December Reflection - The Franciscan Calendar 2025

The Nativity

“The Humility of God, the Poverty of God in the Child in Bethlehem, who suffered for lack of the necessities of a newborn babe. See how he lays in the manger.”

God created the world, and God saw it beautiful.

Pride tempted man; Disobedience followed. Death is part of the world now.

The world is dark, but not totally dark.

Dry, but not totally dry.

 

In the midst of darkness and thirst of our soul,

God becomes flesh.

 

He was poor, lowly, and had nothing.

But in his nothingness, Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love became visible.

The sea will be blue again, she will be blue again, alive again.

 

In our darkness and drought,

Let us strip ourselves. Let go.

May we find Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love in our nothingness.

 

 

For Reflection,

What does these words from “Prayer of St Francis” mean to you?

 

Oh, Master grant that I may never seek

So much to be consoled as to console

To be understood as to understand

To be loved as to love with all my soul

 

Make me a channel of your peace

It is in pardoning that we are pardoned

It is in giving to all men that we receive

And in dying that we are born to eternal life