Looking After the Sheep

Dear Readers,
The heavy snow broke branches on our property on Saturday night and left the whole street in darkness until last evening, Nov. 3rd. I left on Monday for San Antonio but had no access to e-mail. Hence the sudden and long "blackout".
Today, November 4th, the Central Catholic School Board will be on retreat to deepen their undestanding of our Marist Mission. A good day for this, since it is the Memorial of St. Charles Borromeo, Cardinal of Milan at the time of the Counter-Reformation, who used his law background as well as his deep personal commitment to the Church to bring about needed reform. It seems that in all ages, when the need reaches the critical point, the Holy Spirit finds people who will pick up the shepherd's crook and bring the sheep back into the fold. St. Marcellin was one of those in his day, and we, his followers are no less commissioned nor responsible than he. God sees the goodness that is in us and that we are able to admonish one another. (cf Rm 15:14), as St. Paul reminds us. He also says that he received the power and strength he needed for his mission by keeping his eyes focused on Jesus. This is the practice of all great leaders and reformers; it is the pattern for us as well. Unless the Lord is our shepherd, we will not be able to shepherd others. May we make Psalm 23 our prayer for today:
"The Lord is my shepherd, there is nothing I shall want." Notice how all through the Psalm, the emphasis is on what HE does for us. Let us let him revive our drooping spirit and fill us with the love and strength that will enable us to walk in the reformer footsteps of Paul, Charles, and Marcellin.
Bro. Rene