Devotions

There's an old idea, one that St. Francis of Assisi made famous in his Canticle of the Sun, that the sun and moon aren't just distant objects lighting our days and nights — they're kin. Brother Sun. Sister Moon. Family, in a sense, part of the same created order we belong to. It's a small shift in language, but it changes something. When the sun is just "the sun," it's background noise — something we barely register on our way to the car. When it's Brother Sun, it becomes a presence. Something worth noticing. Something worth thanking God for. Ask the Animals Job 12:7 puts it simply: ask the animals, and they will teach you. It's a strange invitation on the surface — what could a bird or a beast possibly have to teach a person? But Scripture keeps returning to this idea that creation itself is a kind of instructor, quietly demonstrating things about dependence, trust, and design that we're often too busy to notice on our own. That raises a few h...

This post is written in Easy English. Easy English uses short sentences and simple words. It is easier to read and understand. It can help people who find reading hard. It can help people who are learning English. It can help anyone who wants a quick, clear read. I hope you enjoy it. 2 Corinthians 8:9: "You know that our Lord Jesus Christ is very kind. He was rich, but he made himself poor to help you. So then, because he became poor, you could become rich." (Easy English Bible) Today, some of us who follow Jesus remember a woman named Clare of Assisi. She lived a long time ago. She looked at the wealth and power around her. And she chose something different. She chose a simple life. She chose humility. She loved Christ with her whole heart. I try to follow Jesus in this same way. I try to live gently, with peace, and with others by my side. Clare and Francis touch something deep in me. I fail often. I know this about myself. Clare was not perfect either — no saint ever is. ...