A Franciscan Heart In the World

In a world marked by division and polarization, how do we live Ezekiel’s, vision of unity? Inspired by the life of St. Francis, this episode explores what itmeans to be a bridge builder—choosing relationship over rivalry, stepping into spaces of healing, and modeling the Gospel through action. Join us as we reflect on how we can embrace the Franciscan call to be peacemakers in our families, commun...

What if letting go isn’t loss—but trust? Jeremiah questioned. Francis grieved. Ben faced retirement unsure of whomhe’d become. And yet—God was still at work. Join us for this Franciscan reflection on surrender, humility, and them freedom to trust what comes next. Jeremiah 20:10-13

God told Abraham, “I have made you a father of many nations.” Not “I will.” Clare left behind everything familiar to walk toward her calling. David stepped into a second-half-of-life vocation that transformed his past into service. What if trust isn’t just letting go—but walking toward something already prepared for us? Join us for today’s Franciscan reflection on vocation, transformation, and the...

The Fire and the Fourth Figure: A Reflection on Faith, Abuse, and the God Who Walks With Us The furnace wasn’t metaphorical for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—and for many today, neither is the fire. In this episode of From Ashes to Alleluia , we explore what it means to stand firm in the face of coercion, fear, and silence. From the biblical flames of Daniel to the quiet fires behind closed door...

The Israelites wanted God to take away the serpents. But healing didn’t come from running—it came from looking. Francis of Assisi wanted to avoid lepers. But healing came when he faced what he feared. What if the “leper” we need to embrace isn’t outside of us, but within us? What if healing isn’t about escape—but about allowing God to transform what we have been avoiding? friars.us. Numbers 21:4-9

When Susanna was falsely accused, she didn’t stay silent. And when no one else would speak, Daniel stepped forward. In a world where truth is sometimes twisted or ignored, their story challenges us to ask: Where do we need to step in, speak out, or simply live more honestly? Join us as we reflect on what it means to live truthfully in difficult times—with courage, integrity, and Franciscan wisdom....

In today’s Gospel, Jesus stops a woman’s execution—not with force, but with a question: “Let the one without sin cast the first stone.” One by one, they drop their stones and walk away. But what about us? Some of us are still holding them—toward others, and toward ourselves. This Lent, maybe the holiest thing we can do is… let go. friars.us John 8:1-11

As Lent deepens, so does the tension. In this episode, we sit with the quiet courage of Nicodemus and the cost of following a truth that unsettles power. Why do we hesitate when we sense what’s right? What holds us back from speaking or living with integrity? Rooted in John 7, this Franciscan reflection explores the struggle of living undivided in a divided world. With insights from the lives of F...

What happens when standing in truth puts you at odds with the people closest to you? When even your family, friends, or faith community make the Gospel harder to live? In today’s episode, we reflect on the cost of integrity, through the lens of the Book of Wisdom and the life of St. Francis. We explore what it means to become the person God created you to be—even when it’s uncomfortable, even when...

The Israelites made a golden calf. We build different idols—success, security, image, ideology, distraction. This Lent, we're invited to take an honest look at what we’ve come to depend on—and what it might mean to let go. Join us as we reflect on Moses, Francis, and the God who still calls us to something deeper. friars.us Exodus 32:7-14

What if God is working in the places we least expect? In today’s episode, we reflect on Isaiah’s words: "I will say tothe prisoners: Come out!" Through the story of a prison duck farm, a man named Ramiro, and an unexpected moment of tenderness, we discover the God who never writes anyone off. friars.us Isaiah 49:8-15

Stuck in the same cycle, waiting for the "right moment" to change? In today’s episode of Ashes to Alleluia , we explore Jesus’ encounter with the man at the Pool of Bethesda—and the radical truth it reveals about transformation. With wisdom from St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan tradition, we ask: What is keeping us from the fullness of life God desires for us? More importantly, what is the...

What if God is already doing something new—right here, right now—and our job is simply to trust it? Isaiah promises a new heaven and a new earth. The psalmist says ourmourning will turn to dancing. And in the Gospel, a royal official chooses to believe in Jesus’ word before anything changes. Faith is not just belief—it’s living into a reality we cannot yet see. friars.us. Isaiah 65:17-21

Have you ever felt overlooked for doing the right thing—the steady thing? While others are celebrated for returning, you’ve been the one holding everything together. In today’s episode of From Ashes to Alleluia , we meet Anna, a modern-day “older sibling,” and revisit the parable of the Prodigal Son—not from the one who left, but from the one who stayed. What does grace look like when it’s hard to...

Have you ever felt like you had to prove yourself—to God, to others, even to yourself? What if the hardest thing to let go of isn’t our sins—but our need to measure up? Today’s readings challenge us to rethink how we stand before God. The Pharisee in Jesus’ parable left the temple unchanged because he measured himself against others, clinging to his own sense of righteousness. The tax collector, i...

Faith isn’t about standing still—it’s about stepping in. Jesus tells us that the greatest commandment is to love God and love our neighbor. Not just in words, but in action. Dan, a retired letter carrier, found new purpose by building urban hydroponic farms in a food desert—creating jobs for youth, fresh food forneighbors, and hope for a struggling community. Some resist stepping into God’s call,...

In this episode of From Ashes to Alleluia, we explore the deep resistance we all have to change—even when we know it’s necessary. Through the struggles of the Israelites, the doubts of Jesus' contemporaries, and our own fears of stepping into the unknown, we see how transformation requires trust. Drawing from the Enneagram, the formation of young friars, and personal experiences in ministry, we re...

Formation never ends—and it happens in the ordinary moments of life. Joe never imagined that his final years with Lorena would be spent as her caregiver. But in the middle of exhaustion and heartbreak, he found something deeper—a love that didn’t need words, a presence that didn’t needfixing. Like Moses, Jesus, and St. Francis remind us today, Godcontinually shapes us through our daily experiences...

In this episode of From Ashes to Alleluia , we explore the power of a single 'yes'—the kind that redirects our lives in unexpected ways. Through Jean’s journey from a retired teacher to a mission leader across nine countries, we witness how trust and courage open doors we never imagined. Reflecting on Mary’s response at the Annunciation, we ask: Where is God calling us to step forward in faith, ev...

We often look for God in the big, the bold, the unmistakable. But what if grace is found in the quiet, the small, the unimpressive? In today’s episode of Ashes to Alleluia , we meet two seekers—Naaman , a powerful commander who nearly missed his healing because it wasn’t dramatic enough, and Alex, a restless soul who longs for depth in prayer but resists the simplicity of stillness. Through their...

The Nudge – Have you ever felt a quiet restlessness, a gentle push to stop and pay attention? Sometimes, God speaks in whispers, in moments we almost ignore. Today’s reflection explores how the interruptions in our day—like helping a stranger—might be invitations to step onto holy ground. Drawing on the wisdom of Bonaventure, we’ll consider how every encounter, even the most ordinary, can be a ste...

We all know the story—the son who runs away, squanders everything, and comes home expecting rejection. But what if this parable isn’t really about his failure at all? What if it’s about a love that refuses to keep score? Today, we dive into one of Jesus’ most radical messages: God’slove isn’t something we earn. It’s already running toward us—before we even turn back. But if that’s true, why do so...

God has entrusted us with a vineyard—creation itself. But have we cared for it as faithful tenants, or have we acted as if it were ours to exploit? In today’s reflection, we explore Jesus’ parable of the vineyard, the wisdom of St. Francis, and the urgent call of Pope Francis in Laudato Si’ . From climate justice to local action in Hartford, we ask: What must we change—today—to honor the gift of c...

A man lay at the gate. The one who could help walked past—without even seeing him. Today’s Gospel challenges us with a truth that’s easy to overlook: what separates the rich man from Lazarus isn’t wealth—it’s attention. I learned this lesson the hard way, as a young chaplain in Bolivia, when I stepped over a man to get to Mass. St. Francis learned it when he finally saw Christ in the leper. Where...

Joseph never spoke a word in Scripture, yet his life speaks louder than words ever could. Today, we pause in the middle of Lent to reflect on the quiet trust of St. Joseph—the man who surrendered his plans to embrace God's call. Like Joseph, St. Francis faced a moment of interruption, a choice between clinging to his dreams or stepping into the unknown. And like them, we, too, are invited to trust...