"With Haste"

Today's rich feast of the Visitation has many elements which contribute hugely to our Marist Spirituality and provide ample fodder for pondering beyond what this thin slice of bread might provide.  Having just conceived the Son of God, the Bride of the Holy Spirit wastes no time worrying about the reaction of family and community to her "unwed" pregnancy, but goes "with haste" to visit her cousin, Elizabeth, now in her sixth month. May selflessly accepted the invitation to be the mother of God, and now selflessly goes to help her elderly cousin as she carries and eventually brings forth her first-born and only son. The last Marist Brothers' Chapter produced a document based on Mary's hasty response as an invitation to all Marists to respond with haste to the needs of our current world, and to move fearlessly into "a new land" to meet those needs.  Already the incorporation of more and more Lay Marists, from Young Adults to the world-wide Marist Family Movement, into our thinking and planning is a step in that direction.  Our three years of reflection and discussion as we prepare for the celebration of our two-hundredth anniversary is opening new paths and ways of living our Marist Spirituality and vision.
The greeting of Elizabeth, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb" (Lk 1:42) calls us to deeper love and reverence of our Good Mother, and reminds us that we can find God in others if we see with her eyes. Mary's Magnificat, her song of  praise, humility and gratitude, is the blueprint for us to "live in the way of Mary."  May we not hesitate but leap into it "with haste."
Bro. Rene

Writing A Blank Check

Coming from a day with an "army" of over 200 enthusiastic Marist Youths who gathered at Marist College to solidify their understanding of and commitment to our Marist vision and mission, I can't help making the connection to armies of youth in the history of the United States of America who wrote a blank check to our country and signed it with their brave service, and for many, their lives that we might enjoy the freedoms we take so much for granted.  We read daily of men and women in their 80's and 90's who served in World War II finally entering into eternal rest, Korean Vets, not much younger as well;  down the line to those whose lives were forever changed or ended too soon parade before us to receive our gratitude, respect and honor. Fittingly we take time today to pray for them, and pledge our allegiance to them as they age or fight to live "normal" lives despite their crippling injuries.  We pray too for those currently serving around the globe, not knowing as they begin each day, if they will see the sunset.  We hope that those young people at Marist College will be spared the gruesome challenges these veterans faced, yet many of them have already committed to service in the military, ready to pass their blank checks to us.  May God protect them all, give them courage, and spare them from doubt or lack of support.
Bro. Rene

The Holy Eucharist

Note: I will be at the Marist Youth Conference at Marist College today and tomorrow...there might not be a slice of Daily Bread on Sunday, the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ.  Time does not allow a very thick slice even for today.

Jesus left us the gift of his Body and Blood to feed us, to nourish us on our daily journey which ultimately leads to final and total union with him.  When we gather to receive this gift we are also fed by hearing the Word and by the presence of a community of believers.  Such is the compassionate care that Jesus has for us....the allow us in this manner to enjoy his presence as did the people who walked with him, listened to him and were even cured by him during his three years of public ministry.  May we thank him for this gift always, and take advantage of it as often as we can.  It's too good a gift to pass up!
Bro. Rene

Cleansing Our Temple

Exercise Physiology is a new trend that is gaining more and more interest and adherents. It is a the science of studying the body and the effect of the combination of good nutrition and proper exercise to improve general health and well-being; it is also being applied to patients with Parkinson's as a natural method of curtailing its progress and even to restoring the strength of muscles affected by it.
The prospect of losing that most unwanted "belly fat" or of regaining the ability to climb stairs without losing breath is very attractive and motivates people to "cleanse the temple" of their bodies to achieve the desired goal. It requires discipline to maintain a regimen of exercise and healthy diet.
If there can be such a commitment to cleansing and restoring the body, how much more, but at times less attractive, is the prospect of cleansing the soul to bring it to its fullest possible beauty?  It would mean the purging of habits tied in with the wasting of time on non-essentials (TV might fall into this category), or of more self-control regarding what we read or look at on the internet. It would mean more time for personal prayer, the Eucharist and service to others, especially the poor and needy, which has a "cleansing effect" that is inescapable.  Jesus cleansed the temple of the money changers with force; are we going to wait till he forces us to cleanse our temples?
Bro. Rene

"I Want To See"

The blind Bartimeus, when asked what he wanted, stated clear, "I want to see." (Mk 10: 51). Isn't this something we all want?  Yes, we may not be physically blind, but we are certainly blind to the future; often blind to our defects or how certain quirks of ours irritate others; blind to the effect an offhand comment might have on others; blind to what God is trying to do in our lives; blind the to hidden blessings that come with illness, job loss, or simply growing old and not being able to do all that we once did.  Our blindness is not voluntary, though we know we can so easily close our eyes to the needs of people around us or around the globe.  Perhaps this is our most serious blindness which truly separates us from others, and, if we realize it, causes us to cry out with Bartimeus, "I want to see."  Not only want, but NEED to see.  Lord, cure me of my blindness that with open eyes I may see you in the people around me, and especially those in most need, and like you, offer what I can to help them.
Bro. Rene

Born Anew

In his first letter read at Mass today, the author of 1 Peter reminds us that we "have been born anew, not from perishable, but from imperishable seed through the living and abiding word of God." (1 Pet 1:23).  As such he tells us to "love one another intensely from a pure heart" (1 Pet 1: 22) echoing the message of Jesus to love one another. Our love must be genuine, universal, courageous and steadfast, even in the wake of criticism and opposition, even when our natural inclinations are to turn away from the disfigured, those with differing opinions, or outright enemies.  Impossible?  With God's help, all things are possible.
We remember today the great leader and reformer of the 11th century, Hildebrand, Pope Gregory VII, who lived in an era or corrupt Church and Civil leaders.  His confrontation of Henry 1V at Canossa where he stood his ground for truth and respect for "the rules" and forced the great Emperor to bow in contrition and penance exemplifies his "love of justice and righteousness and hatred of sin", a principle which eventually found him exiled by the same Henry, where he died still abiding by it.
In today's world, Dr.Nabil Antaki, another man who loves intensely, opted to remain in Aleppo to continue caring for the wounded and displaced.  If these men did it, I need to ask myself  how I can love with this kind of intensity if I am to claim at I have been "born anew."
Bro .Rene

Our Source of Strength

Every now and then (if not daily), we need a reminder that we cannot accomplish anything by ourselves,  be it a plateful of promises that require our time, preparation and presence, or the wrenching, sudden and serious illness of a family member or close friend, or the death of a parent, friend, or, God-forbid, the untimely death of one of our children.  It could be the loss of a job, or a call to move to a new location to keep that job.  All these things create stress, tension, anxiety, and even a kind of mental paralysis.  We don't know "HOW WE CAN DO IT."  In these extremes, we fall back on our faith, turn to Scripture, turn to prayer, a prayer of near desperation. Then, out of the blue, out of the strangest places, comes the answer.  Yesterday a card from a 10-year old extraordinary boy, who is deeply into cross-fitness training, and fund raising for children in need, included a verse from the letter of St. Paul to the Philippians..."I can do all things in him who strengthens me." (Phil 4:13). A verse that deserves a lasting place in our memories, in our hearts and on our lips. This young boy takes he lead from a three-time cross-fitness champion, labeled "The Fittest Man in the World," Rich Froning, who has his favorite verse tatootd to the side of his torso, (Gal. 6:14), "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom I am crucified to the world and the world to me."  These two fitness devotees realize that their faith in Jesus is what gives them their real strength.  Let their faith feed ours, and ours feed others.
Bro. Rene

"All Things Are Possible For God"

When then rich young man eagerly asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, he was encouraged to hear that keeping the commandments was the required criterion.  For, these he had kept since his youth.  "Aha, I'm in" he must have thought, but then, Jesus added, as he looked at him lovingly, a further requirement: "You are lacking one thing.  Go sell what you have, and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me." (Mk 10:21). This knocked the wind from the man's sails, for turned sadly from Jesus, because he was too attached, enamored, imprisoned by his many possessions.
We all might share in this fellow's discouragement and sadness, for in some ways we too are burdened, entangled in our possessions, or our rigid insistence on our opinions or behaviors.  We lack the freedom to let go and turn our lives (material and spiritual) over to God and let him take care of us. Like the disciples we too wonder, "who can be saved?" (Mk 10: 26).  Jesus agreed that "For men it is impossible, but not for God.  All things are possible for God." (Mk 10:27).  Looking back, we see this "possibility" lived out over and over:  an uneducated farm boy becomes a priest, a founder of the Marist Brothers and a saint; a frail woman with a compassionate heart comforts and cares for the sick and dying, founds a religious order of sisters, brothers and priests and will be canonized next September.  A little educated and frail shoemaker becomes a beloved spiritual guide and healer:  St. Crispin of Viterbo.  Why do we hesitate?
Bro. Rene

The Blessed Trinity

"We worship one God in the Trinity and Trinity in Unity." (Athanasian Creed).  We learned a long time ago in our first Catechism that there are Three Persons in one God, and were told it was a Mystery, that is a reality beyond our human logic or ability to comprehend.  Since then, as we grow older and ponder this Mystery, it becomes more invitingly comprehensible, teasing our imagination and filling our hearts with love and joy.  We now can see more of the universe than ever before and its scope seems to have no end.  It makes us feel very small.  We have learned more of the "secrets" of the human body through research in genetics, and there seems to be no limit as we delve deeper and deeper into "how it works", this amazing body of ours.  At graduations we hear wisdom passed on to the young, and we hear their high and noble ideals; we see their clean, bright faces full of hope, expectation and determination.  Their energy, goodness and optimism bode well for and expanding and fertile future despite the shadows and conflicts that have always been part of "the present and the "future." Is not the Presence of God, Creator, manifested in these marvels of creation?
We look to his further manifestation in Jesus, love so overflowing that it took on our human nature and became one with us, and not only that, but endured suffering and death to redeem us from our sins and offered us new life in him.  He feeds us with that Body and Blood and assures us that whoever so eats and drinks it will have Eternal life. 
And as a guarantee that this life will be continually animated, the Holy Spirit fires us, energizes us, draws us to the Father and the Son. Let us praise the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, now and forever!
Bro. Rene

Who Can Enter the Kingdom?

This morning's Gospel presents two sides of Jesus...an indignant Jesus who rebukes the disciples for shooing children away from him, and a tender Jesus who tenderly welcomes and blesses them.  In the end, the children win, for Jesus holds them up as the key to entrance into the Kingdom of God:  "I say to you, however does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." (Mk 10: 16).  What does it mean to accept it like a child?  Look at children:  affectionate, loving, spontaneous, creative, fun-loving, trusting, forgiving, imaginative, filled with wonder and simplicity, sensitive, pure of heart.  Do we adults still have these qualities? Is this how we embrace the teachings and mission of Jesus?   If not, he just might become indignant, rebuke us and insist strongly that we "get with it" and resurrect the child within or else be exiled from the Kingdom.
Bro. Rene

St. Bernadine of Siena

As a devout layman in the late 14th century, Bernadine gathered a group of friends to help him staff the local hospital during an epidemic of the plague.  Some of his followers died, but Bernadine escaped the disease and helped bring comfort to the dying and health to the strongest. When the plague was over, he entered the Friars Minor and became such a noted preacher that he had to preach outside to accommodate the huge crowds.  Based in Milan, he nevertheless walked and preached through the county side, converting thousands.  Three times he refused the offer to be consecrated a bishop, preferring to remain poor and faithful to his Franciscan charism.  He died in 1444 after preaching for fifty consecutive days in his hometown in the Republic of Siena.
When we look at our world today, we might be envious as we see what one man could do in a relatively brief life of 64 years.  What would it be like to have such a powerful preacher on television or at large rallies convincingly addressing the ills of today?  He was noted for reconciling feuding families and parties. How would he deal with the current campaigners, our congressional members, and the major issues dividing us in in our Church?  Can their be at least a little bit of Bernadine in each one of us to help restore sanity and to bring out the good that struggles for survival as did those once plague-stricken men and women?  Let us pray for courage and strength to follow Bernadine's example and step up to address the issues that plague us today.
Bro. Rene

Detachment

One of the basic factors in spiritual growth is detachment, the stripping of anything that would impede our relationship with others or with God.  It sounds "old fashioned" and it is.  Certainly Jesus was an advocate of it as we read in today's Gospel from Mark 9:41-50.  He uses hyperbole to stress in importance of casting aside whatever causes us to lead others astray, into sin.  His gruesome images of cutting off hands or feet, plucking out eyes, or having millstones dragging us to the bottom of the sea are frightening enough to shock us into taking his teaching seriously. We commonly think of detachment as the shedding of THINGS, material goods, the emptying of closets and shelves, but more fundamentally, we need to ask what behaviors of our hands, feet, and eyes need to be eliminated, what thoughts, what attitudes need to be avoided?  How attached to "my way as the only way" am I?  Detachment covers many bases, material and spiritual; both requiring examination, evaluation,  motivation,  discipline and advice from our spiritual director or  good friend who can be honest with us.  If we feel bogged down and burdened by our attachments, it's time to take this teaching of Jesus to heart and put it into practice.
Bro. Rene

Jesus Leads the Way

In this era of toleration, of an almost "Anything Goes" approach to life, these words of Jesus ring true as a reminder that there are limits governed by God's revelation, the "Natural Law" and Tradition: Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road broad that leads to destruction, an those who enter though it are many.  How narrow the gate and constricted the road that leads to life. And those who find it are few. (Mt 7:13-14)  We seem to have forgotten that there are limits and especially that following Jesus, means sacrifice, death to self, self-control and self-discipline, along with joyful love, acceptance of people "where they are", faith and hope.  Time spent with Jesus in prayer and reflection on how he lived in this world, which was filled with the same human flaws and weakness we see today. He spoke out, at times strongly, at others, gently, always guiding, always respecting.  When the disciples were angry that others whom they did not know were expelling demons in the name of Jesus, Jesus told them, There is no one who performs a mighty deed in my name who can at the same time speak ill of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. (Mk 9: 40)
Jesus leads the way through this narrow gate, through this world of ideas and practices that contradict the Truth; it is our task to follow him, lest we become lost in this maze of error and enter the wide gate.
Bro. Rene

Servant of All

In seeking to follow Jesus, as we do always, but especially during Ordinary Time, when we see Jesus in action during his ministry over the years that led up to his arrest and crucifixion, we encounter a person whose simplicity and humility are expressed in action as well as in word.  He is our model of leadership and the inspiration that should penetrate our behavior.  He speaks with authority, confronts evil in the form of demons or hypocrisy, and yet puts leadership in proper perspective:  "If anyone wishes to be first, he shall be last of all and the servant of all." (Mk 9: 35).  St. Marcellin lived this way and exhorted his followers to follow in his footsteps.  May we not hesitate to follow his example and directive.
Bro. Rene

Impatiently Awating Solutions

How many of us can identify with the frustration of the possessed boy's father (and the Apostles) in this morning's Gospel?  Like any father of a sick child, he wanted a cure for him, a quick one.  When the disciples could not drive the demon out of the lad, tempers rose, it seems, and arguments broke out. Happily, Jesus stepped in drove out the deaf and mute spirit, after the father assured him of his faith, "I do believe, help my unbelief." (Mk 9:24).  Jesus then explains to the amazed and puzzled disciples that some spirits can come out only "through prayer." (Mk 9:29).
In our world of faster and faster internet, instant paint relief, and overnight delivery, we have come to expect that solutions to problems, or answers to requests will come with the snap of a finger.  The lesson that things come in God's time through prayer has to be repeated over and over until we "get it."  First faith, then prayer...and there's no time limit on either. May our faith grow until our prayer becomes simply, Lord, I can't force this, help me to submit to YOU and YOUR TIME, as I patiently let go of my "unbelief" and grow in trust.
Bro Rene

Mary At Pentecost

The Solemnity of Pentecost not only brings to an end the Lenten, Easter cycle, but recalls the fire and power of the Holy Spirit unleashed on those gathered in the Upper Room.  Included in this group were some of the women who ministered to the Apostles and Mary, the Mother of Jesus.(Acts 1:14). With all the dramatic effect of the loud wind, tongues of fire, courageous speaking in languages that all who from distant lands and tongues could understand, and the conversion of 3,000 listeners, we might easily overlook that Mary too received the Holy Spirit that morning.  As Marists and "sons" of Mary, this is a further cause for our devotion and loyalty to her.  What was it like for her who is the "Bride" of the Holy Spirit, the one who bore the Son of God in her womb, whose heart for nine months beat with the heart of her baby, to receive this infusion of the Holy Spirit?  She received the gifts of the Spirit, deeper understanding of her Son, her role as his First disciple and the Mother of his Church.  She understood the Scripture, Behold, I make all things new." (Rev 21:5). She nourished the early Church with her presence, care and love, and has continued in that role to this day by her frequent visits, such as at Lourdes, Fatima, and in our day, Medjugorje (still under scrutiny). Our role as Marists becomes clearer the more we understand Mary's role.  Let this be our Pentecostal meditation.
Bro. Rene

The Message of Fatima

On May 13th, 1917, Mary appeared to three young Portuguese children ranging from age 10 to 7 who were tending sheep.  She told them that she would come on the 13th of every month until October, when she would provide a spectacular sign verifying the authenticity of her appearances and messages.  And so it happened, that in October before a crowd of 70,000 people who had stood in the rain for hours, the sun seemed to dance in the sky through the clouds and to plummet towards earth.  People were stunned and frightened and found themselves totally dry when the miraculous phenomenon ended. The children were told to pray often, particularly to pray the rosary for the end of the war, and in November 1919, the Armistice ending WWI was signed in Versailles.  They were told to pray for the conversion of Russia, and the fall of Communism in our own time is seen as the fulfillment of those prayers. Pope St. John Paul II survived an assignation attempt on May 13, 1981 and attributed his survival to Our Lady of Fatima.  The assassin's bullet is now in Fatima.
Miraculous events, yet the need for prayer is so evident as we continue to live in a field of wheat and tares. Like Peter, we all at sometime or another deny Jesus, feel ashamed and unconfident in his presence, but as in today's beautiful Gospel passage, Jesus does not chide, punish or condemn, but in total loving compassion and mercy asks Peter if he loves him. Peter says "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you."  Jesus repeats the question twice again to assure Peter that his three-fold denial is wiped clean, and despite his denials, his job is to feed and tend the sheep.  So too is it our task, to pray and love,  to feed and tend, despite our sins and self-centeredness, the wheat and tares in our own hearts,  and in so doing  fulfill the wishes of Our Lady of Fatima.
Bro. Rene

We Are God's Gift To Jesus

Usually we think of Jesus as God's gift to us, and so he is, but Jesus reminds us in his "Priestly Prayer" that we are God's gift to him!  "Father, they are your gift to me." (Jn 17: 24),  If you have time, pray with this intimate expression of Jesus's love for us, Jn 17:20-16.  It is the language of love, a most assuring statement of the "oneness" that Jesus prayed for:  "that they all may be one." (Jn 17:20).  Yes, that we may all live in unity, understood these days as the prayer for unity in our fractured Christian Church, but more so, that we may be one with Jesus and through him, with the Father.  Our goal is to be ONE with God.  Our prayers during these days before Pentecost are directed to the Father to send the Hope Spirit, the ONE who brings about this unity.  In praying, Come Holy Spirit, we are asking to be God's gift to Jesus, one unified loving gift.
Bro. Rene

In the World, but not Of the World

If Jesus saw the difficulties his disciples faced in balancing his teaching and values with the lifestyle offered by the world of his day, how much more, it seems, are these difficulties magnified in our day and age of technologies that enable everything to be disseminated globally and instantaneously. The world of cyberspace can offer inspiration and encouragement, as we hope these daily slices of bread do, but it also can be the vehicle of spreading errors or subtle "news" items that slowly and imperceptibly undermine the Truth.  As with the Apostles, there is no way to escape being part of our world, but as Jesus prayed, and so do we need to pray, to be "kept from the Evil One." (Jn 17:15 ).  Being  one with Jesus, as he passionately desired and prayed for, will keep us not free from temptation, but strengthened to resist it.  "The world" in its best sense, is truly a magnificent manifestation of God's power, creativity and love, but "the world" in its worst sense, presents a false image, a lie about what is the truth, what is the best for us.  It is this lie that we can and must resist with the help of Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Previewing Eternal Life

"It's a Wonderful Life" a film that has become a classic because it "hits home" with us who sometimes feel, as Henry David Thoreau called it, "a life of quiet desperation."  We don't realize what an important cog we are in the lives of so many, and when we do, our quiet desperation becomes loud elation.  I hope that when we cross the river to the "other side" we will be able to hear the wonderful things our eulogist says about us.  Always the most positive descriptions pointing out the simple things that have made our lives unique, fruitful and truly wonderful. How helpful it would be to there those eulogies while we are alive!
So if our lives on earth have been that good, what is eternal life to be?  Jesus tells us directly:  "Now this is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true God, and the one you sent, Jesus Christ." (Jn 17:3)  The more we come to know God through our prayer, simply spending time pondering on all aspects of creation, on the words and works of Jesus, on  the people who are part of our lives, and our own experiences, we will come to know him...and the more we know him the more we love him.  How can we not?  This is the knowledge that  gives us an earthly preview of eternal life.
Bro. Rene

Into The Unkown

At this time when graduations from schools and universities are taking place, an empathetic thought goes out to the graduates, who, like the first disciples of Jesus, leave a familiar setting in which they have felt secure to enter a world, for the most part, unknown and challenging.  Jesus, told his Apostles before they were eventually scattered, that they would face trouble in the days ahead:  "In the world you will have trouble..." (Jn 16: 33a).  History has verified this prediction; parents teachers, commencement speakers, while trying to be positive for the most part,  speaking from their experience, give the same warning.  And even for those of us who have graduated a long time ago, each day is like a mini-commencement with it's own unknowns and challenges facing us. Jesus balanced his prediction with the consoling assurance, "but take courage, I have conquered  the world."  (Jn 16: 33b).  Whew! We have nothing to fear, nothing over which to be worried or anxious.  He has done it; he is our strength, our source of power, energy and solutions to sticky problems.  We need to rely more on him, let him lead and take care of the "trouble."  It is for us to move ahead in joyful confidence that he will unravel and settle all the unknowns we encounter daily.
Bro. Rene

Mother's Day 2016

Families throughout the United States will be taking time to celebrate, honor and thank their mothers who so untiringly contribute with their husbands to keeping the family fed, clothed and most importantly, faithful to our loving God. In some dioceses, the Solemnity of the Ascension is celebrated, and in others it is the 7th Sunday of Easter, the last before the great Solemnity of Pentecost.  In the Gospel for the 7th Sunday, Jesus prays that his disciples might be one with him as he is with the Father in the bond of faith and love. In the Gospel for the Ascension, Jesus blesses his disciples and leaves them in a state of joy. St. Luke goes into more detail with his description of the Ascension and the mission of the Apostles.
In all of these readings we see the mission of the mother:  to keep the family together as one, to bless the family with her love, presence and never-ending service, and to foster a love that spills out into care and service to each member of the family, the extended family and those outside the family.  It is truly the mission best exemplified by the Mother of mothers, Mary, our Good Mother, whose mission is now to keep believers focused on her Son,  faithful to his teachings, and bonded to each other in love.
Hail Mary, full of grace, blessed are you among women and blessed are we to have you as our Good Mother. Pray for us now that we may live as faithful followers of your Son, and pray for us at the hour of our death, that we may pass peacefully into your arms and the arms of your Son, Jesus.
Happy Mother's Day!
Bro. Rene

Mary's Joy

When Jesus speaks of "complete joy", (Jn 16: 24), we can imagine how that joy was totally complete in Mary, his mother. Whatever she asked, she received. She loved, as Jesus "commanded" (a new commandment I give you, love one another as I have loved you."  (Jn 13:34) and believed that Jesus came from the Father.  Yes, she is also the Mother of Sorrows, but deep inside her there abided the joy that the world cannot give nor that can be taken away from her. On this First Saturday, we honor her,  for she is our model in belief, love and joy.  Of all the things we ask for in the name of Jesus, to learn to follow her example, should top our list.
Bro. Rene

Mourning Into Joy

When Jesus gave his "last will and testament" during the "Farewell Discourse" (Jn 15-17), at the Last Supper, his encouraging promise of sending the Holy Spirit was tempered by his realistic warning, "Amen, amen, I say to you, you will weep and mourn, while the word rejoices; you will grieve, but your grief will become joy." (Jn 16:20) As the followers of Jesus proceeded after his Ascension to spread his word, they suffered all kinds of persecution, rejection, imprisonments, beatings and eventual death.  Surely there was grief, and this grief has continued through the centuries as persecutions have continued to our present day. But in all of this, there has been joy:  joy in suffering with Jesus, and even in giving one's life for him.
Outside this dramatic realm of pain, suffering and martyrdom, which may never be ours, there is the natural course of life's cycle which brings sickiness, pain suffering and death into our own families.  We all become part of this cycle.  Yesterday at the wake of a man who would have turned 95 in two weeks, I listened at length to his son, who extoled his father's accomplishments and wisdom and expressed his gratitude for his father and for the time they had together in his last weeks, which helped turn his mourning into joy, for he had the grace to  appreciate his father's greatness and the gift he was to his family. He mourns, yes, but his joy and gratitude override his grief.   May it be so for all of us.
Bro. Rene

The Ascension: Two-Way Trust

The Ascension of Jesus completes the earthly mission of the Incarnate Son of God.  As he returns to the Father, he entrusts the continuation of his mission to the Eleven, trusting that his formative years with them, his example and teachings combined with the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, will enable them to "preach the Gospel to all nations."  On the part of the Apostles, they are called to trust that, as much as they miss his bodily presence, he will indeed be with them till the end of the age. (cf. Mt 28: 20b).  A great deal hinges on this double trust. 
So too should this trust inform and enable US to carry out the same mission Jesus gave to the Apostles:  To teach, to preach, to be the presence of Jesus in our world through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.  Same deal.  Why then, look questioningly up to the sky or anywhere else, but rather "turn to" (in Navy terms) and get on with our commission?
Bro. Rene

Marist Family Spirit

In a world of political campaigns and Mid-East violence carried out by ISIS, it was refreshing this morning to witness the love and solidarity of the senior class of Central Catholic High school as they gathered for the graduation ceremony of one of their classmates who has joined the National Guard and is heading to Boot Camp before the actual graduation for the rest of his class on May 21.  A spontaneous burst of applause at the announcement of his joining the National Guard, was a pleasant counter-sound to the bombs and mortars falling on Aleppo.  Congratulations to you, Michael Horak, and to your classmates who live their Marist Family Spirit.
Bro., Rene

Recent News From Our Blue Brothers in Aleppo

Note:  We hear of constant bombings in Aleppo and wonder what's happening to our Blue Brothers and their work.  How they are surviving is a miracle.  As well as our prayers for the earthquake victims in Ecuador, let us not forget the on-going suffering, fear and desperation in Aleppo. Below is a first-hand report.

Bro. Rene

The situation in Aleppo is very dramatic. Western media is talking about the destruction of a hospital but doesn't focus on the rest of the reality in Aleppo.

It's an inferno. Yesterday we had to spend an hour in the corridor of the community to protect ourselves from the mortars that fell in the neighbourhood. With all that, we were able to distribute the monthly food baskets to 400 families.

People are afraid. And I confess that for the first time I feel the horror... The Blood.... The hate... The destruction… The death...  I feel like anything can happen at any time. I feel like the forces of evil have filled the hearts of the people of Aleppo with an unforgettable fear.

I feel that it is not the time to complain... So much pain- we need to get out from under our fear to serve a forgotten people.

 As a Marist, it is crucial to be very close to each person who is suffering.  It's great to open the doors of the community. It's important to be available despite the risks. This may mean walking on an empty, dangerous street, or driving a person to his house, or consoling a family whose child has been killed. This is a presence, a solidarity with the wounded of war. This is what it means to be Marist, a community of men, women, brothers, young people, and adults.

It's important to entertain a field of prayer that gives hope. I mean Jesus and Maria, whom you can count on.

Thank you for your fraternity. Your support and that of our Brother Emili (Superior General of the Marist Brothers) as well as all the Marists around the world offers us hope and relief.

A Hug,

Br. George Sabe, FMS

(Translated from Spanish)

 

Uniting The Church

These are tumultuous times for our Church.  Controversy over doctrine, morality;  internal, personal scandals and external pressures from actual physical persecution to the media's barrages, direct or subtle seem to indicate that the Church is full of divisive cracks enough to make it tumble into ruin.  A calm look at history reveals that even at the very beginning, there was division.  Yesterday, we heard the decision of the "Council of Jerusalem regarding the admission of Gentiles directly into the Church without having to be circumcised.  Today we celebrate St. Athanasius, who defended the creed of the Council of Nicea against the Arians, whose teachings, so divisive for a couple of centuries, finally disappeared.  Pope Francis is taking bold steps to address the pressing issues of our times, the ones the press has deemed so pressing, and his statements, sometimes unclear, have given food to the media to press their point of view and play up the current divisions.  Through all of this we need to trust the promise of Jesus at the ascension, "I am with you to the end of the age." (Mt 28: 20).  He urged them to be witnesses and go out an preach to all the nations, guided by the Holy Spirit whom he would and did send on Pentecost.  Over the centuries there have been challenges, but through the workings of men and women over time, the truth has always emerged, for the Holy Spirit indeed works through the human process.  "It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and us..." (Acts15: 28).  May we not panic or become discouraged, for our present difficulties will be resolved; this Holy Spirit is as much with us today as in the first days of the Church.
Bro. Rene

Putting Us At Ease

"Do not let your hearts be troubled of afraid." (Jn 14:27). As Jesus prepares to leave his Apostles, like any good friend, or parent, he assures them "not to worry; everything will work out and be fine."  It seems the last thing he wants is for them to be afraid, uneasy, unsure, uncertain, worried, and anxious.  He GIVES them peace, (doesn't just offer it)  not a peace based on wealth or comfort, as the world gives it, but a peace that comes from the Holy Spirit.  He mentions the Advocate, the Holy Spirit 5 times during his "Priestly Prayer" (Jn 17) and certainly at Pentecost, they finally understood what he meant, and began to live and preach boldly.  Their days of hiding in the upper room were over.  The peace that Jesus promised was theirs for sure.
As we take time on this Sabbath, this Day Of Rest, may we sink our teeth into these promises of Jesus, and ask the Holy Spirit to free us from worry, anxiety and fear, and put us fully at ease.
Bro. Rene