"This Day I Have Begotten You."

We have fast-paced it through the month of April: four weeks of celebrating Easter so far. Marist tradition encourages us on the last day of the month to look back and see what has been happening during that time, and above all, to give thanks for all: the good, naturally, and even for what we might at first have considered "bad". It's amazing how in the looking back, the "bad" doesn't seem so dire, and might even now be seen as a blessing.

April 1st was Holy Thursday, the beginning of the Triduum, a perfect way to begin a month of rejuvenation, as days get longer and warmer, and grass greener. Easter, our redemption day, our day of the renewal of our baptismal promises and our reawakening of what it means to be born again, was April 4th. In Psalm 2, we read, "You are my Son; this day I have begotten you" (Ps 2:7), originally referring to the king of Israel, later, by extension, to Jesus, and by further extension, to us. At our baptisms we have been begotten by God. We can never fully exhaust our reflections on this grace of graces, that's why the ensuing days of April found us examining and applying the deeper meaning of this event to us on "this day", today, so that every day is an Easter. Let us proceed in gratitude and confidence as we begin our day, fortified and assured that we are indeed God's own begotten and beloved sons and daughters. Thank you, Lord, for the wonders of this month and for giving me the gift of life, human and divine. Amen.
Bro. Rene

God's Messengers

"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it." (Jn 13: 16-17). This verse perfectly fits St. Catherine of Siena, whose Memorial we keep today. Her early years were spent in contemplation as a recluse in her own home, much to the chagrin of her parents. This period allowed her to gain self-knowledge as well as the ability to hear clearly the voice of God and to act on it. When she emerged from this phase of her growth, she became a powerful and fearless witness to and messenger of God's Word. She mediated between warring cities, defended the Pope, even convincing him to return to Rome from Avignon, and tried her best to stave off the Great Western Schism. Her writings show a brilliant mind with a such a deep grasp of theology, that Pope Paul VI declared her a Doctor of the Church in 1970. She stands as an example to us today, to develop our contemplative side in order to become more effective witnesses and messengers. With St. Catherine, let us pray in her own words:
"O Eternal God, receive the sacrifice of my life in this Mystical Body of Holy Church. I have nothing to give except what Thou hast given me."
Bro. Rene

St. Peter Chanel

A young priest in southern France, and successful in turning around his first parish, Peter Chanel was not satisfied and longed for a more adventurous life as a missionary. His dream was fulfilled when he joined the newly formed Society of Mary (Marist Fathers) but only after five years of teaching at the Seminary in Belley. At last in 1836, just after official approval of the new Society, he set sail for New Hebrides as the superior of a group of missionaries, including some of Father Champagnat's Little Brothers of Mary. Peter took half the group to the island of Futuna and labored there for three years with enough results to incur the ire of the King, whose son had become a convert to Catholicism. Peter was clubbed to death on this date in 1841, but in the old time-proven formula, his blood became the seed of faith; in five months, the whole island had become Catholic. Peter Chanel became the first Marist saint when canonized in 1954 by Pope Pius XII. The people of Futuna, Tonga and other islands in the South Pacific remain strong in their faith even today, thanks to the sacrifice and efforts of St. Peter and his companions.

As you read this, Marist Brothers continue to live out the missionary zeal exhibited by our "cousin", St. Peter Chanel in what we call our Mission Ad Gentes program. Brothers from all over the world have entered Bangledesh, Indonesia and China to "make Jesus known and loved." Already they are meeting with great success and many have been converted. Not only converted, but several are seeking to become Marist Brothers! May we make a special effort this day to pray for our Marist Family as it seeks to live up to its mission.
Bro. Rene

Once Again Made Whole

It seems we are always picking up the pieces and putting Humpty-Dumpty together again. Such is the nature of our fallen world, one which deviated from the plan of God and chose a path centered on self rather than on God. The first man and woman, made that choice, and were sent out of a perfect world into one fragmented and shadowy. We were born into that condition, BUT because of God's enormous love, we were given another chance. "Christ became our paschal sacrifice.
"In him a new age has dawned,
the long reign of sin is ended,
a broken world hs been renewed,
and man is once again made whole" (Easter Preface IV).
That last phrase just leaps out in these days when we live in a world of tension between opposites, all stemming from the same choice faced by our first parents. Division abounds, countries, businesses vie for first place, human rights are trampled, marriages dissolve: scattered pieces everywhere. And in our own lives that endless dichotomy: "The good I wish to do, I do not, and that which I wish not to do, I do." (Rm 7:19).
No wonder we are celebrating Easter for 50 days, and "we praise God with greater joy than ever" because Christ has mended the division, given us the glue to put the pieces of our lives, and thus of the world, back together. We simply need to yield to God's plan: "This will of God is the love of the father. It is his loving will for the individual child of God; a living force that encourages and sustains, and affords the power to fulfill it." ( Msgr. Romano Guardini) Let us pray daily for an open heart and allow God to make us whole again.
Bro. Rene

Work, Work, Work

"Come to me, all you who are weary and overburdened, and I will give you rest" (Mt. 11:28). Rest? "I have no time for that; I have work to do." "...and Jesus, tired from the long walk, sat wearily beside the well at noontime" (Jn 4: 6b). "Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion" Mk 4: 38). Jesus invites, admonishes us to rest, and is not ashamed to take time to rest and sleep himself, showing us that we owe it to ourselves to honor the need to rest and rejuvenate; we cannot keep working all the time, for we will then enter into the realm of diminshing returns. The more we try to do, the less effective it will be. St. Paul said, "I can do all things in him who strengthens me", but he did not mean that we have to do everything, and then ask God for the strength to survive our self-inflicted over-work. No, he meant that God would give us the strength to do what he wants us to do. After his brief rest by the well, Jesus helped the Samaritan woman "find a life" again. After being awakened in the boat, he calmed the sea and demonstrated the need for confidence, trust and faith in him. Evidently, he didn't preach and heal all the time. He took his needed "times apart" for prayer, and yes for sleep! Perhaps it would help us to see if we could insert a time for rest in our "work, work work" formula: work, rest, work. We would accomplish more in the long run, and "have a life" besides.
Bro. Rene

Our Good Shepherd

The compassion and tenderness of the Risen Jesus cooking breakfast for his dejected disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee is matched by the assuring image and comforting words of the Good Shepherd: "My sheep hear my voice: I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand." (Jn 10: 27-28). We need to sit quietly and let these words sink in. Indeed, to spend time, especially on this Sabbath, with all of chapter 10, would be worthwhile to calm our fears and realize that God's care for us reaches across every "desert" and dark place in our lives. Yes, the times and places when we feel most alone, most overwhelmed and helpless. Again, to hear his voice, to listen! The German theologian, Johan A. Mohler wrote: "I think I could no longer live if I stopped hearing Him speak." As I write the birds a singing their morning praise. God's voice is heard in these everyday wonders we take for granted...the attempts of a child to speak, the wisdom of an elder, a hymn at Mass, the life stories of family, friends, and our own lives, the Scriptures. Hear and follow, heed and never perish.
Bro. Rene

Give Us Samuel's Ears

We are all familiar with the story of the young Samuel who heard a voice calling him in the night and thought it was the priest of the Lord, Eli. Eli didn't hear the voice, but urged Samuel to reply, "Yes, Lord, your servant is listening." (1Sam 3:9), which he did and received the message the Lord wished to give Eli. Centuries later, the author of the classic book on contemplation, The Cloud of Unknowing, wrote: "So I want you to undestand clearly that for beginners and those a little advanced in contemplation, reading or hearing the word of God must precede pondering it, and without time given to serious reflection there will be no genuine prayer."
Mary listened to the words of Gabriel, Joseph listened to what he heard in his dreams, Jesus often went apart to listen to his Father. Listening is a basic, a foundational stone for growth and progress in our spiritual lives. How often in a conversation do we realize that folks aren't listening to each other, or to us, or that WE aren't really listening to them? It's embarrassing when we realize it, but oh, so true and so often the case. If we don't listen to each other, are we not surprised to find ourselves not listening while we pray? So much of our prayer time is devoted to asking for this or that, praying for all sorts of intentions, reciting our favorite prayers, but rarely listening to what God is trying to say to us. We need to be less like Eli and more like Samuel. How is he speaking to us today? What is he saying? Lord, Give us Samuel's ears! AMEN!
Bro. Rene

They Who Sow in Tears

Does not a day go by when we don't hear of another person stricken with cancer, a fatal auto accident, a fire, a shocking and damaging scandal of some sort? Even our own daily challenges on our "to do lists", or the fatigue that finds its source in routine, or in frustration from not being able to "control" our lives make for our own "tears". Truly "this valley of tears" as we pray in the Hail, Holy Queen is for real. But, in Psalm 126, we read, "They who sow in tears shall reap rejoicing", or in another translation,
"Those who plant in tears
will harvest with shouts of joy.
They weep as they go to plant their seed,
but they sing as they return with the harvest." (Ps 126: 5-6)

Certainly this fits into our Easter theme of resurrection, of life anew. We are born again, we are fed daily by grace, and if we choose, the Eucharist. There's no denying, there's no way to avoid the "tears" that are part of our human condition, but at the same time, there's no denying the joy that comes with the harvest. And why wait till harvest time? Why not anticipate that end-joy and implant it into our day, and take the sting out of what we have to do. Our joy can help bring someone else out of their slump, and make their day brighter as well. Tears can be turned to joy, sooner than we think.
Bro. Rene

Strong Is God's Love For Us

It happens frequently enough that when we are praying for someone or what we conceive as "a must", that those people or situations sink to even lower levels. We wonder IF our prayers are heard, or as one friend said just last night, "My prayer is on low, if not on empty." This is very real, and humanly speaking, understandable and unaswerable. It seems, however, that these troughs, these canyons in our prayer life occur as opportunities to force us to search, to listen, and to be ready to see in a new way what we often gloss over in our readings or the prayers we recite rotely. If we are in the habit of reading a bit of Scripture each day, particularly the Psalms, or the readings provided for daily Mass, we will find something that "leaps out" at us as if for the first time, just when we need it, and reminds us of the fundamental truth that "strong is God's love for us." We can then make Mary's Magnificat our own and sing again for joy, as in these words from Psalm 33:

"Ring out your joy to he Lord, O you just;
for praise is fitting for loyal hearts.

For the word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love." Ps 33: 1, 4)

In Isaiah we read: "My soul yearns for you in the night,/ yes, my spirit within me keeps vigil for you." (Is 26: 9). Reverse this and hear God say this to US...! He yearns for us and keeps vigil for us! What can be more consoling?

"Yet the Lord is waiting to show you favor,
and he rises to pity you;
For the Lord is a God of justice:
blessed are all who wait for him!" (Is 30:18).

O God, let your strong love reassure me when my faith grow thin. Amen.
Bro. Rene

The Presence of God

I wonder if the close followers of Jesus, particularly the Eleven, had any incling that the time of Jesus' physical presence among them was limited and would eventually come to an end. If so, wouldn't they have wanted to take advantage of that presence and be with him as much as possible? We have a few recorded instances of appearances: on the road to Emmaus, in the upper room, by the shore of the Sea of Gallilee, for example. I wonder if there were others.
What we do know is that Jesus gave himself to us in the Holy Eucharist, and promised the Holy Spirit, who would live in us and help us continue to abide in him. (cf. Jn 14: 15-21).
One of the foundations of growth in the spiritual life left to us by St. Marcellin, is "The Presence of God, a simple but frequent reminder to ourselves that God is within us, beside us, in others, everywhere. Another way of looking at it is to imagine ourselves as one of the Eleven, seeking to be with Jesus as much as possible in those post-resurrection days. As they hungered to be in his presence, so might we. It's easy to find, if not in frequent attendance at Mass, then at frequent moments of short awareness-awakening prayers or conversations with Jesus...even to just saying his name. Our thoughts, our language, our treatment of others and our actions would be much different if we lived as much as possible in the presence of God. Try it.
Bro. Rene

Costly Discipleship

Having internet problems, so I'm rushing.
Today's liturgy features the martyrdom of St. Stephen. I suggest you read Acts 7: 51-8: 1a. If you have time, you might even want to read his whole discourse which precedes this final scene.
Two things to note: We cannot escape some form of suffering, death to self, or even death itself, if we are to follow Jesus. What "little deaths" will we offer up today? And secondly, see how forgiving Stephen was! Can we find that depth of forgiveness? We have our challenges set before us for today and all days.
Bro. Rene

Patriot's Day

A new poll shows that 80% of Americans do not trust the government. Shocking and sad. 227 years ago, men who were fed up with the government fired the first shot of revolt to disentangle themselves from what they considered oppressive and began what was intended to be a republic where "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, our inalienable rights" could be pursued freely and peacefully. Benjamin Franklin warned, however, that the founding Fathers gave us "a republic, if you can keep it." He was aware that our flawed human nature would start voting itself new "rights" at the expense of other citizens. It seems he was right and people are now awakening to the mounting reality that what the Patriots fought for is beginning to disintegrate.
As we in Massachusetts celebrate this day with SALES and the Boston Marathon, let us also reflect on our past, the generations who have sought and fought to maintain our ideals. During these days of meditation on the resurrection let us pray for ourselves, our leaders of church and state, that we may keep our eyes on the dignity inherent in each of us, and of the precious price of freedom from the oppression of sin and of one another, that Christ's Victory has won for us. There is a strong connection between what he did, what we believe and the way we live. It seems to me there would be less fragmentation if there were more unity of all of these in Christ.
Bro. Rene

Follow Me

"Follow me." (Jn 21: 19). These powerful and commanding two words appear at the end of the story in today's Gospel, where Jesus has just fed breakfast to several of he remaining eleven apostles, and had Peter undo his tri-fold denial with a tri-fold affirmation of his love for Jesus. I find it amazing that Jesus always forgives, allows us to regain confidence, draws even deeper commitment from us and then entrusts us with tasks that at first seem far beyond our ability to carry out. "Follow me." Would you or I have ever ever wanted to continue friendship with or chosen this cowardly "weakling" to take over leadership in a new and dynamic movement? Jesus' insight into hearts, into potential, and his firm belief that "love makes all things possible" shows us how we should act with others. After all, it's how he acts towards us!
"Lord, thank you for your patience, your gentle correction, your confidence and love. May I, in turn, be patient with myself and others, and allow love to enable us to follow you into the unknown with the assurance that we have nothing to fear and will be able to accomplish what at first appeared impossible. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Doing God's Will Joyfully

In Psalm 40 we read, "I take joy in doing your will, my God,/for your law is written on my heart." (Ps 40: 8). We often hear people say in the context of something that goes awry, "It's God's will", and we accept it submissively, if not begrudgingly and blamingly, because it was not what we wanted, not OUR will. God's will is looked upon as a sledge hammer, and we resign ourselves to doing it as a wedge resigns itself to be driven into a log by a powerful blow from a mighty hammer. Does this approach give any credit to all that we know of God from even our own personal history, as we look back and see God's guidance, and the evidence that the way God directed things for us always turned out much better than the way we had in mind? In a fine little book of daily readings, GOD CALLING, Jesus says, "Resignation to My Will keeps Me barred out from more hearts than does unbelief. Can anything be such a crime against Love as being resigned? My Will should be welcomed with a glad wonder if I am to do MY Work in your heart and life." (p. 82). If we look upon the events in our lives not as coincidences, but the result of God's loving plan, "these gradually engender a feeling of wonder, certainty, gratitude, followed in time by Joy." (GOD CALLING, p. 83).
When Mary gave her consent to the Angel Gabriel, did she do it simply with resignation? If so, how could she sing out, "My soul magnifies and the Lord and me spirit rejoices in God my Savior"? (Lk 1:46). Mary, be our inspiration always, and teach us how do find joy in doing God's will as you did. Thank you. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Bread For Life

God is good at feeding us. Centuries ago, as the Hebrews wandered in the desert after leaving Egypt, God gave them manna each day from which they made bread. Those who hunger are always satisfied. "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." (Psalm 81:11 ). "...Israel (us) I would feed with finest wheat/and fill them with honey from the rock." (Ps 81: 17) Their descendents a millenium later, were told to sit on a grassy hillside along the Sea of Galillee, while bread and fish were distributed to satisfy their hunger. Not long after, Jesus explained that He was the ultimate bread : I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes in me will never thirst. (Jn 6:35). Manna was fulfilled in the bread of life. This same bread is available to us weekly, even daily. It is bread that comes to us in the WORD, in the sacrament, and in the faith shared by those attending. More nourishing than the finest food we can produce, it feeds the new life we received at baptism and enables us, as we have been fed, to be bread for others. Take a moment to thank God for this tremendous gift, and prepare now to receive it over the weekend. It is our bread for life, the bread that makes us live.
Bro. Rene

Peace

Peace is a frequent theme that emerges in our 50 day meditation on the resurrection. We might have it in our hearts, but others don't, and it seems that we need to renew our sense of it daily, if we are to bring it to them. Long ago, the prophet Micah, in speaking of the coming Messiah, had this to say:
"And he shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of he Lord,
in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.
And they shall live secure, for now he shall be great to the ends of the earth;
and he shall be the one of peace "(Micah 5:4-5).
Our peace must be rooted in the one of peace, Jesus; we must let him feed us daily to find true security and freedom from worry and anxiety.
In order for peace to permeate our communities and even the world, it must have these elements described by Vatican II:
"Peace cannot be obtained on earth unless personal values are safeguarded and we freely and trustingly share with one another the riches of our inner spirits and our talents.
"A firm determination to respect others and their dignity, as well as the studied practice of brotherhood (and sisterhood), are absolutely necessary for the establishment of peace. Hence, peace is likewise the fruit of love, which goes beyond what justice can provide. (The Church Today, 78)
"If we wish to have true peace, we must give it a soul. The soul of peace is love." (Pope Paul VI).
Bro. Rene

John 3:16

From bumper stickers to T-shirts, this verse for St. John is touted across the country. What's all the hullabaloo about? Translated from numbers to words, it reads: "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life." It is so often referred to and so popular because it sums up in one sentence what theologians and Scripture scholars have written volumes about: the nature of God, the gift of his Son for our redemption, the necessity for faith, and the promise of eternal LIFE! This is something to be excited about and to shout about from the balconies. In our post-Easter reflections on the resurrection, the words of the angel who freed the apostles from prison one night are relevant to us today: "Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life." (Acts 5: 20). Do we fully understand and appreciate "this life"? There's food for long thought. Even more challenging: Are we ready to take our place in the "temples" of our family, our workplaces, our circle of friends, and "tell everything about this life"? If we sit and absorb the first part of John's succinct summary of the Christian LIFE, our convictions, our appreciation, and our courage will deepen. Along with our Alleluia's, our ACTIONS will speak the message of what real living is about: total trust in God, total abandonment into God's hands, total confidence in God's love. The cost of risking ridicule for talking about what people really want to hear is minimal when compared to what God has freely given us. May this day see us LIVING our beliefs.
Bro. Rene

Good to Give Thanks

"It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praise to your name, O Most High;
to declare your steadfast love in the morning,
and your faithfulness by night,
to the music of the lute and the harp,
to the melody of the lyre.
For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work;
at the works of your hands I sing for joy." (Ps 92: 1-4)

The Easter season coincides in the Northern Hemisphere with the coming of spring, with its longer, brighter, warmer days, with the burgeoning of plant life, when colors of pink, red, yellow and green paint with new vitality what our eyes have grown accustomed to in the bleak days of winter. The familiar takes on a new life.

These glorious days of Easter can be lost if we don't step back to take a good look at the "familiar" and see it in a new light. Raking up leaves and dead branches is a chore, no question, but it can help us savor what has been and what is to come. It can help us realize as well that we often treat those around us like a wintery yard of past debris and rubble. We can be haunted by the fantasy of the greener grass on the other side of the fence, and miss the beauty under our noses. Taking stock of what goodness God has given us in the simple things and the people who surround us, spending time to see them in "spring light" will fill us with the joyful realization that it is indeed "good to give thanks."
Bro. Rene

Risen With Christ

This morning I came across this piece written by Elisabeth Leseur, who was a French married laywoman and died in 1914. Her cause for canonization is in process. Her sentiments, nearly 100 years old and from a culture which for the most part has disappeared in France, are amazingly Marist and relevant to us American Marists in the 21st century. They echo my desires, perhaps yours as well.
"I want this Easter-time to become both more 'interior' and more 'exterior,' however paradoxical that may seem. I want to live a more complete, intimate union with God. I want prayer to be the foundaiton of my spiritual life, my surest means of ministry, my best form of charity; my suffering, with my usual voluntary mortifications, will also be the means I will use for doing some good for ohers and drawing near to the heart of God.
"But exteriorly I will become, through God's grace, more gentle, more loving, engaged always and exclusively with others, their pleasure, their good, and above all, their spiritual well-being. This in all simplicity, forgetting myself, and making of my entire spiritual life a life hidden in Jesus Christ.
"And then I want more and more through prayer and my simple effort to establish in myself and manifest to others the joy, the holy, tender, unspeakable joy of Jesus. My immense weakness allows me to approach him only with great effort. He often makes me walk in darkness, on a dry path where the flowers of joy can scarcely grow. Yet my will to be his is stonger than ever, and he will accept, as a sacrifice of love, the gift of these struggles, these multiple sufferings."
May our ponderings over these words of wisdom help us penetrate more deeply what it means to have risen with Christ.
Bro. Rene

Christ's Peace: Divine Mercy

Formerly called "Low Sunday" in contrast to the bells and whistles of Easter Sunday, a new and popular title is Divine Mercy Sunday. It could also be called "Peace Sunday", or "Doubting Thomas Sunday", for both themes occur in today's Gospel from John 20: 19-31. Reflection on the events related in that Gospel brings the realization that peace and mercy are closely connected. The peace that Jesus gives is not the elusive, ephemral peace offered by the world, but a peace that comes from him, that only he can give. It comes from his heart, his compassion, his understanding, his confidence-building assurance that he is always there and loves us even when we are the doubting Thomases, or the fearful disciples. It comes from his trust in us, as amazing and risky as that might sound. It is the gift of his infinite mercy. Once we have allowed this mercy to penetrate our hearts, they fill with peace and enable us to extend peace and mercy to others. We offer each other the sign of peace at each Eucharistic Liturgy. May it not be just a routine, nervous handshake or wave, but a gift that flows from the peace in our hearts and our trust in Divine Mercy. And may it not just be a "church" gesture, but one that permeates our day and dealings with others.
Bro. Rene

Being Marist at Easter

Saturday of the Octave of Easter finds us still celebrating the resurrection as if it were Easter Sunday. The whole week has continued as a long Easter Sunday. Even the lilies are still fresh-looking on the altar. Stories from the Acts of the Apostles demonstrate the zeal of the Twelve to "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel." (Mk 16: 15). Mary was present in that early effort and as mother of the new David, her Son, Jesus, she encourages us by her faith and her continued presence among us to live out the victory of her Son over an enemy worse than the Goliath David faced. Like the Twelve and as disciples of St. Marcellin, we are called to lift the curse of blindness which hinders so many people these days from seeing the beauty in themselves, the world, and especially in the loving design of God in their lives and in all of creation. The early Marists, and Marists throughout the nearly 200 years of our existence, have made it a point to echo the words of Peter and John, "It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4: 20). Mary, help us to carry out our mission with the zeal and conviction of Peter, John, Marcellin and Marists around the world. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Out of Slavery

At the Easter Vigil, one of the essential readings is the dramatic account of the Hebrews crossing dryshod through the Red Sea with the waters as walls to their left and right. Images of Cecile B. DeMilles' TEN COMMANDMENTS always come to my mind as I see Moses stretch his staff over the surging waters and watch them obediently part to allow those once in bondage in Egypt, slaves of Pharaoh, to march to freedom. Even more dramatic, however, is the fulfillment of this event is the passage from the slavery of sin to the new life in Jesus we experience in our passage through the waters of baptism. We have been led out of slavery by the death and resurrection of Jesus; we have every power and grace we need to cut the chains that we allow through negligence or choice, to keep us in slavery, such as feeling sorry for ourselves, feeling resentment at the success of others, feeling jealous when the spotlight is not on us, feeling the need to step on others in word and deed in order to move up the ladder or call attention to ourselves. It's not always the "big" addictions, the capital sins, or egregious attachments that bind us down, but these "little things "that appear harmless at first, but left unbridled, blind us and eventually paralyze us into patterns that separate us more and more from one another and from God. We spend a lifetime playing Houdini, trying to escape from them on our own, when freedom comes only when we allow the graces unleashed by Jesus' death and resurrection to lead us out of slavery. By acknowledging our sinfullness, our powerlessness, and our NEED for the Redeemer's saving grace. we let God, not ourselves, unbind the chains.
Bro. Rene

Neither Silver nor Gold

Soon after Pentecost when Peter and John approached the Temple, they were confronted by a crippled beggar asking for alms, but since they had "neither silver nor gold," (Acts 3:6), they gave what they did possess, the power to heal. They offered him their hands, he got up, and when he realized he was healed, he began to praise God and followed them into the temple.

If your household is like ours, there isn't a day when there aren't several "urgent" solicitations from an infinite number of organizations in the mail. No one of us has enough silver nor gold to satisfy them, and when we do send a small gift, (and even if we don't) the requests keep coming and coming. What can we substitute for silver and gold? Most likely these solicitations yield enough income to keep generating the letters and numerous gifts and address labels they send us. They will function with or without our help. But it might be more effective to apply our "silver and gold", our power to heal, to those immediately around us. We cannot measure how significant believing in someone, encouraging someone, standing by someone are, but recently I received an indication in letters from two students from my Bishop Donahue days, to whom I gave these simple, uncostly gifts. The now young adults told me how much my attention helped them to grow into the men I saw in embryonic form when they were scattered teenagers, and they thanked me for believing in them, being their model, brother and friend. I've kept them in daily prayer since I came north in 2005, and now am blessed to see them in their "resurrected state", enjoying life with a purpose and direction. What an Easter gift! I didn't even realize the impact I was having on them! It doesn't have to be silver or gold, we can give much more!
Bro. Rene

All Shall Be Well

Trying to sustain the euphoria of the Easter Vigil or of Easter Sunday Mass is a tall order, especially when confronted by the headlines these days ranging from sexual abuse among the clergy and alleged coverups or denials, bullyings, robberies, murders and even the disappointing night for the Red Sox and Celtics. The tension between the positive and the negative is as old as creation itself. To keep our faith and nourish our optimism, we need to be grounded in the undeniable truth that Jesus is risen, has conquered evil, and nothing can prevail agains us, no matter how gloomy it appears. Julian of Norwich, the English mystic, wrote with conviction in her SHEWINGS OF LOVE: "All shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well." This text was expanded into a poem by Timothy Dudley-Smith in 1976, and put to music by Fr. John Foley, S.J. in 1985, when I first became aware of it 25 years ago when making a 30 Ignatian Retreat. I loved it and 10 years later, taught it to my Rwandan students, who, in the context of a country shaken by genocide, found it especially relevant to them. I offer it here as a solid base on which to maintain our Easter joy:
All shall be well! For on our Easter skies/ see Christ the Sun of Righeousness arise.
All shall be well! The sacrifice is made;/ the sinner freed, the price of pardon paid.
All shall be well! the cross and passion past;/ dark night is done, bright morning come at last.
Jesus alive! Now on our Easter skies/ see Christ the Sun of rigtheousness arise.
Jesus alive! Rejoice and sing again,/ "All shall be well forevermore, Amen!"
Note the number of exclamation points. Bring on the headlines, bring on the skeptics and maligners. Nothing can overturn or over-run these facts!
Bro. Rene

Wrapped in Hope

I just read an e-mail from a friend whose wife was received into the Catholic Church at the Easter Vigil, and whose three boys were conditionally baptized at the same liturgy. Like our world, there was a mixture of sweet and sour. There was great joy over the reception into the Church, but resentment on the part of the wife's family who were against her move and left half-way through the Vigil. On one hand this year, Easter brings great rejoicing, but on the other, the attacks on the Church, particularly now the Pope, from without and within, are disheartening, to say the least. But, as St. Peter Chrysologus wrote centuries ago, "God cleanses human wounds; he does not despise them. He does not shrink from human sores, but heals them." Pope Benedict himself recently said something along the lines of our frustrations, our disappointments, our bitterness being wrapped in hope by the resurrection. There is no situation, no predicament, no apparently unresolvable problem that is not covered by "the victory of our God". "O death, where is thy victory, O death, where is thy sting?" (1Cor 15: 55).
Bro. Rene

Fullness of Life

I don't think we can appreciate the "shock and awe" the disciples experienced at the empty tomb and the prospect, later verified, that Jesus had risen from the dead. They had just witnessed his excrutiating death, had fled into hiding in fear of their own, and now a complete reversal. What must that have been like? Certainly it was a "first", but looking back, as we did last night at the Easter Vigil, it all does make sense, not according to human logic...never...but according to the divine plan. All things, from the creation of the world, to the passage through the Red Sea, to the wedding imagery, the life-giving, all satisfying waters, the effective word of Isaiah, to the new heart and new spirit promised by Ezechiel to the "newness of life" described by St. Paul, point to something as radically different but as calmingly certain as the resurrection of Jesus. Not only his, but ours as well. "As to his death, he died to sin once and for all; as to his life, he lives for God. Consequently, you too must think of yourselves as being dead to sin and living for God in Christ Jesus" (Rm 6:3-11). Can we fathom this deepest of mysteries, this greatest of feasts? Wisely, the Church gives us 50 days to ruminate on it and digest it. Today we will celebrate with Mass fraught with joyfull Alleluias, family meals, colors, Easter eggs and bunnies, perhaps even new "Easter Clothes" or Bonnets, but behind all these frills let us remember that we are celebrating the newness, the fullness of life.
Bro. Rene

Pondering

Ideally, this "in-between day" should be one of less activity, silence and pondering. As devotees of Marist spirituality, pondering has a special place with us as it did with "our Good Mother." What was she pondering this day after witnessing with rapid speed the condemnation and cruel death of her Son? Did she think back to Gabriel's visit and invitation, her yes, the fast years following to the pathetic moment when she held the body of Jesus in her lap at the foot of the cross?
Can I find some time today to look back, even just as far back as Ash Wednesday as a starter, and see what Lent has done for me? Am I closer to Jesus now than I was then? Is there something that I began that I can continue in the days ahead? Am I more loving, tolerant, understanding of my neighbor? Whom do I see as my "neighbor"? Can I this day, be a comfort to Mary, or to someone who believes that they have hit the bottom and have no way out? Can I offer them the faith and trust that Mary had that "somehow this will all work out?"
This evening we will be celebrating the resurrection; we know "the rest of the story", but the question is, "Does my life, do my actions reflect this fact?" I invite each one of us to ponder these things in our hearts.
Bro. Rene

Water and Blood

"But one soldier thrust his lance into his side, and immediately blood and water flowed out." (Jn 19: 34). St. John Chrysostom sees this blood and water as a sign of the birth of the Church which the blood of Christ engendered and of the waters of baptism which give entrance to believers into it. Catherine Emmerich, the 19th century mystic whose visions have added details to the passion narratives, tells us that the soldier's name was Cassius and that he indeed received his baptism as the waters sprayed on him from the side of Christ, and became a disciple, helping to spread the Good News. Thousands of people will be received into the Church tomorrow during the Easter Vigil, in this country alone: the waters of baptism still flow abundantly: a powerful reminder to us that our baptism has not only given us membership in the Church, but also the commission to live our faith so visibly that others will come to believe. In the somber moments of this GOOD FRIDAY, when we reflect on the Passion and Death of Jesus, let us pray for the courage and conviction to live our faith and speak about it openly, if only in our families. When we contemplate the agony that Jesus experienced in order to show us his love, how can we refuse ANYTHING that he asks of us?
Bro. Rene

Whom Would I Invite?

If I were to sit down tonight to my "last supper", whom would I invite? The man who would betray me? The man who would deny me? The man who after three years still didn't get it? "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am, even after all the time I have been with you?" (Jn 14: 9). These are the folks whose feet Jesus washed, to whom he gave his body and blood, whom he commissioned to "do this in memory of me" (Lk 22: 19b). Would I have been invited? The amazing thing is that I have been! Not only are we for the next three days commemorating, reliving, the cruel and crucial events in the life of Jesus, but, because of our baptism in his death and resurrection, we are recalling our own death to sin and new life in Jesus. We are celebrating our place at the table! If we have been so honored and privileged, whom can we exclude from ours? "I command you to love each other in the same way that I love you" (Jn 15: 12).
Bro. Rene