Francis by Patrick J. Marrin for March 20, 2023

“The Big Book About Francis of Assisi.” I wonder how big the book about Papa Francis will be?

I really do like Leo

A real Brother Leo? Implying he’s unreal?

Simple yet profound.

I, too, like Leo, but he sits a lot while the Pope is standing…

I get Bible Study three times a week. That’s what happens when you’re married to a deacon. Once at our Tuesday night community dinners, once again on our Wednesday afternoon church senior group and again before services on Sunday morning.

I’ve learned a couple of things: Few people can write longer and more convoluted run-on sentences than St. Paul, St. John was apparently paid by the word to write his Gospels and St. Peter wins the title of “Apostle least likely to have a clue.”

This week’s lectionary included the 23 Psalm which says, in part, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” If I sit at this table, I make myself vulnerable.

Ironically, only strong people can afford to be vulnerable. It takes great courage to drop the defenses of the ego and let others (including God) in. However, if you believe in the words of the Psalm, God will give you the strength to do this.

It’s like my house. We have indoor shutters. At night we close them and seal the world out. In the morning, it’s like a cave until we open them and let the light in.

“Perfect joy” sounds very much like what Buddhists call enlightenment.

Perfect Joy even Atheists can reach without religion or deities.

To empty yourself…….very hard to do……