Mary Visits Her Cousin Elizabeth

The Feast of the Visitation is more than just a visit between two cousins, both carrying sons, it is an encounter that carries a "message". Mary brings the Son of God to her cousin Elizabeth, and the baby in her womb, John the Baptist, leaps for joy in recognizing that the redemption of all of us is at hand. God's Presence, his dwelling place among us in the flesh, is a reality. Elizabeth and the unborn John are the first to recognize and rejoice in it. Two thousand years later, that same Presence is among us, giving us equal cause for joy and for joining Mary in her song of praise and thanksgiving, What wonders God has worked throughout the world; all generations have shared the greateness of God's love. When God looked on Mary, the lowly servant, God raised her to be the mother of Jesus Christ, the savior of us all. (cf. Preface of the Blessed Virgin Mary II; Luke 1: 46-55).
The Visitation reminds us of our Marist Mission to bring all to Jesus through Mary and to make him known and loved. While specific religious groups, such as the Sisters of the Visitation, have this Feast as the basis of their spirituality, others, such as the Congregation of Notre Dame, also focus on it as the model of their ministry. As Marists, although not specifically stated, we adhere to it and live it by our fidelity to our Marial spirituality. May our dealings with each other be more than just random, cursory encounters, but opportunities to reach a deeper level such as that between Mary and Elizabeth and convey the "message" that indeed, God is With us.
Bro. Rene

Memorial Day

The uniquely American Holiday began as "Decoration Day" in 1868 to honor the Civil War dead buried at the Arlington National Cemetery by decorating their graves with flowers. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who had died in "The Great War", and in 1971, was designated as a national holiday to honor all deceased military. Since services take place in cemeteries, all deceased family members are remembered in prayer. Parades, concerts of patriotic music, fireworks and speeches mark the day. It also marks the "beginning" of the summer season, and somewhat unfortunately, is the occasion of "fabulous memorial day sales", another encroachment of commecialism that is as invasive as unwanted kudzu, or killer bees.
As we pray for the deceased who gave their lives that we may continue to enjoy the freedom to worship, be with family, and, yes, have those sales, let us remember their families who mourn them, and those veterans struggling with injuries, handicaps, post war stress disorders of all sorts, and old age. We owe them a debt that cannot be repaid.
And, finally, we remember also those men and women now serving on three fronts in active duty: Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya. It staggers the mind to think of so many who are deployed, yet even more staggering are the numbers of deceased in WW II, 400,000, or Viet Nam, 55,000+. Perhaps living "the Golden Rule" might help peace begin in families, spread to communities, and to the world. At least, may prayers of peace accompany our prayers for the deceased. Thank you Lord, for these valiant men and women who gave their lives for us, may we treasure the legacy they left us, and may we live peacefully and strive for justice and liberty for all people, so that their sacrifice might not have been in vain. Amen.

Beatification of Marcellin Champagnat

On this day in 1955, Pope Pius XII beatified the humble priest and founder of the Marist Brothers, Marcellin Champagnat in a maginficent ceremony in St. Peter's Basilica. The two recipients of miraculous cures through his intercession were present among the thousands of pilgrims who attended. Great joy spread throughought the Congregation as this day had been anticipated since Marcellin's death in 1840. He was beloved by all, and looked upon as a saint even before the long process began. Fittingly, the beatification took place on Pentecost Sunday, the day the apostles received the Holy Spirit, threw open the doors and began to tell the world about Jesus. St. Marcellin's life, so influenced by the life of Mary, our Good Mother, and First Disciple of Jesus, that he continued to spread the Good News about Jesus and to model the virtues so characteristically Marial: listening, love for poor people, welcoming the message of God and not only magnifying the Lord with lips but commited to the service of justice with lives. (cf Water from the Rock 151). He was sure, as are so many other holy people that "God is at work in our world, that social sin will not be allowed to have the last word, that with God, promises made are promises kept." (Sr. Chris Keolhoffer, I.H.M.) Lord, may I take heart amidst so much cynicism and pessimism, that the Holy Spirit continues to work through your people, even me, and that goodness will prevail always. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Serving the Poor of East Timor

Most of us first heard of East Timor, a small island country in the Indian Ocean, when it battled for independence in the late '90's. The Marist Brothers began their ministry there in 2000 with the mission of educating teachers. Of the 1.2 million inhabitants, 52% are children under the age of 15. 42% of the population live below the poverty line. Infrastructure is bad, little electricity and clean water in the rural areas, very bad roads making commerce and communication difficult. The country is 98% Catholic, at least nominally, so it is fertile ground to receive the services offered by the brothers, who, in collaboration with lay people, have 150 students in their teacher formation program and run a small kindergarten. An amazingly challenging enterprise, calling for courage and conviction, boldness and daring.
Our Central graduates look towards a brighter future, and carry with them a desire to "make the world a better place". They have been instilled with the need to "serve the least favored". It wouldn't surprise me if some of them, in the course of their lives, didn't end up helping out in East Timor. Our General Chapter urged all Marists "to look at the world with the eyes of the poor young people and children." Whether if be in far off places, or locally, this is part of our mission.
Bro. Rene

Graduation

Tonight Central Catholic will give diplomas to 324 seniors and send them on the next phase of their mission in life. It is a sweet and sour moment, as we witness the fruits of four years of patient love and persistence reach this level, and at the same time bid farewell to these familiar and always welcome faces. We can't predict what wonders or tragedies will befall these students, but as we also welcome former Florentius Award recipients and members of the class of 1961 who are celebrating their 50th anniversary, we have a fairly good indication that our present graduates will follow the path to a meaningful life that these alumni have trod. Next weekend, I will be attending the 40th reunion of the class of 1971, whom I taught at Wheeling Central Catholic High School. This is also an group who have contributed much to the world as teachers, counselors, lawyers, doctors, good husbands and fathers. It is reassuring to see that our Marist educational philosophy and methods achieve their purpose. We might pray that the exuberance of youth might be tempered at least a bit by prudence, but that the energy being unleashed tonight, might flow unimpeded to yield people filled with a Christian spirit and attitudes whose possess the habits and virtues to make them good Christians and good citizens, as was the desire of St. Marcellin, and continues to be ours.
Bro. Rene

Baccalaureate

Following a long-standing tradition dating back to Oxford University in 1432, Central Catholic seniors will gather this evening for Mass at St. Mary's Church to participate in our Baccalaureate Mass. The Baccalaureate ceremony itself stems from a medieval custom of presenting the candidates for Bachelor's (bacca) degrees with laurels (lauri) orations praising the value of education and the wisdom thus acquired. The degree recipient was obliged to deliver an oration or semon in Latin (the common language of the educated) as part of the academic requirements for the completion of the degree. The ceremony evolved into a worship service in praise and thanksgiving for lives dedicated to learning. Since the early universities founded in America were for the education of ministers, the Baccalaureate Service continued, eventually was adopted at the high school level, and in Catholic Schools, incorporated into Holy Mass. Thus, tonight our seniors, faculty and staff, fully robed, will give praise and thanks to God for the blessings and achievements of the past four years in a thoughtfully prepared, meaningful liturgy. It is a joyful event full of memories, promise and challenge. Our world-wide community of Daily Bread readers is invited to pray with us and share the joy of accomplish-ment with us.
Bro. Rene

Staying Focused

From our publication, Water From the Rock, we read: ""Mary inspired Marcellin's style of being on mission. She received the Holy Spirit at the Annunciation and responded immediately to Elizabeth's need. In so doing, she shows us that contemplation and action are both indispensable elements of spirituality. Mary's way lays the foundation of all our actions: listening, patient waiting, nurturing interiority and responsivenss to God's will." Following this pattern in our own daily lives will help us keep focused on our mission and put our daily lives in true perspective.
Recently, Notre Dame graduate, Jeff Grabowsky, 28, finished a 3,700 mile run across America, which he began on January 20 and completed on May 21. He used a ring rosary to help him pray, and estimates that he recited 35,000 Hail Mary's in the course of his run. Despite this, he said that the hardest thing was keeping focused on the spiritual side of his efforts, distracted by so many physical challenges and his own inner temptations ranging from "why am I doing this?" to "why don't I just quit?" But he perservered and found his faith much stronger as he reflects on the total effects of the run. In our own less dramatic and physically demanding daily routine, we still, however, face the same questions Jeff faced. Following Mary's way, will give focus and meaning even to what may seem petty and trivial.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of She Shan

Most of us probably never heard of Mary under this title, Our Lady of She Shan, but because today has been designated as the World Day of Pray for the Church in China, and since our Marist Brothers have been there since the beginning of the 20th century, a word about this title and place is appropriate. The name comes from the hill 40 km west of Shanghai where a large basilica built between 1925-1935 is the only site of pilgrimages in China. The Jesuits built a small church there in 1863, later built another, which became inadequate, so this third one was built, was ravaged during the Cultural Revolution, and has been slowly repaired. However, it remains under the jurisdiction of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which is independent from Rome. It's bishops are appointed by the government without the consent of the Pope. Bishop Kung and most Chinese priests made a vow here not to join the Patriotic Church but to remain faithful to Rome; some were martyred and Bishop (later, Cardinal) Kung was imprisoned for several years. Pope Benedict continues the work of Pope John Paul II to reconcile the divided Church, and has written a special prayer for this day of prayer for China, asking Mary, Help of Christians venerated at the Shrine of She Shan, to protect and guide the growing number of Catholics in China. Our Marist Brothers lost everything, even contact with the world outside China from 1949 until the '90's, when relations with the Western World improved. Some, at age 80, had remained faithful to their Marist vows, while living their religious life in secret, and rejoiced to see their day of liberation. Such hope and perseverance is a light to us all. And so the Pope prays,
"Our Lady of Sheshan, sustain all those in China, who, amid their daily trials, continue to believe, to hope, to love. May they never be afraid to speak of Jesus to the world, and of the world to Jesus. In the statue overlooking the Shrine, you lift your Son on high, offer him to the world with open arms in a gesture of love. Help Catholics always to be credible witnesses to this love, ever clinging to the rock of Peter on which the Church is built. Mother of China and all Asia, pray for us, now and for ever Amen!"
Bro. Rene

Neither Silver Nor Gold

Everytime I hear the story of Peter's healing of the crippled beggar at the Gate called Beautiful, with the words, "Neither silver nor gold, have I, but what I do have, I give you: in the name of Jesus the Nazorean, rise and walk." (Acts 3: 6), I wish that I could do the same for the many who come to me for some sort of help ranging from money to advice. I would think that most of us feel that way, for we all are confronted daily with requests or we all see needs that need the attention that only a miracle could provide. Most of us do not have silver nor gold, and, unlike Peter, the power to heal. But we might be surprised that despite our empty pockets, we do have a power that can bring some kind of healing, comfort, or assurance to those who come to us. Just providing an ear, a sign of empathy, a smile, can have a healing effect. Perhaps we cannot see it, but it takes place deep in hearts. Just our being there, does more than we can imagine. Perhaps we've had someone quote something we said even years before (which we have since forgotten), that had a lasting effect on him or her. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit working through us, even when we don't ask for inspiration. It certainly would be even better if we did begin each day asking the Holy Spirit to provide us with whatever words or attention that would bring healing to others. No, we do not have silver nor gold to give away, but we do have the power of the Holy Spirit working within us. Certainly worth much more than silver or gold.
Bro. Rene

"A Chosen Race"

In his first letter, St. Peter tells us that we are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own, so that you [we] may announce the praises of him who called you [us] out of darkness into his wonderful light." (1 Peter 2:9). Attending two graduations in a week with a third one coming up this morning, I am seeing that "chosen race": graduates filled with hope, an exuberant sense of accomplishment, and a desire to use their energy and their education to "make a difference", "to make this world a better place." Two graduates of St. Anselm College stand out as examples of this newest wave of heralds of praise and light in our darkened world. One will work as a volunteer for a year with street kids in Camden, NJ, which is the Jersey Shore of the city, and much more overt in its need for redemption. Bravery, and a reckless desire to put his faith into practice, plus his immediately attractive personality, will truly make a difference. The other will work with homeless youth as a social worker, inspired by a homeless man in DC three years ago, whose thoughtfullness and ambition to obtain a college degree inspired this young woman to choose this path as her career. How many others in the ranks of the capped and gowned will go out into the world, not to make money, but to bring hope and life to others by giving completely of themselves? St. Marcellin and the early brothers made a similar move to respond to the needs of their time. A new generation of "royal priests" are being unleashed to create a "holy nation". To the onlooker, it gives cause for hope and rejoicing, and serves as an inspiration for following in some way, in their footsteps.
Bro. Rene

Doomsday?

While there is tongue-in-cheek coverage in the media of the end of the world, slated to begin today and after a series of further earthquakes and catastophes, be complete by October, life for most of us goes on as usual. Little can we predict in our own lives what will take place during the 24 hours after we slip out of our beds each morning. Indeed, a look back 222 years to this date on which St. Marcellin was baptized, the day after his birth on May 20, 1789, reminds us that the Champagnat family had no idea on that day, what a lasting legacy their newborn son, Joseph Benedict Marcellin, would leave to the world: a religous congregation of teaching brothers, and a spirituality that is applicable to all. Both are still having a profound effect on the world today.
On a less happy note, six years ago today, three students from Bishop Donahue High School in McMechen, WV and one father, perished in a tragic air plane crash just four days before graduation. Little did they know that the sight-seeing flight around Manhattan Island would be their last journey on earth. They are referred to now as "The Four Angels" and on this day the entire school does community service work in their honor, and students benefit from a scholarship fund that has been established in their memory, all in the spirit of St. Marcellin and his desire "to make Jesus knows and loved."
Our own baptism has incorporated us into the Body of Christ, assuring us of a lasting relationship with the God of Unconditional Love, and commissioning us to go forward and bear fruit, fruit that will last. St. Marcellin's baptismal day and the anniversary of these deaths remind us that doom is not our purpose on this planet, but LIFE...abundant life that will endure.
Bro. Rene

Untroubled Hearts

With the month of May speeding by, Central Catholic seniors attending their last full day of school and graduating a week from today, TRANSITION comes to mind and with it the turmoil, minor or major that usually accompanies it. Our students are mixed between the joy of accomplishment, the promise of the future, and sadness at ending a four-year routine, and the fear that comes with anticipating the unknown. Teachers also, expressed or unexpressed, share these feelings. Jesus tells all of us, no matter what we are facing today, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me." (Jn 14: 1). He spoke these words as he was preparing to return to the father, knowing that his absence would cause turmoil in the hearts of he beloved friends and disciples. It is necessary to know that in life's transitions, Jesus remains present, and like a friend helping another leap over a wall, is there to help us over life's humps. When St. Marcellin died at the early age of 51, tears filled the eyes of the brothers who surrounded him in his final moments. Br. Francois accepted his role as the new leader and moved ahead, accomplishing great things as superior general for the next 20 years. When Bro. Florentius died even before ground had been broken for the permanent home of Central Catholic on Auburn Street, anxiety levels must have risen among the faculty, yet on went construction and "the rest of the story", as we know it. So, truly there is never any cause for troubled hearts, if we stop, remember the presence of Jesus and recall his admonition, "Do not let your hearts be troubled....have faith." "It's gonna be good", as a Lakota friend on the Pine Ridge Reservation was fond of saying.
Bro. Rene

Not Just A School

On May 17th, Cardinal Sean O'Malley celebrated Mass in the Memorial Gymnasium to mark the conclusion of the year-long celebration of Central Catholic's 75 year history, as noted by Brother Thomas P. Long in Tuesday's Daily Bread. The glow, gratitude and pride of that day will linger for years to come. Indeed, I reminded the seniors that when they celebrate their 25th anniversary of graduation, it will be Central's hundredth birthday. They said they wanted to be here for both celebrations. I told them I will be only 95 and will join them if they agree to push my wheelchair.
On May 18th, 13 members of the class of '48 gathered for lunch as they do quarterly to share memories, Central Spirit and simply to enjoy each other's company. Joining them as an "honorary member" of the class, I remarked that Central is not just a school, it's much more, it's a living organism which brings alumni together periodically to share friendships forged in those high school years, and to renew the vital spirit that helped carry them through long and productive lives. At the Mass on Tuesday, two members of the first graduating class were present, Tim Buckley and Bert Berube, who competently proclaimed the first reading. They were in their glory to be back, and were utterly amazed at seeing what the little school of 50 students studying in a rented building had become. In less than a week and a half alumni of the class of 1961 will celebrate their golden jubilee at the graduation of the class of 2o11. They will receive a spark from these young graduates and from seeing one another that will be another testimony that Central Catholic is not just a school but a template for life, a successful and fruitful Christian life.

Seeking Strength To Continue

It is not uncommon at some stage of life to think that all is loss, and to find fault in every little thing. Anger leads to depression. Anger because of the bad "deal of the cards" we have been dealt. Nothing can console us. Depression results when anger simmers too long. This is both a bad and good time. Bad, because we can easily turn on our closest friends, bad because the emptiness we feel becomes contagious and draws others into a whirlpool of despair. Good, because we are forced to pray from our inmost depths, to beg for the peace we cannot find, to beg for a solution outside ourselves, and thus relinquish our personal independence and sovereignty, and yield in desparation to what AA terms "a higher power", otherwise called God. St. Paul writes to the Philippians of his experience and discovery: "I have learned to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need." (Phil 4: 11-13). Another more familiar translation reads, "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." This attitude of "holy indifference" advocated by St. Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercises provides the key to escaping from the lair if negativism that can paralyze us and prevent us from seeing the glass hal full as opposed to half empty. Full stomach, empty stomach, things going peachy or not, a Church whose wrinkles can discourage, or a Church which is ever being renewed by the Holy Spirit working through its individual members. How else did it survive crises worse than those we face today? We bounce back, the Church bounces back, when we lay aside all false pretenses and turn to Christ as our source of strength. "I can do all things in Christ who strengthens me." Come, Lord, Jesus, make me strong!
Bro. Rene

A Day of Gratitude, A Day of Commitment

Brother Thomas P. Long, President of Central Catholic High School, offers this inspiring reflection as we praise and thank God for the historic milestone we celebrate with Cardinal Sean O'Malley and a host of notables of our hallowed past.

Today, Central Catholic students and faculty will observe the closing of our 75th Anniversary celebrations in the same manner our first students and teachers marked the opening of Central Catholic High School on September 16, 1935: gathered around the table of the Lord, as a family of faith, to celebrate the Eucharist. We remember, we celebrate, we believe.

In 1935 these pioneer students - eager 14 year-olds with names that are somehow familiar to us, names like Bodenrader & Costello, Garvey & Hayes & Willis – followed with trust the Marist Brothers who became the early legends of our school – men like Brother Johannes, Brother Thomas Austin O’Donnell, and of course, the visionary and audacious Brother Florentius. Together, in the midst of the great depression, they created our beloved school out of nothing. A miracle, really.

Since then, generations of Central Catholic teachers and students repeatedly do what the first Central Catholic students and faculty did on that first day: gather in Jesus name, place on the altar our hopes and fears and dreams, give thanks to God, and ask God’s blessing on one another, and on those in need. Each time we do this, we are spiritually connected to every one of the 13,000+ students who have passed through the halls of CCHS in these last 75 years, and their teachers and families. We remember, we celebrate, we believe.

If we sift through the many layers of what makes Central Catholic a beacon to young people - superb academics; athletic excellence; the relationships between students and teachers; the friendships among students, so many that will last a lifetime; our willingness to care for each other; our immensely talented students and faculty; the generosity with which we reach out into our community to serve the needs of others - we find at the heart of it all that what makes Central Catholic great is the person of Jesus Christ. More than anything else, St. Marcellin Champagnat wanted Marist schools to be places where students experience Jesus as a real and living person, as our brother. And Jesus is and will continue to be a living and real presence in the halls of Central Catholic and in our families, workplaces, and world if Jesus is alive and real in your heart and in mine.

As we bring down the curtain on our 75th Anniversary celebrations, let us resolve again to be Jesus to one another: to be welcoming to each other; to be forgiving of each other; to love each other; to comfort each other in times of pain; to rejoice in each other’s accomplishments; to respect our differences; to challenge each other to be our very best selves; and openly and without embarrassment, to admire each other’s strengths and virtues. What a great tribute to Brother Florentius, and those intrepid first Central Catholic teachers and students! What a beautiful expression of St. Marcellin’s vision!
This is who we are. It’s what we remember, what we celebrate. It’s what we believe.
Bro. Tom

Our Marist Role

When St. Marcellin came to the bedside of the dying Jean-Baptiste Montagne and discovered that the young teen knew nothing about his faith, he "set his face like flint" to insure that such ignorance would never occur again: an enormous goal, as yet not fully realized. Yes, the mission remains because the ignorance of the faith, or indifference to it persist. The reign of secularism, the abundance of material goods (we have everything, there is no need for God), and even an active rejection based on the "evils of the church" have all contributed to a new generation of Jean-Baptistes. As St. Marcellin did, he began small...first in his own prayer life, "is this what God wants?" and in his risk-taking, he responded with courage to an obvious need, so can, so must we. After nearly 200 years, his mission has spread to 79 countries and brought Christ to millions of people but the wave of his inspiration will continue only if we who claim to be Marist (little brothers and sisters of Mary, vowed and lay) follow that same path: prayer, taking a risk. One by one, person by person, we can have a "Christ-effect" on others. There is nothing to hide nor of which to be ashamed in being Catholic, in standing up for the faith and truth as we have learned it. Our times demand witnesses not mummies, boldness and daring. St. Marcellin did it, so can we.
Bro. Rene

Good Shepherd Sunday

A brief explanation before today's slice of bread. There was a glitch with bloggerdashboard on Friday, so I was not able to make a contribution that day, and Saturday, I was away at a graduation and had no access to a computer. I see that Thursday's entry was repeated. For a reason, I presume.
Today is Good Shepherd Sunday as well as the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, quite a combo and very fitting for our reflections on the Church and the world around us. Most of us have perhaps never met a shepherd, nor even seen a herd of sheep, but Jesus' description of the care given by the shepherd to his sheep still speaks to us: He is the guardian, the trusted one, the one who knows and loves his sheep, the one who came "so that they might have life and have it more abundantly." (Jn 10:10). The image of the Good Shepherd is loved and found around the world in all Christian denomiations for these reasons. We who wander about lost and hungry NEED such a shepherd, to care for us, to keep us from straying. Hence, the shepherd's crook, to pull us out of the brambles of life, or to poke us back into the fold when we stray. We look to our bishops as our leaders, our shepherds...their croziers are really shepherd's crooks...sometimes ornate and gilded, but more recently of simple wood. As teachers, and parents, we too are shepherds, needed more than ever as the secular world steals more and more time and attention from "the things that matter" in our lives and in our children's and students' lives. Sometimes I feel like St. Paul on a continuous missionary journey speaking to students who never heard about the riches and abundant life available to those who believe and live the faith. It's like starting from scratch. I've been speaking in freshmen religion classes, and come out with admiration for the teachers who strive every day to impart some knowledge and love of Jesus and Mary, as well as some basic facts of the faith. I also come out with the conviction that we need to pray for them and all who have the responsibility of passing on the faith. Let us pray too that more good people will hear and follow the call to be shepherds and teachers. Above all, today's focus reminds us that Jesus is still THE GOOD SHEPHERD who loves all his sheep and will not only guard and protect them,but will lead them to abundant life; so our confidence lies in him, not just in ourselves.
Bro. Rene

Blessed Are The Eyes

Often in our preoccupation we are blind to the beauty, miracles and developments that surround us, and which we take for granted. Just think for a moment about the generations wh0 longed for the Messiah, or more recently, for liturgy in the vernacular, for pastors who would tackle issues of social injustice, that married couples would be canonized, or that the evils perpetrated in the name of Jesus, or by his ordained ministers, would be acknowledged and sincere attempts at reparation would be made. These dreams of so many, long deceased, are ours to behold in reality. The dreams and desires we have for a more perfect Church and world will someday be the realities seen by future generations.
On a more local level, our eyes are blessed to see the talent and abilities of our children, our students, if we step aside from our ordinary routines and LOOK. Last night a "coffee house" was held in our Baroni Multi-Purpose Hall, sponsored by our literary magazine, VISIONS. Well named, for the visions of a large number of talented students were displayed in writing, spoken word, singing, and instruments. It was a glorious revelation and celebration of talent that often goes undetected because our eyes are not open. Jesus reminds us, "Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears, because they hear. Amen, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it." (Mt 13: 17). Lord, that I may see and not take anything for granted. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Worries

We read in Genesis that "The earth was empty, a formless mass cloaked in darkness" (Gen 1:2). Other translations use the word "chaos". Sometimes our own lives seem cloaked in chaos, darkness, an aimless mass of "to do's" and worries. Headlines do not help as the oddities of human nature and Mother Nature" scare us: earthquakes, threats of earthquakes, floods, strange behaviors on planes, corruption in politics, cases of measles, on and on. Worry comes from an Anglo-Saxon word which means "harm" and another form which means "wolf". We can let the "wolf" tear at us apart and do untold harm mentally, if we allow this beast to dominate our thoughts and imaginations. Here is where the solid teaching of Jesus about the birds of the air and lilies of the field can be the "weapon" which drives away the wolf: "And don't worry about food--what to eat and what to drink. Don't worry whether God will provide it for you. These things dominate the thoughts of most people, but your Father already knows your needs. He will give you all you need from day to day if you make the Kingdom of God your primary concern." (Lk 12: 29-30).
Bro. Rene

The Ultimate Gift

There is a very touching film that came out a few years ago: The Ultimate Gift. The title alone is intriguing. What is the ultimate gift? We might be quick to say, "my life", and we would be right. "Greater love, has no one, except that one lay down one's life for another". The Church reminds us of that as we remember St. Damian the Leper and St. Stephen, the first martyr. Both gave entirely of themselves: one to the service of the lepers of Molokai, becoming one with them even in their dreaded disease, and the other as witness to the Risen Jesus and the Way which he proposed to his followers. Never stopping his message and forgiving his murderers with his last breath, he gave himself totally to the One he believed and loved. Our lives most likely are not that dramatic, but in many ways, we are asked to give OF ourselves in the course of the 24 hours with which we are gifted when we awake each morning. As I write and as you read, we are not certain of the details of today's gift of self, but we are certain that something will be asked of us that will stretch us and demand more than we at this moment are prepared to give. Let us, then, take a moment to offer an open heart and ready ear to what will be asked, and let these series of little gifts ready us for The Ultimate Gift.
Bro. Rene

Working For What Endures

In setting up the goals of Catholic Education in Rural France after the Revolution, St. Marcellin was careful to make sure that the ultimate goal of "making Jesus known and loved," was not lost amidst the short term goals such as adequate buildings for the students and the brothers, gardens to provide food for their meals, and salaries necessary for reasonable but substantial needs associated with an institution that was intended to have a long life. In more cases than one would expect, not all these goals were met, and the closing of schools, or the removal of brothers from them, was a common enough experience, even in our early days. We tend to think that it is only now that we face this unfortunate situation.
Jesus warns us, "Do not work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you." (Jn 6: 27). He was talking about the gift of himself in the Eucharist, but also about the faith needed to appreciate that gift. When asked what to do to accomplish the works of God, Jesus answered: "This is the work of God, that you believe in the one he sent." (Jn 6: 29). And this too is the legacy of St. Marcellin, to keep the faith alive, to foster it, to keep on passing it to the next generation. It is the faith that endures, not the buildings, not the state-of-the-art equipment in them. It is for this end that our schools exist; it is for this end that we as educators, supported by parents, former students and friends, continue to work. As we go about today's tasks, may they be informed by our faith so that the simplest things become "God's Work" and thus, something that endures.

Mary, Our Good Mother. Pray For Us.

We are honored today for a fitting and nourishing slice of Daily Bread from a Mother, Mrs. Doreen Keller, Principal of Central Catholic High School.

"Mary, Our Good Mother. Pray for us." Today, as we celebrate Mother’s Day, I thought about this intercession we say each day as a school community in prayer at the beginning and ending of the day. Mary was without question a “good” mother – accepting of God’s will for her to become the mother of Jesus and His plan for her role in Jesus’ earthly life. What defines a “good” mother by 21st century standards? I believe that it is many of the same characteristics and qualities that Mary demonstrated as a mother over 2000 years ago. A mother gives a lifetime of love, understanding, acceptance and support. Mary helped Jesus find His way through every stage and phase of His human life just as 21st century mothers do in a world today that has become increasingly more complicated. Wherever we may be in our role as mother, we can emulate Mary, as good mother; through the love and example we show our children and others we meet as faith filled servants of the Lord. On this Mother’s Day, 2011, I wish all mothers a “Happy Mother’s Day” and ask Mary, Our Good Mother, to pray for us.
Doreen Keller

All To Mary

Today is the First Saturday of May; Saturday's are traditionally "Mary's Day", and this year, it falls on the eve of Mother's Day. There will be First Communions in hundreds of parishes across the nation, bringing thousands to Mass and Communion. Last weekend a vigil prior to the beatification of Pope John Paul II was held in Rome, recalling his devotion to Mary, and one of his favorite slogans: TOTUS TUUS (totally yours). St. Marcellin expressed his love and complete trust in Mary by calling her his "Good Mother." Thus we are surrounded by people and events that motivate us to ask ourselves if we have that same faith which will launch us into the "unknown" in Mary's footsteps, as she so willingly accepted the invitation to be the Mother of God at the Annunciation. What "annunciation" will take place in our lives today, or what invitation is already in progress? Pope John Paul's motto, "Fear Not" appeared on banners all over Rome at the beatification; a gloomy, rainy weatherforecast was reversed by a bright sun which caused pilgrims to use their umbrellas to provide shade rather than keep them dry. Little miracles, little signs appear to urge us to "launch out into the deep" and fear nothing. Let us, like Mary, make our act of faith, of trust, of love, and let all go completely into the hands of God, with not strings, no provisos, no conditions. Mary, help me to be totally yours, totally God's. Amen.

Not On Bread Alone

One of the means of living the Eastery Mystery is the gift of the Eucharist, the meal and the sacrifice, the summit and center of Christian life. When we come to the Liturgy of the Eucharist, we are able to access the meal at which Jesus gave us his body and blood, as well as the sacrifice on Calvary, where Jesus gave his body and blood in expiation for the sins of us all. He truly feeds us with the "finest wheat and honey from the rock." (Ps 81: 17). It is the bread of life which satisfies our hunger, and gives us the strength for every step of our life's journey. It is the bread that surpasses the "earthly bread" which sustains our physical life and enables us to have an intimate relationship with Jesus. Frequent contact with Jesus through the reception of Holy Communion helps us "acquire more mastery over ourselves, become less touchy and sensitive, more generous in our undertakings, more patient in suffering, more faithful to our good resolutions and more indifferent to the esteem or contempt of others, more obedient to the impulses of divine grace and more ready for all the sacrifices God asks of us." (Fr. Jean-Nicolas Grou, S.J.). The Easter Season, which continues until June 12, is an excellent time to make an effort to attend weekday Mass, as many did during Lent, in preparation for Easter. Now is the time to LIVE Easter by partaking of the REAL BREAD that promises eternal life.
Bro. Rene

Living The Risen Life

If we look at the events in the 50 days between between the Resurrection and Ascension, we see glimpses of what is expected of us: Jesus reassures, eats with his disciples. confirms their faith and commisions them to proceed in confidence, fired by the Holy Spirit to preach and baptize to the ends of the earth. He also stresses the power of forgiveness, giving the apostles the ability to forgive sins, as he did. In sacramental form, it is called the Sacrament of Reconciliation, or Penance, or simply Confession. In addition to these formal moments of forgiveness, there are the daily informal occasions that arise as part of the human condition. A man recently told me of how he hurt his family without realizing what he was doing, but how his daughters were able to sit him down and listen, while they explained what they experienced and how they felt about his behavior. It was done in the context of love, and done peacefully, so that this man was moved, not to resist, or continue to strike out, but rather to ask forgiveness. That act of love on the part of the daughters, provoked a matching act of love on the part of the father. The healing of the family has begun as they experience death and resurrection. Living the Risen Life is part of the ordinary, and sometimes extraordinary, circumstances of family or professional life. It is not simply something for "church" or Easter Sunday. Christ is Risen, Alleluia, and so we must rise, in our own everyday life, with him.
Bro. Rene

The Encampment Of The Lord

From the days of the Hebrews crossing the desert to the Promised Land, there has been a collective faith that the cries of the poor go not unheeded. "The angel of the Lord encamps /round those who fear him, and delivers them". (Ps 34:8) Each day seems to bring new challenges from rising gas prices, now at some stations over $4.00, to the interminable War on Terror, the need for that Angel of the Lord never diminishes. Even in our own spiritual lives, we must maintain an hourly alert (it seems), so remain sane. We are assured, however, by the Psalmist who describes his own plight: "I sought the Lord, and he answered me/and delivered me from all my fears." (Ps 34:5) Perhaps in just the few minutes it takes to read and reflect on this daily slice of bread, we can find solace in the Angel's camp. We are urged in the same Psalm to "Look to [the Lord] that you may be radiant with joy, /and your faces may not blush with shame. Taste and see how good the Lord is;/ blessed are they who take refuge in him." (Ps 34: 6,9) Looking to the Lord, we see more clearly the bright side of life, such as the 65 students who were inducted into the National Honor Society here at Central last night, or the student who already completed her 24 hours of service as a sophomore, but does not want to stop; rather she wants to make service a way of life for the rest of her life! When angels such as these break out of the camp, they bring radiance and solace to those hampered by fear and despondency. Let us "look to the Lord that we may be radiant with joy."
Bro. Rene

Show Us The Father

"Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us," demanded Philip. (Jn 14: 8). We can imagine the exasperation of Jesus in the tone of his reply: "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoeaver has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?" (Jn 14: 9). Are we not like Philip? How many times have we received communion at Holy Mass, heard the Gospels, read them ourselves, done service projects to be of assistance to the needy, and yet, somehow have missed the boat? How well do we know Jesus? Can we say that we have seen the Father from our knowledge of Jesus? Philip's "blindness" is our own, but it can be the invitation, the nudge, to deepen our knowledge and understanding of Jesus, by taking up the Gospels and again reading them slowly and reflectively so that we see and hear Jesus to the point that we are able to converse with him naturally as with a close friend. Our prayer can be, "Lord, show me who you are, help me to spend time with you so that I can learn more about you, and come to love you as a friend, a brother. Thank you for your patience with me; see that I am deeply sincere in my desire to know you and through you come to know and love the Father. Amen."

Living Out The Faith

Nothing happens for nothing. Everything has a reason. Take whatever version sticks, but neither can be denied. While waiting for some students to join us for Mass yesterday, Br. Brian and I stood in the back of the church, for what turned out to be the whole Mass, since they never arrived. It's a whole different world back there...late comers, endless streams to the restrooms, mothers in and out with young children...at random times, no matter how "sacred" the moment...i.e. the consecration...and lots of post-communion departures. At least they were there and their devotion to their children was the living out of what was happening at the altar. But I could not fully chase the thoughts running through my mind from the film JESUS, that i ha watched Saturday night: thoughts of Jesus in the Garden, on the cross....hearing the Devil tempting him to abandon the Father's will with the reality that "in vain would be his suffering and death" for so many would ignore it or twist it, or just "never get it." Yet he accepted the Father's Will and went through with "the plan."
And rightly, for later in the day, I joined a large group in the same church who came for a Holy Hour (plus rosary) to pray for Divine Mercy...the never ending flood of grace that flows from the heart of Jesus. That grace was won for us on the Cross, and enables those who choose, to overcome similar temptations from Satan, and follow through with the Father's plan.
And then, even more dramatically, last evening I attended a Mass at St. Anselm Abbey church where three young adults were baptized, and confirmed and made their First Holy Communion with six other college age students who responded to that flow of grace in their lives. Their joy, enthusiasm, and understanding of the commitment they had just made filled that large church with an atmosphere that totally negated what I had experienced earlier that day. The Resurrection is REAL...living our Faith is possible. In our imperfect world, no one escapes some form of the cross or temptation, but in the end, it is Jesus who triumphs. Let us be encouraged and not lose heart.
Bro. Rene

May Day

This year May First, "MAY DAY" carries for Marists a full load: It is the Second Sunday of Easter, and thanks to Pope John Paul II, beatified this day, Divine Mercy Sunday. It is also the anniversary of Br. Marie Florentius, founder of Central Catholic High School, Lawrence, MA, who was found dead in his bedroom on this day in 1938. It is usually the feast of St. Joseph the Worker, but who, in his usual humble fashion, slips far into the background until next year when May 1st will fall on a weekday. And finally, it is the beginning of the month of May, traditionally dedicated to Mary, our Good Mother. Whew! Tying all these commemorations together, we might contrast today's Gospel story of "Doubting Thomas" with these great people of FAITH: Pope John Paul, Sr. Faustina, originator of devotion to Divine Mercy, Brother Florentius, St. Joseph, and Mary, the Mother of God. Thomas had to insert his fingers into the wounds of Jesus before he believed, but in so doing, evoked the encouraging words of Jesus, "Blessed are those who have not seen, but have believed." (Jn 20:20). These people are among the the non-seers, and so are we. How deep is our faith? Most probably we are somewhere between Thomas and these greats and can honestly admit that we "need work." Let us take some time, then, today, to re-read the Thomas story, review what we know of JP II and the others, look at events in our past where God has practially shown us his wounds to grow our faith, and pray the simple prayer, "Lord, I do believe; help my unbelief until I can say with all confidence, 'Jesus I believe and trust in you.'"
Bro, Rene