The wind of the Spirit hasn’t stopped blowing. Have a good journey, brothers and sisters.
My reading for Lent this year was Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope. The Pope says in the introduction that this book was scheduled to be released after his death, but he felt the current state of worldly affairs warranted its release before his death and before he fell ill and was hospitalized. It makes me wonder if he knew his end was near and the flock would need guidance during these difficult times we are experiencing.
I am blessed to have experienced the papacy of Pope Francis. His teachings, his kindness, and especially his smile are spiritually transforming influences.
This line above is from the end of the book. It’s the perfect and concise 15-word piece of life advice any Christian needs.
The deepest, happiest, most beautiful reality for us, for those we love, has yet to come.
My reading for Lent this year was Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope. The Pope says in the introduction that this book was scheduled to be released after his death, but he felt the current state of worldly affairs warranted its release before his death and before he fell ill and was hospitalized. It makes me wonder if he knew his end was near and the flock would need guidance during these difficult times we are experiencing.
It’s an exceptional book. Pope Francis tells his history, his background, and always ties the past into the relevance of following Christ and taking our faith into the world. Hope is a book I will keep on my shelf. I will add it to my essential reading list to reread at least every five years.
As I type this, we have a new pope! Pope Leo XIV, the first American-born pope. I’m very hopeful and excited to witness and participate in, as Pope Leo XIV preached in his first homily of his inaugural mass, a plea for unity, peace, and a missionary spirit. With the words of Father James Martin of the Jesuit Order, when asked to define Pope Francis’s lasting legacy. Fr. Martin thought for a few seconds and said Pope Francis’s greatest legacy is that he lived in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis walked the Christian walk. His whole life was dedicated to living his faith both inside and outside the physical church. He lived his faith above and beyond the strict ceremonies and procedures as Jesus himself did. Christianity is a living faith. Christianity is a community. To live as Christians, we must all follow Pope Francis’s spirit and walk with Jesus Christ among our brothers and sisters from the least to the greatest.
I highlighted four quotes from the book that hit hard. Here’s the third in which Pope Francis addresses the power of hope and prayer in living the Christian life. When I look around the world and our country now, we all could use a recharge to what Jesus called us to do and to be as His followers.
Be sure of it: The deepest, happiest, most beautiful reality for us, for those we love, has yet to come. Even if some statistic tells you the opposite, even if tiredness weakens your powers, never lose this hope that cannot be beaten. Pray with these words, and if you are unable to pray, murmur them to yourself, do it even if your faith is weak, murmur it until you believe it, murmur it also to those in despair, to those with little love: The best wine has yet to be served. So long as we continue to find cheer in the gaze of a child and in the infinite possibilities of goodness, so long as we allow mercy to dwell within us, everything will always be possible. Clinging to the anchor of hope, we can say with the lines of the poet Nâzim Hikmet,
The most beautiful sea hasn’t been crossed yet. The most beautiful child hasn’t grown up yet. Our most beautiful days we haven’t seen yet. And the most beautiful words I wanted to tell you I haven’t said yet…
My reading for Lent this year was Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope. The Pope says in the introduction that this book was scheduled to be released after his death, but he felt the current state of worldly affairs warranted its release before his death and before he fell ill and was hospitalized. It makes me wonder if he knew his end was near and the flock would need guidance during these difficult times we are experiencing.
It’s an exceptional book. Pope Francis tells his history, his background, and always ties the past into the relevance of following Christ and taking our faith into the world. Hope is a book I will keep on my shelf. I will add it to my essential reading list to reread at least every five years.
As I type this, I am watching Pope Francis’s funeral procession through the streets of Rome, and I am struck by the words of Father James Martin of the Jesuit Order when asked to define Pope Francis’s lasting legacy. Fr. Martin thought for a few seconds and said Pope Francis’s greatest legacy is that he lived in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis walked the Christian walk. His whole life was dedicated to living his faith both inside and outside the physical church. He lived his faith above and beyond the strict ceremonies and procedures as Jesus himself did. Christianity is a living faith. Christianity is a community. To live as Christians, we must all follow Pope Francis’s spirit and walk with Jesus Christ among our brothers and sisters from the least to the greatest.
I highlighted four quotes from the book that hit hard. Here’s the second in which Pope Francis addresses the fundamental task of a Christian to build a better future by building a better now.
It occurs to me that young people never run the risk described in the Gospel of Luke: “Woe to you when all speak well of you” (Luke 6:26). But above all that, instead of judging or complaining, each generation is called upon to not ignore its crucial challenge: that of educating. The fundamental task that is required of men and women is to make good use of their time on earth and to build the future. In the words of the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, who I met in Assisi in September 2016, when he was already ninety, and who gave me valuable food for thought, especially in his analysis of the “liquid society”: “If you are thinking about the next year, plant corn; if you are thinking about the next ten years, plant a tree; but if you are thinking about the next hundred years, educate.”
My reading for Lent this year was Pope Francis’s autobiography, Hope. The Pope says in the introduction that this book was scheduled to be released after his death, but he felt the current state of worldly affairs warranted its release before his death and before he fell ill and was hospitalized. It makes me wonder if he knew his end was near and the flock would need guidance during these difficult times we are experiencing.
It’s an exceptional book. Pope Francis tells his history, his background, and always ties the past into the relevance of following Christ and taking our faith into the world. Hope is a book I will keep on my shelf. I will add it to my essential reading list to reread at least every five years.
As I type this, I am watching Pope Francis’s funeral procession through the streets of Rome, and I am struck by the words of Father James Martin of the Jesuit Order when asked to define the lasting legacy of Pope Francis. Fr. Martin thought for a few seconds and said Pope Francis’s greatest legacy is that he lived in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.
Pope Francis walked the Christian walk. His whole life was dedicated to living his faith both inside and outside the physical church. He lived his faith above and beyond the strict ceremonies and procedures as Jesus himself did. Christianity is a living faith. Christianity is community. To live as Christians, we must all follow Pope Francis’s spirit and, from least to greatest, walk with Jesus Christ among our brothers and sisters.
I highlighted four quotes from the book that hit hard. Here’s the first.
“We must feed hope through the force of gestures, instead of placing our hope in gestures of force. “
January 25 is the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, Apostle. It’s a cool story that always captured my Catholic boy attention growing up. My middle name is Paul so naturally the story of my namesake should get my attention. But man, to put it mildly, Saul of Tarsus (Paul’s name before his miraculous conversion.) was an asshole. This was a guy who “breathed murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord.”
He was old school, Jewish religious establishment to the max. This upstart Christianity movement pissed him off to no end. He chased down and persecuted Christians at every turn. When the story of his conversion from Act of the Apostles, Chapter 9, begins, he was so pissed off he went to the religious leader and asked him to grant letters of permission to go after Christians in Damascus. Saul basically asked for a license to go kick ass and take names of all Christians in the region.
But a funny thing happened on the way to Damascus. Of all the seemingly better people Jesus could have picked on the planet to turn into one of the most fervent disciples, he chose Saul. Man, I love that. There’s hope for redemption in even the most a-holes of a-holes.
When I read and think about the Conversion of St. Paul story, it brings to mind the Gospel from a few weeks ago, where several Pharisees were harassing Jesus for hanging around with sinners and tax collectors. Jesus said to them, “Those who are well do not need a physician, but the sick do. I did not come to call the righteous but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)
Ah, it is no accident Jesus called Saul of Tarsus, struck him blind for three days, and lit the fire of conversion in his mind, heart, and soul. Saul didn’t know he was sick and in dire need of a physician. He thought he was a righteous man doing righteous acts. But the Lord knew Saul was in dire need of healing and the rest is history.
Parmigianino, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
When I look around the world today, especially within the world of American Christianity that I am a part of, I see a whole lot of Sauls and not enough Pauls. I see a need to pay attention to the blinding light of God’s Word, to go temporarily blind and reboot what it means to live a faithful life in today’s world.
I wish I could remember where I read this the other day but it slips my mind. The author posed the question of how fervent we Christians are to put the Ten Commandments everywhere yet we rarely express the same fervor for The Beatitudes in modern Christianity. I look around and see this observation is true.
Why this is?
Is it easier for us to be a Saul rather than a Paul? Is it easier for us to follow what we want to follow or what’s easier to follow rather than listen & live the teachings of Jesus?
I don’t know. All I know is Saul went from being an asshole to being one of the greatest Christians we have. Paul is the perfect example that the Lord never gives up on us. Sometimes we just need to get knocked on our rear ends, contemplate our blindness, and then be awoken in the light of renewed faith.
I’m going to make a real effort to be more Paul than Saul in 2024. How about you?
Acts 9:1-22 Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that, if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way, he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains. On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus, a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, for they heard the voice but could see no one. Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus. For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank. *There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias, and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is there praying, and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, that he may regain his sight.” But Ananias replied, “Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man, what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem. And here he has authority from the chief priests to imprison all who call upon your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel, and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house; laying his hands on him, he said, “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes and he regained his sight. He got up and was baptized, and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength. *He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus, and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God. All who heard him were astounded and said, “Is not this the man who in Jerusalem ravaged those who call upon this name, and came here expressly to take them back in chains to the chief priests?” But Saul grew all the stronger and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.
THE COACH HAYS 