Your Word is a Lamp for my Steps

As we remember St. Jerome and the enormous work he contributed to spreading the Word of God through his translation of the Bible into Latin, the language spoken by most people of the Roman Empire in the late fourth century, and his commentaries on the Scriptures, we pause to reflect on the importance of the Word.  "Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away." (Mt. 24: 35).  We have a special treasure, especially in the Gospels, the Epistles and the Psalms.  They are nourishing, challenging, enlightening and comforting.  It is as God were talking directly to us.  Amazingly, a verse of Scripture can leap out at us as if it were written for us that morning.  It sometimes brings us to tears as it answers a need or a question that has been plaguing us.  Jerome poured over the Scriptures as no other person has done.  These efforts transformed his life.  We need to do more than just hear them on Sunday, or admire them from a distance; we need to digest them, ponder them, and allow them to transform us as well.  May we find some time today to open our Bibles, or take the Mass readings for today and allow them to become a lamp for our steps.  Perhaps we'll become "hooked" on Scripture and make this a daily practice.  It would bring a smile to St. Jerome and a light to us and those whom we encounter during the day.
Bro. Rene

Archangels

We celebrate with St. Michael, St. Gabriel and St. Raphael, three popular Archangels whose names appear in the Old and New Testaments and served a God's messengers.  They did God's bidding when called upon and still today serve as patrons of a variety of countries and occupations.  For example, St. Michael is the patron saint of Germany, England, Papua New Guinea, Gibraltar, the Solomon Islands, the sick radiologiest, grocers, mariners, police officers, paratroopers and cemeteries.  He is also the patron of our own Mount St. Michael's Academy in the Bronx.  Some parishes still say the prayer to St. Michael after Mass.  In this day and age, that prayer rings to true...we need a defender against the wickeness and snares of the devil who prowls throughout the world seeking the ruin of souls.
Gabriel brought the invitations to Zechariah, father of St. John the Baptist,  and to Mary and Raphael guided the young Tobias on his journey.  Let us ask them to invite, guide and protect us on our journey.  Let us put our lives with confidence into their hands and trust that as with all who cooperated with them, all turned out better than ever expected.
Bro. Rene

Martyrs

Yesterday I misinformed all of you by writing that St. Vincent de Paul came from a wealthy family.  He did not; he family was quite poor.  His dedication to the poor developed during his period as a prisoner on a galley from which he made a dramatic escape.  From then on he gradually became more and more a servant of the poor and unfortunate.
Today, the Church remembers "good king Wenceslaus" of Bohemia, now the patron of the Czech Republic, who was murdered for his adherence to the Catholic Faith, and St. Lawrence Ruiz, a Philippino who was martyred with several others in Japan.  While physical martyrdom may not be in the plan God has for us, a "death to self" is always a part of the road to growth in union with God.  Both Jesus and Marcellin Champagnat invited their followers to intimate communion and community.  Jesus used the last supper as the invitation to this union and in the Mass, the "table of the Lord" is the symbol of self-giving.  The challenge to "love one another as I have loved you" came from the lips of Jesus at that supper and was echoed by Marcellin throughout his life and put into writing in his spiritual testament.  By receiving all who come into our lives, by extending ourselves beyond our limits, we die to self, but find life in abundance, in a bloodless but equally effective way as did the martyrs.
Bro. Rene

St. Vincent de Paul Today

The name St. Vincent de Paul, whose Memorial is today, brings to mind the Saint Vincent de Paul Society  which is usually found in every parish, and which is known for its on-going efforts to care for the poor.  "Monsieur Vincent" was born in Gascony, France in 1581 to a wealthy family, but in his years as a priest, he underwent a spiritual conversion as he came into contact with the poor.  His loving heart was moved to compassion to the point where he donated his wealth to help them and inspired others to do the same. Eventually he founded a congregation of priests, now known as the Vincentians, and with Louise de Marillac, founded the Daughters of Charity, a religious order well-known by the "white wings" they wore on their heads and for their works of charity.  In the 19th century, Frederick Ozanam, inspired by St. Vincent's life and works with the poor, initiated the St. Vincent de Paul Society.  In Lawrence, the Director and hands-on-leader of the St. Vincent de Paul Store is a Central graduate, Chanel, Vachon '59, who carries out his work with Marist simplicity and humility. 
Yesterday in a conversation with a young 14 year old freshman, who is growing like the proverbial weed, and whom I'll describe as "Not Your Average Freshman" I learned that from what he has absorbed from his Catholic education in grammar school, he willingly donates his clothes to "charity" when they are too small.  These days, that's about every 3-4 months.  He simply said, "Why keep them when others can use them?"  The spirit of St. Vincent has passed on to this young man, whose example could be an inspiration for us.  To the closets, folks.  Why let things pile up when others can use them?
Bro. Rene

Taking Time for God

Over the weekend the Directors of Marist Communities attended a workshop on Holistic Approaches to Leadership and Prayer In Abundance.  It boiled down to the question of how do we find time for God when surrounded by abundance of material goods and "things to do"?  With dwindling numbers, priest and religious are more and more overwhelmed by requests, all legitimate, for help on all fronts.  Achieving a  balance between the need to replenish ourselves and keep ourselves healthy so that we may answer these requests, and the need to respond to them is like walking a tight rope.  The work "NO" came up, a word which always stirs guilt feelings, as well as the need for the "yes", as part of the reason why we are called to the religous life.  All people  who sincerly want to live the Gospel feel this tension, so it is not exclusive to religious.  Our Marist Way follows the example of Mary and her YES that changed the course of human history.  There was no easy answer nor facile conclusion, but the need for time with God to help discern between what is possible and what is not, seemed to be the direction to go.  Quiet time which allows God to speak and us to listen, will help in the decision of what to do and what not to do.  Even finding the time for such quiet is a question.  The image of the "car as the contemporary monastery" offers a solution.  No radio, CD while driving, but aside from paying attention to the road, time in the car cand be time for God.  It has come to this!   But it will do if we take advantage of it.  Try it.
Bro. Rene

Padre Pio of Pietrelcina

A few weeks after the canonization of St. Marcellin Champagnat on April 18, 1999, Padre Pio was beatified on May 2 and canonized on June 6, 2002, the Memorial of St. Marcellin.  For years there were rumors about his holiness and the gift of the stigmata, which he bore for over 50 years.  He lived in the friary of San Giovani Rotondo in southern Italy where hundreds of pilgrims daily sought him in confession.  The suffering caused by his wounds was real, a gift from Christ who suffered these same wounds, as did St. Francis of Assisi.  But there was further suffering as these wounds were scoffed at by Vatican authorities, and he was forbidden for awhile to offer Mass publicly for a time.  He wanted to be "a poor friar who prays", but was called to suffer in mind and body that sinners might believe in God and the world might be saved. When  have our own aches and pains we might unite them, in the spirit of St. Pio, with the sufferings of Jesus for these same intentions.  It doesn't take away the pain, but puts it in perspective and gives it a purpose.
Bro. Rene
(I will be away for a meeting on Saturday and Sunday and will not have access to a computer until Monday.
Today is the first day of Autumn...may we relish the beauty of this season and continue to give thanks for all we have received.)

Humility

Humility is one of the major Marist Virtues.  Most of us don't have to work hard at it, because we are constantly being reminded that we are not in control, we are not God.  When the kitchen sink faucet handle comes off in your hands and it takes 20 minutes to find a temporary solution; when for us "tech freaks" the internet is "down" and we cannot get our work done;  or, in some cases, even in today's advanced state auto perfection, the car won't start...we know that we are not in control.  We need these humbling events to keep us on track.
I see so many gifted students each day, who excel in academics or athletics, and yet remain very humble and seek to minimize the praise that people give them; I am encouraged to see that this Marist virtue has already be inculcated in them.  Yes, we strive to do our very best, but we realize that what we do achieve is a combination of what we accomplish and what we have received from others, and ultimately from God.  An extremely gifted freshman began a conversation with me saying how much he owed his parents, and how grateful to them he was, as well as to coaches and mentors during those difficult "middle school" years.  It was so refreshing to see a young man with that perspective and insight.  May we find time today to render thanks to God and to those who have influenced us in the course of our lives to help bring us to the point where we are now.
Bro. Rene

Responding to the Call

The Call of Matthew has always intrigued me.  "As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the customs post.  He said to him, 'Follow me.' And he got up and followed him." (Mt 9: 9).
Was Jesus wearing a magnet?  Did he know Jesus before?  Had he observed him and been wrestling in his heart with the message and personality Jesus presented?  We don't know, but we do know he left his job, and found joy and peace with Jesus.  At some point he was hosting dinner at his house where his cronies, "tax collectors and sinners" came and ate with Jesus.  A motley crew, it would seem, whom, however, Jesus defended as the object of his mission.  "I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." (Mt. 9:13).  These too responded to an invitation and, though we don't know, we presume their lives were changed.  Matthew went on as a faithful member of the Twelve, and later wrote the Gospel which gives us such insight into Jesus that readers over the centuries have become followers of him as well.  A word, a gesture, and lives are changed.  It still happens today.  A student makes a retreat and asks to become a leader at the next one, to give to others what he or she has received.  A student wakes up one morning and chooses to come to Central Catholic and enters into a life-changing experience.  "The Call" is all around us and comes to us in surprising and unexpected ways.  What call is each of us hearing today?  How are we responding?
Bro. Rene

Hearing The Word and Acting On It.

We in the United States know little about the Church in Korea, but today's Memorial of Saints Andrew Kim Taegon, Paul Chong Hasang, and Companions gives us a glimpse of faithful followers of Jesus who willingly gave their lives for Jesus.  There were four persecutions of Christians in the 19th century in Korea, 1839, 1846, 1866, and 1867. One hundred and three were martyred. St. Andrew was a priest and Paul was a "lay apostle".  Most of the martyrs were lay people who after hearing the Word, refused to give it up, even to the point of giving up their lives.  Today the Catholic Church is growing in South Korea and so are many other Christian denominations.  The Marist Brothers went to Korea from Mexico in 1973 and have helped in this growth through their ministry to children.  They never owned and operated their own Marist School,  but taught in at least one, and after leaving it, focused on a home for the young and centers which catered to the religious formation of youth via retreats, camps and classes in the faith.  It was not long before Korean young men sought entrance into the Marist Brothers and now there are over 20 Korean Marists. There is no longer the possibility of martyrdom now as there was in the 1800's, but the steadfast holding on to and living of the Word of God continues to bind the brothers together in strength to proclaim the Marist Mission to a very disciplined and receptive people.  May the prayers of St. Andrew, Paul and their Companions inspire us to hold on to our faith and live it.
Bro. Rene

Little by Little

Our fast moving culture is conditioning us to expect, demand, feel entitled, to get results, or what we want immediately. Notice our frustration when our computers are "slow". We carry mobile devices that put us in instant contact with others. If we forget, or worse, God forbid, lose them, we are "lost."   How did we ever survive before we had these things?  We can't escape them, it seems, but we can prevent the mentality that comes with them from throwing a monkey wrench into our spiritual life.   Mary, our Good Mother, St. Marcellin and the thousands who follow in their footsteps know that spiritual growth takes time and patience, and the essential attitude that it happens little by little.  I have a friend of "the old school" who is a gifted engineer, carpenter, electrician...you name it...but he takes his time, claiming that he works according to his energy level.  It's amazing what he accomplishes but it's not done in a day, but over a series of weeks.  He is persistent, and open as time goes by to change and adapt as he works on his projects.  In this way, inspiration has time to find a place in his work, and in the end is much better than his original concept or plan.  So too with our prayer life, our spiritual life.  We are not satisfied, we want more, and think we are not "making progress" when it doesn't seem to be going according to our "hurry-up" blueprint.  We need not be down on ourselves because the plans we make are not fulfilled.  Rather, it is a time for us to abandon ourselves to God's plan, and learn (sometimes the hard way) that even in our disappointments and frustrations, we have the opportunity for spiritual growth.  The formula, "little by little" is an apt application to follow.  "By waiting and by calm you shall be saved,/ in quiet and in trust your strength lies" (Is 30: 15b).
Bro. Rene

Generosity Beyond Human Comprehension

Homilies this weekend, no doubt, are dealing with the "fairness" of the landowner who paid the same wage to those who toiled the whole day while giving the same wage to those who were hired toward the end of the workday. We might side with those hired first who complained that they should have received more for working the whole day, if those hired last received the same.  All had agreed to the usual day's wage so it turns out not to be a question of fairness, but of a generosity that transcends the bounds of human comprehension.  And thank God that it is like that, for where would we be if our "wages" depended on the quality of our service to God? 

There is no measure to God's generosity, to God's mercy, nor can we measure God by our standards.  "My thoughts are not your thoughts,/ nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord" (Is 55:8). The level of God's generosity is not the reason for envy but for praise.  All is the gift of God's superabundant love, mercy and generosity, as St. Paul puts it: "When the kindness and generous love/ of God our savior appeared,/ not because of any righteous deed we had done/ but because of his mercy,/ he saved us through the bath of rebirth/ and renewal by the holy Spirit,/ whom he richly poured out on us/ through Jesus Christ our savior,/ so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:4-7). Let us take some extra time on this day of rest to reflect on the abundant blessings we have received: our faith, family, friends, health, security, etc. and offer praise and thanks to God for his generosity that extends beyond our comprehension.
Bro. Rene

Bearing Fruit

The Parable of the Sower descibes seed that falls in four levels:  the path, the rocky ground, the thorns, and finally rich soil.  It is this latter that bears fruit.  "But as for the seed that fell on rich soil, they are the ones how, when they have heard the word, embrace it with a generous and good heart, and bear fruit through perseverance" (Lk 8:15).  The fruit does not come automatically; there must be an embracing of it with a generous heart, one willing to let go of anything that becomes and obstacle, and there must be perseverance.  Raising tomatoes or any vegetable, the grower knows this: we must contend with weeds, blight, insects, drought, and hail until the harvest.  So much more with our spiritual lives.  Great saints like St. Robert Bellarmine, whose memorial is celebrated today or an ordinary "one of us" whom I met yesterday preparing to leave for Medjugorje, who told me of his straying from active faith practice, his lukewarm return, and now with a generous heart his embracing of the opportunity to deepen his faith by this pilgirmage. St. Robert did not give up when opposition arose, neither did this man, but over the stretch of their lives a level of spiritual maturity developed, ripened, and brought forth fruit that will last. Where are we? What can we do to further embrace with generous hearts the seed that God has planted in our "rich soil."?
Bro. Rene

Marks of the Marist Student

About two years ago five characteristics of what we expect graduates of a Marist School to take with them into life were articulated and presented to each Marist school as goals for which strategies to achieve them should be developed.  These are referred to as Marks of the Marist Student:  Faith-filled Disciples of Christ; 2) Empowered witnesses of the Gospel; 3) Agents of justice and service, 4) Servant Leaders; 5) Spirit-filled members of family and community.   Yesterday, however, I came into contact with graduates who attended Central before these Marks were identified, but who obviously absorbed them while here and live them. 
Michael Savastano, '74 was buried yesterday, but from what I learned about him during the homily and the moving eulogy delivered by his three children, also Central graduates, I could see that he and these children had integrated these Marks into their lives.  It was so affirming to see that all along, these values have been part of the formation and education of our students.
Late in the afternoon I received a call from Stephen Needham '06, who is organizing a fund raiser on Sunday, with the promise of a matching gift from Joe Faro, also a Central graduate, to benefit the Lazarus House Hike for Hope.  How great is that?
Bro. Rene

In The Face of Sorrow

Following upon the majestic feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the Church today remembers Mary at the foot of the cross as one of the blades of sorrow predicted by Simeon at the circumcision of Jesus  pierced her heart. (cf. Lk 2:34-35).  As the first and foremost disiple of Jesus, she took up her Son's injunction to "take up the cross and follow him" and without shedding a drop of blood, won the martyr's crown.  "Come, all who pass by the way, look and see whether there is any suffering like my suffering" (Lamentations 1:12).  Her obedience not only leads us to Jesus, but gives us courage to face the inevitable sorrows in our own lives.  Especially at this time of remembering the sorrows incurred on 9/11, Mary's sufferings as mother losing a child, are even more poignant.  If not by death, there are many mother's who mourn the "loss of a child" through the choices they have made, and stand by helplessly at the foot of their crosses as Mary did. Or there are the sorrows attached to the illnesses of loved ones, children, siblings, parents.  There is no escape from sorrow in "this vale of tears", but thanks to Jesus' gift of Mary to us, "Behold your Mother", we have the courage and strength to endure them.  The letter to the Hebrews reminds us, "You need endurance to do the will of God and receive what he has promised." (Heb 10: 36).  Through the intercession of Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, by uniting our sufferings with hers and those of Jesus, may we bear saving fruit in Christ our Lord. Amen.
Bro. Rene

The Exaltation of the Holy Cross

A major feast in the Eastern and Roman Churches, the Exaltation of the Holy Cross commemorates the return of the relic of the true cross to Jerusalem by the Emperor Herclius of Constantinople in 629 after it had been carried off by Chosroes II, King of Persia in 614.  The Emperor was wearing his kingly best including jeweled crown as he carried the cross to Mount Calvary, but was reminded that Jesus was not dressed that way when he carried it.  He then quickly took off all his finery and put on sackcloth, and barefooted, carried the cross up Calvary to the church of the Holy Sepulcher from where it had been taken.
We use the sign of the cross as we begin and end our prayers as a reminder that this once sign of infamy has now become the sign of triumph.  It is the sign of victory over sin and death won by our Savior who chose the worst form of execution to give us a chance to live in eternal happiness with him in heaven.  We reverence the cross throughout the year, but especially on this day, as the sign of who we are, Christians, and join St. Paul in asserting:  "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." (Gal 6:14). The Marist Brothers say this daily as they put on their Marist crosses.  A good prayer for all Marists.
Bro. Rene

St. John Chrysostom

Yesterday I sent an incomplete link to the youtube video about Joe Ward, which I highly recommend.  I was not able to access it myself, but Joe sent the correct version below. 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukeSF-3V87s&feature=feedu

John Chrysostom, "The Golden Mouth", lived in the 4th century as the Roman Empire was declining, but whose educators remained faithful to the classical traditions of eloquent rhetoric.  Along with his prowess as a convincing speaker, he also felt an inclination toward a solitary ascetical life.  Such a rare combination was not left unnoticed, and he was elected Bishop of Constantinople in 397 AD.  For ten years he courageously preached against the heresies of the day and labored to reform the clergy, inevitably creating enemies.  He even was forced into exile. Today he is regarded as one of the Fathers of the Church.
He stands as a model for preachers and teachers (parents included), for his life exemplifies the truth that it's not the voice of the preacher that counts, but the Word of Life, Christ, who comes though that voice from the heart of the speaker who is deeply connected to him through prayer.  Our theme this year at Central Catholic is "Faith-filled Disciples of Christ".  We will examine our faith journeys and strive to connect even more closely with Jesus, so that our words and actions reflect HIS message.  Part of that process is prayerful listening that we may hear Christ in his Word and live by what we hear.
Bro. Rene

The Most Holy Name of Mary

The optional Memorial in today's liturgical calendar honors The Most Holy Name of Mary.  It is, however, considered a major Marial celebration for our Marist Family, for this name appears in all five branches:  The Society of Mary (Marist Fathers) The Little Brothers of Mary (Marist Brothers), the Marist Sisters (Sisters of Mary),  the Marist Missionary Sisters and the Third Order of Mary.  Devotion to Mary is a family strength and for good reason.  St. Alphonsus Ligouri quotes several spiritual writers who assert that the name of Mary, next to that of Jesus, is the most powerful name we can utter. "There is not such powerful help in any name, nor is there any other name given to men, after that of Jesus, from which so much salvation is poured forth upon men as from the name of Mary.  The devout invocation of this sweet and holy name leads to the acquisition of superabundant graces in this life, and a very high degree of glory in the next." --Richard of St. Lawrence.  St. Alphonsus reiterates that "after the name of Jesus, the name of Mary is so rich in every good thing, that on earth and in heaven there is not other from which devout souls receive so much grace, hope, and sweetness."
We are privileged to carry the name of Mary as Marists, consecrated, ordained, or lay, and the spirituality which derives from our love of Mary enables us to follow her in doing the impossible, for as she learned and teaches, "nothing is impossible with God: (Luke 1:37).
Along these lines I encourage you to take a few minutes to see what power our Marist Spirit has unleashed in Joe Ward, a graduate of Marist High School in Chicago. May Joe'simplicity, faith and determination be an inspiration for us all.
http://youtub.be/ukeSF-3V87s
Bro. Rene

The 9/11 Effect

Friday and Saturday, the Genesius Project at Merrimack College presented a moving and challenging original production entitled The 9/11 Effect.  Today, the actual tenth anniversary, what is the effect this horrific event is having on us?  The media is devoting hours of programing, the newpapers are full or articles, the dedication of the memorial at Ground Zero is taking place...a lot of words are being spoken, and in the Churches, an abundnce of prayers, as we remember those who lost their lives and those who still painfully mourn them with a grief that will never disappear.  Pointedly, today's Gospel of the 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time is about forgiveness. This is tough one. "Peter approached Jesus and asked him, 'Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive? As many as seven times?'  Jesus answered, 'I say to you, not seven times but seventy-seven times.'" (Mt 18: 21-22).  St. Paul has strong words on the subject for the Ephesians (and us):  "All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another a God has forgiven you in Christ." (Eph 4:31-32).  Jesus urges us to have courage in taking steps toward forgiveness.  It is possible if we unite with him who is love, joy, peace, strength, power, healing, humility, patience and forgiveness.  We do not make oursevles these, we live with Jesus, in union with him through our prayer, meditation and Holy Communion and then his life in us accomplishes the miracle-change that is needed. As we ponder the events of ten years ago, may one of the effects on us be to draw us into greater union with Jesus and thus enable us to deal with the challenge of forgiveness..
Bro. Rene

Blessed Mother Teresa

On this day in 1946, Sister Agnes, a 36 year old Sister of Loretto, received a "call within a call" while traveling on a train to Darjeeling in the Himalayas.  This nun later came to be known as Mother Teresa of Calcutta, foundress of the Missionaries of Charity, and now, Blessed Mother Teresa.  Her approach to living the Gospel was simple:  "We are contemplatives in the heart of the world.  For we are touching the body of Christ twenty-four hours a day."  She wrote:  God has identified himself with the hungry, the sick, the naked, the homeless; hunger, not only for bread, but for love, for care, to be somebody to someone; nakedness, not of clothing only, but nakdedness of that compassion that very few people give to the unknown; homelessness, not only just for a shelter made of stone, but that homelessness that comes from having no one to call your own."  People flocked to Calcutta to join her but she advised most to "Find your own Calcutta."  One such person was Brother Thomas Petitte, who returned to Lawrence, MA and became one of the founders of Lazarus House, which more than a quarter of a century later, still carries out Mother's ideals. Each one of us today might look to ways in which we can satisfiy the hungers and nakndnesses of those within our families and communities.
Bro. Rene

Doing Good Quietly

One of the noteworthy characteristics of Marist Spirituality is doing good quietly.  Yesterday's celebration of the Nativity of Mary called to mind her birth in obscurity.  No fanfare, no neon lights announcing that the mother of God had just come into the world.  It is only through an apocryphal gospel that we know the names of her parents,  Mary first makes an appearance in St. Luke during the annunciation story.  She appears in the Gospels at most seven times and her words are brief.  Yet the good that has come from her cannot be measured.
St. Peter Claver, whose Memorial we observe today, spent his life as "the slave of the African slaves" in Columbia, South America where for 38 years he quietly ministered to the bodies and souls of these men, women and children who had been captured and sold into slavery.  No fanfare, no lights again, but through his efforts hundreds of thousands found love and care and entered the church. He himself contracted the plague and suffered alone in shameful neglect, but at his death the church and city of Cartegena competed to shower him with honors.
As we go about our daily work and interactions, we might keep Mary and Peter Claver in mind and "not let our left hand know what our right is doing" as Jesus suggested.
Bro. Rene

Disciples of Christ

"Why do we want to be disciples of Christ? asks Pope Benedict.  Think for a moment.  What is your answer?  For him "The answer is:  because, in communion with him, we hope to find life, the true life that is worthy of the name, and thus we want to make him known to others, to communicate to them the gift we have found in him..."  St. Paul reminds us, "As you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith your were taught, abounding in thanksgiving." (Col 2: 6).  Our relationship to Jesus is fundamental, is key, to the reason why we are here:  to find life in him and to bring him to others that they too may find life.  Pope Benedict goes on to say that discipleship and mission are like two sides of a single coin: when the disciple is in love with Christ, he cannot stop proclaiming to the world that only in him do we find salvation (cf. Acts 4:12).  In effect, the disciple knows that without Christ there is no light, no hope, no love, no future...When God is absent--God with the human face of Jesus Christ--these values fail to show themselves with their full force." St. Marcellin was fully aware of this and thus stressed that our Marist Mission is to make Jesus known and loved, assuming that we ourselves know and love him.
Whether teaching in school, coaching on the field, working in business, or convalescing in a nursing home, the call to discipleship and mission is a non-negotiable.
Bro. Rene

Brother John Malachy

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the sudden death of a dynamic, compassionate, loving and loveable brother, Brother John Malachy.who died of a massive heart attack at noon in the foyer of the "Gold House" in the Bronx at noon on the first day of school at Mount St. Michael Academy in the Bronx.  His death came as  double shock since he had just been given a clean bill of health from the Lahey Clinic, where he went for a check up after leaving Central Catholic High School for his new assignment. Representatives from the areas in which he served, Poughkeepsie, Trumbull, CT, Chicago, Wheeling, WV and Lawrence told stories of how his gift of reaching out to them had changed their lives.  Indeed, Br. John took the words of St. Marcellin, to love all, equally, and to make Jesus known and loved especially to the most neglected, literally.  He was noted for his preference to teach the "learning challenged", as we would say today, or to make friends with the shy and withdrawn students and help them see their true worth and raise their self-esteem to the level where they later became leaders in their professions.  Even today, people will tell me that they are a "Br. John Malachy product" and wouldn't be where they are if it were not for him.  Br. John made no bones about his special talent, but pursued his teaching and his extra-curriculars with genuine enthusiasm and energy. His classroom featured parakeets and tropical fish as "conversation starters" which helped the students with poor self-images to find interests in something outside of themselves, begin to talk, write, and learn.  Br. John taught his students manners, how to dress and eventually, how to keep their heads up high and behave professionally.  As a bus driver he wore white gloves, which became his noted trademark.  They served as a symbol of his clean-cut, "good guy" expectations which rubbed off on those in his charge.  What a model for us a Central Catholic today, as we begin our first day of the 2011-2012 academic year!
Bro. Rene

Labor Day

Sometimes labeled "the unoffical end of summer," Labor Day gives us a chance to reflect on the nature and dignity of work.  Yes, one of the consequences of the Fall was that humanity was "condemned" to labor for survival. Gone was the Garden when all was readily at hand, a longed-for Utopia that will come in the next life.  But there is a dignity in working that is not contemptible, but, in imitation of the Creator, who labored for six days to create this ever-expanding universe, gives us an opportunity to share in that creative activity.  Jesus, Joseph, the fishermen Apostles, the tent-maker Paul, all worked for a living.  Good company. 

Today we stop to give thanks for the gift of work, for the ability to use our talents for personal growth, the growth of our families, communities, nation and world.  There is much talk these days about unemployment and the world economic crisis; perhaps greed has interfered and spoiled the true nature of work.  Something has gone awry, for sure.  The advice of the old Tobit to his son, Tobiah (Tobias), is as good for us as it was for him:  "Perform good works all the days of your life, and do not tread the paths of wrongdoing.  For if you are steadfast in your service, your good works will bring success, not only to you, but also to all those who live uprightly." (Tobit 4:5-6).  And St. Paul tells us "Whatsoever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Col 3:17).  Taking these attitudes to the workplace will help us find joy and meaning in the labor of our hands and minds.

Labor Day Prayer
Lord on this Labor Day,
we celebrate what we do,
and we thank You for the blessing of our jobs.
We ask for those seeking employment that
You guide them in their searchfor work.

We ask for guidance when we are confused.
We ask for patience when working through conflicts.
We ask for strength to complete each day.
We ask for rest when we are weary.

We ask that You be with those whose faces
we might never see but who work tirelessly
each day for the good of us all.  Amen.--From the Marist Brothers' Friday Notes.
Bro. Rene

The Commandment to Love

Dear Readers:  Another apology.  Technonlogy grabbed me by the foot yesterday and the slice of bread I wrote ended up on an entirely new blog that went nowhere.  I'm back on track now, and will incorporate a bit of what I wrote yesterday (since I can't find it) in today's post.  Ah, the wonders of this ever-changing world!

St. Paul reminds us that "whatever other commandment there may be, [it] is summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" (Romans 13: 9).  We are admonished these days more and more to "be good to yourself", so much so that anything goes, as long as it makes ME feel good.  The heck with you.  So, it's become a very "me-centered" culture.  Just observe what happens at a four-way stop, or when a pedestrian just walks onto the street anywhere, anytime without looking.  ME FIRST.
St. Paul is not talking about this self-centered love, but one which demands the sacrifice of self for the sake of another, as Jesus gave his LIFE for us.  In today's Gospel, Jesus urges us to reach out and communicate with those who are straying from the right path...out of love, not out of destructive criticism.  It takes courage to put this kind of love into practice, for we know that we are not perfect and the finger can be pointed at us in an instant.  Yet, love demands this outreach, and love gives the strength and power to do it.
Friday night in Lawrence saw a huge outpouring of devotion, celebration and festivity which will come to a literally banging conclusion tonight as the Feast of the Three Saints ends.  It's amazing how the lives of three brother in their early twenties, St. Alfio, Filadelpho and Cirino, who in mid-third centruy Sicily in a town most of us never heard of, Lentino, still have an amazing impact today.  These three Christians were tortured, imprisoned, given repeated opportunities to deny their faith and absolutely refused.  Their example of faithful and courageous love of God has touched the lives of millions over the centuries as year after year in Sicily, and for the last 88 years in Lawrence, MA, the St. Alfio Society commemorates their heroism, not just by a parade, an lively marching band, fireworks, shouts of "Viva Sant'Alfio" and FOOD, but by the prayers of these devout Society Members and the scholarships given to needy students from the proceeds of the festival.  Here love is put into attractive and effective action.  Everybody loves a parade, and good Italian sausage sandwiches, yet the benefit goes far beyond the stomach.  Love can be fun.  It's at the heart of Christianity, and for us Marists, at the root of our way of educating the young.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  Viva l'amour! Viva amore!
Bro. Rene

Anniversaries

Please forgive the brevity of this post.  Bloggerdashboard has changed the format and it has taken most of my time to navigate to the compose location.
All of us have special days that we label anniversaries.  We remember that on "this day" we were born, married, started school, a new job, etc.  They are days when we sit back, note the passage of time and all that has come to pass since that innaugural event.   And so it is, if I may speak personally, for me today.  On September 1, 1959, at age 19, I entered St. Joseph's Novitiate in Tyngsborough, MA to begin my formation as a Marist Brother.  My father, brother Raymond and cousin Brian accompanied me.  It was raining slightly.  My clothing was packed in a large cardboard box in which our new TV had arrived earlier that summer.  Novices welcomed us and after a brief tour, my family left and I entered a 30 day period of disconnect from them.  In that month, I bit into the life of a postulant with all my being, and began the odyssey which has brought me to today, 52 years later. At our first family visit in October, I regaled them with stories of what it was like (as much as I knew then) to be a brother.   At Mass this morning I will offer prayers of thanks for all that has been, is and will be, and for ALL, including you readers, who are part of this glorious life.
Bro. Rene