Assisi Postings

The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted life worldwide, with Italy being one of the earliest and most severely impacted countries. As I write, the daily new cases in Italy have begun to level off and perhaps diminish, although the road ahead remains long and challenging. Please keep the Italian people in your prayers, as a loving and merciful God listens to our pleas.
Usually this time of year I'm posting from Assisi, with stories about her spiritual life, art, history, cuisine, and hiking and exploring Umbria. Now I write from California, "socially distanced", as advised, with postponed travel plans.
However, one need not be physically in Assisi to be there in heart and spirit, praying for friends and reflecting on the lives of Francis and Clare.
Rather than settle for being "geographically distanced", I've decided to resume some Assisi postings, sharing past and new stories and thoughts.
Writing in the spirit of Francis requires an ongoing awareness of the joys and blessings of life, even during the most difficult of times. While deeply concerned for everyone's physical well-being, in the words of an Assisi friend, "What matters is the health of the soul."  His words serve as a reminder of what is most important, and where true peace is to be found.
Each post may contain a gospel quote for reflection, a story from past Assisi travels, thoughts to ponder from a Franciscan perspective on literature, the media or current events, and perhaps some information about past and current followers of Saints Francis and Clare. Hope you will join me; please keep me in your prayers. Grazie.