Lent invites us into a sacred journey of returning—returning to God, to one another, and to the deepest truth of who we are as beloved children of the Creator. For Franciscans, this journey is marked by penance in its original meaning: a continual turning of the heart toward love, compassion, justice, and reconciliation. It is the path that St Francis walked with humility and joy, and the path to which each of us is called today.
This Lenten Reflection Book is a gift from the five Provinces of our worldwide Franciscan family : Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, the Americas, and the Pacific Islands. Each Province brings its unique voice, history, wounds, and hopes to this common pilgrimage. Together we offer reflections rooted in our diverse cultures yet united in the Gospel that transcends all boundaries.
The contributions from Africa speak with a depth born of resilience, truth-telling, and profound communal wisdom. They remind us that reconciliation requires honesty, that peace grows from courage, and that God’s abundance is often revealed in places marked by struggle. Other Provinces bring their own insights: contemplative stillness, ecological awareness, indigenous wisdom, social justice concerns, and the deep longing for healing in a fractured world.
My prayer is that as you journey through these reflections, you will encounter Christ again—sometimes in familiar ways, sometimes in surprising ones. May the Scriptures open to you with new clarity. May the voices from every continent help you see the Gospel through different eyes. May your heart be enlarged by the witness of sisters and brothers living faithfully in many landscapes.
This Lent, let us walk together in the footsteps of Jesus and St Francis, seeking not perfection but transformation; not certainty but deeper trust; not isolation but renewed community. May these pages be companions on your journey, guiding you toward the joy of Easter and the hope of resurrection that heals the world.
Michael Twum-Darko, TSSF
Minister General, Worldwide Third Order Society of St Francis
