“Your Kingdom come” is first a prayer for the fullness of God’s everlasting kingdom, but it is also a call to recognize and serve His kingdom already present among us. The kingdom is wherever the King is known, believed in, and worshipped. For those who pray these words, the petition carries both hope and responsibility: Your kingdom come, my kingdom go.
When we pray “holy be Your name,” we ask that God’s name be honored not only by our words, but also by the way we live. St. Francis reminds us that the more deeply we come to know God, the more clearly we recognize His blessings, promises, majesty, and judgments. As we give thanks for His presence in our lives, our relationship with Him deepens.
In response to the announcement of a Year of St. Francis, Fr. Marek Weresa, who is a contributor of Vatican News, interviewed Bishop Krzysztof Nykiel, Regent of the Apostolic Penitentiary. One of the questions he asked, after a tremendous Jubilee Year and now another special invitation to enjoy a Year of St. Francis, was, “What can we do to prevent this time from becoming banal?”
“Today’s young adults represent the most culturally diverse generation ever seen in the United States,” according to the Bishops in Connecting Young Adults to Catholic Parishes. ... Add this to the many cultural, economic and geographical differences present in our country and we find a beautiful but challenging diversity. One commonality, though, is that young people who have chosen a life of faith have a deep desire to connect that faith with everyday life.
I shared this story ["The Song of the Bird"] at the NAFRA Chapter this year, congratulating us all in our determination to become experts in the challenge to reach out to our younger generations. Many regions have attended the Core Four training sessions - or used the on-line presentations to learn the why and how of this task.
The word “encounter” is a buzz word lately, and rightly so. Don’t we all crave community? The presence of others? A real and honest connection between ourselves and the world? We can’t build relationships from a distance.
I’m writing this article in the wake of another school shooting, this time in Wisconsin. On the morning after, I heard one young woman outside of Mass say to her mom, “I thought we were supposed to ‘Do what’s right and just.’” Her mom simply put an arm around her shoulders and continued walking to their car. I didn’t hear her response, but said a quick prayer that the mother would know what words would comfort her daughter and give her hope.
One charism that defines the spirituality of a Secular Franciscan is that of servant leadership. Our spirituality is based on journeying together as a community of love – a fraternity. To be a leader is to guide and animate the fraternity with hope and joy; to assume responsibility and hold authority, but not power; and to have a collegial relationship with those we serve, always inviting others to share their gifts, talents, and ideas. ...
“Love isn’t something we feel, it’s something we do.” We’ve all heard this quote time and time again, but what does it really mean? It simply means we can’t just talk about loving one another. Our actions, words, and intentions need to express love genuinely and concretely. That’s not easy to do when we speak of loving our younger generation. Not because we don’t have hearts for young people, but because it’s difficult to love them if they’re not in our presence. If there aren’t younger Catholics in our midst—how can we show them we love them? ...
In some cases, a young person discovers a renewed faith-life, but doesn’t know how to nourish this new reality. Finding time and energy to give thought, let alone action, to their spiritual lives is often not a “luxury” they feel they can afford. We, as more “seasoned” Catholics, can offer simple ways to revitalize this important area of their lives. Reflecting on the story of St. Francis and his experience of renewal and transformation, we know he was close to the same age as many of the young people we hope to serve. He too sought answers when he felt confused ...