Planting Seeds

The tiny mustard seed grows into a large bush in which the birds can find a home. Over the weekend at "Camp Champagnat", seeds of Marist Leadership were planted in the hearts of 57 Central Catholic students who were guided in this process by 17 other students who had devised a clever way of embedding the Marist benchmark qualities of determination, teamwork, courage, inspiration and servant leadership into the hearts of these eager campers.  This was done while the Church celebrated the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus on Friday, and the Immaculate Heart of Mary on Saturday, reminding us that their LOVE is what waters and nourishes these seeds.
Today, we honor fathers on Fathers' Day, acknowledging the powerful role of guardians, protectors, providers, and with their spouses, the sowers of the seeds of love and the qualities of leadership mentioned above.  A time is set aside to show gratitude and to give them encouragement as the task of cultivating these seeds grows more and more difficult in today's world.
Finally, the Marist Province of the United States of America celebrates the anniversaries of three diamond, nine golden and three silver jubilarians for a total of 680 years of living out the seed of their vocations by planting the love and knowledge of Jesus into the hearts of their students and all with whom they have come into contact over those years.
All of us at Baptism received the seed of faith and the grace needed to water and nourish it until it bears fruit and grows to the point where it can give shelter and even a home to others. May we take the time to water it, till and weed around it until it reaches the stature and bears the fruit God intended.
Bro. Rene