Taking Faith (and the Object of our Faith) Seriously
What distinguishes the Christians whose faith is deep, burning, powerful, and luminous is seriousness. Seriousness is not the opposite of joy but of superficiality. Francis of Assisi was such a lighthearted, whimsical, musical gentleman. But that was only part of his character. On the other side was the totally dedicated, unbending, relentless search for truth and reality. A Jesus-haunted man who gave up all to obtain all. His seriousness changed him from the wealthy son of a comfortable Umbrian home into the blind ragged beggar of Mount Alvernia. It was his seriousness about what he read in the Gospel that turned his life into what it was.
—Brennan Manning
Lion and Lamb: The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus
It is said of Francis of Assisi that he saw the face of God in the faces of the lepers and broken people he ministered to. He lived embracing Christ’s words, “whatever you’ve done for the least of these, you’ve done unto me” (Matthew 25:40). I love that Manning refers to him as a “Jesus-haunted man,” but you can be sure, this wasn’t a terror-filled haunting but rather a blessing-filled haunting! Never are we closer to our God than when we are walking in our God-given identity and purpose. Soul-searching for and embodying that identity and purpose is a life’s pursuit worthy of our all. –DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics