The audio of this week’s homily. You can find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Deeper Reflection
- How can I embrace a childlike faith characterized by trust, innocence, and a willingness to learn from others, especially from the children around me?
- What words would I use to describe young children in my life? Could I use those words to describe myself?
- How do I perceive the role of children in our faith community, and how can I incorporate their perspective to deepen my own spiritual journey?
- In what ways can I support the children in my life to grow in faith while also allowing their example to challenge and inspire my own growth as a “little one” in Christ?
Resources for Further Reflection
Comic Book: Francis: Brother of the Universe
In this genuine Marvel comic book from 1982 you can find the story of St. Francis, including his encounter with the Pope asking for recognition by the church to be a holy order. It’s a classic and a fun (and childlike) way to engage the story of Francis, even though there are many well-done biographies about him as well (in fact I have a sizable Franciscan section in my office if you’d like to borrow anything).
Religious Order: Third Order, Society of St. Francis
I belong to a religious order called the Society of St. Francis. The friars are those in the first order. The cloistered nuns are those in the second order. I belong to the third order, a dispersed Anglican order for lay people and clergy, married people and single, men, women, and all people who would like to follow Christ in a deeper way through the Franciscan path. It has been a wonderful experience that I highly recommend to anyone interested in Franciscan spirituality who wants to deepen their faith.
Children’s Book: God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
In the homily I speak about Jesus’ big dream, which is actually a small dream. In saying that, I am using the language of a beautiful children’s book by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called God’s Dream. I highly recommend it!
Thoughts on Faith 