There are certain books you read that stick with you. It might be the subject matter, the time of your life when you read it, or the way that the story was told. The last reason is what captured me when I first read the book Francis: The Journey and the Dream by Murray Bodo, OFM. In my 26 years of working for Franciscan Media, I have learned quite a lot about St. Francis. But never have I felt as close to him as I did when reading that book. It is not a straight historical book but rather a beautiful retelling of Francis’ life through the saint’s own eyes.
In this month’s issue, Bodo recreates that magic. In the article “Scenes from the Life of Mary,” he tells the story of the later years of Mary’s life from her own perspective. The article is taken from his new book, Nourishing Love: A Franciscan Celebration of Mary, from Franciscan Media.
We also honor the maternal spirit in the photo story “Models of Motherly Love,” featuring the beautiful sculptures of artist Karen Schmidt.
This month, as we celebrate mothers everywhere, let us always remember to turn to our holy mother Mary, the ultimate example of motherly love.
