Mary's Requests

As a loving mother who always has the best interests of her children in mind, Mary has made frequent appearances, almost always to children, whose open hearts and ability to trust and wonder have not been hardened by skepticism, to urge the human family to prayer and sacrifice. Often, the criticism is heard, "We have the Scriptures, the Magisterium (teaching authority) of the Church and Tradition, what need have we for these extraordinary, supernatural interventions?" The answer, it appears, is that yes, we have these at our disposal, but we are not using them. So Mary comes with advice, admonitions and simple things that anyone can do. Her favorite is the rosary, which is an excellent prayer that blends contemplation and action and focuses on Jesus. It is not a magical formula, but a prayer which requires the use of our senses and our imaginations, and which can lead to a nourishment, and if needs be, a change of heart. We hold something tangible and often beautiful in our hands. Our fingers move gently over the beads, a soothing action in itself. Our lips and voices repeat a prayer, which in itself is rich in meaning, and our minds and hearts dwell on events in the life of Christ that help us grow in knowledge and love of him. And, to boot, it doesn't take more than 15 or 20 minutes of "our precious time"! Mary asks that we say this prayer daily. At Lourdes, Fatima and now at Medjugorje, it is the same request. At Fatima, Mary asked that we attend Mass for at least five First Saturdays. Many do that and also just continue throughout the year. A wonderful pattern. Others go to Mass every Saturday as well as Sunday. In this season of Lent when we should doing something that makes this a special time, these requests might help make that difference in our lives. Can we refuse our Mother?
Bro. Rene

Have Mercy on Us and on the Whole World

Wind, rain, fire and flooding. What a night! What a sight to wake up to downed trees, wires, branches, crushed sheds, porches, cars and keepsakes! We are victims of relentless natural forces beyond our control. We now face the enormous task of cleaning up, repairing, and of incalculable unplanned expenditures from an already reduced source of revenue. But, thank God we are alive! These local challenges offered to us by Mother Nature pale in comparison to what the people of Port-au-Prince are undergoing, but they give us a taste, albeit a mild one, of inconvenience and the need to accept and adapt. These "outward signs" can also be looked upon as visible evidence of the darkness, shadows, yes, sinfulness, that each one of us is subject to as part of the human condition. As damaging as storms and earthquakes are to the planet, our sins damage our relationships to God and our neighbor even more severely. We don't think of it this way, but last night's "gift" might help us realize the mess we make when we sin, and lead us to pray from the depths of our heart: "Have mercy on us and on the whole world." God's mercy is really only what can help us clean up and repair the spiritual damage caused by sin.
Bro. Rene

You Answered Me

How often does our prayer revolve around asking? Not that this is wrong, for Jesus himself said: "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.... If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him" (Matt 7: 7-11). Indeed, Jesus strongly encourages us to ask. Most often, however, the answer does not come exactly as we ordered or expected it. The secret to resolving this apparent dilemma is to stop, reflect and see what has transpired in our lives over the past few days. This rear-view mirror will reveal that indeed God has answered our prayer with a gift that far surpasses what we had asked for. Our Lenten prayers and fasting are focused on purifying us, clearing the debris that interferes with a deeper, closer relationship with God. God's answers to our prayers might be doing just that, rather than satisfying what we THINK we need. This all hit me this morning at Mass, as I looked back on my Florida visit, during which I didn't realize a real cleansing was taking place, without my realizing it until this morning. May we put our trust more deeply in the God who knows and loves us, and may we more frequently come to acknowledge HIS answers, and humbly thank him.
Bro. Rene

A Humbled, Contrite Heart

Again, we are reminded about the place of the heart in our spiritual life. It's where the "action is", it's what God sees. The prophet Jonah was sent to preach repentence to the city of Nineveh, and knowing God's mercy, he knew that the people would repent and this his declaration of punishment would not come to pass, thus making him appear as a foolish failure. The people did repent: "When God saw by their actions how they turnd from their evil way, he repented of the evil that he had threatened to do to them; he did not carry it out." (Jonah 3:10). God saw a change in their hearts and actions, and granted them mercy. Instead of rejoicing that people had listened to his message, Jonah sulked and became depressed. His heart was not in tune with God's, and God had to humble Jonah and show him his "right" to be God.

When we focus on ourselves, it is so easy to be like Jonah, and miss the power of a humble and contrite heart. God has to step in and rescue us from our own arrogance. He calls us to take refuge in him and invites us to hide in him: "The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants./ Those who hide in him shall not be condemend." Can we find a better hiding place?
Bro. Rene

It Shall Not Return to Me Void

Highly recommended for the season of Lent is the reading of Scripture. It has always been a part of Marist Spirituality too, which always tends to be practical and simple. The word of God is effective and nourishing if we let it, like rain, penetrate to the depths of our hearts. Isaiah puts it this way: "Just as from the heavens,/ the rain and snow come down/And do not return there/ till they have watered the earth,/ making it ferile and fruitful,/ Giving seed to the one who sows/ and bread to the one who eats,/ So shall my word be/ that goes forth from my mouth; It shall not return to me void,/ but shall do my will,/achieving the end for which I sent it." (Is 55:10-11). If we take the word to be THE WORD, Jesus, surely his coming among us has been effective. As the word of Scripture, it always seems to have a relevance NOW to our current situation. Non-Catholics have a great devotion to the Word of God, the Scriptures, and often at Christian Schools, children are made to memorize a verse of Scripture per day. On Sunday, the winner of the Allianz Tournament in Boca Raton, Bernahrd Langer, said his daughter gave him a Scripture Verse to carry with him to the tournament. It fit perfectly. Remember, "I sought the Lord and he answere me' and delivered me from all my fears. Look to him that you may be radiant with joy, and your faces may not blush with shame." Ps 34. Find the verse that fits you today. It will not return void.
Bro. Rene

Fasting

We're not even a week into Lent so I thought a word about fasting might be appropriate as an option to include in our Lenten practices. I was going to entitle this "Fasting Made Easy", but that would be a contradiction. There has to be some rub, some effort, some stretching, otherwise it looses its purpose. I guess I was thinking that if taken in little bits, it might not be as formidable as thinking of 40 entire days of fasting. The kind of fasting also, has something to do with it. If we say we will limit ourselves to one meal a day...or five days a week on bread and water, then we might well back off from the idea of fasting. But if we say in general that we will willingly deprive ourselves of something we like, even spontaneously, we might find ourselves doing more than we thought possible. So, we can easily leave off the salt or pepper, or our favorite sauce, and offer the sacrifice, small as it is, in reparation for our sins and those of the whole world. Or, we might forgo our favorite TV program, and use the time for a few decades of the rosary. We might take a moment to send a get-well card to a friend who is ill, or call a friend we haven't spoken to for some time. How much time do we spend with the newspaper? Can we limit ourselves to just glancing at the headlines and used the saved time to tell Jesus and Mary how much we love them? These are "fastings" that are doable, and private, as the Jesus recommends in the Sermon on the Mount. We can add them to the compulsroy meatless Fridays. Whatever we do should help us feel a gap in our regular routine, and draw us to fill it with prayer or good works. Let us help each other by prayer to accomplish our Lenten Fast.
Bro. Rene

Not By Bread Alone

Jesus wards of Satan by telling him (and us) that it is not by bread alone that we live, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. In a time when materialism and cynicism are hardening hearts, and casting doubt upon traditional values, or when our own self-righteousness blinds us to our need for redemption, these words ring as true now as when first uttered. TV is full of Tiger's apology; he appeared contrite and speaking from the heart. Yet, comments I've heard: "I'm tired of Tiger." "He didn't say anything. When is he going to get back to golf?" My own reaction is to judge these nay sayers, until I realize that I too am not giving folks a chance to be who they are and where they are. It's so easy to be black and white, but the world is gray, and Jesus came to redeem the whole package. May I, may we, watch our thoughts and words; may we not be discouraged by our own lack of "perfection", but more than ever, may we allow Jesus to heal us from our sinfulness and feed us the bread that gives life. If we don't, then Jesus has come in vain.
Bro. Rene

Awake to Hear the Call

Often, confinement of some sort, an illness, a lack of energy, too much work, caring for another, or an addiction, can be a blessing. Stripped of our ordinary outlets and distractions, we are reduced to our little foxhole where we see that our only hope of escape will come from "a higher power." We become bludgeoned so that we are forced to "wake up" to what we need to face, what we need to do. Two recent unexpected deaths of friends have made me aware again that we need to be ready, for we know not the day nor the hour. Lent also provides that wake up call...to repentence, to the need for conversion, to setting our house in order for the return of the Master. Being ready for Easter might be as far as we are called to go this year, but even that is a hearty call to clean house. May each day find us ready and awake to hear the call.
Bro. Rene

Bearing Lasting Fruit

Anyone serious about progress in the spiritual life must take time each day to reflect on his or her behavior. Some do this little exercise at noon, others do it at night, and others, with fresh minds, make it part of their morning prayer and take a reading of the previous day's score card in order to set the course for the coming day. Most often, something surfaces that makes us cringe: How could I have been so insensitive? Boy, I'm more self-centered than I thought. What don't I practice what I preach? Why did I not say thank you? How could I ignore so and so who evidently wanted a willing ear? On and on. We can choose to punish ourselves, torpedo our self-esteem, or we can choose to remember God's willingness, God's passionate desire to soothe and help us. After discovering the "guilty couple" in the Garden of Eden, and slamming the gate shut behind them, the consequence of their disobedience, God made the garments of skins to cover their now embarrassing nakedness. God is always there to outdo us in forgiveness and compassion and invites us over and over again to trust in his life-giving love. These two verses might help us remain on track as we start a new day:
"Blessed is the man (or woman) who trusts in the Lord,
whose hope is the Lord.
He (she) is like a tree planted beside the waters
that stretches out its roots to the stream:

It fears not the heat when it comes,
its leaves stay green;
In the year of drought it shows no distress,
but still bears fruit. (Jer 17: 7-8)

No matter what our "review of the day" yields, let us not give up, but remember that our roots reach down to the LIVING STREAM...God's love. No heat, no drought can prevent us from bearing lasting fruit as long as our trust and hope are in God.
Bro. Rene

Wisdom of Heart

On this first day of Lent, more than just ashes are being given to us. The word "heart" comes up several times in our readings and prayers today. The Prophet Joel conveys the word of the Lord "to return to me with your whole heart." (Joel 2:12) and "Rend you hearts, not your garments" (Joel 2:3). We pray in Psalm 90: Make us know the shortness of our life/that we may gain wisdom of heart". The heart is not only the source of life, but it is the foundation upon which our spiritual life is built. It's not head knowledge, it's not reading or pious books nor recitation of prayers that will make this a good Lent, but how we do them. If all comes from the heart and touches the heart, then grace will build a solid temple for the Spirit of God. Wisdom of heart will abound when we realize who we are, how dependent on God we are, and how much God want to fill us with his love and power. Let the walls come down, the garments be rent, and let the King of glory enter.
Bro. Rene

The Wisdom of Heart

Ash Wednesday

I am blessed to be able to offer a slice of Daily Bread, albeit from Bal Harbour, Florida, on this day. By now our Lenten resolutions and regimen our in our minds, if not on paper, and the ashes are or soon will be on our foreheads. It is important to look at the season positively, as a chance to grow in love with Jesus, to feed that relationship, as well as to make it visible by our good works. We are reminded that our prayers and penances should be done in secret, but there is no admonition against charitable acts, kind words of affirmation, the holding back of a derogatory comment, or the volunteering of our time. Our spiritual needs, our desires, our availability, and above all, an openness to respond to the intrusions and interruptions we had not planned, provide the opportunity for the greatest growth. The prayer of Jesus in the Garden becomes our own: "Not my will, but Thine be done!" Forty days of that, and we will be new people and ready to renew our Easter Promises. The gun has been fired, we're off the blocks...Let us run the good race.
Bro. Rene

Presidents' Day

While celebrating the lives of two great presidents, pillars of our nation, as well as all of our presidents, it would be good to offer prayers for our current president and his administration. God's guidance is necessary for any of us, and surely that important position requires special grace. Let us also pray for ourselves, the citizenry, whose informed votes determine our fidelity as a nation to the ideals of our founding fathers, and to the legacies of Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln whose presidencies modeled this fidelity. Let us pray for our youth that they might appreciate and work for the freedoms we enjoy, which do not come without price. Faith, hard work, self-discipline, love of our country, and strong determination to uphold our ideals must be encouraged and passed on to the young. Let us also give thanks for the blessings we have received, for the challenges we face, and for the many who hold fast to our goals and purpose, especially our armed forces, so loyal to this "one nation under God" which offers "liberty and justice for all."
On a personal note, I will be in Bal Harbour, Florida for the next ten days, as the guest of an elderly friend whose health is beginning to become an issue. I will have only occasional access to a computer, so the slices of Daily Bread might be less consistent than usual. Please remember to work on your lenten program and begin by receiving ashes this Wednesday, as a sign of our need for repentance and change of heart. I will be united to you in prayer and sacrifice. God bless you all.
Bro. Rene

Valentine's Day

Since December 26th commercial hype has been centered on Valentine's Day. Lately, advertisements for bargain bouquets of roses, the traditional Valentine's Day gift, have flooded the air waves. Well, today's the day, cards, gifts, expressions of love abound. All good, but who was St. Valentine? What connection did he have with Hallmark, Stouffers or red roses? The truth is, NOTHING. St. Valentine was a priest who was martyred for helping Christians who were oppressed and for his faith during the reign of Claudius II around 269-270 A.D. It is not clear how he became associated with the romantic aspect of this holiday, other than by early signs of spring in England, such as the mating of birds that occurs in mid-February, or by replacing an earlier pagan custom of drawing the names of girls in honor of their goddess, Februata Juno. Instead, names of Saints were written on the billets which were drawn. Whatever the origins, the custom of honoring our beloveds on this day is well-established, and, it seems, cemented in our culture.
However we might make the following link from the commercial to the spiritual from today's Gospel, St. Luke's version of the Beatitudes, where it is clear that in the Christian view, the opposite of what we experience here will be reversed in the kingdom of God: those who weep will laugh, the hungry will be filled, the hated will be rewarded in heaven, and above all, the poor will inherit the kingdom of God. All for emptying ourselves and turning our hearts over completely to God, as Valentine did in offering his life for others and ultimately to God in martyrdom. As we spend this sabbath day, this Valentine's Day, let us color our expressions of love for one another with a deeper gift of ourselves from our hearts to God's.
Bro. Rene

The Thirteenth Day

On this day, February 13th, five years ago, Sister Lucia, the last of the children to see Our Lady at Fatima in 1917 died at the age of 97 as a Carmelite nun. Mary began her apparitions on May 13th and promised to appear on the 13th day of the month for the next six months. The final apparition on October 13th concluded with the famous "Miracle of the Sun". 70,000 assembled people saw the sun spinning, and spiraling in a ray of color toward the earth, drying the rain-soaked crowd and convincing the most hardened skeptics that indeed this was a supernatural event. The real miracle is what happened in the hearts of these people and of those who also have believed since then. Mary came with a promise of peace, based on on fidelity to the Gospel, prayer and fasting. First Saturday devotions spring from this call, as well as the daily rosary. As we approach Lent, we might consider Mary's request, perhaps even look more deeply into the story of these apparitions.
I highly recommend a new film (DVD) on Fatima entitled THE THIRTEENTH DAY. Made on a small budget, it is nevertheless artistically pleasing as well as an accurate portrayal of the faith of the children as opposed to the incredulity of the adults and civil authorities who allegedly knew more than these "mere children." Is it odd that most of the times Mary appears to us, she chooses children as her mediators? Something about the innocence and sense of wonder that we all had as children come into play here. We might pray for a return to those gifts that were once part of ourselves, and find the peace promised by our Good Mother.
Bro. Rene

He Has Done All Things Well

St. Mark reports the reaction of the crowds who witnessed the cure of the deaf man and were exceedingly astonished, proclaiming, even after Jesus admonished them not to talk about it, "He has done all things well..." (Mk 7:31). Today, as we celebrate Abraham Lincoln's birthday, we could say the same thing about him. Despite the difficulties he faced with the civil war and in his own household, he remained, "Honest Abe"and steered a course based on conscience and integrity. The statue of him in the Lincoln Memorial is a testimony to the weight he bore and the things he did so well. Will people be able to say that about us? Not that we are looking for acclaim, as neither Jesus nor Lincoln did, but if we follow our hearts, remain true to ourselves and the God who created us, our words and actions will cause people to look up and say, "He/she, has done all things well." Let us take example from these two great leaders and put into practice what we see in them.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of Lourdes

On this day 152 years ago, Our Blessed Lady began a series of 18 apparitions to the young teenager, Bernadette Soubirous. In the course of the apparitions, Mary revealed herself as the Immaculate Conception, a title which had been proclaimed as a dogma of faith only four years before. This was not only a confirmation of the dogma but also a sign of Mary's maternal desire that we pray more often, using the rosary in particular, so that we would dwell on the key events in the life of Jesus, and thus come to know, love and serve him more. She also displayed her motherly concern for the sick and the poor. 67 miracles of healing have been officially recognized by the Church since then. Many, many others, both physical and spiritual, have been claimed but not officially recognized. Of course, Bernadette's report of having seen a "beautiful lady" was not accepted at first and caused her much suffering. The skeptics began to believe only when they saw the signs...the miraculous spring and the healings.
Mary's desire for us to follow the basic teachings of Jesus is at the root of these visits from heaven...always, it seems to children, who have not been hardened by skepticism, but whose hearts are open and receptive. She knows our propenstiy to demand "signs" and gives them...anything to help us believe, so great it her love for us.
The following prayer was dictated by Mary to Jelena, a locutionist (one who hears the voice of Mary, but does not have a vision of her). It is her way of helping us to pray and to show us how to return the great love she has for us:
"O Immaculate Heart of Mary, overflowing with goodness, show us your love. May the flame of your heart, O Mary, descend upon all people. We love you so very much. Impress true love in our hearts. May our hearts yearn for you. O Mary, sweet and humble of heart, remember us even when we sin. You know that we are all sinners. through your most sacred and motherly heart, heal us of every spiritual illness. Make us capable of realizing the beauty of your maternal heart, and in this way, may we be converted by the flame of your heart. Amen. "
Bro. Rene

Priorities

Since Ash Wednesday is a week from today, it is time to start looking at what we might possibly do to make those next 40 days stand out as different from the rest of the year,to brainstorm, and prioritize those ideas so that we really DO something specific and not be all over the place and accomplish little. Since Lent is placed in the Church calendar as a time of preparation to renew our baptismal promises at Easter, we need to ask ourselves what we can do to renew our commitment of faith, the rejection of evil, and enhance our life in Christ as an adopted son or daughter of God. We tend to grow sluggish in our spiritual life, and Lent provides a time to "get in spiritual shape." Many folks commit time to a dailyphysical workout at home or in a gym, paying the cost as a sign of their determination. Are we willing to make such a "sacred" commitment to spiritual conditioning?
If we say yes, then we need to look at the areas that are the weakest and work on them. The Church recommends a three-pronged approach: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. How are we doing with weekly Mass attendence, personal prayer, family prayer? Is there value in "giving up" something, or in fasting from something we like or are "addicted to"...not just food, but some activity. Can we take time to do some service to the needy? Yes, our lives are already busy, so we need to prioritze and do something we can do consistently for the length of the season. Our focus is on Jesus and how we can eliminate attitudes, distractions, things that block our relationship with him, not just doing spiritual pushups for their own sake. We have a week to choose. Let's not be too hard on ourselves, but that the same time, let's do something that will mark Lent as a season that will be different from our ordinary routine and really bring us again to resurrection and new life at Easter.
Bro. Rene

More

The craving for MORE seems to be part of our human nature: more money, more power, more fame, more prestige, more friends, even more coffee. We are trapped in the pursuit of MORE. It is not bad urge, and properly directed, can lead us to a purer, less cluttered, more receptive self. When we become aware that MORE is stuffing us with distractions and preoccupations that uncenter us, we need to refocus our MORE DRIVE to more attention to the "something more" that can bring life with a purpose, life with goals that bring us deep joy: time to reflect, sort out, and discard the unnecessary, the gadgetry, the glitter, the degrading, from our lives; time to spend in silent contemplation of our God, to basque in the soothing presence of his love; time for gratitude for the blessings of family, people, Jesus, the Eucharist an all the other sacraments; time to look at and appreciate the beauty of creation, of people, of God's unfathomable plan for our good and growth; time to see what really matters. We will find that the "something more" we crave is really SOMEONE MORE. To find and grasp that SOMEONE, we will need to empty ourseselves, or be emptied, to have MORE --God--in the LESS.
Bro. Rene

The Fourth Day

Yesterday, World Day for Consecrated Life and Super Bowl Sunday, was also the launching into the Fourth Day of the 38 new young Lay Marists who completed the three-day Marist Youth Encounter Christ Program in Esopus, New York. It was amazing to see how this eager-from-the-start group grew in their understanding of themselves, their relationship to Jesus, and their call to be Marists, and how readily accepted their commission to live all they learned on the "Fourth Day" of their Encounter, which is every day for the rest of their lives. They were on fire!
During his Fourth Day talk, the Rector of the Encounter, Irving Burbano, told of his shock at seeing an almost empty Church when he went to his usual Mass in his home parish during the Christmas Break. He spoke to his parish priest about the absence of young people, and even of the regular elderly women who used to come to that Mass. It was now an empty desert. Irving agreed to come work in the parish as a youth minister when he graduates from College. I told him that his experience reminded me of St. Marcellin's encounter with the dying Jean Baptiste Montagne, the young lad who had no concept of God, and who thus inspired St. Marcellin to begin the Marist Brothers, and that the present situation with youth demands as radical a move as Champagnat made. "We need Brothers!" he used to say. I challenged Irving to consider such a radical step in his life. He was taken aback, but said he had thought of it from time to time. Perhaps this incident will be a turning point for him.
Two of the Encounterites lost a ping-pong match and as a result had to put on the Marist Habit, and give forty years of their lives as "brothers", which was part of the light-hearted wager of their game. Rather than seeing it as a "punishment", they wore it with pride, and took on the demeanor of happy and dedicated brothers, and honestly, they looked like I did as a young brother a half a century ago. I asked them to consider wearing it permanently, and they did not resist, but seemed open to the possibility. Prayer, discernment, encouragement, and above all, God's call, are needed.
Nevertheless, everyone who left Esopus, has the tools and the incentive, in whatever state of life he or she are called, to add the Marist Mission of making Jesus known and loved to their agenda. Let us keep them and each other in our prayers.
Bro. Rene

Marist Youth Encounter Christ

This evening in Esopus, New York, close to 40 students from our Marist schools throughout the Province of the United States of America will gather to begin a retreat experience commonly referred to as the Encounter. This program is an offshoot of the Cursillo Movement which was adapted in the late sixties for high school students. The Marist Brothers jumped on this new opportunity "to make Jesus known and loved" and held the first Encounters in Esopus in 1968. They were so powerful and successful that schools which couldn't afford to travel to Esopus began to run their own Marist Encounters locally. Central Catholic just held one last week, and tonight I and five of our students will attend this Marist-wide Encounter.
The goal of the Encounter is for the participants to experience the love of God through their peers. A series of talks and discussions gradually helps unfold the reality that each person is good and loveable (many come to the Encounter lacking confidence in themselves, limping with low self-esteem, or hiding their true selves behind a mask), and that certainly God loves them unconditionally. They are re-introduced to Jesus and the Friend and Brother par excellence who is "there for them" in any circumstance. By the end of the Encounter, "miraculous" changes are visible in the faces of the students, and in many cases, lasting friendships are made, and a new relationship with Jesus has been established. That the Encounter remains so effective more than 40 years after its inception is surely sign that this tool is effective and has the blessing of St. Marcellin, whose passion was "to make young people realize how much Jesus loves them." The most powerful graces come from the prayers and sacrifices of those behind the scenes, such as you. Please keep us in your prayers today through Sunday...perhaps "give up" something you like as a sacrifice to help allow the grace of God penetrate deeply and effectively in the hearts of all of us making the Encounter. Thank you.
I will not be able to post a slice of Daily Bread until Monday. Will be praying for all of you as well.
Bro. Rene

St. Blase

A reminder that February 3rd is the memorial of St. Blase, Bishop and Martyr, whose cure of a young boy choking on a fish bone led to the annual blessing of throats after Masses on this day, and sometimes extended to the following weekend. With all the medicines available, we still rely on his intercession for throat and other ailments. And how many times are we asked to pray for someone who is ill? Thankfully, we still associate healing with prayer. Jesus did not hesitate, where there was evident faith, to cure illnesses and deformities. The physical cures were a sign that inner healings were possible as well. The cripple who was lowered through the roof so that Jesus could pray over him, cure him, and yes, forgive his sins, is a prime example (Matt. 9: 1-8 ) God knows that we long for good health. Expenditures on health care each year are in the billions. Would that our faith were that extravagant! Let us try to attend Mass today and have our throats blessed, but let's also be attentive to the need for a deeper faith. Lord, when I pray, let me do so from my heart, not just my lips. May I pray with faith, believing that you hear my every word, and if it fits into your plan, will grant my request. Let my faith go beyond just receiving positive answers, to a total abandonment of my heart and will to yours. Amen.
Bro. Rene

The Presentation of the Lord

Groundhog Day makes the newscasts and headlines, but more significantly for Catholics is the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, commemorating the ancient purification ceremony prescribed as an option (Nb. 18:15), evidently profoundly meaningful to Mary and Joseph, who knew from the beginning, that this Child was special. Indeed, he is recognized by the old priest, Simeon as the promised salvation of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and the glory for Israel" (Lk 2:32). Simeon took the child into his arms and blessed God, and Anna, the aged widow, "gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were awaiting the redemption of Jerusalem" (Lk 2:38). Candles are blessed on this day at Mass where there is often a procession to remind us that we are to carry the light to the nations as well.
Perhaps we could in our hearts see ourselves as that vulnerable child being surrended to God and let Mary present us as a light to others today. A kind word of gratitude or praise, a smile to our family or co-workers, an extra prayer for the sick, a small donation for Haiti or some other cause...simple acts which align themselves with the mission of peace, love and hope that is ours as "lights to the nations."
Bro. Rene

Marist Education

"Discipline is the body of education, religion is its soul." This maxim of St. Marcellin is still visible in any Marist school around the world. St. Marcellin placed the teaching of religion as the main purpose of the schools he opened. Jean Baptiste Montagne's ignorance of the faith was the catalyst which precipitated the recruitment of the first two "Little Brothers of Mary" to help prevent this ignorance from keeping others from the relationship with God for which we are all created. Therefore, the catechism was the hub around which reading, writing, and arithmetic spun. And in order to insure an orderly and exemplary atmosphere in the schools, an outward structure of rules based on respect and the living out of Christian moral values became the hallmark of these early schools, the skeletal and fleshly framework in which the soul could be effectively nourished and grow to its full potential. Happily, our Marist schools today continue to thrive on this primal concept. It is amazing to go around the world and see how it is lived in various cultures, and how it achieves its end: a fully rounded, happy graduate, whose faith is at the heart of all he or she does.
Discipline and faith...not a bad model for our own personal lives. Structure: to guarantee daily prayer, the presence of God, study of our faith, and service to others to put that faith into practice. With discipline, structure, the faith reaches full maturity. The body cannot live without the soul, yet the body helps the soul to reach its full potential.
Bro. Rene