Jim Thomas – Secular Franciscan Order

Go Into the World and Proclaim the Good News

As I have reflected on Article 14 of our Rule, I have continually been drawn back to this verse from the Gospel according to St. Mark, which is our OFS-USA theme for 2025-2028. Jesus gives his disciples this command when appearing to them after the Resurrection, when they had not believed Mary Magdalene, nor the two that had been walking along the road to Emmaus. In Mark’s Gospel, this scene is followed quickly by the Ascension, and the disciples “…going forth and preaching everywhere…”. (Mark 16:20).

Jim Thomas2026-10-30T19:48:51-04:00November 1st, 2026|Categories: National Executive Council, Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Corinne Lorenzet|0 Comments

An Open Heart: The Daily Call to Love Unconditionally

Article 13 of the Rule of the Secular Franciscan Order is one of the most demanding invitations in our Rule, and it is the blueprint for how I engage with others. It calls me to recognize each person as a “gift of the Lord and an image of Christ,” to look beyond superficial differences, and to offer others the dignity and love they deserve.

Jim Thomas2026-09-23T20:25:23-04:00October 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Christine Blood|2 Comments

Purity of Heart – OFS Rule, Article 12

Article 12 may be only one sentence long, but it offers a rich and powerful invitation: to witness to the good yet to come and to seek the purity of heart that frees us to love.

Jim Thomas2026-08-31T21:12:47-04:00September 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Kathleen Molaro|1 Comment

Stuff – What Can’t You Live Without? OFS Rule Article 11

Do you have any possessions that you cannot live without? Anything? A few years after I professed, one of our sisters shared that during formation, the director asked her what can’t she live without? She thought about it and replied: “the washing machine.” She had a large family. The washing machine was truly a necessity.

Jim Thomas2026-07-27T14:51:17-04:00August 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Jane DeRose-Bamman|3 Comments

Trust God’s Wisdom – OFS Rule Article 10

Surrender is the willing offering of one’s own will, desires, and life to God in trust, obedience, and love. It is an active response of faith—choosing to yield oneself to God’s purposes, following the example of Christ, who entrusted himself completely to the Father (Lumen Gentium, 41).

Jim Thomas2026-06-30T14:52:56-04:00July 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Chris Leone|2 Comments

Mary, Our Model and Our Mother – OFS Rule Article 9

When I reflect on Article 9, several Gospel passages come to mind. One is found in the Gospel of Luke, when Mary responds to the angel's message: "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word" (Luke 1:38). Mary's response is a perfect example of trust and surrender to God's will.

Jim Thomas2026-06-01T12:03:17-04:00June 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Layna Maher|1 Comment

Prayer and Contemplation – OFS Rule Article 8

Contemplative prayer can be a gift. But even when it is a gift, it is a discipline, of heart, of mind, of disposition.

Jim Thomas2026-04-29T21:58:19-04:00May 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Joe Makley|3 Comments

God’s Mercy Revealed – OFS Rule Article 7

God in his infinite mercy, understands that we will fall short, we will sin - but he does not leave us in that sin. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we can be restored to love and friendship with God and receive the grace to mend our relationships with each other.

Jim Thomas2026-04-02T11:48:04-04:00April 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Chris Leone|2 Comments

Our Mission: OFS Rule Article 6

On the night of my Profession, I realized how blessed I was to have had excellent formators, true witnesses of our faith and the Order. They taught me well because I knew that I would forever be more intimately united with the Church and her mission because of my Profession.

Jim Thomas2026-03-01T16:55:36-05:00February 28th, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Christine Blood|4 Comments

Secular Franciscans Seek Encounter with Jesus Christ

Our OFS Rule Article 5 reminds us that the heart of our vocation is encounter. As Secular Franciscans, we are called to seek the living and active presence of Christ in our brothers and sisters, in sacred Scripture, in the Church, and in the liturgy. This is not an abstract ideal but a daily way of seeing and loving.

Jim Thomas2026-02-01T09:03:42-05:00February 1st, 2026|Categories: Voices of Gospel Living|Tags: Mary Frances Charsky|2 Comments

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About Jim Thomas