Taking Time

A good soup or a good spaghetti sauce need time to simmer for all the flavors to blend. We often say that preparing these dishes the day before and letting them sit overnight helps them to taste better. Time is needed. So too with our spiritual lives. That's why each year we take the time in Advent, nearly four weeks, to be attentive to our need to simmer, to allow our longing for God to bubble and stir within. Today we read about the call of St. Andrew who immediately left his fishing nets to follow the call of Jesus, a call to become something more than just a fisherman, but to be a "fisher of men." The next three years saw Andrew grow until he could carry the message of Jesus to the Gentiles and even give his life for it. We all have the potential to become something, someone MORE that who we are at this moment. If we listen today and the rest of Advent, what amazing things will we hear? As we end the month of November, let us ask the Holy Souls, who have heard and answered their call, to help us hear ours. Let us take the time to simmer and bubble.
Bro. Rene

Praise and Thanksgiving/Advent

The Psalmist gives us a model of prayer that can help us celebrate Thanksgiving and make Advent a fruitful time of preparation and conversion. The method is simple...look back, see how God has worked through events and people to show his steadfast love, then give God praise and thanks. How could we not give praise and thanks when the blessings we have received are such clear evidence of his steadfast love? I recommend Psalms 65, 68, 104, 107, 118, 132, and 136 for your prayerful reflection before Thanksgiving Day. See how God worked in Israel's history, then substitute your own story and see a similar pattern, though the particular circumstances are uniquely yours. Bless, give thanks and praise God for the marvelous deeds God has wrought in your life.
Since I will not be able to post Daily Bread until next Monday, I thought I'd offer a brief introduction to the season of Advent which begins on Sunday. Advent is a time of preparation for the Coming (Advent) of Jesus. We remember his birth, we look to the Second Coming at the end of time, and we attempt to prepare our hearts for his personal and ever expanding presence. Advent is a time of reflection and prayer, but also a time for purification, though not as deeply penitential as Lent. What can I do to invite and allow Jesus to be the center of my life? What can I do to love him more completely? Sunday is a time to start looking for the answers to these questions using the method and style so evident in the Psalms.
Happy Thanksgiving, and a blessed Advent.
Bro. Rene

Gratitude

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, and all the hustle and bustle of family preparations, travel, and involvement in caring for the poor, we might not have suffiecient time to give God adequate thanks for ALL the blessings that bombard us each day, and which we can so easily take for granted. Granted, yes, ALL IS GIFT! If we stop to see everything, everyone, in this light, we will naturally show our appreciation to God as the boundless and unconditional Giver. If we show our appreciation and gratitude to our family, those with whom we work, our friends, indeed, all whom we meet, then our acceptance, love and encouragement will bind us closer to one another and be the foundation for a solid community of peace, justice, harmony and love.
Let us pause right now and reflect back just on the past weekend and give thanks for the people, events, joys, disappointments, and in general, all that transpired. Energy, optimism, hope and love cannot but flow naturally from this little exercise. Doing it daily will help this THANKSGIVING be what it is truly meant to be.
"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good/ for his steadfast love endures forever" (Psalm 136:1)
Bro. Rene

Christ The King

Tomorrow I will be attending a Memorial Service in Washington, DC for Msgr. William A. Kerr, the man who gave 31 scholarships to my Rwandan students, and on Friday, I will be visitng with four Central alumni in the DC area, so I won't be able to post a Daily Bread refelction until Monday.
Sunday marks the climax of the liturgical year with the Solmenity of Our Lord Jesus Christ the King. We have moved from anticipating the birth of the Savior and the Coming of the Kingdom last Advent, through the birth, death, and resurrection to this final moment when we focus on the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end of all of creation. All things are summed up in Christ who "As priest offered his life on the altar of the cross and redeemed the human race by this one perfect sacrifice of peace. As king he claims dominion over all creation, that he may present to you, his Almighty Father, an eternal and universal kingdom: a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love, and peace." (Preface of Christ the King). This is a mighty chunk of Good News to digest, to meditate on, to give thanks for, and to evaluate our place, our contribution this past year to the building up of the kingdom.
May it serve as nourishment for our prayer and bear fruit that we can begin to use in the next liturgical year. Bon appetit!
Bro. Rene

Satisfying Our Thirst

If we stop and let our reflections penetrate deeply into our inner recesses, we will eventually find the same thirst that led St. Marcellin and today's saint of the day, St. Elizabeth of Hungary through service to the poor to "the One whose love alone our thirst can slake." St. Marcellin's passion "to make Jesus known and loved, especially to the poor", a mission all Marists continue today, and St. Elizabeth's divestment of her royal prerogatives and wealth to start a hospital and herself care for the sick, can inspire us to follow in some way their examples. We read in Psalm 16: 2 "He has put into my heart a marvelous love
for the faithful ones who dwell in his land."
It's this love that moves ordinary people, to do extraordinary things and find a satisfaction that is rooted in God.
To keep it simple is the key. Thanksgiving is coming, a time for Thanks and sharing. Pleas abound for food for those in want. A couple of extra boxes of stuffing or cans of cranberry sauce, gravy, etc. donated to Lazarus house can help others have a good Thanksgiving dinner, lead them to a prayer of thanks, and bring us a step closer to "Christ whose presence fills my heart/And satisfies my life's desire."
Bro. Rene

With Mary, Go in Haste to a New Land

On this day when we honor two great women, St. Margaret of Scotland and St. Gertrude the Great, exemplars of action and contemplation, we unite ourselves with another great woman, Mary, who invites, encourages, pleads with us to follow her with confidence and speed into a "new land." The letter for the XXI General Chapter, and the underlying theme of our recent Provincial Chapter present the urgency we face in remainng faithful to St. Marcellin's goal "to make Jesus known and loved," by actively seeking vocations to the vowed brotherhood, developing a Marist lay spirituality and deeper incorporation into our life and work, maintaining and growing our present ministries, and providing quality care for our senior brothers. The approach to the "new land" is built on further reliance on the Holy Spirit, a willingness to leave behind what hinders us from responding to the Spirits' promptings, and a greater bonding of all members of the Marist Family in faith, hope and love. We are not alone, as St Marcellin reminds us, "we have God for our Defender." Let our actions flow from our prayer, our communion with God, and our dialog with each other.
Bro. Rene

The Prayer of Quiet

The first Little Brothers of Mary used to ask St. Marcellin how they could pray better. His advice to them then is still relevant to us today, perhaps even more relevant. He would always start by reminding them that they were in the Presence of God. Let's just pause here. The Presence of God: loving father, slow to anger, rich in mercy, creator of the universe, all-powerful, all knowing, all holy. This preliminary step to our daily prayer could be the whole prayer! It's not a matter of saying a lot of words, or of asking for a lot of favors, it is, rather, the opportunity to enter into quiet peace, to stop the "rolling thunder" of our daily schedule, our "to do list", or what we will say at this meeting or that. These distractions can block the inner ears of our soul from hearing what God wants to say, or our inner eyes from seeing the beauty around us, or from seeing our own beauty.
We just held our first Junior/Senior Encounter for this academic year, Sunday till Tuesday. I was able to see this slowing down, this growing awareness, in our students, and, thankfully, in myself again. What a GIFT! When you finish reading this, STOP and for a few moments, let your hearts be quiet and let God fill the silence.

I will be at our Provincial Chapter till Sunday evening, so will not be able to present daily bread till Monday. I suggest you use the above on Friday and the weekend. You will find abundant nourishment for your soul.
Bro. Rene

Veteran's Day

On this memorial of St. Martin of Tours, soldier turned monk and founder of monasticism in Gaul, we remember our own veterans who have stood up for their beliefs and offered their lives for our country and the freedom and liberty of all peoples. We remember as well, those who are serving currently overseas and in our own homeland, both arenas of danger and potential death. Let our prayer be one of gratitude for the selfless generosity displayed by our service men and women, and let us seek the intercession of St. Martin for their physical safety and spiritual well-being. Let us also do something special today to honor the members of our own families or circle of friends who have served or who are serving our nation: a visit to the cemetery, attendance at one of the local parades, a phone call, a letter, something simple to mark the valor and extraordinary dedication of these fine men and women.
"God bless America, land that I love..."
Bro. Rene

Passing of a Friend

Today,we received the news of the death of Mr. Michael Sullivan '54, former teacher and athletic director at Central Catholic. Mr. Sullivan died peacefully on Monday, surrounded by his loving family. By now the news has most likely reached the edges of the Central World, but I wanted to make sure that he be included among the loved ones being remembered by all of us this month. The list is growing daily and I sincerely appreciate the opportunity to include all of these loved ones in our Book of Prayer.
Today we honor St. Leo the Great, a man whose courage warded off the invasion of Attila the Hun, and whose papacy was at the forefront of reform in the spiritual life of the Church. Attila attacks in various ways currently but through the intercession of acknowledged saints like St. Leo and lesser known saints like Michael Sullivan, we are encouraged to continue the battle against the powers of the Evil One. May we continue to strengthen and support one another.
Bro. Rene

I Am The Vine

Often enough we look back over the day and wonder just what we've accomplished. We have the feeling of just spinning our wheels and not moving anywhere, powerless, useless. This is when we need to remember that Power is just God in action. No matter how weak we may feel we can at least allow God to work through us, not looking at what WE have or have not accomplished, but what the Spirit has accomplished, which is not always visible to us. No day is lost when we have turned it over to God to use as God sees fit. The more we dwell in God, the more fruit we shall bear. This fruit is not the work of the branches, but of the VINE that sends its vital juices through them to produce the fruit. "I am the vine, you are the branches" (John 15:5). Yes it makes sense. And on this First Friday, dedicated to the Sacred Heart, it makes even more sense to see ourselves receiving our vitality from that loving Heart.

As we are remembering our own deceased in prayer this month, let us also pray for those tragically murdered and wounded at Fort Hood, and for their grieving families.
Bro. Rene

Partners in Pain

There's a cheery thought for a gray November day, but recently I've become aware of how many of us share some physical, emotional, and even spiritual pain. It's natural for us to think that we are the only ones "going through this", but a bout with sciatia over the past several weeks, and conversation about it and its treatment, unleashed a whole encampment of similar sufferers. It was amazing to me to learn just how many knew what I was talking about because they had gone through the same thing, or worse. Or on another level, how many leaders and folks in prominent positions have told me recently about the hammering, the malignment, the undermining they have experienced because of their stand on doing what is right? All of us have some sort of thorn sticking in our side, or some painful burden to face and carry.
Just this morning as I prayed, God sent this word to us: "It is the LORD who marches before you: he will be with you and will never fail you or forsake you. So do not fear or be dismayed." (Deut. 31:8) And again, in Psalm 27:

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

whom do I fear?

the Lord is my life's refuge;

of whom am I afraid?

When evildoers come at me

to devour my flesh,

These my enemies and foes

themselves stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart does not fear;

Though war be waged against me,

even then do I trust." (Psalm 27 1-3)

We are not alone. Let us lock arms with God, our Refuge, each other, the Holy Souls and Saints who have "been there, done that", and find the strength we need. I suggest you read the rest of Psalm 27 for further encouragement.

Bro. Rene

Our Marist Role

Many themes converge as we move further into the month of the Holy Souls. Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal of Milan and great 16th century Church Reformer. He was a tireless pastor who succeeded in turning his once corrupt diocese into a fervent stronghold of the faith by allowing the Holy Spirit to guide him in living his priesthood to the full, and thus having a genuine influence on the lives his his clergy and faithful.
St. Marcellin, on a smaller scale, reformed the little parish of LaValla, his first assignment, and the Cure of Ars did the same in his parish. It can be done if we invite the Holy Spirit to guide the way.
All Marists, be they ordained, vowed, or lay, share in the mission "to make Jesus known and loved." We do so by inviting the Holy Spirit to guide us in living our faith, supporting our parishes, schools, and communities. The Holy Souls can be or service as well, if we invite their prayers to help in our never-ending mission.
St. Paul tells us that we cannot pray or even say Jesus is Lord without the help of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 8:26). Let us then ask the Spirit to come pray in us, to make Jesus the most real Person in the world for us, show us how to converse regularly with Him and make the Scriptures come alive for us. As Mary accepted the presence of the Holy Spirit in her life, and thus helped change the world, so can we.
Peace and blessings,
Bro. Rene

Helping Those Who Have Gone Before Us

The response to the request for names of loved ones to be included in a special Book of Prayer and the the prayers of all of us in the Central Catholic Family has demonstrated an enormous amount of love and faith by those of us who remain in this "middle kingdom" of the Communion of Saints. I have inscribed 350 names in our book since yesterday afternoon. I have felt the love and care of those who recommended them, and in some instances, when a short comment on the deceased was made, I felt a bond with them, an admiration for their goodness and a love for them as a brother or sister in Christ. Writing their names has been a labor of love for me as well as a strong reminder of the power of faith. I will personally make an announcement, beyond what we have already done, to make the students and faculty aware of this wonderful opportunity to unite in prayer, sacrifices and love. I recommend to all of us that we include in our own daily prayers an intention for ALL IN THE BOOK OF PRAYER AT CENTRAL CATHOLIC. A prayer, a special effort to be charitable in speech and in action, even the "sacrifice" or giving up of a favorite food or TV program as for these Holy Souls, will bind us closer to them, speed up the process of their purification, and encourage them to help us remember that we too are mortal and must prepare ourselves now for the life to come.

So many of you have responded that I cannot reply to you all, but I assure you that your requests have been entered lovingly into our Book of Prayer, and are being remembered in our prayers as promised. Today and tomorrow morning are "Rosary Days" and our deceased will be especially remembered as we recite this favorite prayer of Mary our Good Mother.
United in prayer,
Bro. Rene

All Souls Day

All Souls Day, El Dia de los Muertos, a day to remember our departed family members, to pray for them (or to them), and to celebrate with joy as we acknowledge that they have taken a further step to participation in the resurrection promised to those who believe, and have partaken of the Bread of Life. "Whoever eats of this bread will live forever" (John 6:51) There is always residual sadness as well, when we feel the absence of those whom we love, "Their passing away was thought an affiliction, and their going forth from us, utter destruction. But they are in peace. (Wisdom 3: 2-3). Let us allow both emotions their fair place. This day, this whole month, is dedicated to these faithful departed who are "in process of transformation in which a peson becomes capable of Christ, capable of God, and thus capable of unity with the whole commmunion of saints." (Pope Benedict XVI). We can assist them by our prayers and good works this month.
May the souls of all the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace. Amen.
Bro. Rene