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Jon M. Sweeney Biography

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“When people tell me they don't believe in God, I usually ask, "What God don't you believe in?" They invariably go on to describe a God who is judgmental, vengeful, overbearing, unloving, or whimsical. "Oh, I don't believe in that God, either," I say.”

God Faith Jesus Belief Christ Bible God Is Love St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“In one of the most personal of all the writings of Francis we possess, this one from 1226, Francis writes a note of encouragement to his closest male friend, Leo... "I am speaking to you, now, as a mother would, because all of the words we passed between us on the road together I am summarizing in this message and bit of advice. If you ever feel the need to for my counsel, I suggest that you turn to this letter. "My advice is this : In whatever way you feel called to serve the Lord, and to make him happy, to follow his footprint and his poverty, do that, and do that with my blessing and with the blessing of the Lord God. "If you ever want to come and see me, Leo, for the sake of your soul or for any other reason, come, by all means, come back to me.”

Jesus Friendship Jesus Christ Letter St Francis Of Assisi St Francis Brother Leo

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“Where Francis self-consciously modeled his actions after the Jesus he met in the Gospels, many later saints read accounts of earlier saints like Francis in order to chart their paths and make their decisions according to what the blessed are supposed to do.”

Jesus Saints Sainthood Gospels St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“One way to express Francis's approach is to say that his life was focused on orthopraxy (right action) over orthodoxy (right belief).... The Gospel was not something to believe as much it was a vocation to a changed life.”

Faith Jesus Christianity Orthodoxy Gospel Sainthood Orthopraxy St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“He responded to each person he met as if he were already a friend.”

Friendship St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Author:Jon M. Sweeney

“With the help of the Gospel, which he began to listen to carefully, Francis began to break down the barriers to friendship inherent in his old worldview. Every person, he began to see, was at the most basic root the same.”

Friendship Gospel St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“Francis's expressions of friendship came from his heart in an uncalculated way. We see Francis befriending without judging, noticing and responding to people's needs, and expressing love simply because that person has been created by a God who says that every created thing is good.”

Friendship St Francis Of Assisi St Francis

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church

“May the Lord give you peace," was Francis's most common remark to people. What a contrast this was to the apocalyptic fear-mongering of most other wandering spiritual groups in those days, and how different it was even from the doctrinaire preaching of the new Dominican Order.”

Peace St Francis Of Assisi St Francis Friar

Book:When Saint Francis Saved the Church

Source: When Saint Francis Saved the Church