The Gift of Peace

December 31st. It doesn't seem possible, the end of another year. This slice of Daily Bread is the first of our second year, and comes on the threshold of the New Year. What are we looking for the most? Peace? Perhaps. It is truly a gift, for no matter how much shopping, or bargain hunting for it we do, we cannot buy it, we cannot even find it. It is a gift from God, "the peace that the world cannot give". It comes from a surrender of hear and soul to God, a love which encompasses our entire being. "Love God with your whole heart, mind, soul and strength, and your neighbor as yourself" (cf. Matt 22: 37-39) , the two Great Commandments. Then peace comes, for order and balance come into our lives, energy is focused on what really matters, and a sense of joy and security bring to reality St. Augustine's terse but powerful definition of peace as "the order of tranquility." As we refect today on the year past, and look ahead to next year, we might also look around our homes and families, and give THANKS for all these simple blessings, so often taken for granted. We might also look at what we might give away (or in some cases, throw away), to lighten our burden and the clutter that often detracts from the order which brings peace. "Stuff" can accumulate so fast and so easy, that we don't even realize it until we're tripping over it. Is there such "stuff" cluttering our spiritual lives as well? It's worth the time to look seriously at our souls and make the moves that will allow God to give us the gift of peace.
Bro. Rene

Anna and Contemplation

On this sixth day of the Octave of Christmas, the 365th slice of Daily Bread, and the second last day of the year, our thoughts are focused on the prophetess, Anna, whom Mary and Joseph encountered when they presented Jesus in the Temple, eight days after his birth. This octogenarian had spent all of her widowed life in prayerful contemplation. "She never left the temple, but woshiped night and day with fasting and prayer." (Lk 2:37). Monks and cloistered nuns follow to some degree this regimen, but we in the "active life" are reminded by their example of the necessity for prayer, reflection and fasting in our own lives. For a year now, we have been reflecting on Marist Spirituality, and growth in the spiritual life in general; the two cannot really be separated. As we look back, as well as look ahead, has our vision become more focused and more perceptive, that like Anna, we can see clearly who the "Child" is, and speak openly about him "to all who are awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem: (cf. Lk 2:38). I always like to take these last days of the year to page through my journal, or just sit back and look at the year to see how God has revealed himself, how much closer we've become, and to give thanks for ALL. What I always seem to discover is God's unfailing presence and love and the amazing strength he has given me to get through what seemed "impossible". This helps me to proceed to the New Year with confidence and assurance that the surprises that lie ahead need not be undaunting, but further opportunities to grow closer and more secure in my relationship with this all-loving, eternally faithfull and compassionate God-Friend. May Anna's example help us to find a place for contemplation, fasting, and worship so that we can more easily recognize God's loving presence in our lives.
Bro. Rene

Winning the Crown

We celebrate yet another martyr during this Christmas Octave, St. Thomas Becket, who was slain in the Cathedral of Canterbury in 1170 at the command of King Henry II. St. Thomas had written before his death: "Remember the sufferngs of Christ...the cown that came from those sufferings which gave new radiance to the faith... All saints give testimony to the truth that without real effort, no one ever wins the crown." Not all are called to a bloody martyrdom, but all are called to stand up for the faith, to live it, so that others see it and themselves believe enough to put it into practice as well. St. Paul in writing to his disciple, Titus, reminds us that "The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and wordly desires and to live temperately, justly and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our saviour Jesus Christ." (Titus 2: 11-13). Christ was born in order that he might appear to the world through us. Just as the old rabbi and prophet Simeon saw "the salvation... prepared in the sight of every people" so too our acts of kindness, generosity and forgiveness, our acceptance of all who come into our lives, our patient and virtuous dealing with frustration, disappointment and pain, our courage to live the truth and stand up to challenge double standards and deceitfullness, all of which might cost us dints in our popularity, should allow others to see that same light and hope. In following the Marist way, in imitation of Mary, in making the effort to do good quietly, yet forcefully, we will be winning the
crown.
Bro. Rene

Holy Innocents

Christmas, with all its hope and promise of peace also includes suffering. Foreshadowing the suffering and death of Jesus, and countless martyrs for the faith, is the massacre of the Holy Innocents, whose Feast we celebrate today. They were the first to shed their blood for Christ but were washed in the redemptive blood of Jesus and are now regarded as the first martyrs and thus, saints. The wailing heard in Ramah is now transformed into shouts of joy and gladness as these young innocents are united to their Redeemer. The cycle of death and resurrection is part of the Christmas Octave because it is why God became one of us...to redeem us from sin, from death, and open to us the path to eternal life.
The Church won't let us forget this, as we so easily can when dealing with our empty pocketbooks, or raising our teenagers through their rebellious experimental search for independence and adulthood. Some families undergo more trials than we think any human being can endure. I know a grandmother who last month buried a grandchild, whose husband is dying of cancer, and who lately saw her daughter, the child's mother, attempt suicide...right before Christmas. Pain, depression, questioning, guilt...not what we look for in our Christmas stockings. The martyrdom of the Holy Innocents puts Christmas in perspective: God becomes part of our human race, our human condition with all its pain, injustice and suffering, and shows us that all of this leads paradoxically to life and freedom from these ills. Let us ask the Holy Innocents to intercede for all of us, especially those who cannot make any sense out of their plight, and give us hope.
Bro. Rene

The Octave of Christmas

Christmas is the second most important feast in the liturgical year; Easter, the first. They are so important that the Church takes a week to reflect on their significance and calls this 8-day meditation period an Octave. The whole week is seen as one day, hence references to Christmas, even on Monday, or Friday are made as if it were Christmas Day itself. Saints are commemoriated, such as St. Stephen, St. John, the Holy Innocents, St. Sylvester, Pope, but their contributions to the life of the Church are seen in the light of Christmas. Hence, St. John's reference to the Incarnation, the Word made Flesh, and his own experience of having seen with his own eyes, looked upon and touched with his hands, "the word made visible" help us understand this great Mystery even more. St. Marcellin's words during community adoration of the Child Jesus in the crib, are as concrete and moving as St. John's: "There is nothing so lovable as a child; his innocnece, his simplicity, his genteleness, his caresses and even his weakness are capable of touching and winning the hardest and cruellest of hearts. How, then, can we not help loving Jesus, who became a child to stimulate our confidence, to demonstrate the excess of his love and to let us see that he can refuse us nothing? No one is easier to get on with and more pliant that a child; he gives all, he pardons all, he forgets all; the merest trifle delights him, calms him and fills him with happiness; in his heart is niether guile nor rancour, for he is all tenderness, all sweetness." (Life, bi--centenary edition, page 321). No wonder he went to such pains to insure that children were well-instructed in the faith, but above all, loved by their teachers. With children being subjected to neglect and abuse, we must turn a Christmas ear to their plight and do what we can to aleviate it.
Bro. Rene

Family Valued

"Family Values" is a phrase thrown around with great frequency, but not with much detailed explanation. On this Feast of the Holy Family, I am moved to reflect on the value of a family from which "family values" flow. The Holy Family is held up before us as the ideal upon which to model all family life. Look at the simplicity, the poverty, the dependence on God's plan, the humility before the congratulations from shepherds as well as Wise Men, and the determination to hold together as a family when threatened by King Herod's jealousy. The drive for survival as a family forced them to flee in the middle of the night, "Rise, take the child and his mother, flee to Eypt, and stay there until I tell you." (Matt 2:13), and become refugees. The Holy Family knew stress, challenge, threats of extinction, not unlike what all families in some way experience today. Think of families where there is no income, where there has been a recent death of mother or father, where there is threat of separation, or where there is separation. Families who have members serving in Afghanistan or other hotspots around the globe, or who are mourning the death of a son or daughter killed in action awhile ago or recently. What pain, what a challenge to put family into perspective, to see it as the blessed gift that it is, something to be appreciated, cherished, and be put as top priority on the list of things to preserve and make grow. It is a unit based on love, where love is experienced, and from where it leaps out into the life of the community and the globe. Who can put a price on daughters who come to their parents and say they don't want a lot of "things" gifts, and would rather see the money to be spent on them, given to the poor? Love has been learned. Family is seen not only as the members living under one roof, but far beyond. Our Marist Family Spirit is warm, human, welcoming, generous, the benchmark of our charism. It flows from hearts that know no bounds, from community valued, from family valued. Lord, thank you for the gift of the Holy Family and for our families, wherever they may be geographically and in their stages of growth. Help us to see them as gift, and as the place where we learn to love and grow in love. Give us patience where there is need for change, help us find strength in you to presevere when times are tough, and help us to keep you as the center of our family life. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Merry Christmas

I write in the wee hours of a silent night, with a bright moon, not quite at last quarter, illuminating the sky. It has been a full, full Christmas Eve, beginning with prayer and breakfast with 194 men, many in their young twenties, and clear, direct, forceful talk about the birth of Jesus. At midnight Mass, a sense of solemn reverence and worship of our God-made-man prevailed from the moment the Christ Child was brought in procession to the Creche to the final blessing. Not an ounce of commercialism in these bookends of the day. It was Christmas all the way, not bells on bob-tails. So refreshing. And have you heard more people saying Merry Christmas instead of Happy Holidays? I have, even from an Iranian teller at the bank! The coming of Jesus into our world 2000 years ago is still the basis for our celebration. St. Marcellin loved Christmas and urged his followers to take the first places "at the crib, the cross and the altar." It is there that we experience the heart of Christ's teaching on humble emptying of self to become a gift for others as he did. As we exchange greetings and gifts let us remember that God's love for us, God's desire to save us, is the GIFT of GIFTS, seen in the Babe in Bethlehem, in the Christ reigning in our hearts. Let us pay attention to the words of our familiar carols, let us not only wish each other a Merry Christmas, but live it.
Bro. Rene

Tomorrow

"Today you will know the Lord is coming, and tomorrow you will see his glory" (Invitatory for Matins of Christmas Eve). We sometimes overlook the other purpose of Advent, that is to look toward and prepare for the Second Coming of Christ. Yes, tomorrow, we will commemorate his birth as a child in Bethlehem, but tomorrow also refers to the Day of the Lord, when Jesus comes in glory. The shepherds saw the angels and the infant child in the manger: the glory of God, but at the end of time we shall all see the Son of Man in glorious triumph over all the powers of evil and the total reconciliation of the universe as a gift to be offered to the Father. With all our prayers and good works during Advent, we have been preparing our hearts not only for Christmas, but also for our own personal meeting with Christ when he comes in glory to our souls, and we have also been preparing our families, our circle of friends, our communities, for the reign of the King of Glory at the end of time. What we see now is a glimpse of what we will see in full reality then. As we finish wrapping presents, preparing foods, even sending Christmas cards today, let us use the day to ready our hearts for Christmas Mass, be it late afternoon, at midnight, or tomorrow morning. This is the culmination of our four weeks of prayer and reflection, this is another step toward the Kingdom of God in all its fullness. Taking time for reflection today is more important that "getting everything done." Christ will come, whether we are ready or not. Let's not be too busy to recognize and greet him when he arrives.
Bro. Rene

O Emmanuel

"O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, the Desire of all nations and their Savior: come and save us, O Lord our God!" The final "O Antiphon" sums up all the others and dovetails perfectly this passage from Revelation: "I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them [as their God]." (Rev 21: 3). We normally think of God's presence in the Church community, or in the Eucharist or our own hearts, but here is another instance when God is present through loving service.
Tuesday evening the Central Catholic baseball team ran a baseball "clinic" for 44 students from the Weatherbee School in Lawrence. Our players gave some tips on hitting and catching to these youngsters, and then Santa appeared with bags of gifts for them. Each child received five gifts, some donated by businesses, and others right out of the pockets of the Raider players, who have been running this event for 13 years. The Christmas Spirit of giving lifted the spirits of the children as well as of the players and coaches to the ceiling of the CCHS gym, again verifying what a Central graduate said to me that same day, "Living is giving." This same Raider squad also participates in a Cor Unum night by serving meals at this popular venue for Lawrence's poor. Many other schools and organizations rotate their services there as well. Yes, Emmanuel, God with us, visibly present in a world of broken promises and hollow words. O God, renew our faith in your abiding presence. Let us not only see it in the hearts and actions of others, but may others see it in us. Amen.

O King of Nations

"O King of Nations, and their Desired, the Cornerstone who makes all one: come and save our race, whom you formed out of clay." A few weeks ago, the liturgical year ended with the Solemnity of Christ, the King and we recalled that the ultimate goal of our existence, the destiny of our planet and the universe, is to be totally subjected to Christ the King. In Revelation we read, and hear sung so beautifully in the Hallelujah Chorus, "King of kings and Lord of Lords, and he shall reign forever and ever." (Rev 19:16). Yes, even without knowing it, all nations, all peoples, all hearts desire Jesus as the cornerstone, the foundation of justice, peace, light, and liberation from all evil. May this desire in us grow and make us one: personally less divided and divisive; as families, united in love, and reconciliation, if needs be, and nations, laying down arms and embracing as a true family. Come, Lord Jesus, Come King of the Nations, bring your people to new birth by your coming. Amen.

O Dayspring

"O Dayspring, brightness of eternal Light and Sun of Justice: come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death." Jesus, the Light of the World, is also referred to in today's O Antiphon as the "Sun of Justice", a title that resounds throughout the Church and Marist World. Since the earliest days, the Church has worked for and been persecuted for justice, the right of everyone to dignity, respect, and the means to self-support. Be it the establishment of hospitals, schools, orphanages, or the efforts to raise people's consciousness toward the plight of the less fortunate, the Church has always been a leader. The Marist Brothers have a department known as the Bureau of International Solidarity, which sends aid to those who want to better their lot and eventually become self-sufficient.
Here at Central Catholic, the second semester of the junior religion program is devoted to an overview of social justice issues. A full course in Social Justice is offered as an elective to those who wish a deeper understanding and more involvement in these issues. The whole school was mobilized at Thanksgiving to donate food items to Lazarus House, and more recently, every homeroom was asked to supply food and gifts for a needy family. Today, 51 such Christmas packages will be delivered, thanks to the compassion, consciousness and generosity of students and faculty. There is always room for improvement in attitudes and behaviors, but we are making an effort to link our faith to our actions, and through the example of the "Sun of Justice", who urged the rich young man to sell all his possession, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow Jesus, ( see Mark 10: 17-24), we are making an effort to "enlighten and help those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death."
Bro. Rene

O Key of David

"O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel: you open and no one shuts; you shut and no one opens. Come and lead forth from his prison the captive sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death."
This antiphon again opens our minds futher to understand and appreciate the great Mystery we are about to celebrate. It goes deeper than the lovely story of the stable and manger. It moves us to the Mystery of our redemption.
The image of the key and the locked door can be seen in two ways. In the book of Revelation we read: "The Holy One, the true,/ who holds the key of David,/ who opens and no one shall close,/ who closes and no one shall open, says this: 'Behold, I have left an open door before you, which no one can close.' (Rev 3:7-8.) The door to the Holy of Holies was unlocked on occasion for one of the high priests who would be chosen to enter and give sacrifice. Zechariah, father of John the Baptist, we read in Luke 1: 5-26, was the chosen priest when he received the message about the conception and birth of his son. Now with the coming of Jesus, the Key, the door to the Holy of Holies, the Kingdom of God, of Grace, is open all the time. All who believe in Jesus are invited to enter.
This Key also opens the door to our enslavement to sin, our imprisonment in fear, our subjection to death. We are now enabled to move beyond these and live in freedom, as children of God. Salvation is now possible for us, because God has become one of us and opened to doors to Paradise for us. No wonder the heavens were filled with angels proclaiming the glory of God.
We sing "O come let us adore him, Christ, the Lord" because he is our God and Savior.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Bro. Rene

O Root of Jesse

"O Root of Jesse, who stood as sign for the people, before you kings shall remain silent, and to you the Gentiles shall make supplication: come to deliver us, and delay not." Today's O antiphon stems from this passage in Isaiah: "On that day,/ The root of Jesse,/ set up as a signal for the nations,/ The Gentiles shall seek out,/ for his dwelling shall be glorious./ He shall raise a signal to the nations/ and gather the outcasts of Israel;/ The dispersed of Judah he shall assemble/ from the four corners of the earth." (Is 11:10, 12).
Jesse was the father of David whose ultimate root or stem is Jesus. "I am the root and offspring of David, the bright morning star." (Rv 22: 16). The Gentiles are non-Jews, us, who are in turn the offspring of Jesus. We too can and do stand as a "sign" for the people, to bring them in supplication to THE Root. As weak and fearful as we often perceive ourselves, we join the multitudes who felt the same way until they followed the "Signal", let love cast out all fear, and like Joseph, Marcellin Champagnat, Florentius, became beacons drawing in people to the knowledge and love of Jesus. In the midst of tragedy and trial, we remember that God, who is Love, took human form, became like us, and is the source from which we can draw the strength we need to help others in their grief, suffering, fear and anger. Jesus asks us and gives us the power to welcome, forgive, help all, even enemies, and be that same sign he was to those who walk in darkness. "Come, live in the love that knows no bounds. Come, Lord, do not delay."
Bro. Rene

O Adonai

Adonai was one of the names for God among the Hebrews. It might be translated as Lord or Leader: "O Adonai and Leader of the house of Israel, you appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the law on Sinai: come, and with an outstretched arm, redeem us." The burning bush brings us back to the Exodus, as meaningful as it is for Jews, it is THE symbol of the redemption of our souls, begun so long ago with the call of Moses. Empowered by this vision and God's assurance that he would be with him, Moses braved the audience with Pharaoh, and took on the leadership of the Hebrews. With an outstretched arm he parted the Red Sea, which allowed the people to escape Pharaoh's army and eventually reach the Promised Land. It is Jesus who brings us through the waters of baptism to the "promised land" of new life in God, culminating in union with him in heaven. This terse antiphon captures these mighty events and reminds us what a great mystery it is we celebrate. And no mention of Rudolph or Frosty. Hmmm.
Bro. Rene

The "O" Antiphons

As we plunge into the final week before Christmas (a week from toay is Christmas Eve!) the Church pulls out a series of her finest poetic and musical masterpieces, the "O" antiphons, sung each evening at Vespers before the Magnificat. The Latin Gregorian chant is where the beauty and poetry shine , but even in English, the imagery and concise phrasing make them simple but powerful prayers. Each one addresses Jesus under a special title taken from the Old Testament, gives him praise, and asks for him to Come. Today we address Jesus as Wisdom: "O Wisdom, you came forth from the mouth of the Most High, and reached from end to end, and disposed all things sweetly and mightily, come and teach us the way of prudence." St. John refers to Jesus as the Word, the Word that God spoke, and sent to us to teach us "the Way, the Truth and the Life." May this Word today lead us to the wisdom we need to lead a holy and prudent life, that is, a life in accord with what God has revealed to us as "the right way", and may we as adults be the wisdom for which our young are hungering and thirsting. "Come and teach us the way of prudence."
Bro. Rene

Bulldozing the Way of the Lord

John the Baptist's mission was to "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths./ Every valley shall be filled,/ and every mountain and hill shall be made low,/ and the crooked shall be made straight,/ and the rough ways made smooth;/and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." (Lk 3: 4-6, Is 40:3-5). In the days of Isaiah and John, road building was mainly seeking the route of least resistance, so roads curved around hills and dipped into the valleys. Monsignor Ronald A. Knox reminds us that modern road building depends on bulldozers and earth movers never dreamed of by the two prophets. We are familiar with such road construction, and the imagery of mountains made low and valleys filled is something we've actually experienced.
This analogy gets right to the heart of Advent...no pussyfooting around the obstacles in our lives which prevent us from giving our Messiah, King, Savior, his rightful road to and place in our hearts. We need to approach the living of our faith with a bulldozer and dynamite to level the granite ledge of our stinginess in the face of the great economic or spiritual needs of our neighbor, or of our complacent attitude toward prayer or weekly Mass attendance, finding any excuse to avoid them. We need the strength and passion I heard in a 16 year old who told me that when he is confirmed, he wants to make a commitment to live his faith with all his heart and soul, and not just be a Catholic in name only. The spirit of Isaiah and John the Baptist lives in this young student, and, (as I'm discovering) in the hearts of many other students at Central Catholic. Their example, their convictions are as much of a challenge as was the preaching of their predecessors in the Scriptures. Let's join them in bulldoziing our way, not only through Advent, but through every day of our lives.
Bro. Rene

Signs of Hope

Advent's messages of hope can be blurred by story after story of suffering due to the economy and the loss of jobs and incomes for countless families, or by the incidence of cancer or other diseases that have radically changed the lives of people. Some of the tales are so overwhelming and impossible to solve that it seems only a miracle can do it. Yes, where is the hope for a glorious future proclaimed by Isaiah?
As always, the answer, the miracles, are right before us. There is a junior scholar-athlete who is successfully teaching religion to first and second graders, not only giving them content, but example through kindness and understanding which flow from his own integration of of his faith and experience of the love of God in his life through his family. He is willingly teaching and loving it.
Or there is the Central Catholic Christmas Project, whose final collection today will help us meet the goal of providing a Christmas for 51 needy families. This project is over and above our regular Friday "mission" collections, and our Thanksgiving Food Drive.
Further, there is the dedication of the Parents Guild, who cover the Campus store daily through lunch and after school. Recently, they renovated the "PUB", giving it a Raider Glow, from walls to floor. I have never seen that floor shine as much as it does now. And even more recently, the Christmas tree sale, which took hours of cutting, hauling, and standing in the cold waiting for customers.
These are all signs of hope springing from the goodness in hearts, and giving others the courage to face their difficulites with optimism.
Bro. Rene

Common Ground

We move toward God through the very tangible, ordinary, visible expriences in our lives. Included in these are the weaknesses, mistakes and sins that flow from our human nature. We strive to deal with these as best we can, looking for models and examples to help us, but sometimes placing unreal expectations on our "models" and leaders. Fr. Robert Canole, pastor of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary in Bradford, MA, gave some keen insights and gentle understanding of this human element in the lives of several priests. The theme, "no one is perfect" permeated his interview, and reached a climax in his reminder that even Jesus himself was only 75% successful with his own chosen Twelve. And when it came to the foot of the cross on Calvary, only ONE of the Twelve were there, as fear and remorse drove the others into hiding. Yet, from these "weak" men, came willing martyrs, fearless evangelizers, and saints.
A pastor that I knew who spoke openly about his addiction to alcohol and his efforts to recover even from the pulpit, was one of the most effective priests I've met. His holiness sprung from the depths of his addiction, but put him on common ground with the people in the pews whose numbers reached astounding proportions, as people who could identify with Father's struggled came from communites far beyond the parish boundaries.
This makes me think of St. Marcellin, again a man whose "peasant roots" enabled him to connect with the ordinary folk in his parish. These men, whose lived experience in all aspects what it is to be human, give us hope, especially as we reflect on HOPE in Advent, that being holy is attainable for even us, if we first accept all aspects of our humanity.

St. Lucy

In Scandanavian countries, December 13th is the cause of huge family celebrations, with special foods, drink, music, costumes and prayers. In the old Julian calendar, it was the shortest day, and the turning point for the return of light. Since the name, Lucy, comes from the Latin, lux, lucis, light, St. Lucy becomes the symbol of the movement from darkness to light. At one point in the festivities, a young girl dressed in a white gown cordoned with a scarlet sash and wearing a crown of greens supporting burning candles comes into a darkened room to shed new light and hope even before the celebration of the birth of Jesus, the true Light of the World. She carries coffee and "Lucy Cakes" on a tray for the guests, and later goes house to house, as a reminder of Lucy's charity to the poor.
The real St. Lucy lived in Syracuse, Italy in the 4th century and had taken a private vow of virginity as a young girl. Hence, when she refused to enter into a pre-arranged marriage, her suitor reported her to the authorities as a Christian, and she was martyred. However, the light of her faith continues to shine even to this day. The song, Santa Lucia, is still a popular favorite.

Winter's darkness increases until December 21st, the Winter Solstice, but as we celebrated the Third Sunday of Advent yesterday with the lighting of the pink candle, and in some churches, the wearing of rose colored vestments, we are anticipating the joy and light of Christmas. Would others know from our smiles and optimistic approach even to the dullest and coldest of days, that our faith is as bright and determined as St. Lucy's?
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of Guadalupe

We are honored to have another guest contribution, this time from Michael J. Randall, Associate Director for Development. He writes:
"In the United States, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe is celebrated on December 12. The following is the opening prayer of the memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe:
'God of power and mercy,
you blessed the Americas at Tepeyac
with the presence of the Virgin Mary of Guadalupe.
May her prayers help all men and women
to accept each other as brothers and sisters.
Through your justice present in our hearts
may your peace reign in the world.
We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, forever and ever. Amen.'

"As I read this prayer in preparation for the holy day, I am reminded of how fortunate we are to experience true diveristy at Central Catholic High School every day. Students from various backgrounds step through the doors and are truly accepted as brothers and sisters. They learn together, grow together, and together become young men and women of whom we can be proud.

"While the faces of diversity have changed, the same has held true for the 75 years of CCHS history.

"On this feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, let us be thankful for our diverse Central Catholic family and be mindful that all men and women, regardless of who they are, or from where they come, are truly our brothers and sisters."

Michael J. Randall

John the Baptist

A prominent figure in the Advent Season is John the Baptist, cousing of Jesus and last of the prophets. He comes across as a passionate, brutally honest, challenging, fearless, and focused speaker, something like Fr. John Corapi in our day. He has a message, "prepare the way," and is not meely mouthed about it. Phrases and words such as "Clean up your act" , "change", "repent" fly from his lips and pierce the hearts of his listeners who gladly plunge into the River Jordan to receive his baptism as a sign of their willingness to follow his teaching. Even Jesus submits to this action, much to the protest of John, who says it should be just the opposite. John was the first to recognize Jesus and to realize that he was the One for whom he was preparing the way, "whose sandal he was not worthy to unfasten." (cf. Jn 1: 27).
As we find ourselves mid-way through Advent, and look back asking how were the first two weeks any different from other weeks, we might find the challenge of John the Baptist as the key to finding the desire and energy to make the last two weeks THE time to live up to our plans for more prayer and reflection, even as we find ourselves gearing up more and more with practical things like Christmas shopping, lending a helping hand with this organization or that, baking, decorating. God does not expect the impossible from us, and neither should we. Just a conscious thought before entering a store along the lines of doing this for the love of Jesus, who so loved us by becoming one of us, as well as for the person for whom we are shopping. Even our rushing about and caring for the many unfastened sandals in our lives can be part of our prayerful preparation for Christmas simply by placing it in God's hands and turning our hearts to him while we are "busy about many things."
Bro. Rene

Sharing What We Have

Little is known about Central Catholic's Interact Club, a high school branch of Rotary International. The club members meet early in the morning without any announcements the day before. The members just know and go. For the past two years they have been raising money via bake sales and ice cream sales at lunch to sponsor four students at the Byimana Science School in Rwanda, where I taught from 1995-1999. They even obtained some matching money from our local Rotary Club one year to augment what they had raised. It takes only $200.00 to sponsor a student for the whole year at this boarding school, the top-notch science school in Rwanda.
Today, Brother Malisaba Straton, a Rwandan Marist Brother, will visit Central Catholic to thank and update the Interact Club for their generous support, as well as to speak to several religion classes about the Genocide and the current situation in Rwanda. He will be accompanied by Mr. and Mrs. Michael Herlihy, who have begun at fund which now sponsors 110 Rwandan students who would not be able to attend school without aid.
All of this goes on while the Central Catholic student body is raising money for our Christmas Project, which aids 51 families with food and Christmas gifts, and for the Santa Fund, sponsored by the Eagle-Tribune. Our Marist Youth group has begun a mentoring program at the Boys and Girls Club while also raising money to help support our Marist school in Sarghoda, Pakistan.
The message of sharing locally and globaly what we have is rightfully and deeply imbedded in the culture of Central Catholic. May it continue and may it touch our larger Central Catholic Family.
Bro. Rene

A Day to Remember

Yesterday was such a powerful day in the life of Central Catholic, that I have to share it with you. Our all-school Mass was enhanced not only by beautiful music, but also by a very moving slide show of various images of Mary and Jesus, a perfect visual reinforcement of our motto, "All to Jesus through Mary", and the words I spoke during the reflection. But it did not end there; we extended the Mass with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel for the rest of the school day. Religion classes, and students from study halls came to spend time before Jesus in our chapel. It was very moving to see them so peaceful, quiet and reverent. I kept thinking how much this was in tune with Jesus' admonistion to the Apostles when he told them not to shoo the little children away, but to let them come to him, and with St. Marcellin's mission (and that of Central Catholic), "to make Jesus known and loved." The written reflections of the freshmen were profound and moving testimonies to the power of the Presence of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament: "It made me feel good. I had a chance to really be open with God. I spent the time wisely talking to God. I need him a lot; he is showing me that he is there for me. He is helping me with evil. He is becoming my help." Most expressed an experience of peace, a relief from stress, a pause "that refreshes" and want to do it again. Most likely we will during Lent.
Advent is passing quickly, and we need to set aside time to spend in quiet with Jesus. Today's saint, Juan Diego, walked 15 miles daily to attend Mass, so important was the Eucharist to him.
Because of his faith and humility he was chosen to announce the presence of Mary, Our Lady of Guadalupe, to the bishop, and to the us. Mary asked for a chapel, now a huge church, where people could come and find her Son, as our students did in our chapel. A sacred place is important, as well as a sacred time. Let us take five, ten, fifteen minutes from our busy schedules to find refreshement and new energy to carry out those tasks with joy, rather than as burdens. May the example and experience of our own children, as well as that of St. Juan Diego lead us into the way of peace.
Bro. Rene

The Immculate Conception

From time to time we will have guest contributors to Bro. Rene's Daily Bread. Mr. Christopher Sullivan, one of our Academic Deans, provides us with this insightful first contribution.

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is one of my favorites because it naturally demands that we pay attention to the commitment and courage of our Blessed mother.

In Luke's Gospel we hear the story of the visitation, where the Angel Gabriel comes to tell the young teenage Mary she has been chosen as the mother of our Savior. Quite conveniently, Mary asks one question, is content with the answer, and says, "Yes" to God.

I work daily with teenagers, both at work and at home, and I wish it were that easy to get them to say yes to anything. They naturally question everything, bless their hearts. I suspect the Gospel writer took some liberties, for he does go on to explain that Mary felt the need to get out of town for a while and consult with her older, wiser cousin, Elizabeth.

We can only imagine the inner turmoil and fear faced by one so young. What went through her young mind as she evaluated what her life might be like facing this responsibility? Did it ever occur to her that she might say, "No"? (a teenage favorite) or perhaps negotiate? (a teenage skill)

The reality is however, that she did say "Yes" and, in so doing, changed our lives (and hers). Imagine the courage it took for one so young to face such uncertainty and put so much trust in her God. She is such a wonderful role model, not just for young people, but for all of us.

The Central Catholic school crest bears the Marist motto: "To Jesus through Mary". Certainly, as Fr. Champagnat taught the young brothers, this means to pray to her and turn to her in times of need for strength and encouragement. But I have also learned it means to look at her commitment, as a parent, as a person of faith and trust ... to use her example as a guide for living as I can only hope to!

So, as we pause to reflect on the person of Mary, we can ask ourselves ... Where can I be more courageous in answering God's Call? In what simple ways in my life, can I face the unknown but trust that God would not ask me to do this thing if He did not think that He and I could not handle it together?

Chris Sullivan '81

Advent Saint

St. Francis Xavier, a close friend of St. Ignatius Loyola and one of the first Jesuits, traveled to the Far East: India, China and Japan, to bring the Good News of the coming of Christ. Like John the Baptist, he was a herald, one to prepare and proclaim, and like the Baptist, sacrificed his life for the sake of Jesus. His was a perpetual Advent, as he preached and waited for a response, as he helped people move from darkeness to light and spent himself lowering mountains and filling in valleys. Never daunted by the challenges posed by languages and customs foreign to him, he pressed on fearlessly and courageously until a fever took his life at the young age of 46. Even today he serves as a model and guide, not only for missionaries, but for all of us. It's early in Advent but by the third week, when weariness might be on the verge of overtaking us, we can picture St. Francis preaching by word and deed, practicing a new language, and eating foods he never heard of. As nothing save death stopped him, so let nothing stop us in our Advent practices and in a deeper living of our faith.'
I will be in West Virginia Saturday through Tuesday, giving a day of recollection to the faculty of Bishop Donahue High School, so I cannot guarantee a new slice of daily bread, but recommend looking back over some of the ones that you particularly liked. Google St. Nicholas on Monday for inspiration. Mr. Chris Sullivan will offer a reflection on December 8th. You'll not starve!
Bro. Rene

"Love Without Borders"

Doctors Without Borders, Dentists, Chemists, Engineers...all kinds of professions are getting on board the borderless train to help make this world a better place. The readings from Isaiah during Advent focus on the kingdom of peace of the future where the lion and lamb share the same grassy bed (Is 11:1-9). It's an innate dream that all peoples share. A young Marist student, Victor Hugo, age 13 from Paraguay provides a succinct, current description to match the poetry of Isaiah: "For me, the vision of a new world means a world where war is declared not against another human being, but against hunger, poverty, corruption and ignorance.
A new world is what is built thanks to anonymous heroes who struggle day by day despite rain, fatigue or cold and help others no matter their social standing or race; and don't have automatic weapons or bombs but a LOVE WITHOUT BORDERS."
May we join those "anonymous heroes" today to bring love to all, and help make the visions of Isaiah and Victor a reality.
Bro. Rene

Advent Sacrifices

As mentioned previously, the season of Advent has a penitential tone to it, but one not as great as that of Lent. In attempting be raise our consciousness of the great mystery of the Incarnation, we might stop ourselves when heading toward the pantry or refrigerator for a snack, and say, "No, not today" and think of our troops in Afghanistan, or the many folks who are ill or homeless because of fires or natural disasters. A prayer for them instead of the snack, opens our hearts to the world beyond us and allows Jesus to find a comfortable place in the Inn of our souls.
As we turn the calendar to the last month of the year, we might offer a short prayer of thanks for the blessings we have received in November and ask God to be with us in a special way during this month of mixed joy and inevitable busyness.
Responding to the call for food and aid to the poor with some of our loose change, or what we might go without in order to have something more substantial to give to those who have less.
The opportunities are staring us in the face. May we open our eyes to see and our hearts to give.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of Advent

Our Lady of Advent symbolizes the call of every Christian to bring forth the Living Word into the world. A faculty member translates this call in these words: "I think that Mary was someone who had "skillful means"--the ability to reach people where they were by whatever means necessary. To get to Jesus is the point, but to do it through Mary means to be met where we are on the way. So my job is to get at my students where they are, however I can on any given day." We could apply this to our dealings with family, co-workers, or whoever comes our way.
As time approaches for the Morning of Recollection for Parents and Alumni, let me again invite you all.

Advent Recollection. Central Catholic High School, Saturday, December 11, 9 am till noon. Chapel. Presenters: Fr. John Delaney, Ms. Betty Desjardins, Br. Rene. Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, quiet prayer, confessions and benediction.
Please RSVP to kpeters@centralcatholic.net by December 8. Thank you.
Bro. Rene

Advent Mission

Day two of Advent and a beautiful day. The purple vestments and ribbons at church need not be signs of gloom, though they are reminders of the penitential aspect of Advent. Penance that comes from waiting, patience, preparing, spending time in silence and prayer. But the sunshine reminds us that joy can and must underlie the season, for we are anticipating the arrival of the Savior, announced by the angels as "tidings of great joy" (Lk 2:10) as well as our personal encounter with God at the end of our lives, and finally, THE FINAL COMING of Jesus at the end of time. These latter two will be at times as yet unknown, but the former, of course, is December 25th, giving us almost four full weeks of joyful preparation. Joy does not always mean laughter and high energy, but a deep abiding sense of peace and contentment that outer circumstances cannot waiver or sway. Let us take the time we spend in the car, walking up the stairs, cooking supper, whatever, and in silence touch base with the joy within us, and when we speak, spread it to others. An easy Advent Mission.
Bro. Rene

Advent

The coldest night and morning so far this Autumn; the First Sunday of Advent arrives with St. Paul's admonition: "it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep." (Rm 13: 11). What do we expect from this season? What will be our priorities in a world (and our own personal world) of darkness, disbelief, ignorance, indifference and sin? Will a cold morning keep us in bed, or will we rise to embrace the season of Advent and address each of these challenges with vigor?
The famous WW II pilot, Captain Eddie Rickenbacker, tells the story of a life-changing experience when he and his crew were flying a special mission, crashed into the Pacific and were lost as sea for 21 days, almost the same length of time as Advent. He wrote, "In the beginning many of the men were atheists or agnostics, but at the end of the terrible ordeal each, in his own way, had discovered God, prayer and a community of feeling developed which created a liveliness of human fellowship and worship, and a sense of gentle peace." Wouldn't it be worth the effort we've made in prioritizing our spiritual needs, our hopes, and our plan of action for Advent, if we could arrive with the same results as these men? Do we need to be shot down and float in a raft for these four weeks, or can we discipline ourselves out of love of God and a desire to draw closer to him, to arrive at these ends?
Bro. Rene

Vigi lance

On the eve of the first Sunday of Advent, let us take a moment to reflect on vigilance, a state of watchfulness, waiting, patience, and endurance. Jesus warns us, "Beware that your hearts do not become drowsy from carousing and drunkenness and the anxieties of daily life, and that day catch you by surprise like a trap." (Lk 21: 34). "That day" is usually understood as the final day, the day of the coming of the Lord, but it can also be our final day. "You know not the day nor the hour." (Matt 24:36). Yes, we must be ready, and these four weeks of Advent call us to be alert and watchful of our behavior, our complacency, perhaps the drifting and slow shifting of values, the loosening up of self-discipline, the sliding into laxity in our prayer and liturgical lives, a neglect of charity in speech and action, a "drunkenness" in self-absortion and self-centeredness. No, we wouldn't want Jesus to show up suddenly and call us to account when we are off the track. Rather, let us keep vigil with Mary in her last month of pregnancy, so willing to step out of her comfort zone, so ready to accept the plan of God for her and her Son. Let us keep watch with Joseph, whose fidelity to his wife and the will of God called him to stretch beyond what he thought were his reasonable limits, into an unknown which demanded more strength and faith than he thought he possessed. Both Mary and Joseph were attentive to each other and to the overtures of God and in so doing enabled God himself to come into this world for the procurement of our salvation. May our hearts be vigilant and ready to respond to the calls we receive to be instruments of redemption in the lives of others. We may not be asked to trek on foot to register for the census in Jerusalem, but we are asked to take up the little, ordinary tasks of daily life as if we were doing them for the last time. Let us do so with attentiveness and vigilance.
Bro. Rene

Stand Erect and Raise Your Heads

Over-stuffed with Thanksgiving turkey, too many deserts, disappointed or elated on the outcomes of football games, weary or wide-awake from early bargain shopping, and greeted by rain and gray skies, we need some reassurance from outside our little worlds. And it comes. The Alleluia verse before today's Gospel urges us to "Stand erect and raise [our] heads because [our] redemption is at hand." As we ease into Advent and for four weeks receive a hefty dose of this kind of assurance that indeed "God lives among his people." (cf. Rev 21: 3b), may we be fortified to stand with assurance and move confidently ahead. God dwells in our altar tabernacles and in the tabernacles of our hearts. We are God's holy temple, come rain, come shine, come weal or come woe. So too are our family members, our neighbors and our friends. Walking temples we are, most of the time unconcious of the privilege God has given us, to be his dwelling place. How sacred, how richly endowed so freely and abundantly! We have every reason to stand erect and hold our heads high with pride and dignity, for not only is our redemption at hand (initiated by the birth of Jesus and completed by his death and resurrection) but if we are living God's ways, we are experiencing a taste of the redemption that fully awaits us when through death we enter into eternal life. Let our fatigue and weariness give way to energy powered by God's love and God's presence.
Bro. Rene

Thanksgiving 2010

Life is a mixture. Today's Eagle-Tribune reflects the convergence of disparate elements, for all of which, yes, ALL, we pause to give thanks. It is ironic, it is paradoxical, that President Abraham Lincoln declared this a national holiday in the midst of our bitter Civil War. He saw beyond the bloody conflict to the many blessings we as a people had received and acknowleged the GIVER by a gesture that has endured the generations until now. Our troops today are scattered around the globe, yet pause to pray and greet families through the gift of technology.

How inspiring to see on the front page the story of Jacob Morales, proudly one of our Central Catholic students, and read of how, through continued pain and struggle, he has turned tragedy into positive service to others. The editorial reads like a meditation and poses several areas for which we can and should give thanks. Highlighted is the reality that we have the FREEDOM to give thanks to God; that families have the means to gather from all parts of the country and globe around the HOME table, where stories are told as the traditional turkey "and all the trimmin's" disappear. We have memories to share, family members to enjoy, deceased to remember in gratitude. Yes, we have football and shopping...newpapers are stuffed with advertisements; shoppers already queue up outside New Hampshire stores. We have the freedom to do all of this; we have the freedom to worship, thank, and offer God ourselves as gifts to him, the Giver of all these good gifts. Does it not become apparent that God knows what's best for us? Thank you God, through Christ Jesus, Our Lord.
Bro. Rene

Addiction

More than we would like to acknowledge, we are surrounded by people suffering from addiction, perhaps even we ourselves have one of its many forms that are not as blatant, at first, as alcoholism or drug abuse. Gambling is a powerful addiction, that at first seems harmless fun. "Oh yes, we go to Foxwoods, la-dee-dah. The visits become more frequent, the stakes higher, and on it goes to destruction of personal and family life, unless it is stopped.
Soldiers in Afghanistan, hooked on pornography, so readily available on the internet, so readily available that even here on the job, it's becoming a major problem. No one is immune to the temptation that a click of the mouse can bring up a gallery of sordid images. It can be kept secret, but as it grows in intensity, it divides a person who realizes he or she is living a double life, and eventually loses control of "the good life" as the "bad" takes over.
And, of course, alcohol. This morning I read an e-mail from the mother of one of my Godsons, who is in treatment for alcoholism...only 23, two tours in Iraq, smart, strong, good looking like his father, but hooked on alcohol like his father, who never broke his addiction, because he never really admitted he had a problem.
It takes courage and the support of patient, understanding, prayerful people to help the addict find the path to sobriety. Twelve Step Programs work, if followed with sincerity, honesty and love. Above all, a healthy relationship with a "higher power", ultimately GOD, is the real answer to becoming sober and living a full and productive life.
We all know addicts at various levels of addiction. Reaching out, confronting, intervening, praying for them can save their lives. It takes guts, conviction and commitment. Let us pray for wisdom and courage to become an instrument of healing.
Bro. Rene

Advent Reconciliation

Central Catholic students are given the opportunity today to attend penance services and receive the sacrament of reconciliation. A wonderful opporotunity for them to prepare for Advent, which begins on Sunday, and a reminder to us that as a season of preparation, there is a motif of penance, not quite as demanding as during Lent, in order to purifiy our hearts for the coming of the Savior. With "Black Friday" beginning at midnight people will rush to stores while still in process of digesting the Thanksgiving turkey, in order to "beat the crowds and get a headstart on Christmas shopping at bargain prices." The meaning of Advent is lost in the frenzy to shop, decorate, send cards, and attend parties in the weeks ahead. Prayer, confession, reflection, sacrificing, and service to others fight for survival, but yes, with a concerted effort, can find their rightful place in the next four weeks. The example of our students at our penance services, confession, and Thanksgiving prayers during their religion periods can motivate us to find the time for these important acts of faith and practices of our religion and put us on the right track for the weeks of Advent. Our faculty as well, on Mondays and Tuesdays during Advent, will be meeting in the chapel for reflection and prayer over the Advent readings of the week. It is a special time, a special season, a prelude to a very special event in human history: the coming of God as one of us. How greatly does he love us to have made such a "leap". How great the call to leap as high as we can in response.
Bro. Rene

St. Cecilia

For as little as we know about Saint Cecilia, as patroness of musicians and poets. she is a very popular saint. We assume that she was a musician herself, but there is no verification of that. Her association with music comes from a legend that as the muscians played at her wedding, "she sang in her heart to the Lord." She evidently was martyred in Sicily between the years 176-180, when Marcus Aurelius was emperor.
In commemorating St. Cecilia, we recognize the place music, especially Church music, has (or should have) in our lives. In some Catholic churches, everyone sings and the effect is the positive lifting up of soul and body in prayer. Many Catholic congregations, however, allow the choir to entertain them while they sit back and listen, in the hopes that the choir will not sing all the verses. Usually a hymn is cut short and the real impact of the poetry is lost. Advent and Christmas will bring out old familiar favorites. Perhaps we might be inspired by the gumption of St. Cecilia, whose martyrdom was, as the stories go, very gruesome and long-drawn-out, to make an effort to share our voices with the choir and thus "pray twice", as St. Augustine put it.

On another note, a reminder that today is the 47th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a date forever etched in the hearts of those of us who were alive at the time. May he rest in peace.
Bro. Rene

Christ The King

In 1925, Pope Pius XI established the Feast of Christ the King on the last Sunday of the liturgical year as a reminder that unless total allegiance be given to Jesus Christ, there would never be peace. The "War to end all Wars" in which millions died, was proof that weaponry and war would not bring about a lasting peace. Worse, a growing skepticism, secularism and materialism, even then, demanded a re-focusing of attention on Jesus. Sad to say, the world in general is still, if not alarmingly, "out of focus", and the need to turn to Jesus is stronger than ever.
A king is a leader, one who inspires and who by his strong faith in God and in those whom he serves, wins their loyalty and willingness to follow whatever he asks. "The King of the Jews" (Lk 23: 36) wore a crown of thorns on the cross, a crown willingly accepted to expiate our sins. Now, risen and seated at the right hand of the Father, his crown is one of victory, a sign to us that his kind of leadership, based on love, and sacrifice, even of his own life, is the only path worth following.
As we prepare for Advent, let us look and see where our path is taking us. Are we straying, in little things? In big things? Are we providing loving, self-sacrificing leadership in our families, our work place, in our circle of friends? Is Jesus the center of our family life? Are family prayer, grace before meals, weekly Mass attendance, regular confession part given their proper place? Are we planning to observe Advent with an Advent wreath, special prayer, reading, reflection on the place of Emmanuel, God-With-Us during the four weeks? If today we hail Christ as our King, let our actions back up our words.
Bro. Rene

Saving Life

Mary McCarthy, Executive Director of the Pregnancy Care Center, is a convincing, faithfilled, fully-focused and determined figure in the quest to save lives, to give life a chance. Her agency, headquartered in Haverhill, with branches in several locations, including Lawrence, for twenty-five years has been counseling couples and individuals to choose life over abortion. Thousands of precious lives have come into this world because of the caring ministry of this center. That support for it is growing is one of the signs of hope that fit right into the approaching season of Advent. Our Good Mother, Mary, chose life, and it was a choice that has brought the Author of Life into our world and thus the availability of new life, eternal life, to the fallen human race. Mary McCarthy is well-named and walks in the footsteps of the great Mary who is "Wider than the Universe."
Also following in the footsteps of our Good Mother, is a group of seven Marist College students who have come to Lawrence for the weekend to help Lazarus House prepare food baskets for its larger-than-ever Thanksgiving food distribution over the next several days. Yes, three days have been allocated this year, because the demand is so high. It is a paradox that in this "land of plenty" so many have so little. It is also a paradox that the young, often labelled "self-centered and spoiled" should sacrifice a weekend before Thanksgiving, and before the imminent end of the term, to help provide for those who have less. Yet it is consonant with our Marist Mission, "to serve the least favored."
May these two examples of service to LIFE, be signs of hope for us, as well as inspirations to us to work and pray with equal generosity for the saving of this precious gift.
Bro. Rene

Advent Recollection

In response the the requests of several Alumni, Central Catholic High School will conduct an Advent Morning of Recollection on Saturday, December 11th from nine till noon in the Chapel and Baroni Multi-purpose Hall. With all the commotion taking place now and ever building till Christmas, I'm sending out this invitation now, so that you might plan to include this time of reflection and prayer as an essential part of Advent and preparation for the Solemnity of the Birth of Christ. The ever-increasing secularizing of this event, reducing it to colored lights, and gifts, is dimming the real meaning of Christmas as one of Light, Hope, Peace, Joy, Reconcilation and Love, resulting from the Incarnation of Gift of Gifts, Jesus, the Son of God, our Savior,. The incursion warrants time set apart to reflect on the meaning of God's enfleshed presence among us, as well as our priorites during the nearly obliterated season of Advent. Fr. John Delaney and I will offer some ideas on the meaning of Advent and Mary's role in our redemption, and there will be time for quiet prayer, the sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) and Benediction. We thought that a morning would be just enough, and would respect the need for other preparations for Christmas.
Please respond to kpeters@centralcatholic.net if you are planning to join us. Thank you.
Bro. Rene

God's Ways

With the sun shining brightly in contrast to yesterday's dark and rainy morning, we find our spirits lifted and nourished, as plants respond to the rays of the sun. House plants turn and lean toward the sun to receive the maximum power and energy to thrive. Such a reminder that "God's ways are faithfulness and love," (Ps 25: 8 ) and in him we live, move and have our being, are easy to absorb on such a day. We can share the exuberance of Solomon at the dedication of the new Temple he built for the Lord, "Lord, God of Israel there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below; you keep your covenant of kindness with your servants who are faithful to you with their whole heart." (1 Kgs 8:23). God's love and faithfulness far surpass the greatest of human love and is the inspiration and motivation for us to remain faithful and loving with our whole heart even when the sun is not shining. As busy as St. Francis or St. Teresa of Avila were, they spent hours in prayer by opening their hearts to the moment and lifting them up to this loving, faithful God. "My eyes are always on the Lord:" (Ps 25, 15). May our eyes lead our hearts to greater love of God and neighbor and "May the Lord of peace himself give us peace at all times and in every way. Amen." (cf. 2 Thes.3: 16). This are the Ways of the Lord.
Bro. Rene

Thanks-Giving

Bells are ringing at the doors of supermarkets and department stores. Headlines highlight the increased number of people needing help at Thanksgiving. Central Catholic's lobby is filling with bags of food for Lazarus House. The Christmas Project is underway. "Tis the season to be giving. Nothing new; there is not one of us who does not remember pre-Thanksgiving and pre-Christmas as a time when the needs of others came to the fore and were addressed. It seems like the "Thanksgiving Food Drive" is an established part of Americana as is apple pie.
Such generosity to the poor was part of the life of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, who gave from the royal coffers and kitchen to the poor of her era, the early 13th century. So generous was she that her in-laws objected, ridiculed her, and, when her husband died, evicted her from the castle. Such treatment never daunted her generous spirit. She merely followed Jesus who challenges us "to sell what you have and give to the poor," (Mt 19:21), and warns us, "Take care to guard against all greed, for though one may be rich, one's life does not consist of possessions." (Lk 12: 15). As pressure mounts for giving to help make a happy Thanksgiving for the poor, or when that Salvation Army bell tinkles, may we not be callous, thinking, " them again" and head for the other door, but moved by the words of Jesus, the example of St. Elizabeth and the real needs of others, to give generously to help them, and give thanks that we are able to do so.
Bro. Rene

Frank MacDonald. '53

In Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman, we watch the unravelling of a life that was just an empty shell, no substance, all sham and bravado. In reflecting on the death of an alumnus, Frank MacDonald "53, we find just the opposite: a life full of meaning, love and happiness. We might say he was an uansuming, normal young man while a student at Central, playing football, participating in the Poster Club, and having a penchant for singing. As he matured further, married and became a succssful business man, his true stature became apparent as his loyalty and fidelity to his Alma Mater grew to the point of interminable involvement in Central Catholic, serving as a member of its Board of Directors and its Athletic Advisory Committee. He served on this committee until recently when his illness forced him to a never-formal "retirement", for his heart was always with it.
Two years ago he was the honoree at our Annual Golf Tournament, where the song of his praises was sung with great gusto, and still lingers in our hearts. It is with sadness at the loss of this great man, a model alumnus, as well as with gratitude and joy that we bid him farewell and commend him to that ever-growing alumni association in eternity. May he rest in peace.
Bro. Rene

The Society of Mary

Today marks several events of note in our Marist history. While in the seminary in 1815-1816, several young men, led at the time by Jean-Claude Courveille, bantered about his idea, based on an alleged vision, about forming a new religious order as another arm of reform initiated by the Jesuits several centuries earlier. It was to be called The Society of Mary and was to have four branches: priests (today's Marist Fathers), brothers, (today's Marist Brothers), sisters (The Marist Sisters), and a Third Order for lay people, (today known as The Third Order of Mary). Fr. Marcellin Champagat was the first to move on the idea, as we know, founding the Marist Brothers in 1817, not even a year after his ordination. Fr. Jean-Claude Colin, another one of these seminarians, forged ahead with the founding of the Marist Fathers and along with Jeanne-Marie Chavoin, founded the Marist Sisters, a teaching order. A second group of Marist Sisters, known as the Marist Missionary Sisters was founded much later by a group of laywomen, headed by Franciose Perroton, who left for Oceania on this day in 1845 to help the Marist Fathers (and Brothers) with missionary work in the South Pacific. After several years as lay missionaries, these women were asked to consider becoming a religous order, one which was finally approved in 1932. While these congregations share the common name, Marist, and a common Marial spirituality, they are four distinct and independent congregations, a fact often unknown.
This is also the anniversary of the death of Fr. Colin who died in 1873. On this date in 1880, the Marist Brothers opened an establishment in Rome, where our General Headquarters are located. Fittingly, Marists in the United States are praying for a group of brothers who have answered the call made by our then Superior General, Bro. Sean Sammon, to leave home and bring the Gospel "to the nations" (Ad Gentes). These men are following in the footsteps of the early missionaries and are concentrating on countries in Asia, where Marists have never ventured, or where, such as in China, our earlier work was suppressed by the Communist Government, but where there is now some leeway and tolerance for the presence of religious. Already, in Indonesia, for example, there are young men in formation to become Marist Brothers. Let us pray in thanksgiving for these and the earlier founders who dared to take creative initiatives "to make Jesus known and loved."
Bro. Rene

God's Plans For Us

As the Liturgical Year winds down and a new one awaits us in two weeks, (the First Sunday of Advent is November 28th), we begin to ponder the plan of God which ends in a transformation of the world as we know it into a world of everlasting union with God, where joy, peace and love prevail. Our mission as Marists calls us to be confident in this blueprint, and to take to heart, the words of Jeremiah: "The Lord says: my plans for you are peace and not disaster; when you call to me, I will listen to you, and I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you." (Jer 29: 11, 12-14). "When you call to me": in prayer from the depths of our hearts, in persistent prayer, even when we don't feel closeness to God, or anything, for that matter. Our desire to pray, is the beginning of prayer, and sometimes all that we can offer as prayer. Our presence to God, the movment of our will towads God, these will lead us to an understanding that all that happens from day to day is an invitation to faith, trust and hope. God wants our good. When Jesus says, "Come to me", it is a invitation to be replenished, strengthened, comforted, and loved unconditionally. We have to "call", God says, and then he will listen. It's a simple plan; it leads to our personal transformation and union with him. Call to him and while he is still near, call to him and you will be heard. Call now, call many times during the course of this Sunday. Heed his plea, "Come to me."
Bro. Rene

The Right Thing To Do

One of the groups at the Marist Youth Encounter Christ retreat in Esopus two weeks ago came up with a refrain in their skit that rings in my head to this day: "Because it's the right thing to do." It became the benchmark for the group for the rest of the Encounter as everything they did was hailed as "the right thing to do." It made for a lot of fun, but oh, how true it is, how needed for our growth in the spiritual life.
Obedience. Perhaps the hardest virtue to put into practice. It demands letting go of our own will, and is especially trying when we think OUR way is best and our boss, our wife, our husband, think otherwise. It becomes even more complicated when we get into morals. Telling the truth might reveal our weakness or bring on consequences for our actions that we want to avoid. In the end, it is "the right thing to do" and ultimately verfies the old adage, "honesty is the best policy."
Getting up for Mass each Sunday, corraling the family, especially the young who have a hard time sitting still in Church, or even harder, teenagers in their rebellious stage, would be so easy to dismiss as "impossible." To accept and go with the challenge is "the right thing to do" in view of the third commandment and the prizes of nurturing our faith by joining the community of faith, hearing the Word of God and intimate union with Jesus at communion. As we approach Advent, a time of preparation and waiting for the coming of Jesus at Christmas and at the end of time, we might begin to examen our lives, our commitments, and start looking at what we can "clean up", what we can do to avoid the pre-Christmas frenzy foisted upon us by our "material world", and see how obedient we are to doing "the right thing."
Bro. Rene

A Brother's Life

Anyone who has been taught by "the brothers", with few exceptions, speaks highly of the impact this band of men has had on him or her, yet, the vocation of the brotherhood remains one of the hidden gems of the church. References are frequently made to priests and sisters, but rarely to the brothers. We've always been dwarfed by the sheer numbers of priests and sisters, yet our impact is unquestionably immearsureable. For example, at Central Catholic Class reunions around lunch, or wherever, the topic of "the brothers" always seems to dominate the conversation. "Remember when" stories are told and re-told at each gathering, and sentiments of long overdue gratitude are expressed. We trust that "the brothers" in heaven, can hear their former students now sing their praises for the education and the life-direction they gave their reluctant students.
In this context I announce the death of Brother Kenneth Marino F.M.S. who entered into eternal life suddenly Wednesday night. He was from Lawrence and taught here in the late fifties and finished his active days as librarian. He was a talented artist and musician, but suffered in the classroom. Through a life of ups and downs, he remained faithful to his vows and rightly deserves our gratitude and praise for the witness to the Gospel he leaves as his legacy. May he finally rest in peace.
Bro. Rene

Honoring Our Veterans

Our nation takes time today to honor the men and women of have served our country in the military: those valiant, generous, brave, and long-suffering citizens, some of whom have given their lives to preserve the values and freedom we treasure. The tales told by the living survivors of WW II are shockingly brutal. It's no wonder these veterans don't like to talk about them: beatings as prisoners of war, excruciating pain from wounds, heat or cold. Hours, days, floating in the ocean after their torpedoed ship went down. We cannot but listen in awe at the extent of their sacrificial service. Flags will fly, speeches will be given, music played, wreaths placed, stories told, memories stirred, hearts inspired, prayers offered. Yes, prayers offered, perhaps the most important piece of this special day. We pray in thanksgiving for those who survived and those who didn't; we pray for protection for those who are serving now; we pray for peace and the negotiations in process to achieve that end. We pray for the wounded, maimed, and those seeking work. It is sad to read of the plight of the returned service men and women who cannot find work. Yes, it's the same plight of civilians as well, but it seems an added hardship on those who gave up jobs and security to serve our country. It would seem that a priority in hiring them would be readily available. We might know people or have some influence in our communities to look into this and help these veterans find work. At least we can take steps to make this need known: another solid and lasting way to honor our veterans.
Bro. Rene

Encounter

As you digest today's slice of Daily Bread, please pray for the Central students and faculty members who will be on an Encounter in Whittinsville, MA till Wednesday. Here is a testimony from a young man who made an Encounter in Esopus last week. Pray that such amazing gifts might be given to our students. I will not be able to post anything on Wednesday, so you might want to re-read this one and keep us all in prayer. Thank you.

" I will certainly pray for you and those from Central Catholic who will be on the Encounter. I can honestly say that it was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I met so many great people, many of whom I am still keeping in touch with. Some are planning to come to New Jersey next month and we will go to the mall or even do something crazy, like snow tubing! It was such a humbling experience while, at the same time, such a relaxing and energy-infusing one.
I told people from the Encounter and my friends and girlfriend back home that I can't remember the last time I cried. I cried for 5 different reasons on the Encounter. I cried because of laughter (there was a lot of that). I cried because I was moved. I cried because I was happy. I cried because I was thankful. I even cried because of pain. (funny story involving an accidental swing of the ping pong paddle to my forehead... but that's another story)
It was no surprise to me how much love was at the Encounter. It seems like love and Esopus always go hand in hand. I have met so many great people over the years, from you and Br. Steve to countless friends from the special needs camps, retreats I've led, and now the Encounter. I wear the necklace from the Encounter all the time, and I have to say that it is one of my most cherished possessions. It represents not only the memories from the Encounter, but also all those that have been created over the years through various experiences. "
Bro. Rene

Ascending God's Mountain

The Psalmist asks, "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord?/or who may stand in his holy place?"(Ps 24: 3), What would be my answer? Would I see myself worthy? He gives the straightforward answer: "Only those whose hands and hearts are pure,/ who do not worship idols/ and never tell lies" (Ps 24: 4). Our actions, the works of our hands and feet, our inner thoughts, our attitudes, our desires, our loves, all must be pure and transparent. No idols. What are my idols? Self? Power, money, control? Honesty, no lies...a hard lesson in these days when lying and hypocrisy are so rampant. Anyone who has climbed a mountain knows the challenges, the fatigue, the times when it seems we'll never reach the summit. But oh, the exhilaration of reaching the top: the view, the sense of accomplishment, the desire to dance with joy! Even more so, ascending this path laid out by the Psalmist which leads to the summit of God. Not to be achieved in one day, but the climb of our lifetime. May we re-focus on it today and not stray from the path.
Bro. Rene

People of Encouragement

Veteran's Day celebrations are occuring already to honor those who have served our country with valor and dedication. To shake these still strong hands, to hear of wounds, beatings in prison camps, to watch these valiant men who served in WW II or Korea, walking with canes and walkers, to see the gleam of pride in their eyes as they receive the gratitude of us who still benefit from their sacrifices, and to hear that the young men and women enlisting in our military have that same love of country and willingness to lay down their lives for us, cannot but give us inspiration, encouragement, even tears of joy and gratitude, and a renewed sense of patriotism.
St. Paul in writing to the Corinthians brings us to a deeper understanding of encouragement: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we oursevles are encouraged by God. For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us through Christ, so does our encouragment also overflow to others." (2 Cor. 1: 3-5). We see the love of God in others, and in the case of the veterans, we see the "affliction", the suffering, and the total gift of self, that Jesus underwent, that in turn becomes a source of encouragment to us. As we honor these heroes this week, let us take stock of their on-going gift to us, and ourselves become people of encouragement. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting encouragement and good hope through his grace, encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word. " (2 Thes 2: 16-17).
Bro Rene

Time

Time. We never seem to have enough of it. Tonight, as we "fall back", the elation of gaining an hour while we sleep gives us somewhat of a boost, an encouraging hope of "catching up", at least on sleep. At any rate, we become conscious of the gift of time as we turn back our clocks, or change batteries in smoke alarms, noting that six months or so, have passed since the last time- change in the spring.
God, the Timeless, has willingly entered time, blessed it and made it part of the road to salvation. He has sanctified the present moment and offered it to us as a means of reaching the eternal moment, the great NOW, of which there is no end. In Psalm 90 we read, "For you, a thousand years are like yesterday!/They are like a few hours." Or in another translation, "a thousand ages in thy sight are like an evening gone. Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Ps 90: 4,12). As we gain that "extra hour", let us look at how we use the time God has given us, see if we are using it wisely and really growing in wisdom, or see if we will have to account for the hours we have squandered on the trivial or the insignificant. We trust that there will be time to put our use of it in good order. Sanctifying, asking God to bless each new moment as we shift from one task to another, or deal with unexpected requests and interruptions, makes every moment a grace-filled one. May each one of us "have a good time" today.
Bro. Rene

Compassionate Presence

First Fridays are always associated with the Sacred Heart, whose loving compassion is symbolized by the flame burning from his exposed heart. The Entrance Antiphon for the Mass of the Sacred Heart recalls that "The thoughts of his heart last through every generation, that he will rescue them from death and feed them in time of famine" Ps 32: 11, 19). It is the goal of every Marist to exemplify that love as best we can, but, as we so woefully experience, we often fall short of that goal.
Sr. Joyce Rupp, O.S.M., noted spiritual writer, has some words of consolation for us. "My own basic goal is to give myself as fully as possible to being a compassionate presence in our world. I've discovered I cannot push, hurry or control this goal. I do what I can and try not to be discouraged when I am anything but a compassionate presence. I entrust my goal into God's hands and pray to be open to God's grace. I keep returning to my fundamental objective, day after day. Each time my steps take me ever so faintly toward he gates of my focus." I might add, that the burning love of Jesus will eventually melt away the dross which prevents us from radiating his love. Daily presence with him, will lead to a fully compassionate presence to, ourselves and others.
Bro. Rene

Zeal

Zeal is not a word that is part of our contemporary vocabulary. When is the last time you heard someone, even a priest during a homily, use it? Even when we hear a reference to the apostle, Simon the Zealot, it sounds like "republican" or "demorcrat" more than a description of his personality, although it was a faction at the time to which he belonged: Jews who zealously wanted to live the Scriptures and work for the restoration of the kingdom of Israel.
St. Charles Borromeo, whose Memorial is observed today, was a short man, 5'4", but a dynamo on fire with love of Jesus, and love of the Church. When he became Archbishop and later Cardinal of Milan, he set the diocese abalze with reform with his infectious and unyielding zeal. He understood the Church's mission and untied it from the bonds of corruption and indifference that had stagnated the growth of the faithful. He lived at the time of the Reformation and labored tirelessly to correct the abuses that had led up to it. Like the tiny mustard seed, this man, small of stature, cultivated a community of faith that became a strong and vigorous tree.
Speaking with pastors, campus ministers, and teachers, I find that, for the most part, the "faithful" in their hands have little or no knowledge of their faith or of God, much like Jean Baptiste Montagne, the young lad St. Marcellin encountered on his death bed. "We're starting from scratch" sums up the situation. It can be discouraging, but the example of these zealous saints urges us on to find our own zeal, determination, persistence, patience, and, above all, LOVE, for these young people who don't ever realize their spiritual poverty. May we take to heart St. Paul's admonition: "Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord" (Romans 12:11).
Bro. Rene

Faith, Love and Schools)

It has been said, "Love me first and then I will believe." Words might be able to excite the mind, but action stirs the heart. When St. Damien contracted leprosy and could speak from the heart on common ground with the other lepers, they flocked to his hut and to the Church on Sundays to be with him. St. Martin de Porres, whom we remember today, was not a preacher, but put his medical knowledge to work to care for the health needs of the poor in Lima, Peru and won the hearts of thousands for the faith. Adults taught us as children that "Actions speak louder than words." As our daily experiences teach us, the truth of that adage is verified over and over again. St. Marcellin's basic premise in education was to "love the children, all of them, and equally." A teacher said to me this morning, as he looked at a somewhat lethargic homeroom, "We've gotta keep loving them."
Sometimes it is shocking to hear teens express their doubts or disbelief, or rejection of Catholic teaching, as they go through their "rebellion period", but that is no reason to stop loving them, but the very reason to love them more. They appreciate genuine love, and in the end that is what will bring them back.
Love is first exprienced in the family; friendships help develop love; school, which occupies a huge chunk of the day, plays a major role in helping love mature. A Catholic school has the mission and added advantage of teaching the faith in the context of love. Thus, our schools are essential to the future of the Church, as Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan has pointed out in an excellent article in America, the Jesuit weekly magazine. (September 18, 2010). May the love for our children and our schools foster our own faith as well as the faith of the young.
Bro. Rene

Blessed Are They

The commemoration of all the souls of the faithful departed today, sets the tone for the month of November. As the grays of autumn gradually take over, a certain somberness about the cycle of life emerges. Yes, the growing season is over, frost is around the corner, and many trees are totally bare already. Stark realities, once hidden by leaves and colorful flowers, are apparent. So is the shorness of life. Yet, our faith assures us that death is not the end. It is a stage in the cycle of life; we move from this temporary phase to the eternal where our current mortality is transformed to immortality. "The souls of the just are in the hands of God, and no torment will ever touch them. In the eyes of the foolish they seemed to have died, and their deparure was thought to be a disaster, and their going from us to be their destruction; but they are at peace....their hope is full of immortality." (Wisdom 3: 1-4).
Today, as we pay special attention to our departed loved ones, we are assured that they are alive, more than ever, and are in the hands of God. We miss them, especially those whose lives in our estimation were too short, but in praying for and with them this month, we will come to the conclusion that they are truly blessed, and so are we, for we believe that we shall see them again after a brief period of separation. We read the Beatitudes at yesterday's Mass, and echoing today is the second one: "Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matt 5: 4). May we grow in faith and wisdom as we ponder our loved ones and our own place in the cycle of life.
Bro. Rene

In Communion With The Saints

All Saints Day. A time to celebrate our union with those who have gone before us, and those of us who are on our way, including the souls in purgatory. We refer to this union of peoples as "The Communion of Saints". We are reminded that "in unity there is strength", for we have the help of the saints and souls in purgatory, as well as our efforts to support each other, "to know, love and serve God in this life, and be happy with him in the next" (Baltimore Catechism, remember?).
While on the Marist Youth Encounter Christ retreat in Esopus, I had a preview of that happiness and a real experience of the communion of saints, as young adult Marists gave talks and led small group discussions. I saw the "Encounterites" move from doubt to faith, shyness to all-embracing love. The joy on these faces, the embraces, the desire to stay connected (we had to pull students from other busses to their own busses, so close had they become to their new friends from our other Marist Schools. I saw the effects of grace, and the power of pulling together, which is what the communion of saints is all about...we pray to the saints and they help us, and we in turn, help one another. This is a day to pray to our patron saints and to ask them for the light, strength and guidance to bring joy to our own hearts and to those in darkness, or doubt. We will celebrate our All-School Mass this morning at 8:15 am. and will pray for you all and thus be in communion with you.
Bro. Rene

A Special Day

October 28th, Memorial of Sts. Simon and Jude, is a very special occasion in Marist History. It is the day in 1816 when the young Father Marcellin Champagnat made his way up the mountains to the bedside of the dying 17 year old, Jean Baptiste Montagne, and discovered much to his dismay, that the young lad know nothing about God, Jesus, Mary, heaven, hell, forgivness of sins, etc.... Father Champagnat gave a quick course in the basics of the Catholic faith, thus preparing Jean-Baptiste for death, and fiming up his resolve to execute the idea he had had since the seminary: to begin an Order of teaching brothers, whose efforts would eliminate such ignorance of the faith. He recruited two young men and by January 2, 1817, moved them into a house he had purchased with borrowed money, and renovated himself, even to building the furniture. His refectory table still exists in what we call "the Cradle of the Institute, in LaValla, France.
Without this encounter with Jean Baptiste Montagne, and Father Champagnat's swift and determined response there would most likely be today no Congregation of the Marist Brothers of the Schools, no clear Mission: the Catholic Education of youth, particularly those in most need. What a loss that would have been to the Church in the 79 countries where we teach! In each of our schools, we still strive to do what Father Champagnat did at Jean Baptiste's bedside and sustain the same determination and love that motivated him. This Montagne Moment still inspires us and is the basis for the Montagne Program at Central Catholic, which provides substantial tuition assistance to a significant number of students, or the Champagnat Program at Marist High School in Chicago, whose aim is to give help to special needs students. Is it a coincidence that the Montagne Event occurred when the Church celebrates St. Jude, parton of hopeless cases? With St. Jude and St. Marcellin, as well as our Good Mother behind us, is it any wonder that the Marist Vision touches so many so deeply? Let us live this day with confidence, hope and assurance that God, who has begun such a noble work, will not let it perish, but will continue to invigorate it.
On a personal note, I will be joining the team for the Marist Youth Encounter Christ Retreat in Esopus today and through the weekend, where 40 something students from our Marist schools will be receiving a modern day version of St. Marcellin's catechesis in knowing and loving Christ.
Please pray for us. (Not sure if I will have daily access to a computer, but will try to provide daily bread).
Bro Rene

Service

One of the components of our Central Catholic spritual formation is service involvement with "the least favored," that is people whose financial, emotional, or learning needs put them "on the fringe". Four years ago, as many schools have done, we instituted a graduation requirement of "one day" (24 hours) of service to be completed by the spring of Junior Year. Every one of our graduates since then has accomplished this goal, and many have gone beyond it. They say that once involved with people, it ceases to be a requirement, but flows from a relationship.
This morning a senior was recognized as the Student Service Person of the Month. She has already given 400 hours of service and is still involved in teaching religion in her parish. She will continue to serve on other projects as well as on retreat teams for underclassmen because that is where her heart is. She received a certificate, two movie passes and a guarantee of two free pieces of pizza on our next pizza day, but her real reward is the joy that she finds in giving of her time and talent. As the list of accomplishments was being read before her name was announced, one girl in the homeroom where I was standing, turned to another and mouthed, "Sam". Then the name, Samantha Murray, came over the PA. Her light was shining to others, even before there was public acknowledgement of her generosity, as it should be. Let us pray for "Sam" and the many others who give of themselves and serve as inspiration to others.
Bro. Rene

Seeds

As summer flowers fade away and seed pods drop their seeds into the earth where they will be protected under winter snows and miraculously "seed themselves in" to provide more plants in the spring often in more abundance that the previous year, so the seeds of faith have the tendency to lie dormant only to be awakened and brought to life by God working through the circumstances in which we find ourselves. When we come to realize that it is not we who provide the growth, but the mercy and goodness of God, we find new life and new growth in our relationship with God and one another. Often the darkness of a "spiritual winter" is necessary to bring about the realization that "all is grace," and that God is the give of life, not ourselves. With our gifts and powers we might be fooled into seeing ourselves as "messiahs", but indeed that is false: there is one Messiah, Jesus Christ. When out of recognition of our helplessness we turn to him, and turn ourselves over to him, then the seeds that have been buried in our hearts break open, burst with new life and spread all over our garden. Like the mustard plant that springs up from the smallest of seeds so that the "birds of the sky can dwell in its branches" (Lk 13: 19). we find that without or knowing it we are having a positive effect on the lives of others, helping them through difficulties, affirming their gifts, and helping their faith to grow. It's when we think that we have nothing to contribute and turn to the Lord, that he will enable us to allow him to work through us and accomplish more than we ever thought possible. If a tiny seed can bring forth such beauty in its flowers or such nourishment in the fruits of its branches, how much more we, when the seeds of faith bear fruit. O Lord, I am yours, water me, fill me, help me to bring forth the fruit of the vine you have planted within me. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Autumnal Glory

Driving to and from Morristown, New Jersey Friday and Sunday, I was enthralled by the brilliant colors on each side of the highway. It must be the peak season for fall foliage in this area: dazzling oranges, reds ranging from deep cranberry to pink, with blazing red burning bushes winning the prize for the most eye-catching reds, at least in my estimation. The gentle subtle changes of this prolonged autumn are helping me appreciate this season more than ever.
Yes, it's a slow, gradual farewell to summer, a transformation that will eventually produce new life. It is not a time to mourn. It is a time to be relished and used for praise and gratitude. It is also a time to help us realize what must go on each season in our hearts. We too must undergo transformation annually (even daily) as we relinquish what has made us comfortable, attempt to grasp the transitory nature of this life, and in the process of purification, give off a blazing light that signals a future and a hope in God's plan for us that not only strengthens us, but also becomes a beacon of light for others. No gloomy faces or depressed spirits for those on the road to Paradise. Rather, we glow with trust and confidence that all that we are experiencing can be as glorious as the colors of autumn.
Bro. Rene

Faithfully Present

Borrowing this poweful phrase, "Faithfully Present", from the Pregnancy Care Center's 25th fundraising banquet last night, I'm looking at it as another way of expressing St. Marcellin's foundational belief in the necessity and power of "being present". First of all, God is "faithfully present" to all of us and through the Holy Spirit is building up in us an unshakable faith. We are challenged each new day to see what transpires not as accident or coincience, but evidence of God's plan to help us empty ourselves and be filled with him. The vivacious and humorous keynote speaker at the banquet, Gail McWilliams, made the distinction between "stuck" and "positioned". A world of a difference in outlook, and reality. We may feel "stuck" in a situation, particularly one that is uncomfortable, painful or challenging, and ask, "Why me?"
But if we see ourselves "positioned" in this situation as an opportunity to grow, to learn, to be purified of selfishness, for example, then we welcome our "position" and can be joyful in it. Gail is blind, as a result of her pregnancies, and hit rock bottom as she saw herself "stuck", almost punished, for choosing life over blindness. The desperate prayer from the depths of her heart enabled to see her blindness as an opportunity to "see beyond" her plight and she found new purpose and energy to help others "see".
As Marists, we talk about living in the presence of God. In so doing, we are able to see that we are not randomly "stuck" but strategically "positioned" to use that moment, or that situation for a greater good. We can become "faithfully present to God" as God is to us, and "faithfully present" to those around us who may be blind to the good they can derive from a painful, unwanted situation. It's another case of a curse becoming a blessing. When the blind Bartimeus cried out to Jesus, "Lord, that I may see!" he was answered by the "faithfully present" Jesus and received more than his sight. His vision of life and of who Jesus was changed and left us with a model for our own prayer and outlook. Lord, help me to be faithfully present to you, to myself, and those around me. Amen.
Bro. Rene