?
Season of Caring for Creation: Sept. 15-20
Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, which is very useful and humble and precious and chaste.
Season of Caring for Creation: Sept. 8-14
Week 2 of the Season of Caring for Creation has begun. See mediations and thoughts from Carolyn Townes, OFS, national JPIC animator.
Season of Caring for Creation September 1 – 7
Pope Francis recently proclaimed September 1 as a World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation as the Orthodox Church has done since 1989, to “draw from our rich spiritual heritage the reasons which feed our passion for the care of creation.”
The Final Test of Servant Leadership in the Secular Franciscan Order is Love
Love is the answer to almost all of our problems and failures as Servant Leaders; not our own limited, imperfect human love, but God’s love for us, which never stops and is always there. If we are open to the Lord’s love, that love will flow from the Lord through us to our sisters and brothers before returning to the Lord.
“Jesus Never Invites Us To Failure!” Servant Leadership in the Secular Franciscan Order
It always surprises me when I attend a fraternity election, and someone whom everybody else says will be the right person for the job, the right fit for the position, and that person tells me, “I’m not ready.” Or “I’m not worthy.” Or, my favorite, “But I’m a sinner.”
COME AND MARCH FOR LIFE IN PRAYER
"O God, our Loving Creator, all life is in Your hands from the moment of conception until death. Help us to cherish our children and to be grateful for the privilege of sharing in Your work of creation. Bless all those who defend the rights of the unborn, the poor, the handicapped and the aged. Enlighten and be merciful toward those who do not value the gift of life. Help them to seek and find you. Grant that by our care and respect for all people and all life, we might be a sign of Your Love in our world today. We pray as always in Jesus' name. Amen."
NAFRA Guidelines Concerning Secular Franciscan Prison Ministry
“I was . . . in prison and you visited me” Matthew 25:35-36. It is good to consider how we might maintain the good things we are already doing, do some things in a different or better way, or even consider doing some new things.
“On the Care and Feeding of Our Fraternities”
In the Gospel of John ... ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ (John 21:15-17) ... And, what is the Lord trying to teach Peter, the first “minister” of the first “fraternity” of the first “observers” of “the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ”? (Secular Franciscan Order Rule 4, http://www.nafra-sfo.org/sforule.html). ... Thus, love is the third great lesson of this Gospel story; love is the answer to the Lord’s expectations of us in lesson one and how we should respond to the Lord’s love in lesson two. Lesson four is how we should manifest our love. “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:15-16).