Dawning of a New Day

And so, on the third day, the holy women went to the tomb, only to find the stone rolled back and an angel telling them that Jesus was not there, but had risen as he said and gone ahead of them into Galilee.  This news shocked the women, who came to believe slowly what they heard.  Looking into the empty tomb helped, but it seems that it wasn't until  Mary Magdalene actually saw Jesus, and then only recognized him when he called her by name, thinking that the man speaking to her was the gardener, that she believed, ran to the disciples and declared, "I have seen the Lord." Peter and John had to run out to the tomb to see for themselves, so dumbfounded were they by the news. How would we react, if "Uncle John", who had been dead for three days appeared at Sunday dinner alive and well?  It took time to absorb this phenomenon and to put it all together with things Jesus had said.
We have been preparing for today for 40 days, and now it's upon us:  "Alleluia, Jesus is risen" In his death, death has died, hell been destroyed.  As one writer put it, There is no greater news than this: Jesus died, but more importantly, he rose from the dead" (Fr. Thomas Connery).  Yet it will take some time for us truly to absorb this and integrate it into our lives.  Hence a reflection period of 50 days follows Easter.  But at least for today, having renewed our baptismal promises, let us see the light of Easter, bask in it and find reinvigorated fervor, zeal and enthusiasm in living our new life in Christ.
Happy Easter, Everyone
Bro. Rene

Empty Tabernacles

One of the most moving songs in Les Miserables is Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, sung by the grieving Marius as he laments the deaths of his revolutionary compatriots in the tavern where they all had met to plan their attack on the barricade. The tavern is in total disarray and the tables and chairs, empty. "There's a grief that cannot be spoken", he sings with tears running down his face.  Though we know that tonight at the Easter Vigil, our grief will be turned to joy, the mood of the day, nonetheless, is one of sadness similar to what Marius was experiencing.  It's not empty tables that bring on this feeling, but the empty tabernacles in our churches...doors open...nothing inside.  Jesus is in the tomb; his usual abode, an empty shell. How vacant the church feels. The wood of the cross is on display as a reminder of his ignominious death
  As we meditated on the crucifix, on Good Friday, it would be a good idea to pass by a church, though it might be locked, or people inside bustling about to ready for the Vigil, and feel the emptiness. Or we might think of the death of someone who was very close to us and remember the feeling of loss we had then.  Such an exercise will add to the joy of Easter...and make the excitement of Mary Magdalene and the unbelieving apostles (at first) very real  And as we renew our Baptismal Promises, we will be able experience our own rebirth, our own rebirth into the new life of Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Behold the Wood of the Cross

In the middle of the garden of Eden stood the "tree of life."  Of its fruit the first couple ate and thus allowed death  to enter the human experience.  Atop the hill called Golgotha another tree, the tree of the cross was the instrument of death for the author of life, yet through that death, life eternal became available to the human family.  In this afternoon's Liturgy of the Passion, the unveiling of the cross plays a central role as the chant, similar to this, "Behold, behold, the wood of the cross, on which is hung our salvation.  O come, O Come let us adore" is sung.  We are invited to venerate it and it occupies a central place in an otherwise stripped down church.
 If we do or don't attend the Liturgy, it would be good to take some time to venerate the cross at home, by taking it off the wall and holding it in our hands, looking carefully at it and thanking Jesus for using it to save us.  We might also sit in silence with it and let it speak to us as we listen attentively.  One would hope that this day of somber commemoration might be one spent in more that our usual contemplation and that our veneration of the cross might be a means to come to a deeper appreciation of the sufferings of Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Humble Service

Holy Thursday begins the Triduum, the three days that concentrate on the intensest part of the Passion and Death of Jesus.  The Holy Oils are blessed at the Mass of the Chrism, often earlier in the week, otherwise Thursday becomes too overloaded, and then at the Evening Mass of the Lord's supper, we commemorate the Institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood.  John's version of the meal is the only one that includes the washing of the feet of the Twelve, a gesture which makes visible that template beneath both of these sacraments.  Jesus totally gives of himself, pours out his blood to the last drop, in order that we may be redeemed and nourished.  The priest, like Jesus, is to be the servant, humbly caring for the needs of his parishioners.All of us, if followers of Jesus, should take this stance, that is, to be willing to give of ourselves, and bend over to give humble service of others.  After the Liturgy of the Lord's Supper, there is an opportunity to spend time before the Blessed Sacrament...to thank Jesus for this gift, and all that flows from it, as well as to offer ourselves in humble service to him. What a rich opportunity for spiritual growth this day provides!
Bro. Rene
I will be on retreat at St. Anselm Abbey in Manchester NH during these holy days, and in Pittsburgh on Easter Sunday for a Baptism.  Slices of Daily Bread might be sparse because of this, but I'll do my best to find a computer.

Spy Wednesday

The Wednesday before Holy Thursday has long been referred to as Spy Wednesday, since the Gospel for today describes the betrayal: Judas' agreement with the chief priests to hand over Jesus for 30 pieces of silver, and Jesus direct statement to Judas, who put on the front of innocence, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?", "You have said so." (cf. Mt 26:14-25). This brings to mind the many times in our own lives when we have said one thing and done another, or in some way, attempted to deny the wrong we have done.  Sadly, there is a little bit of Judas in each one of us.  The example of Peter's denial follows later in the story, but the difference is that Peter accepts the forgiveness Jesus offers, while Judas doesn't and hangs himself in despair.
For the rest of our lives we will be facing challenges that will demand taking risks to remain faithful to Jesus.  We will fail time and time again, but Jesus offers his forgiveness each time. In our remorse and in our desire to follow Jesus, may we not be too proud to accept it.
Bro. Rene

Standing Firm

Betrayal is at hand for Jesus.  What must have been going through his mind?  In Psalm 41 we read:
My foes are speaking evil against me.
"How long before he dies and his name be forgotten?"
They come to visit me and speak empty words,
their hearts full of malice, the spread it abroad...
Thus even my friend, in whom I trusted
who ate my bread, has turned against me.  (Ps 41: 6, 9)
We can imagine Jesus praying parts of Psalm 71:
Be my rod, of refuge,
a stronghold to give me safety,
for you are my rock and my fortress.
O my God, rescue me from the hand of the wicked.  (Ps 71: 3-4)
As Jesus found what he needed in the Psalms to stand firm, so might we, no matter what "enemy" we are facing.  It could be too much busyness, worry about the future, anxiety over the past, or fatigue in general, whatever, but it does serve to wear us down.  Compared to the knot in his stomach as Jesus faced the coming ordeal of his betrayal,  beatings, whippings, cross carrying and crucifixion, our trials pale in comparison, yet God is always there beside us. Walking side by side with Jesus this week, seeing everything in our lives in light of what he went through will help us bear our crosses and stand firm with him.
Bro.Rene

Suffering and Joy

In everyone's life, there always seems to be a mixture of pain and sorrow, suffering, and joy.  Joy doesn't seem to fit in with the other three ingredients, but reflecting this week on the enormous pain Jesus endured, his complete "emptying of self", followed by the joy of his resurrection, the basis for this optimistic combo becomes clear.  As Pope Francis pointed out in his Palm Sunday homily, "the Evil One" tries to convince us that suffering cannot be overcome, that it is our lot as humans and that's that.  Not so, says the Pope, Jesus has overcome all of this, and with him, so can we.  Pope Francis is setting the tone of fearless optimism in his energetic first 12 days as our Shepherd, with his every word and move inspiring us to walk, run, with him.  He will be going to Rio for World Youth Day, and I'm sure will touch those gathered in a very special way.  Who knows yet, what will transpire in between and after?  If we keep our eyes on him, we'll have a clearer picture of What Jesus Would Do, were he alive today.
If our focus is on anything this week, it should be on Jesus himself, not our own plans, our own wills, even our own Lenten promises and attempts at preparing for Easter.  Our best Lenten result would be to arrive at a deep joy based on a more loving relationship with Jesus, which far outweighs the "pain" of our sacrifices...so little in comparison with what Jesus underwent. Remembering that he did it all to show his love for us, should motivate a greater love of him.
Bro. Rene

Hosanna in the Highest

The streets rang with the refrain, Hosanna in the Highest, Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.  Palm branches waved, and cloaks covered the dirt road.  Jesus the King, riding on a donkey, made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the first time in his public ministry that he was so warmly welcomed and felt that Jerusalem wanted him.  Short-lived, however, was that feeling. In just a few days, the cries, "crucify him" would fill the streets, and he would be carrying his cross to the place of his death. How quickly the climate changed.  Yet this is why he became on of us.  This ultimate sacrifice has brought us eternal life, if we but believe him and adhere to his teachings.  As we follow the events of this Holy Week, participating as much as we can in the Liturgies of the week, especially today, Palm Sunday, then Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday, may we make a special effort not to be simply shouting Hosanna, but by our actions be living out "crucify him".  No, we would not betray Jesus, but how about the neighbors in need, physical, or spiritual?  Can we turn our backs on them? Remembering that Jesus can for ALL, as our final Lenten push, may we be willing to sacrifice our time, or risk ridicule to help those on the fringe, the outcasts, the neglected.  So doing may not have been in our Lenten plan, but the best offerings are the ones that arise unexpectedly.  Lord, keep me from hollow hosannas and help me to be a Simon of Cyrene for someone bearing a weighty cross.
Bro. Rene

Mourning Into Dancing

Not the "Harlem Shake" nor the "Douggie" but a spontaneous folk dance of deep, simple joy.  That's what I imagine the prophet Jeremiah had in mind when he wrote, "I will turn their mourning into joy,/ I will console and gladden them after their sorrows." (Jer 31: 13).  Jeremiah suffered much like Jesus, rejected, placed in an empty cistern to die, so he knows well of what he wrote.  Many of us as well have faced huge, painful challenges in dealing with family, co-workers, our own inner struggles.  We wonder if we'll ever make it through.  Imagine what Jesus must have felt on the threshold of the week of his passion and death.  Perhaps he did hear the echo of Jeremiah's promise in the back of his head, but his agony in the garden the night before his crucifixion indicates that his pain was real, and only the angel of consolation could abate it and give him the strength to face the suffering ahead.  As predicted, the joy of Easter replaced his pain and the mourning of his followers.  Whatever we are facing today, may we find that same strength and perspective, and not be afraid to beg the assistance of that angel of consolation.  And, the more we take seriously the tone of Holy Week, the more we will feel like dancing on Easter.
Bro. Rene

Faithful Friends

One week from today is Good Friday. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday.  Our focus moves directly to the events the week before the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus, for in the blinking of the eye, they will be upon us.  Jesus has stood strong in his mission throughout his public ministry, being opposed time and again for "breaking the law" or the traditions of the fathers. but his chasing of the money changers and raising of Lazarus revved up the ire of the Pharisees and Sadducees to the point of no return: Jesus must be eliminated.  Confrontations grow stronger, yet Jesus remains calm, continuing to instruct and enlighten and invite people to believe in him.  All of this reaches a climax with the trial and condemnation to death on the cross.  Not the end, however, for the mission reaches its fulfillment in the resurrection, which places the crown of final victory on him...and us.
In our own day, confrontations and opposition beset the Church everywhere, for her mission is not to conform to the mores of the times, but to enlighten us with the Truth, and help them see and accept God's great love and purpose of our creation. If we stand true to Jesus, we will suffer, and in some ways be condemned for our beliefs and convictions.  By our steadfast belief and stance we remain his faithful friends, perhaps foreseen by him throughout his passion.  As he stands by us, let us stand by him.
Bro. Rene

Faith of Our Teens and Young Adults

The doom and gloom media coverage of our decaying Church and the straying young people away from the Faith of our Fathers, can be discouraging.  However true some aspects of these reports might be, there is another side of the story that does not make the headlines.
Yesterday afternoon I had a scintilating conversation with a graduate, a college sophomore whose Christian values and life-style have deepened during his college experience thus far, thanks to contact with other students with similar backgrounds from faith-filled families.  He participates in a weekly Bible Study group with other athletes which has helped him come to know and love Jesus, and attends Church weekly.  He and others like him are having a steady impact on other students who have drifted from their faith, but do not mock nor criticize those who practice theirs.  He spoke very optimistically about the future, and, although not Catholic himself, shares the global excitement over our new Pope.
The St. Marcellin Champagnat Society, a prayer and service organization at Archbishop Molloy High School in Queens, New York, spent their February Vacation digging sand and rebuilding homes in Breezy Point, Long Island, a community devastated by Hurricane Sandy.  The work was tedious and endless, but the joy of sharing manual labor and through it, building community, fit right into the pattern envisioned by St. Marcellin of not only helping the "least favored," but loving through hands-on service.
Next Thursday in Esopus, NY students will gather for the third and final Marist Youth Encounter Christ retreat, the majority of whose leaders are alumni of the Encounter retreats they made while students at our Marist schools.  It's their way of "paying back", as they say, and of keeping ties with their Marist roots. 70 of more Marist Young Adults have thus participated in and contributed to Marist life over the years.
Surely these three examples give us cause to rejoice in the faith of our teens and young adults, and to hope for a bright future for the Church and our country.
Bro. Rene

Following the Leader

Each day since his election, Pope Francis has done or said something that demonstrates his sincerity, simplicity and humility, qualities so dear to us as Marists.  There are also indications and rumors that he intends to face the problems plaguing the Church directly.  It's early, perhaps too early to tell, but now that he is officially "inaugurated in the Petrine Ministry" (fancy words for Pope), he will no doubt roll up his white sleeves, and with his experience, knowledge and compassion, begin the rumored reforms.  We can sit back and watch, commend or criticize, but it seems that if we really admire him and want to follow him, we need to be ready to put our lives on the line for renewal and needed change. A lukewarm life of faith will not work, but a revitalized commitment, which we are aiming for by our Lenten prayers and practices, will help us rise to the challenge by Easter when we renew our baptismal promises.  These difficult times require that we live by our convictions regardless of the indifference, criticism, or even mockery surrounding us.We need to be on fire, not just a dying ember.  Watching the Pope carefully and following his example will fan these embers into flames that will purify us and soon thereafter the whole Church.
Bro. Rene

Power In Silence

Today's Solemnity of St. Joseph brings a giant to our reflections. The New Testament does not record one word spoken by Joseph, yet we see by his deeds how strong he was. His silent actions have echoed through the centuries and still speak loudly to us in the 21st. century, where noise and clatter deafen us to the voice of God.  Like Mary, he too learned that obedience to God's will brought peace, happiness and indomitable inner strength.  His choices and movements came after sometimes anguished prayer and reflection, in which he sought the help of God. God saw his dilemmas and responded to his prayers through angelic messages and dreams.  To wed or not to wed his pregnant fiancee?  Perhaps his most distressing choice.  It was only when the answer became clear, did he act.  How often do we act without thinking, without consulting God...because we are so busy? 
When Jesus was born, Joseph took his role as father and guardian of the child and his mother so seriously that when told to flee to Egypt, he did, leaving all behind to start again as a refugee in a foreign land.  Then again, he obeyed the instruction to move back to Nazareth, and support his family as a craftsman seeking work in neighboring villages.  When Jesus was lost for three days and found in the temple, it is Mary who speaks, but Joseph's strong presence is felt, as he shares Mary's consternation.  As he protected the Holy Family, so too he protects the Body of Christ today, as Patron of the Universal Church. On this day when the already beloved Pope Francis was officially installed as the 266th pope, we might offer a special prayer to St. Joseph to protect and guide him with the same silent strength which he devoted to Jesus and Mary.
Bro. Rene

Let Us Not Grow Weary

Our Lenten prayers, fastings and almsgiving over the past four weeks, we hope, are helping us "to pass from our former way to newness of life, that we may be made ready for the glory of the heavenly kingdom."  (Collect for Monday of the Fifth Week of Lent).  It seems a fitting time to to reflect on, pray over, and apply to our lives, St. Paul's admonition to the Galatians (and us as well), as we move along this final stretch before Holy Week.  He writes, Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for you reap whatever you sow.  If you sow to your own flesh, you will reap corruption from the flesh; but if you sow to the Spirit you will reap eternal life from the Spirit.  So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up.  So then, whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and especially for those of the family of faith. (Gal 6: 7-10).
Bro. Rene

Washed Clean

Before we enter fully into the passion and death of Jesus during Holy Week, the Church reminds us that part of our Lenten purification and preparation for Easter is the confessing of our sins.  We used to refer to it as "our Easter Duties",. that is confession and communion at least once during Lent and Eastertide. For the past several years, the Archdiocese of Boston has observed Wednesdays as the day to go to confession.  Every Church has priests available from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  We are urged to find the time to meet Jesus in this sacrament of soul-healing and reconciliation, remembering that it is God who wishes to come to us and wash us clean.  We sometimes let our fear of facing our weaknesses and admitting them to another keep us away form this sacrament.  But being assured that "I will sprinkle clean water upon you/ to cleanse you from all your impurities,/ and from all our idols I will cleanse you.  I will give you a new heart/ and will place a new spirit within you,/ taking from your bodies your stony hears, and giving you natural hearts./  I will put my spirit within you/ and make you live by my statutes.../you shall be my people and I will be your God." (Ez 36: 25-58), we might find the courage to take the step toward the confessional with greater ease.  Remember also how gently Jesus treated the woman caught in adultery.  There is nothing to fear, and when we hear the words, "I absolve you of all your sins in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit," we do feel the our hearts the elation that matches the St. Patrick's Day celebrations taking place this day.
Bro. Rene

Staying on Track

"It's hard to keep on the right track".  This was the gist of two conversations I had yesterday with two young men, graduates of Central Catholic.  They are college students and spoke with me separately of their growing awareness of what really matters in life, their relationship with Jesus and desire to maintain the morals and values instilled in them by their families Central Catholic.  They realize now the treasure that they had taken for granted until they saw how people live who did not have that kind of upbringing, and they see the need for the support of family and a community of like-minded friends to help them "stay the course."  It was a rare, gratifying treat to hear them speak so sincerely at this level..
Among other things, it made me think of these final two weeks of Lent looming before us.  The first Sunday of the Passion tomorrow, for many in the Northeast, will take a back seat to the celebration and revelry surrounding St. Patrick's Day parades, and socials.  Lent will suffer in the shadow of these festivities, held under the auspices of the man who devoted his life to teaching about Jesus and leading unbelievers to baptism and a life focused on him.  We're not sure of how much green he wore, but the "wearin' of the green" will certainly upstage the purple covering the statues in our churches.  "It's only for a day...or two"...we say, but none the less, it is a diversion.  Indeed it is hard to stay on track when even our "Catholic Culture" swerves off the road. Perhaps our prayer today will help us keep a balance through the weekend, where we can give rightful acknowledgement of both the disciple and the Lord he served.
Bro. Rene

We Need Mending

Try as we may to walk "the golden way" we find that day after day our flaws pop up and stare us in the face.  A simple mistake like taking a cell phone call that we think is an emergency during Mass, not only disturbs others but scandalizes them as well.  We ask ourselves afterwards, "Why did I do a stupid thing like that?"  The list goes on and gets blacker.  However, when we look to Jesus, "broken" and hanging on the cross, we realize that he has taken our brokenness with him: our broken hearts, minds, bodies and relationships, yes, even our "stupid mistakes."  They become his offering along with his own "brokenness" to the Father..
Reflecting further, we come to understand that were it not for our brokenness we would not need such a mender, fixer, healer, savior.  St. Paul writes, "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."  (2Cor 12:9). Not that we want to wallow in our sinfulness or mistakes, but rather come to look at them as doors to allow the saving grace of the cross to enter and become part of our lives.  We humbly acknowledge our need for Christ to mend our broken pieces and we put them into his healing hands.
Bro. Rene

Pope Francis I

After a surprisingly short conclave, our new Pope, takes the name of Francis, the Poor Man of Assisi, whose vocation was given to him by Jesus in a vision in the crumbling church of San Damiano when he heard the voice of Jesus speaking from the crucifix which was still hanging from the ceiling: "Francis, rebuild my Church," At first, Francis understood the command to mean restoring San Damiano, but later it became apparent that by calling the Body of Christ to return to the simplicity of the Gospel, he would help rebuild the entire Church. By being the first to take take the name Francis, it seems our new Pope has assumed this same same agenda: unify a divided Church, devote special care to the poor, and reform the governmental structures, which have grown crusty over the years and in some cases hinder the Church's mission. A huge task, but we trust that the Holy Spirit will give this man the energy and vision to move quickly and effectively on it. No doubt St. Francis himself is smiling on him and in his heart is assuring him that he is not alone. By our prayers, let us be with him too.
Bro. Rene

Grace Comes in Many Ways

Over a beautiful setting in Contocook, NH, the sun shines on a lake, through the trees and windows of Sts. Cyril and Methodius Retreat Center. The clouds and rain of yesterday are gone and the first full day of our Marist Youth Encounter Christ is about to begin with a team meeting, Please pray that the light of the rising sun be a symbol of the grace we hope will touch the hearts of the 46 students who are here to encounter Christ on a new level.
Bro. Rene

The Conclave

One would think the whole world were Catholic, with all the attention the media is giving to the Conclave.  As predicted, there seems to be a race to see who will be the first  to guess correctly the next Pope, or to get the inside "dirt" on factions and divisions among the cardinals.  There is no other major story in the news, so this has become a headliner.  The role of the Holy Spirit is downplayed, if even mentioned, but we have to trust that in spite of the human element, otherwise known as "politics", Jesus promised the Holy Spirit would guide the Church and through many a worse period in its history, it has continued to carry on the mission of Jesus..  One need only to read the early chapters of Acts to see the power of the Spirit in helping the nascent Church grow so rapidly.  Yes, even at the beginning, the human element was evident, but the Holy Spirit was able to guide, animate and protect the Body of Christ.  So it will be today.  St. Marcellin had enormous faith as he nurtured the little band of brothers, putting all in Mary's hands.  It might be a good idea to follow his lead and put the Conclave in her hands as well.  After all, she is the Mother of the Church.
Bro. Rene
I will be on our Central Catholic Marist Youth Encounter Christ retreat tonight, Wednesday and Thursday, so unless there is Wi-Fi at the retreat house, there may not be any Daily Bread for those days.

Newness

We move further past the mid-point of Lent, now concentrating on the new life of the baptized, made possible by the total sacrifice of Jesus: his passion, death and resurrection. Our repentance should create an openness to God and drive us to move forward, rather than wallow in the ugliness of our past sins. "Lo, I am about to create new heavens/ and a new earth,/ the things of the past shall not be remembered/ or come to mind. (Is 65:17). Let us not be anxious about our shortcomings,  but look at the positive side instead.  Even after their years of blundering, and the mistakes natural to the learning process, (and perhaps because of it), Jesus offers the apostles (and us by extension)  this loving prayer, " [Father] I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world.  They were yours and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.  Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; for the words you have to me I have given to them and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that  you sent me." (Jn 17: 6-8). Like the apostles, we basically have kept the faith and hold on to the Word as faithfully as we can.  This is what Jesus is looking for, not our sins.  It is upon this steadfastness in our efforts that the steadfast love of God creates newness in us, removes our tears, and fills us with joy and fullness of life. "Behold, I make all things new." (Rev 2:5).
Bro. Rene

The Law of Gift

Pope John Paul II used the term, "the law of gift" to define the principle that our being increases inasmuch as we give it away. We've all heard the quote from Jesus, "It is more blessed to give than to receive." (Acts 20:35); in giving, we not only help others, but we grow stronger spiritually as we empty ourselves, become less ego-centered and more other-centered.  In the parable of the Prodigal Son, or as it might or should be called, The Good Father, we see the contrast between the two.  The son, totally absorbed in himself, demands his inheritance, and his older brother, again caught up in himself, resents the pardon and party so unconditionally given by his father, who perfectly exemplifies "the law of gift."  His joy in in forgiving and giving cannot be measured.  He even approaches his resentful older son with the same gentleness and kindness, inviting him personally to the celebration.  No ego there, just pure generosity and gift.
No wonder this story is read on Laetare Sunday...Rejoice Sunday, the mid-point in Lent, for it shows us clearly the God we are striving to know and love better, and to whom we seek to give ourselves when we renew our baptismal promises at Easter.  This word-picture of the loving Father encourages us to avoid the behavior of these two sons, and imitate the behavior and attitude of their father. The choice is ours.
Bro. Rene

Not Far From the Kingdom of God

Wouldn't we like to hear Jesus say to us, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." (Mk 12:34)?  Like the rich young man, we basically keep the commandments and try, especially during Lent, to move closer to Jesus, yet the longing to be better, to move even closer, sometimes blinds us to the good position we are in already.  Yes, Jesus can say..."There is more...go sell what you have, give to the poor, and come, follow me."
How seriously we take the invitation to walk closer determines whether we walk sadly away, or take that big step, as so many have done.  For most, a compromise might be our answer.  Yes, I can give more generously to the poor, perhaps even sell of some of my things to do so, and follow Jesus in the footsteps of compassion, forgiveness and love while not at this point making a radical change of career or state in life. When the young Anthony heard this, he did exactly as Jesus asked and became St. Anthony of the Desert.
Others down the ages at mid-life or other times have made a major switch.  How many of our priests, for example, had other careers before being ordained? Many women entering religious life are doing so after years of working and searching.  It's not impossible to follow this command.   At any rate, we can all make some change to shorten our distance from the Kingdom of God.  What do we hear God asking us in the depths of our heart?
Bro. Rene

Expectations

As we move through Lent, we become more aware of the difficulty we have in meeting our own expectations.  Perhaps we have set the bar too high, and are growing discouraged at our inability to fulfill the goals we've set for ourselves.  On the other hand we might be straining and forcing ourselves to the breaking point in trying to keep up with our Lenten goals.  There needs to be a happy medium here.  What do our expectations represent?  Are we looking to be "perfect"?  If so, yes, we will face disappointment, for "perfect" we are not; only ONE is perfect, and that is God. And what does this loving God expect of us?
That is the question.  It is safe to say that he's looking for what is best for us, what will make us the best version of who we can be, what will make us happy.  God is not in the market for glum and gloomy disciples, but for people who will radiate their goodness and capacity to love, who will welcome all into their lives, and who will be willing to share their love with all.  Not that we should relent on our prayer, fasting and almsgiving, but should not fall into a dither when we fail to live up to our expectations. The up and down process of success and failure can bring us closer to God (our real goal for Lent) perhaps better than a rigid adherence to a regimen that is making us and those around us miserable.
Bro. Rene

If Today You Hear His Voice

Around the world people praying The Liturgy of the Hours, or the abbreviated form called The Prayer of Christians, pray Psalm 95 with its familiar challenge:  If today you hear his voice, harden not your hearts. (cf Ps 95: 7-8.).  The psalm makes reference to the Hebrews following Moses out of Egypt, who,  after the miraculous crossing of the parted Red Sea, still gave Moses and God a hard time, complaining all the while about the absence of their familiar foods, meat, and water.  God sent them manna, and flocks of fowl, but still their hard hearts demanded more.  Even Moses succumbed to this doubt in God's providence and, when told to strike the rock for water, struck it twice, to make sure.  This minor disobedience kept him from entering the Promised Land himself, but however the water did flow and eventually, after a 40 year detour, the Hebrews crossed the River Jordan.
God speaks to us every day in some way...in our prayer, through people, events, something we read or hear.  Often our hearts are so hardened with our own preoccupations, doubts, fears, self-centeredness or stubborn insistence on "our way". that we do not hear his voice.  "Oh that today you would hear his voice!" (Ps 95: 7).  Yes, Lord, open my ears and my heart, that I may not miss your daily word.
Bro. Rene

God's Faithful Constancy

People in general don't like change, especially if it comes from outside of themselves. Sability, consistancy and predictablity are not only appealing, but qualities held in high esteem, goals to be lived and achieved. Yet, the irony is that we find ourselves just the opposite. We set standards for ourselves, perhaps so high that we cannot ever fulfill them, and by default, or even deliberately as a kind of relief, we ignore them or contradict them.  We find St. Paul's description to be accurate:  "For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want." (Rm 7:19). We live with our contradictions in a pattern of falling and rising again.
Thankfully, God's constancy, his unfailing love and forgiveness are the backdrop for our weakness and spur us on to contine to srive to do the good, no matter how often we fail.  "Your word, O Lord, forever/stands firm in the heavens: your truth lasts from age to age/ like the earth you created.  By your decree it endures to this day;/for all things serve you."  (Ps 119: 89-90).  If we put our trust in the faithful constancy of God, then our own fluctuations become stepping stones to the humble and freeing truth that God is God and we are not, and on him, not in ourselves do, we depend for everything.9 St. Paul sums it up succinctly: But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Cor. 12 9-10).
Bro. Rene

Fear Paralyzes

The War against Terrorism seems to have engendered a climate of fear that grows day by day.  Gone are the carefree times of walking home late at night alone through any parts of the city and arriving at an unlocked door.  Gone are the late arrivals directly to the plane as the attendant holds the door for another second, no screening, no ID. just a floppy ticket in hand. Suspicion, caution, fear catch us at every turn. We imagine, we project, afraid of the "what if's or imagined poverty, real or projected loneliness. Yet the truth is, there is no place for fear with Jesus dwelling in our heart.  Fear should not, cannot coexist where love and faith dwell. If fear is encroaching upon us, paralyzing us, it is time to ask Jesus for healing and the restoration of hope.  Concentrate on the love that fills us, that has sustained us to this moment.  Is that love going to evaporate?
Will God abandon us?  Psalm 23, The Lord is my Shepherd is a good antidote and a good beginning to overcome this fearful state.  Also Matthew 6: 25-34...the lilies of the field.  These will help.
Bro. Rene

Growing Through Community

People always seem to find help when they work in pairs or larger groups, though some prefer to work alone.  Part of our Marist legacy is the attempt to blend the best aspects of both into an effective and life-giving community. Forming community demands work, self-sacrifice, prayer and a relationship with God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Community's energies overflow into mission, as the Spirit moves the group beyond itself to the community at large.  Renovations being made right now at the house in LaValla where the first Marist Community came to be, remind us that these young men did not come there simply to learn, but to grow spiritually so that they could bring the vision and mission of Fr. Champagnat to the children who would be entrusted to their care.  Jean Vanier, founder of the l'Arche communities who care for the handicapped and challenged, says this:  We are not in a community just to protect ourselves.  We are not even there to protect our own little spiritual lives.  We're there to give, and we have a message to receive.  We have a mission, and if we are not a people of mission, then the community is in danger of closing up, and of dying." (Quoted in Magnificat, March 2013, p. 68). What community do I belong to?  What mission am I being called to live out today?  Who and what are helping me to grow beyond myself?
Bro. Rene

Time to Produce

Jesus tells the story about a farmer who had a fig tree that for three years had not produced any fruit.  I would guess that most of us would want to cut it down or dig it up and plant another one.  But this farmer gives it another year.  Thankfully, our God is like this farmer, giving us time, for we might not even know that indeed we are producing, even when the fruit is not visible.  It is a paradox that through our daily prayers, as routine and unexciting as they may sometimes seem, we are unconsciously growing to be more like Jesus.  We may not see it, but Jesus tells us that even when our weaknesses, faults and failings make it seem that we are further away from him than ever before, we are indeed closer.  It is because of this closeness that our unlikeness to him stands out and becomes more visible in our eyes. The more light on the page, the better we can see it.  Same principle. In addition,  the desire to help others find Jesus, which is often part of our prayer, is enough, even when it seems our actual efforts are failing.  So we can't pass judgement on our own tree, nor be too hasty to cut it down.  Best to leave it in the hands of the God who gives it time to produce in HIS sight.
Bro. Rene

Facing Our Dark Side

As part of the Lenten process of purification for the renewal of our Baptismal Promises at Easter, we can't help but come face to face with the "worst about ourselves," our dark side, the one that we wouldn't even tell our best friend about. However, by keeping our eyes on the suffering Jesus, the tempted Jesus and the merciful Jesus, we will find the help we need to accept the darkness as the trigger for on-going conversion.  Indeed, we don't want the darkness to overcome us, to block us from living as a full child of God and disciple of Jesus, so we need to reach out for the grace we need to accept what is, and change, with his help, what we can: to be converted, to change our attitude toward ourselves, and others and find a deeper friendship with God. It's not easy to admit that from time to time we are "jerks", making dumb decisions, hurtful, self-centered choices.  "How can I be this stupid, this bad?" we ask ourselves.  We can get really down on ourselves, but that does no good unless we ask for forgiveness and make a firm resolve to separate our deeds (or misdeeds) from who we are, ask for the grace to leave them behind and move on with a lighter load into the productive discipleship we accepted through our baptism.
Bro. Rene

Through His Suffering

The First Fridays of the month help us keep in mind in a special way what we ordinarily commemorate on every Friday:  the passion and death of Jesus.  As we move further into Lent, we begin to focus more on this aspect of the season, not neglecting, however, our efforts of discipline, prayer, fasting and alms giving.  The mission of Jesus was the great Atonement, the reconciliation of the human race with its Creator, a relationship that had been broken by the first sin: the disobedience of the first parents in their prideful hope to become like God.  We have inherited that same instinct, and make decisions based on that same premise time and time again.  It took a supremely loving act of self-surrender to "win us back" to the Father, and give us the model and grace of how to keep our relationship with God in its proper order.  It is Jesus, who through his suffering, death and resurrection (the Paschal Mystery),  has won our salvation, so it is not by our efforts that we are saved.  If it were totally up to us and our power alone, we'd find ourselves sitting outside the locked gate of Eden.  Our strength, our courage, our consolation is that no, it is not us, but Jesus who is our messiah and "by his bruises we are healed." (Is. 53:3).
Bro. Rene