What would life be without love? Think about the best love stories that inspired you growing up, important role models in your life, great love stories from Disney characters or perhaps the lifelong love and fidelity of a married couple you know. Love is the fabric of life: a divine gift that directs, heals, and ennobles our life-journey toward heavenly fulfillment.
Charity
Self-Interest vs Self-Abandonment
Jesus reminds us that those who give freely of themselves without expecting anything in return will receive their reward at the resurrection from the dead.
Acknowledging Christ In Truth
Do I acknowledge Christ or deny him? Do I make the sign of the cross in public and bless my meal? Do I say to someone, “That’s not right,” when he attacks the belief of the Church or do I stand silently by and pretend as if “it’s all good”?
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Francis of Assisi, the founder of the Franciscan Order, is perhaps best remembered for the life of sanctity, simplicity, and poverty he deliberately chose as a young man in strong opposition to the wealthy, pampered circumstances in which he was raised. Given the cultural context of today, there’s a great deal we can learn from the way Francis chose to live for God.
The Church of the Poor
Pope Francis has laid out his vision of the Church as “a field hospital after battle” that is dedicated to healing wounds. The Pope wants a Church that is welcoming to everyone and that is inclusive. He preaches mercy and openness in charity, with a vision toward salvation in Christ.