To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.
St. Francis of Assisi once said, “I want what God wants. That is why I am merry.” Setting our mind on the Spirit means asking the grace to really want what God wants and then taking concrete steps to make that happen. Do that, and we will have life and peace. We will be merry! There is a Franciscan simplicity to that which can scarcely be matched. And the best way to discover that is not to spend a lot of time reading about it (St. Francis was never much for books anyway) but to stop"-now"-and begin to do it. Carpe diem!
Mark P. Shea is a popular Catholic writer and speaker. The author of numerous books, his most recent work is The Work of Mercy (Servant) and The Heart of Catholic Prayer (Our Sunday Visitor). Mark contributes numerous articles to many magazines, including his popular column “Connecting the Dots” for the National Catholic Register. Mark is known nationally for his one minute “Words of Encouragement” on Catholic radio. He also maintains the Catholic and Enjoying It blog and regularly blogs for National Catholic Register. He lives in Washington state with his wife, Janet, and their four sons.
