Awakening the Faith

In one of her messages at Medjugorje, Mary said, "It is necessary to awaken the faith, for it is a gift from God." In the Gospel of Mark, we read, "All things can be done for the one who believes."(Mk 9:22 Fr. Richard Beyer writes, "Faith, is not, of course, something tangible that can be taken like medicine. It is, rather, an attitude of trusting and believing. And yet even our ability to believe is a gift from God; no matter how much faith we have, we never reach the point of being self-sufficient. Faith cannot be stored away like money in the bank; growing in faith is a constant process of renewing daily our trust in Christ." (Medjugorje Day by Day, July 29). Certainly, two pillars in our Marist pantheon, Fr. Champagnat and Brother Florentius, were men of such faith. For Father Champagnat to plow ahead with opposition from his fellow clergy, with constant debt, and disappointment after disappointment, it took an enormous amount of faith and trust, which grew with each test he faced to accomplish what he did. Brother Florentius began Central Catholic High School on total faith, establishing a school for boys in the midst of the Depression, with no building and no money. Today, the worldwide Marist Brothers and increasing number of lay people embracing our Marist Spirituality, and the success of Central Catholic High School as it celebrates 75 marvelous years of education bear witness to the truth that faith, unlocked and fortified by prayer invites the Lord to fill in what is missing and help us conquer the unconquerable.
It is with this attitude that I leave for Medjugorje today to join 50,000 Youth from around the world for the annual YOUTH FESTIVAL, bringing all Daily Bread "followers" to Mary in this grace-filled setting. While traveling, it will not be possible to e-mail every day, but I hope, once there, to keep these reflections on line as much as is feasible. Please keep us in your prayers.
Bro. Rene

Prayerful Listening

Prayer is rightly defined as "the lifting of the mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God". (See the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 2559) This is a classic definition given by St. John Damascene in his De Fide.(Of the Faith). St. Therese of Lisieux defined it this way: "For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry or recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (CCC no. 2558). A more informal definition might be, "a conversation with God." No where do we hear it described as endless babbling of the tongue. Rather it is a movement of the heart and mind in silence. In the Book of Samuel, we have the perfect prelude to prayer, "Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening." (1Sam 1:9). Can we do that, can we listen? Can we be quiet enough and thus open to hear what God wants to say? What would we think of a conversation with a friend, when the friend does all the talking, going on and on, and then abruptly says, "Well, Thanks...Good talking with you. Gotta go now", before we've even said a word? Is that how we treat God in our prayer?
Try just sitting quietly without words in God's presence. Hear the noise in the head as the day's scenario is projected, or the replay of yesterday's fills our thoughts. It's amazing how hard it is to be quiet, and no wonder we don't hear what God is trying to say to us. Makes one cringe and want to reach out for help. Being thus humbled is good for the soul and will be the incentive to make the needed changes in our prayer pattern...as we make changes in our eating and excercizing habits when we find ourselves 20 pounds overweight. ""Lord, I will keep my mouth shut and quiet my mind. Speak, for your servant is LISTENING!
Bro. Rene

Beloved Dust

The minimal amount of raid in the Northeast has left the earth dry and dusty. The green grass of spring has burned brown, and once luxuriant lawns have become mini deserts. Pulling weeds nad having the dust just fall off them without even having to shake them bears witness to the depth of this year's dust. Yet, with water, these same independent particles of earth bond to each other and can even become pesty mud where there is too much water. Plants drink abundantly through their root systems enabling leaves and flowers to flourish.
We are reminded on Ash Wednesday that we are dust and to dust we shall return. This comes to mind as I deal with my dry garden beds and see plants struggling to find nourishment from the meager water the hose provides. So too do we struggle or flourish depending on how we look at our dustiness, our human condition. If we see our lives in the eyes of God who is rich in mercy and abounding in love, then our dust finds its needed nourishment and we grow splendiforously. The optimism of the Psalmist can be ours: "In the morning, fill us with yourlove;/ we shall exult and rejoice all our days." (Ps 90:14). The water of love gives us life and enables us wather the soil of our neighbors and be their nourishment too, as do the particles of wet dust that surround the roots of the plant. Indeed, we are dust, but watered by our loving God, we are beloved dust.

Saints Joachim and Anne

July 26th is a special day for many American Marists for on this day up until 1959, it was the day for the taking of the Marist habit for the postulants and the profession of first vows for the novices. Why this day? It was then the feast of St. Anne, patronness of the American province which began in 1911, having become independent for the North American Province, which included Canada and the United States. Canadians have a great devotion to St. Anne as evidenced by the magnificent church and place of pilgrimage at St. Anne de Beaupre. This devotion was carried to the States by our first Marists, most of whom were Canadian. Marist College, was first known as St. Anne's Hermitage when two estates along the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie, New York where purchased in the early 1900's. When the American province divided in 1958, the Poughkeepsie Province chose St. Anne as its patron. With the liturgical calendar revision in 1969, St. Anne and her husband, St. Joachim, whose names we know from tradition, not Scripture, were reunited.
To know and appreciate who we are, we need to know our history, our parents, included. We know much about Mary, who is a reflection of her parents, and thus the object of so much devotion and veneration. They who taught Mary so well, serve as models for today's families and reflect the teaching of Sirach, so needed today: "Children, pay heed to a father's right;/ do so that you may live./ For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children;/ a mother's authority he confirms over her sons./ He who honors his father atones for sins;/ he sotres up riches who reveres his mother./ He who honors his father is gladdened by children,/ and when he prays he is heard./ He who reveres his father will live a long life;/ he obeys the Lord who brings comfort to his mother./ (Sir 3: 1-6). It was on the model of the Holy Family that St. Marcellin built our Marist Family Spirit, and the basic principle for our educational philosophy and practice: "To teach young people, you need to love them first." We Marists owe much of St. Joachim and St. Anne.
Bro. Rene

It's A Wonderful Life

There aren't many people who are unfamiliar with George Bailey's discovery of just how wonderful his life was and how many other lives had been affected by his. The Christmas season's annual TV presentation of the classic, It's a Wonderful Life, keeps us from forgetting that we all have wonderful lives. Yes, the Father lavishes his love for us in the gift of his Son. We also have his assurance, that as Father, he guides us and teaches us, and as we look back over our lives, we realize that the people, the friends, the family who are part of it and unmistakable gifts of God and this all our experiences have been part of this guidance and teaching. Alive and awake for another day, a Sunday, with a break from our regular routines, we have no small source for joy and gratitude. Looking around us at summer's beauty, listening to the different songs with which the birds break the early morning silence, can we deny that this is a wonderful life? Further, the surprise answers to our prayers, coming as they do in the unforseen, the unexpected, are better than what we thought would bring us peace and happiness. The rain on our picnic, just as we open the grill causes some inconvenience, but what a family legend is born as the grilling continues with two or three chefs huddled under an umbrella! Ever the burgers and dogs seem to taste better! All we need to do is tune into the positive side of life to share George Bailey's excitement at being alive in this wonderful life.
Bro. Rene

Bearing Fruit Through Perseverance

Growing a garden, be it vegetables or flowers, let's face it, is hard work, but in the end, we rave about the vegetables which have a special flavor not found in supermarket produce, and the beauty of the flowers in the beds of harmonious of colors, brings needed peace to the soul. The lessons of patience and perseverance learned in pulling eternal weeds, learning what is a weed and what isn't, fighting of bugs with spray, and watering in dry spells, are added bonuses. Indeed, the hard work was well worth it.
The garden experience is used by Jesus to illustrate our growth in the spiritual life. "The seed is the word of God. But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones who, when they have heard he word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance." (Lk 9:11b, 15). The "generous and good heart" is the one that deals with the weeds and bugs that come into our spiritual gardens: the temptations, the failures, the doubts, questions and unfulfilled desires of peace or "something good" to come our way. As we're on our knees weeding, we need to be on our knees praying, and, as St. Teresa of Avila reminds us, "trusting in the goodness of God, which is greater than all evils", in other words, the Ultimate Weed Killer! Mary stands as the model "gardener" bearing her seven swords of sorrow with trust and perseverance. "Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Happy gardening!
Bro. Rene

Discouragement

Discouragement happens. From time to time, a darkness settles upon us, whether it's an acute awareness of our sinfulness, or a dented bumper that means a hassle with the insurance company, body shop and car rental dealership. Could also be the heat, the humidity, whatever, we all find times when it seems that the brambles are choking the life out of us. St. Ignatius refers to these periods as "desolation" and he advises us that it is not from God (so it does no good to blame him) for God is not a God of torture. Testing, yes, to strengthen us, free us, purify us, and lead us through a painful process to a deeper life in Christ. The prophet, Zephaniah, speaks to Jerusalem and us: "On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem;/ Fear not, O Zion, be not discouraged!/ the Lord, your God, is in your midst,/ a mighty savior;/ He will rejoice over you with gladness,/ and renew you in his love,/ He will sing joyfully because of you,/ as one sings at festivals./ I will removed disaster from among you,/ so that none may recount your disgrace." (Zeph 3: 16-18). If God is this optimistic, can we not find consolation and encouragement in him?
Bro. Rene

Go to My Brothers

The Church celebrates the memorial of St. Mary Magdalene, a favorite and faithful follower of Jesus. She stood at the foot of the cross and St. Mark tells us that Jesus first appeared to her on the morning of the resurrection. (St. Ignatius Loyola and others believe that even before this, Jesus appeared to his mother, but as likely and plausible as this is, it is not recorded in the Scriptures). St. John's version of the resurrection story has the familiar tale of Mary weeping at the empty tomb, her inquiry of the man she thought was the gardener, and her enthusiastic, and we can imagine, tearful, recognition of the Rabbouni, when he tenderly prounounced her name. She clung to him with such force that Jesus had to warn her that he had yet to ascend to the Father and would find it awkward (to say the least) to do so with her clinging to him. Then he gave her the instruction to "go to my brothers and tell them, "I am going to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God" (Jn 20: 17). Can you imagine the joy that filled her heart as she, no doubt, ran to the upper room to announce to them: "I have seen the Lord" (Jn 20: 18)?
Jesus had become the center of Mary's life, love and attention as witnessed in her fearless presence on Calvary (supporting and accompanying Mary as well), and in her early morning tears at the empty tomb. She becomes a standard by which we might measure our own love, loyalty and passion. The instruction, "Go to my brothers" can be read as ours as well. We are the ones now who are to show and tell by example and word that Jesus needs to be the central love of our lives, and that his Father is our Father, his God, our God. O God, in the spirit of Mary Magdalene, let me be on fire with your love and fearless in my living of it, Help me by word and deed to spread his message to all my brothers and sisters. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Moving Mountains

We are familiar with Jesus' admonition to his puzzled disciples at their inability to cast out the demon from a possessed boy: "You didn't have enough faith. I assure you, even if you had faith as small as a mustard seed you would say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.'" (Matt 17:20). I haven't seen any mountains moving lately, nor have I ever given one the slightest budge myself. A scary reflection on the depth of our faith! How do we build it up to at least the size of a mustard seed? How do we move mountains?
In GOD CALLING, a fine devotional book that has affected the spiritual lives of millions since it appeared in 1953, Jesus answers these questions thusly: "The Way to removed mountais is the way of Praise. When a trouble comes think of all you have to be thankful for. Praise, praise, praise.
"Say 'thank you' all the time. this is the remover of mountains--your thankful hearts of praise."

Our "thankful hearts of praise" can not only boost our faith, but can be effective mountain movers when we use them to encourage others, as do fans at an exciting and close game, or as a runner nears the finish line. It sometimes seems the very volume of the cheering crowd gives extra energy to the athletes to help them make that final victorious push. The sharing of our peace, our enthusiasm, our compliments, our gratitude can do wonders. Perhaps we have done more mountain moving than we think! Let's do it again today!
Bro. Rene

More Blessed to Give

As Marists, our family spirit is at the heart of all we do. This little story illustrates the giving aspect of family. Two brothers, one single and the other married with a large family owned and worked a large farm. They shared the bounty and profits from the farm equally, half and half. In thinking about this arrangement, the unmarried brother concluded that being unmarried, he needed less to live on than his married brother and his family. He decided to make up a large "care package" of items he thought his brother's family could use, and leave it unannounced on his porch during the night. The married brother also thought about the arrangement and decided to cheer up his brother, whom he assumed to be lonely, with preserves, homemade bread and other items which would "warm his heart and his home." He determined to deliver his gift during the night and leave it on his brother's porch so he would find it in the morning. That night, each brother left his house and made his way to his brother's house. In the dark, they bumped into each other, and confessing what they were doing, they hugged and broke down in tears, each realizing that his greatest wealth was a brother who respected and loved him.
What a beautiful lesson in the"brotherly love" of Marist family spirit!
"In every way I have shown you that by hard work of that sort we must help the weak, and keep in mind the words of the Lord Jesus who himself said, 'It is is more blessed to give than to receive.'" (Acts 20:35)

Second Chances

A friend of mine recently underwent quadruple by-pass surgery and thankfully, is growing stonger every day. He was unaware of he seriousness of his heart condition until an EKG and catheterization revealed that he had already had a heart attack and blockages were in the range of 80 to 90 percent. The surgery took place almost immediately and left little time for preparation mentally for the stark realities of life and death. He went to confession, not knowing if it were to be his last. Now recovering, he is very conscious of the gift of life, his second chance, and the blessings of family, friends, and all the daily little sights and sounds that we take for granted. He expressed his gratitude for our friendship, my calls, and prayers. I was moved to hear how much all that now meant to him.
How many second chances have we received: the close call while driving, when a few seconds meant the difference between an accident or the completion of our drive; the soldier whose buddies in front of and behind him were fatally hit with shrapnel; coming into a room at night where the candle lit in the morning was still burning, or had left melted wax on the table before going out without starting a fire? Second chances...our days are full of them. They are calls for alertness and awareness: God is watching, and indeed has sent his angels to keep watch over us (cf. Ps 91: 11-12). A meditation on the entire Psalm 91 would be helpful today.
Bro. Rene

Fertilizing Time

It is amazing what a dose of Miracle-Gro can do to an anemic plant or a struggling seedling. In just days they are transformed into sturdy, healthy, and in some cases, flowering plants. Yes, there are chemicals that spur the growth, and it takes time to dutifully fertilize them, but it works.
The Gospel story of Martha and Mary presents the enigma of choice between action and contemplation, it would seem. Martha is busy preparing dinner, and Mary sits at the feet of Jesus, wrapped in contemplative listening. Is there a dichotomy here? There could be, but while applying Miracle-Gro to a garden full of dwarfed plants this morning, it occured to me that Miracle-Gro is the stance that Mary took, and if applied to the work that Martha was doing, how much more productive would it be, and how less prone to anger and frustration? What we need to do is learn to "fertilize our time", of which we are always complaining that there is never enough of it, especially for prayer, or that it passes ever too fast. How ideal it would be to blend the two, listening attentively to Jesus as he speaks to us while we do the necessary work of each day, and through it! Yes, fertilizing flowers, as mundane as it may seem, can be a fuitful time for the soul as well as for the plants. It again comes down to St. Marcellin's favorite act of piety: living and working in the Presence of God. It is the Miracle-Gro for our souls.
Bro. Rene

Surrender to God's Love

A friend of mine wrote recently that he felt God calling him to a more complete surrender to God's love so that he might be more centered in his daily walk of life. That is the call to all of us. We cannot make progress in our relationship with God unless we remove the obstacles of sin, fear, anxiety, and a pre-occupation with self...self-will, self-gratification, self-aggrandizement, and self-doubt. God will help us to come to the needed point of submission through the events and people we meet on our "daily walk of life." Mary's "submission" to the invitation of the angel Gabriel is the model for us to follow. In Luke 1: 38 we read her response to this overture of God's love: "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he ['God] wants. May everything you have said come true." What is being said to us today? this summer? Is God moving us to a more complete surrender? Do we look upon the invitation as an act of God's love, or the torturous will of a heatless controller? Saturdays are Mary Days. May our rosary, or our meditation on the Announciation help us to find joy in God's call to a more complete surrender to his love, and thus find peace and a life more centered and focused on what (who) really matters.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel is a mountain overlooking the blue Mediterranean Sea just about three miles above the city. In the 1200's a group of hermits found this an excellent place for contemplation with a breathtaking view unobstructed by the fairly large citiy which perches at the foot of the mountain today. At some point even earlier, it was dedicated to the Assumption of Mary. The Carmelite Order takes its name from this mountain.
St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite, received the Scapular from Mary. it is a sign of Mary's motherly protection for those who commit themselves to her and give a first place to prayer and the spiritual life.
Bro. Rene

Finding Godson Ryan

Most people are familiar with the film, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN, but here is a personalized Pine Ridge version. In 1991, a friend of mine, Joe, pleaded with me to be Godfather of his son, Ryan. He would not listen to my "logical" objection that I would be leaving the Reservation that year and would not be able to uphold my obligations. He insisted and I accepted. I sent cards and religious articles for a few years, and then had a visit with him in 1999 or so. The visit, in my estimation, did not go well...a young boy and his friend and younger brother "forced" to spend the day with an "old man." That was the last I saw of Ryan, and the last contact with him. I gave him up as "the lost Godson." On this visit, I learned that Ryan's father, brother and half brother had all died in the last five years and that Ryan had served two tours in Iraq. It wasn't until I providentially bumped into his mother did I learn that he was out of the service and here on the REZ. Phone calls, and prayers brought us together briefly, and then more in depth and for a long time in the cemetery where his loved ones are buried. What a gift to learn what a fine young man he has turned out to be. The special bond created when I became his Godfather grew stronger as we talked and shared our stories, and a life-long adult relationship was born. This was the highlight of this visit, despite so many other wonderful re-connections. St. Julie Billart was fond of saying, "How good is the Good God." ( Qu'il est bon le Bon Dieu...French). That and THANK YOU are on my lips and in my heart without ceasing. It seems that the best GIFTS are the surprises that appear when least expected. May you all be so blessed.

As I will be in transit to Massachusetts over the next few days, my next slice of bread won't be offered until Friday morning.
Bro. Rene

Keeping Still

It's not easy to keep still in our world. Even in the early morning pre-sunrise fog when stillness wrapped itself around the green hills of Oglala, there were crickets and birds to break the silence outside my window, while interiorly, my mind whirled ahead with plans and hopes for the day. Ah, to bring ourselves to a complete interior halt! Takes work to achieve this state recommended by spiritual leaders from the past to the present. "Be still and know that I am God,/ supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!" (Ps 46: 11). The Trappists strive for this in their perpetual silence, so too the Carthusians. Fine for contemplatives, but how do active people reach this level, for it seems we alway have "so much to do?" True, that's why we are active, but like the Hebrews marching through the desert to the Promised Land, we can find the clue in this admonition: "The Lord himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still." (Ex 14: 14). This is the secret, again we hear it: complete abandonment to God's plan, care, love. Let him do the fighting and arranging. With God managing our lives, we need not fret and can find the stillness we seek.
Bro. Rene

The World Cup and Us

Everyone loves an exciting game, and the final World Cup match between Spain and Holland was as exciting as they get. The tears, cheers, and kissing of the cup, the utter free reign of joy in all the strength of manly emotion made me wonder what such a display of elation, even of half the magnitude, if directed toward the recognition of the dignity of each person, toward the embracing and forgiveness of enemies, toward the celebration of the Good News and God's Presence among us, might do to advance the Kingdom of God. Not to deny the Spanish team its right to celebrate after such a close game, but the Golden Trophy and the honor of being Number One until 2014, fall short of "the victory of our God" celebrated at Easter, and the privilege we enjoy to be called children of God. Perhaps those final scenes in the stadium might give us some idea of how we might demonstrate our apprecation and gratitude for the gifts of faith and incorporation into the Divine Life of God granted to us at Baptism. Those passionate players have shown us what it might be like to exhibit our joy for the blessings we have received. Instead of the red shirts of the victorious team, we wear the white shirts of THE Victorious Team! May we embrace one another, even those not yet on the team, with the same enthusiasm we saw displayed at the final whistle in Johannesburg.
Bro. Rene

Memories

Driving for three hours today over roads that were once as familiar to me as the streets of Lawrence are now, and looking at the wide open vastness to the horizon fifty miles away, I was flooded with memories of the years when this piece of God's creation was my "mission field." I was moved to gratitude for those years, those people and the treasure these memories are for me. Grateful too for the opportunity to able to retrace my steps, reconnect with people who were once part of my daily life, and in some cases, see he fruit of my labors.
While I'm reveling in these memories, my brother is keeping vigil at the bedside of his dying wife of 52 years (in November)...having time to remember, and give thanks for the beautiful life they shared.
In the larger picture of things, 50 years is a short time, and although memories grow dim or inaccurate with the passage of time, it is a blessing to be able to remember and see our lives before us. These memories span the years with ease and help us to see how intricate, detailed, and defined God's plan was and is for us. We again find assurance that nothing happened or will happen by chance. May our memories feed us today and bring us joy.
Bro. Rene

Weekly Repentance

The Church has been the object of criticism since the Apostles first threw open the doors the morning the Holy Spirit descended upon them and the commission to preach the Good News went into action. Even one of the greatest Apostles, come-lately to the crew as he did, was one of its greatest persecutors. Today, the media is having the proverbial field day with everything the Church says of does, and even within its walls, polarization and prejudice ferment. Would that the Church might be "without stain", but such cannot be the case as long as it is made up of people like you and me. Martin Luther criticized the great thinker and writer, Erasmus for remaining us such a corrupt Church, when he obviously saw its flaws and had suggested ways of its reform. Erasmus retorted, "I put up with this Church, in the hope that one day it will become better, just as it is constrained to put up with me in the hope that one day I will become better."
"Let the one among you who is without sin be the first the throw a stone at her" (Jn 8: 7), Jesus said to the elders surrounding the woman caught in adultery. True, as long as we are sinful, the Church will be. Each week, each day really, we should be asking forgiveness and striving to repent in our own lives. St. Faustina urged us to pray for divine mercy: "have mercy on us and on the whole world." This is sundance season in Pine Ridge, and singers around the reservation plead in a haunting melody that comes from deep within the soul, "Great Spirit, have mercy on us and grant us your forgiveness." Let us take time to reflect on our own shorcomings, faults and sins, and "cast the beam from our own eyes, before we talk about the speck in our neighbor's." (cf. Matt 7:5).
Bro. Rene

Without Cost

In giving guidelines to his apostles (and to us) Jesus reminds them that "Without cost you have received; without cost your are to give." (Matt 10:8b). One of the primal principles of all religions is that no growth can be achieved without a total "emptying" of ourselves, without total submission to another, to THE OTHER. It becomes a life-long journey of emptying pockets, of letting go, of ending resistance, so that God might fill in the void and make it fruitful. For only in our emptiness, in our selflessness, can we admit that all is gift, and then be free to give "without cost." We merely pass on what we have received. People admire St. Francis for his joy, for his freedom of attachment to material goods, even family. Indeed, we envy him. Let envy turn to imitation. Let us take stock of "our things", our friends, our wills, our time. We become true apostles, true disciples of Francis, when we realize "they are not ours." God, grant me the eyes to see more clearly that all is gift, that you have freely given ALL, and let me be convinced and strong enough to give freely to those in need.
Bro. Rene

Seek Always the Face of the Lord

We are seekers. Our curiosity distracts us, directs us, sometimes overpowers us. Our innate desire to KNOW, to DISCOVER, can lead us closer to God or away from him. The Psalmist urges us toward the former: "Look to the Lord in his strength;
seek to serve him constantly.
Recall the wonderous deeds that he has wrought,
his portents, and the judgements he has uttered." (Ps 105: 4-5).
When we seek the Lord, we are told he shall be found. "When you seek me with all of your heart, I will be found by you." (Jer 29:13 ).
Interestingly enough, the Lord we seek can be found in the faces we see every day. The goodness of the Lord abides in each one of us; each of us radiates the presence of the Lord dwelling in our hearts. Often we are blinded by our self-preocuppation, or with some predjudice which blinds us to the beauty of God standing before us in the eyes of another. At other times that beauty is so obvious, we feel instantly that we are in the presence of the holy: the peace, the joy, the welcome emminating from that soul touches us and brings hope and healing. As God sees the good in us, rejoices over it and helps it grow, so too can we see the good in others, rejoice over it, and allow it to help us see the face of God. As we see the face of God in them, let us pray and live that they see the face of God in us!
Bro. Rene

Two Views of Life

A friend of mine has terminal cancer with perhaps less than six months to live. He is so at peace and ready even now! He welcomed the news of having some months to be with his family and say to each one what is in his heart and to prepare them for their futures, including their deaths, by detailing how he in his own life did his best to live according to the Gospel and the Church.
Here on the Pine Ridge Reservation, such a luxury of time is granted to few for most die untimely in alcohol-related accidents, heart failure, or at times, freezing to death in a ditch after passing out from over-indulgence in drink. Some do have more time, as slowly diabetes or cirrohsis eats away at them, but often denial prevents them from accepting the impending death and thus no words or wisdom are passed on...perhaps the lessons were never even learned. So sad. I wish my friend were able to be here and speak to folks about his approach to life and death. It struck me that I can do my best to pass on that needed advice. Can't we all take this as a mandate and help those around us improve their lives and thus prepare for a happy death? As we live, so shall we die.
Bro. Rene

Gracious and Merciful

Today, let us take this verse from Psalm 145, pray and repeat it until we learn it by heart, for we must constantly renew our faith in God's grace and mercy from day to day. We forget so easily, we have to be reminded anew frequently.
"The Lord is gracious and merciful
slow to anger and of great kindness.
The Lord is good to all
and compassionate toward all his works." (Ps 145:8-9).
We'd think that having lived so long in God's loving care, we'd never doubt again, nor forget. Yet, we awake as a blank page each morning, and need to learn again, as if for the first time. At least committing to memory this succinct description of God, we can jump out of bed with some fuel in our tanks. I guess it's the same reason why we have to eat every day...we need to replenish our "tanks" and appreciate with childlike wonder the goodness and kindness of God. In so doing, we remind ourselves that goodness and kindness should mark our relationships with others.
Bro. Rene

We Are Important

Jesus gave his Twelve a mission; they accomplished it and are forever remembered by their names. He also sent out another 72 who accomplished marvels as well: they healed the sick, drove out evil spirits and preached the kingdom of God, but their names remain anonymous. For two thousand years they have been lumped together simply as "the Seventy-two". (cf Lk, 10: 1-12, 17-20). The commission given to them is also given to us, for we are now all that God has, but in terms of this mission, we are important. We are part of this anonymous sevent-two who by simply our presence can bring healing, drive out evil, and preach by our actions, the kingdom of God. It's not complicated, it's not spectacular or extraordinary; it's simply being who we are and letting God work in and through us.
As we celebrate our nation's independence day, we can use the gift of freedom this country enjoys to show our dependence on one another and upon God; we can and must take our orders from the Gospel and go out to the towns and villages of our circles and, relying on the POWER from God, do what these first seventy-two did. What a gift we can be for our family, our community, our country, when as in the time of Jesus it needs to hear the Good News. We are important!
Bro. Rene

Lost and Found--God's Way

Have you ever dropped or put something aside, then looked for it with all your might, and not found it until you "let it go", did something else, looked down, and saw it immediately right under your nose? Keys, books, receipts, a paper clip on a multi-colored rug, they seem to disappear and reappear at will...their will, not ours. Yesterday afternoon I had a dramatic example of this phenomenon, in that I was the object lost.
In an effort to save time returning to the Reservation from a city in Nebraska, named Chadron, I took what I thought I remembered, also having been assured by some Native Americans, was the Chadron Road...a short cut to the REZ. It looked familar at first, and the gravel was smooth so I was able to drive between 45 asnd 50 mph, good speed on gravel. Then came a T, labeled "Slim Buttes Road", which I did not remember. I went right, and then after awhile, the gravel faded away to just dirt and ruts. I knew then that this was NOT the Chadron Road. The land was vast beyond imagination and I had no idea where I was. The only consolation was a rainbow in the East. When I saw a series of buttes in that same direction, the Slim Buttes, I was assured that I was at least headed in the right direction, but I passed them and the road I was searching for did not appear. My short cut had certainly turned into a long cut. Then a ranch appeared ahead, and people were visible around some haying machinery. I turned in to seek directions of a man who walked toward me with a knowing smile. "How are you?" he asked. "I'm fine, but lost." His smile grew as he shook my hand. It was then I recognized him as my dear friend Reuben, at whose ranch many a black angus steak dinner was shared and where we were to meet the following day to honor my visit. I was a day early! I had approached his ranch from "the back 40" without knowing it. What a relief to know where I was and what joy in the adventure that had such a happy ending. "I once was lost, but now I'm found" as we sing in AMAZING GRACE.
So often we work ourselves into a dither without realizing that we are never lost; the solution or the evasive object we are looking for always appears "in God's good time".
Bro. Rene

All God's Children

Life in Pine Ridge is tough. I had forgotten how tough until I attended a wake last night and looked around the meeting hall where it was held. Most of the faces had the distinct marks of alcoholism on them; at least one man had been drinking and swaggered toward the mourners to offer condolences. Age and alcohol had disfigured the faces of folks that I knew; tales of broken marriages, untimely deaths, jails, judges and lives gone askew saddened and shocked me. It was hard to look into the sad eyes that attempted to welcome me. A list of recent deaths and illnesses in the parish bulletin added to the challenge to find hope in what seemed so hopeless. However, when we handed out rosaries, all took them and were prayerfully attentive as we prayed it, and at Mass this morning, I was reminded that these people are God's children, created in his image and likeness, worthy of respect, dignity and love. Just seeing folks in that light removed the scars from their alcoholic faces and enabled their inner beauty to shine.
I also learned that there are real signs of hope in the recent graduating classes. There are now many "Gates Scholars", that is, students receiving full college scholarships from the Gates Foundation. Eighth graders are committing themselves to four years of summer school so that they might qualify for these scholarships. There IS a positive side to what seemed so negative last night. So often we need to be lowered in order to be lifted up. Perhaps the generation at the wake has hit that bottom, but their children have a better chance than they to be lifted up, and life "on the REZ" will gradually change for the better. So too does our discouragement at times hit bottom, before we can be lifted up back to optimism. God, have mercy on us and help us all.
Bro. Rene

God's Plan

In Psalm 19, we read, "The judgements of the Lord are true, and all of them are just." (Ps 19: 10cd). Sitting at Mass at Holy Rosary Church in Pine Ridge, South Dakota, with friends I haven't seen for seven years, and having re-familiarized myself a bit with well-known landmarks, I substituted the word "plan" for judgements, and found this verse speaking to me and to all, I hope as we look back to see the impact we've had on people and they on us throughout our lives. Never could we have devised such a plan, so true, so just, so uplifting and so holy. Later, as I got "on line" after being away from a computer since June 27, I read a message sent today from a young man I met in February at an Encounter, who is in the midst of confusion and questions, and I was able to answer him the same day he reached out for help! God's Plan!
Seeing the land that gave me such peace while I lived here and being with the people whom I love and haven't seen was such a boost that the verse from Psalm 19 just seemed to be the perfect summary of my reaction to being back here. And above that, a computer that allows me to share this with all of you...and will give you several days of access to new slices of Daily Bread...is at my disposal. We need not come to South Dakota to be made aware of the intricacies of God's customized plan for us...all we need to do is look right under our noses for the evidence of his loving care.
Bro. Rene