Last year, Tammy and I went to Assisi and spent a week there. We saw all the regular sites, of course, but we also walked up the hill to the old hermitage, and a site where St. Francis spent time in prayer - and this is something I hadn't done in years because it's a hike up the hill, and usually only going to Assisi for a day doesn't leave enough time. So while there we wrote down some prayers, and left them in a box, and gave a little money, and filled out a card, and now I get these emails from the friars saying they are praying for me - the messages are in Italian, and as much as I don't trust robots, they are ok for translating from Italian - so here is one of the latest messages that I thought was too good not to share it:
James
may the Lord give you peace!
We are at the Portiuncula, the house that welcomes forgiven and saved children. In this time where contentions and discord tell of division and fatigue, the Pardon of Assisi still comes as a wide-open door that opens to hope. It is necessary to return to the heart and to that greater love for all.
It is not enough to know how to forgive ourselves: it is necessary daily to give up that hidden root in us called self-sufficiency.
Until we open up this possibility of an authentic relationship with God, the risk is that we will have big dreams of forgiveness and love for all, but with small fruits and small results. So for each of us, for our family and ecclesial realities, in this world so restless and sometimes tired of superficial things, a good feast of forgiveness means a feast of the depths to remove every root that limits us in that greater love that we all desire.
From the Portiuncula we friars continue to welcome and give God's mercy, and from this place come to you an authentic wish for a feast of Forgiveness, a feast of the depths and of God's mercy in us.
Dear friends - Please take 10 minutes to watch this personal update from me:
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
The problem with us men is that often we don't have the wisdom to be a father until we're a grandfather.
This may sounds like some ironic statement that makes you nod your head in agreement but shrug your shoulders in resignation, thinking, well there's nothing we can do about that. But the practical application of that is that it demonstrates how important it is for kids to grow up around their grandparents. But as in our culture the family becomes ever more fractured and spread out, that is harder and harder to do.
Lately I've been thinking that part of the problem is the whole concept of college. It used to be that everyone thought a person had to go to college to make a good living. Not only is that not the case (truck drivers make more money than I do) but now college has gone from useless to actually ruining our kids. But when I went to college, what you were supposed to do is figure out what career you wanted (as if anyone knows that at age 18) and then go away to the college ...
And don't forget, if you would like to read my latest novel:
The Sword and the Clover - just let me know by email.
I'm happy to send you the PDF version, even if you haven't been a monetary supporter of the community - all I ask is that you don't share it with anyone else.
My email address:
Keep in touch!
JIm
If you haven't already signed up - this comes to your inbox no more than once a month, and will keep you updated when new books come out, or when we're leading pilgrimages, etc:
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