 
With prayer reflections drawn from the words of Pope Francis, this Lenten companion helps you prepare for the Easter season. With Scripture citations for each day of the season, selections from the pope’s writings, and ways to bring into your life the pope’s message on judgment, justice, forgiveness, and mercy, The Hope of Lent will lend a moment’s meditation to discover the extraordinary in the ordinary, to be surprised by God’s mercy when we least expect it. For one day only, this book is just $1.99 in the Amazon US Kindle store! Click here to purchase. If you are outside the United States, please go to your country's Amazon store and search for the title to get the discount. Savings Sent Right to Your InboxWelcome to Wired Wednesdays from Franciscan Media. Every Wednesday, you'll receive an email containing a deeply discounted price on the Kindle edition of one or more products, available only for a short time. Not a bargain shopper? Simply click here to manage your email preferences and opt out of Wired Wednesdays. Franciscan Media, 28 W. Liberty Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, USA
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Vol 125 No 2 Décembre 2020 (Open/Ouvert)
| | Lanny Hui, ofs, OLOTA and member of the National Formation Team, has shared this video (53 min) with us. It is a talk by Sr. John Mary Sullivan, FSE, held on Dec. 5. The retreat was organized by St. Maximilian Kolbe Fraternity, Red Deer, AB and was attended by about 60 people on ZOOM. This could be a on-going formation subject at a time when meetings are not possible. The retreat was called, "Love Incarnate - Hope for All". How can we deepen our knowledge of God? What are ways in which we can make space for God? As a people of Hope, how can we witness "Jesus Christ as the Hope of All Nations" to others? Reflection Questions: (found at the end of the video)
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 In this issue: A Word from the Provincial Minister Franciscan Brotherhood Rediscovering Our Heritage Remembering Father Frédéric today News from the provincial library Inspiration and discovery from cover to cover Across Morocco: Friar Robert Mokry on mission for the world’s Christians St. Francis, Nature, and Modern Science |  |
| There is an image of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church that explains well these words of the Song of Zacharias: "From heaven, a star has come to visit us." This image comes from a fresco of the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the beginning of the third century a.d. and which expresses the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God born of the Virgin Mary. At the left, the figure of a man pointing to a star, probably the prophet Balaam who announces that a star appears among the descendants of Jacob'' (Nb 24,17). This announcement is made in the birth of Jesus, the Rising Sun. The name 'Rising Sun' is a title that the Jewish tradition has reserved for the future Messiah. In the Jewish mentality, Yahweh must send his liberator from the East, the usual place of his divine apparitions. It is indeed in the East that God manifests himself when he comes to the aid of his people. The Messiah will even be so linked with the East that he will bear the name: "Here come days - oracle of Yahweh! where I will raise an authentic Rising Sun to David" (Jr 23:5). There is an image of the new Catechism of the Catholic Church that explains well these words of the Song of Zacharias: "From heaven, a star has come to visit us." This image comes from a fresco of the catacomb of Priscilla in Rome dating from the beginning of the third century a.d. and which expresses the mystery of the Incarnation of the Son of God born of the Virgin Mary. At the left, the figure of a man pointing to a star, probably the prophet Balaam who announces that a star appears among the descendants of Jacob'' (Nb 24,17). This announcement is made in the birth of Jesus, the Rising Sun. |  Marc Chagall : Stained glass Tree of Life or Peace (The Sermon on the Mountain) |
| The name 'Rising Sun' is a title that the Jewish tradition has reserved for the future Messiah. In the Jewish mentality, Yahweh must send his liberator from the East, the usual place of his divine apparitions. It is indeed in the East that God manifests himself when he comes to the aid of his people. The Messiah will even be so linked with the East that he will bear the name: "Here come days - oracle of Yahweh! where I will raise an authentic Rising Sun to David" (Jr 23:5). The Song of the 'Benedictus' of Zacharias (Lc 1:68-79), as well as Mary's 'Magnificat' (Lc 1:46-55) are hymns woven with explicit and implicit biblical quotations. Through these songs of thanksgiving, the Holy Spirit teaches us how to read history with a look of faith. The rising praise of the heart and lips of Zacharias is both a blessing for the past, and a prophecy for the future; consequently, it articulates the Old and New Testaments, the proclamation and the realization. The Messiah, the sun of salvation, brings deliverance, redemption to men oppressed by sin and death. "The people that walked in darkness has seen a great light; on those who live in a land of deep shadow a light has shone" (Is 9,1). | For many centuries, the world was in deep darkness. From now on, following the effects of our God's great mercy, a glorious dawn was about to rise. It radiates in Christ, the light of the world! The nations, so far seated in darkness and in the shadow of death, will be illuminated in turn and the feet of those who fear His name will be led in the path of peace (Lc 1:79). Luke shows the accomplishment of this mission with tangible examples using words like path, way, road. Therefore, 'the symbol of the road' appears regularly to illustrate the fulfillment of salvation in Jesus Christ. The Church prays every morning the Song of the Benedictus of Zacharias, when night and darkness are dissipated by the rising sun. She prays at the edge of the grave; over any night of death shines the star from above at its rising, Christ, who has overcome by his resurrection the domination of sin and death and who brings the renewal and restitution of the universe into a new universe (Ap 21:3). Come, rising sun, splendour of eternal light, shining righteousness, spread your clarity on those who lie in the shadow of death. Alleluia. - Fr. Georges Morin, ofm |
 | In Montreal, QC, the Sacred Heart Province of the OFM Capuchins (Eastern Canada) elected a new Provincial Council (2020-2023). The new Minister Provincial is Benny Punnassery Vincent, ofm cap. Benny is currently the Regional Spiritual Assistant of the Regional Fraternity of Eastern Canada OFS. His Vicar Provincial (and 1st Councilor) is Sylvain Richer, ofm, cap. The other Provincial Councillors are Jean-Guy Lanthier, 2nd Councillor; Alain Akim Randrianantenaina, 3rd Councillor; and André Chicoine, 4th Councillor, and a brother who has served the SFO National Fraternity for many years. We extend our warmest congratulations to all the members of the newly elected Provincial Council and assure them of our thoughts and prayers. - Doug Clorey, ofm, National Minister |
| Sept. 1, the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, marked the beginning of the Season of Creation. It extends to Oct. 4th, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. During this time Christians of all different faith communities will unite in prayer and action on behalf of creation and our planet and invite everyone to participate. Pope Francis began his encyclical on "Care of our Common Home." with words "Laudate Si', me Signore." "Praise be to you, my Lord", the first few words in Italian of the Canticle of the Creatures. In the Canticle of the Creatures, St. Francis reminds us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life. Our common home is also like a mother who opens her arms to all. "Praise be to you, my Lord, through our Sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us and who procures various fruits with coloured flowers and herbs." | Mother Earth is crying out to us because of the harm we have inflicted on her by our irresponsible use. Humankind is abusing the natural goods of Mother Earth which God, our Creator, has, endowed her. We have misunderstood for too long a time, the Book of Genesis and have translated the message to give us dominion over the earth. A misunderstanding that has to be undone. We have come to see ourselves as masters of minerals, fossil fuels, forests and water. We see governments, corporations and businesses as being entitled to plunder Mother Earth wherever, whenever and however they will. The face of Mother Earth is wounded by fires to clear the forests for profit, by mercury deposited in our waterways, fossil fuel smoke polluting the air. All these destructive practices affect water, air, land and all forms of life, plants, creatures of the sea, animals, birds and human life. Because the earth is being mistreated we are experiencing climate change. Unite in prayer and action on behalf of creation and our planet and invite everyone to participate. - Friar Ed Debono, OFM Conv. |
Mother Earth is crying out to us because of the harm | |
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