O Dayspring

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