Franciscan Life
Franciscan life is a love story — with God, with the poor, with the earth, with the stranger. Rooted in the spirit of Francis and Clare of Assisi, these posts explore what it means to embrace simplicity, kinship, and courageous countercultural choices in a world that constantly pushes the other direction. From returning land to Indigenous communities to the spirituality of dumpster diving to what the feast of St. Francis has to teach us today, this is a space for anyone drawn to the Franciscan way — whether you’ve taken vows or are just beginning to feel its pull.
Beyond thank you
What is it about the nature of human gratitude that propels us to make offerings and manifest our feeling in the material world? Why do…
What it takes to see God’s reign
This coming Sunday is one of my favorite feasts in the Church year: the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. It…
Openness to the mystery of other people
Gazing toward the brightly lit horizon the other day, I noticed an expansiveness, an opening. Beyond what I could see was a mystery. Bigger than…
At a table with other sinners, the Eucharist unites
The first person who taught me eucharistic theology was my Lutheran grandmother. Although I have no memories of her ever uttering the words “eucharistic” or…
Encouragement when the world feels like a mess
If you’re like me — and most people I know — the world feels like a mess. Maybe you’re heartbroken and horrified by the latest…
Finding the faces of God in the dark
Lately, a memory keeps surfacing. I am struggling with my mental health and, almost before it begins, I am having a particularly hard day. Sitting…
Missed connections and lonely souls
Once, while traveling home alone from a conference, I went to the airport early. I had some free time, and I was hoping to catch…
Book review: “A Riff of Love”
The Gospel calls us to conversion. Jesus invites us into ongoing repentance that involves receiving a new vision of belonging. In the life of discipleship,…