Saturday, August 31, 2013

Using Our Talents

St. Marcellin Champagnat was noted for his practicality.  Having grown up on the family farm, he learned the usual skills of "fixing things", since, for the most part, farm families at that time had to be as independent as possible. He certainly knew how to use a hammer, saw, shovel, sledge hammer; working with stone and cement, even glass, were among his practical skills.  Spelling and eloquent speaking and composition, were not his gifts, yet his diligent use of all the levels of what he could do and learned to do, remind us as does the parable of the talents in today's Gospel, that it's not the number of gifts we have, nor their quality, but how we use them.  None of us has come into the world with an empty cart; each of us has something with which we can work.  The challenge is not to be lazy with them, but to "invest" them into the service of the community in which we find ourselves:  our families, our jobs, our circle of friends.  It's doesn't take a Ph.D. to offer a hand to a neighbor, to volunteer in our parishes or institutions such as Lazarus House, or to take time to visit relatives, friends, or even strangers in nursing homes. Schools are always looking for help with functions.  Even if we can just BE there, we add something that wasn't there before. St. Marcellin started a world-wide religious congregation that is 195 years old with great faith and the simple practical skills with which God endowed him.  What can we do?
Bro. Rene

Friday, August 30, 2013

Finding Healing

Sometimes healing comes only after despair, disgust and darkness bring us to the absolute bottom, where we cannot sink any deeper.  A desperate cry or prayer from our inmost core, along the lines of "God, I cannot take this any more; I cannot pull myself out of this hole, help me, you've got to help me, you are the only one who can," is what opens the door to a recovery, a rebirth.  Coming from these depths, all, even the simplest word or gesture, seems to bring light, joy, and tears of gratitude. When such a reversal is attributed to Jesus, the Healer, Jesus the Savior a relationship begins and grows with daily reinforcements that seem to come at random. The heart that once was satisfied with false love, now finds true love in Jesus, and enables it to receive and offer love from all others who come into an ever expanding circle of friends.
I have recently met three people who are experiencing such healing, such new life.  What joy they radiate, what hope and assurance, that even in the worst cases, healing is possible, physical, spiritual, psychological. The prophets spoke of this and Jesus makes it happen.
I will restore you to health;/ of your wounds I will heal you, says the Lord, (Jer 30:17).
I saw [my people's] ways,/ but I will heal them and lead them;/ I will give full comfort to them and to those who mourn for them,/ I the Creator, who gave them life.
Peace to the far and the near,/ says the Lord; and I will heal them. (Is 57: 18-19)
Jesus, Divine Physician, I place my wounds and those of people I know and love in your hands.  Heal them, if it be our Father's will. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Increase, Decrease

The Martyrdom of St. John the Baptist, which we celebrate today, reminds us of our own daily "martyrdoms"  as we strive to allow God to take over our lives more totally. To do this, we do battle with the shadows that lurk within us, as well as with the injustices and evils we see outside of ourselves.  Looking closely, we find that there is only thin line separating them.  Yet, as with John, we repeat "He must increase, I must decrease."  (Jn 3:30).  We must leave behind those things which hinder his complete "take over."
In the past few days we have celebrated the memories of Monica and Augustine, both of whom came to the point where, having "left much behind", they found total fulfillment in Jesus. 
Having spent two days with retired missionary brothers at Chateau Richer near Quebec, men who "left all" years ago to live out their active lives in Malawi, Zambia, the then Rhodesia (Zimbabwe), and the Cameroons, they rest now with their infirmities, yet ever faithful to prayer and the family spirit which makes us Marist. All done under the protection and guidance of Mary, back when they were young brothers, and even now as with walkers and canes they continue to work in some capacity in caring for each other and the Marist heritage in Canada.  It was inspiring to us, who visited them, to see what it does to a person when Jesus is invited to increase day by day.  May it inspire all who read this to know, that decreasing and increasing are possible.
Bro. Rene

Monday, August 26, 2013

God's Watchful Eye

With the end of summer vacation, school beginnings, and students off to college, either as freshmen or seasoned upperclassmen, it is clear that this is a time of transition from the rhythm that we have been living since May. Even gardens show signs of a change as plants, having yielded their flowering beauty, now spent, begin to show signs of ending their seasonal life cycle. Isaiah reminds us of God's abiding presence in all that transpires: Thus says the Lord to me: I will quietly look on from where I dwell,
 Like the glowing heat of sunshine,
 like a cloud of dew at harvest time. (Is 18: 4). 
It is a time to look back, give thanks, and ask for help for the days and projects ahead.  May God fill us with wonder, gratitude, joy, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, peace and joy, as we start this day, this week, this new and fast-approaching season.
Bro. Rene
I will be in Quebec (actually just outside the city in a town called Chateau Richier)  till Wednesday...not sure of the Wi-Fi possibilities there.... But God has provided in the past... Tune in tomorrow and, I hope find a slice of bread to begin your day.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

The Narrow Gate

"Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter but will not be strong enough" (Lk 13:24). Jesus challenges us to take "the road less traveled", that is to follow in his footsteps, for he is indeed, the narrow gate. Do what he did, love as he loved, forgive as he forgave, show oompassion and welcome to ALL. This is the answer he gave to the querry, "Lord will only few people be saved?" (Lk 13: 23). Jesus didn't give a direct answer in numbers or quantity, but made it clear that doing nothing, wouldn't work. He put the responsibility on us. Sr. Genevieve Glenn puts it poetically: "The narrow gate stands open where His feet have gone before; The way is steep and marked with blood, For as he walked he bore Upon his shoulders chafing wood To light the living fire That leads us up the road he took To reach our heart's desire." Bro. Rene

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Surprises

Every once in awhile, a surprise, sometimes a small one, leaps up at us as a reminder that "mystery" is part of our human existence, and the we cannot always be confident predictors of the future.  Such a surprise caught me this morning when an e-mail from Bujumbura, Burundi, informed me that a "Christmas Present" I had mailed on December 27th had finally arrived, almost 8 months after it had been mailed. I had inquired at the post office several times, and the final verdict was, "it's gone." So I let it go, thinking I can make another print and bring it to them on my next visit sometime in the next five years. Now, I can let go of that plan. Where the package  went for those 8 months...perhaps several times around the world, is a mystery, but the joy that it brought was evidently worth the wait. (It was a wedding photo of a former student and his wife taken a year ago on July 14th.)
Sometimes the surprise is a big one, such as the recognition Bartholomew (Nathaniel), received from Jesus when his friend, Philip, brought him to Jesus, who declared him to be a "true child of Israel, in whom there is no duplicity." (John 1: 47).  Astounded, Nathaniel asked, "How do you know me?"   Jesus replied that even before Philip called him, he had seen him under the fig tree. That moment changed Nathaniel's life, and he went on to be a faithful apostle and evangelizer, bringing the faith even as far as India.
We forget that we are seen, known and loved at all times; that when we need a reminder not to give up hope, it comes, and that God loves to surprise us in small and big ways.  What surprises are in store for us today?
Bro. Rene

Friday, August 23, 2013

Living the Great Commandment

Loving God totally and our neighbor as ourselves is a balancing act, that if successfully accomplished, leads to sainthood.  Such was the case of St. Rose of Lima.  She was born in Lima, Peru in  1586, and had a natural affinity for prayer and contemplation.  She took a vow of virginity and at age 20, became a Dominican Tertiary.  She helped support her family by growing flowers and doing needlework, but at the same time spent hours in prayer in imitation of her model, St. Catherine of Siena, in her family's garden house, which became her part time hermitage. Her prayer led her to service to the poor and sick, and she treated them in a little "hospital" in the family courtyard.  She could be regarded as the Mother Teresa of her day, an is recognized as the originator of social services in South America, as well as being the patroness of that continent.  She was the first person of the "New World" to be canonized.
One person can certainly "make a difference" as so many young people, and perhaps all of us,  aspire to do. St. Rose's simple living out of the Great Commandment give us an incentive to do likewise.  St. Rose, help us to follow in your footsteps in our communities.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Mary, Our Queen

The Memorial of the Queenship of Mary falls on the 8th day of an unofficial "octave" of the Assumption.  As with the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary, we follow the Assumption of our Blessed Mother with her Coronation as Queen of Heaven and Earth.  As Marists, this is a particularly dear position of Mary, our Good Mother: not only do we honor her as Mother of God, but also as Mother of Christ the King, hence the title, Queen. As always, she does not seek recognition for herself, but uses her title to point to the Kingship of her Son and the role he should play as the center of her lives, as he was of hers.In her message at Medjugorje on July 25, 1988 Mary called us to "a complete surrender to God.  Everything you do, everything you possess, give over to God so that he can take complete control in your life, as King of all you possesses"  St. Ignatius of Loyola, centuries earlier, gave us a prayer called  "The Suscipe": Take, Lord, receive all I have and possesses.  You have given all to me, now I return it. Give me only your love and your grace, that's enough for me. Mary's total surrender came at the Annunciation and again at the foot of the cross, where she gave over her most precision "possession", her Son, to the Father.  May our prayers and our lives reflect such total abandonment and surrender to the plan of God, which is always better than ours.
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Renewing All Things in Christ

Pope St. Pius X, whose memorial we celebrate today chose as his motto, "To Renew All Things in Christ. He succeeded Pope Leo XIII in 1903 and died in 1914, just at the outbreak of WWI, which he had tried very hard to prevent.  It was an era when the Church needed reform, a task which he undertook to be best of his ability, codifying Canon Law, encouraging biblical scholarship, condemning "Modernism", and writing a .catechism for youth from which he himself taught on Sundays. He promoted liturgical renewal, especially with regard to encouraging the frequent reception of Holy Communion by all from childhood. His saintly life set the tone for the papacy for the 20th and 21st centuries, as seen in the lives of the two popular Popes, John XXIII and John Paul II, soon to be canonized.
Pope Francis too, in his dramatic and energetic way, has set a course for reform, simplification and return to the spirit of the Gospels. His infectious and endearing style and message are already renewing hearts and hope around the world.  We are being guided "from the top" as an institution and as individual members to what it means to live as Jesus did. We who have ears to hear, let us hear.
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Esteem For Our Neighbor

The two Great Commandments, love of God and love of neighbor are foundation stones for our Judaic-Christian beliefs and practices. We mold our lives in the direction they set as they provide both the freedom and parameters  of a life lived in concert with God and others.  St. Bernard writes: While the love of God takes preference over love of neighbor, in actuality, we busy ourselves with helping others to demonstrate our love of God.  Charity in action, motivated by love of God, takes life and has as its reward a growth in charity and affection.  The hours we spend in service to others, the Montagne Program that helps students receive a Central Catholic Education, Lazarus House Ministries, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and others like them that provide food and shelter to the needy are motivated and colored by our love for God.
St. Bernard offers two other salient points, upon which we might focus today:  As you esteem yourself so must you consider your neighbor.  If you love yourself because you love God, you will have that same love for your neighbor.  As for your enemies, esteem them not for what they now are but for what they may one day become.
Bro. Rene

Monday, August 19, 2013

What Holds Me Back?

Br. Patrick McNulty entered eternal life yesterday afternoon after 61 years of Marist religious life. Always the optimist, a lover of good humor, jokes, even pranks, and a biking enthusiast, Pat always seemed healthy and happy.  He thrived during his years at Pine Ridge where he would bicycle for thirteen miles each way to Loneman School, or when he weather was really bad, drive our Toyota Jeep like a military adjutant. His fierce but swift battle with lung cancer, itself a surprise for one so in love with the outdoors, gives me pause as a stark reminder of our fragile mortality.  Our time on this planet is limited for sure, as even the healthiest of us eventually succumb to "Sister Death."  Thanks be to God there is the fuller life beyond.
How best, then, to live the short time we have here?  As Jesus invited the rich young man to sell all his possessions, give the proceeds to the poor and follow him, so too does he invite us to relinquish what holds us back for a deeper and fuller relationship with him.  It may not always be possessions, but attitudes, fears, anxieties, and worries that in a sense paralyze us.  Pat's joyful, boyish glee at having biked his thirteen miles in 20 degree weather sticks in my mind  as the kind of joy we can find when we plunge ourselves fully into the gift of life which finds its fullness in Jesus.  Thanks, Pat, for not holding back.
Bro. Rene

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Bringing Fire on the Earth

The world, society, nations, communities, ourselves...all need a periodic cleansing, a radical purification. Jesus, in today's Gospel (Lk. 12-49-43) uses the image of a blazing fire which he is impatient to set. His world, as is ours, was filled with cruelty, violence, prejudice, injustice, deceit, and corruption. The violence in Cairo, human trafficking, the lies coming out of Washington and Hollywood, the epidemic of secularism and materialism, the Rwandan Genocide, the Holocaust, two world wars and the current war in Afghanistan, bear witness to the need for the change about which Jesus was talking.
St. Marcellin, facing the aftermath of the French Revolution, when education, particularly Catholic education had been greatly compromised, even eliminated, lit a fire which has spread from the little village of LaValla to 80 countries of the world. How can we in our time and in our circumstances enkindle this necessary fire? If each one of us lived the Gospel as Jesus gave it to us, taking to heart his words and example, a difference would soon be visible in our lives and in the circles in which we move. Gandhi found his study of Christianity astounding and captivating, but wondered why he had never met a Christian. There's always a first time. Let us today take up the challenge to bring fire on the earth.
Lord, set me ablaze with your message, so that your wish may again find fulfillment.
Bro. Rene

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Let the Children Come to Me

The routine Jesus and his disciples followed was demanding, if not rigorous:  walking from village to village in the heat, or cold, talking, answering requests for healing, welcoming crowds...it is no wonder that the well-intentioned disciples tried to shield Jesus from the further annoyance of parents' bringing their children for a blessing.  Tired or not, Jesus refused to ignore these children, welcomed them, and laid his hands in blessing upon them, reminding the disciples and us, that "the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these." (Mt 19: 15).  No doubt the exuberance and excitement of these children brought joy to Jesus, lifted his spirits, and energized him. 
 Once, when I was walking through a field in Rwanda where school children were at recess,  they all began to shout "Muzungu!" (white man) as soon as they noticed me, and in droves surrounded me as if I were loaded with cookies or coins. Their joy was genuine and gave me a joy-filled boost.. Children, especially African children, find joy in the slightest things and hold back nothing in displaying their affection.  They love to hug legs, pull hair on arms, and rub their hands against facial stubble. These memories make this scene with Jesus and the children very real, and constantly serve as a reminder to me of how much Jesus treasures sponteneity, wonder, and simple joy, qualities that we cannot let disappear from our relationship with him as we grow older if we want to be part of the Kingdom of Heaven.   May the child in our heart live forever.
Bro. Rene

Friday, August 16, 2013

Tired Work, Glad Work

We've all discovered how refreshed we are after a vacation, or even a day of "doing nothing."  We find new energy to tackle the things that we didn't ever think we'd get done.  We just had no energy.  Well, with the weekend upon us, and Labor Day looming in the not too distant future, it's time, if we haven't done so already, to slow down, (even stop) and rest.  Otherwise we'll keep plodding along pushing ourselves and doing "tired work", work that drags us down and whose results are far from satisfying.   If we rest, allowing ourselves to look at the flowers we've been working so hard to grow, watch the morning star rise before dawn peacefully, slowly against a dark blue sky, reflect on the people who fill our lives with joy, and allow God to fill our souls with his love and life, then we'll be renewed in mind, soul and body and "glad work."  will follow. The weather forecasters promise a string of summer weather, perfect for the rest we need.  Let's take advantage of it.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, August 15, 2013

A Sign of Pure Hope

The Solemnity of the Assumption is not only a Holy Day of Obligation in the USA and many other countries, but it is also one of the patronal feasts of the Marist Brothers. Several groups of brothers received the Marist Habit and pronounced their First Vows on this day. The Entrance antiphon for Mass is taken from the Book of Revelation: A great sign appeared in the heavens, a woman clohed with the sun, and the mooon beneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. (Rev. 12.1) Yes, Mary is a great sign: a sign of pure hope and comfort to this pilgrim people who make up the Church, for her bodily presence in heaven is a guarantee that once the Church's mission is completed, each member, body and soul, will live in eternity with the Holy Trinity. Over the centuries, devotion to Mary as mother, as first disiciple, as model of faith has persisted, while she herself in many apparitions has come to her children to remind them, as mother's do, to make the Good News a reality in their lives and to spread it to others. She never ceases to tire of inviting us to come to her Son through her. As Marists this is a special invitation and privilege. May we renew our pledges (and vows) to her in an effort to deepen our fervor and ardor in following her way to Jesus. Bro. Rene

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Laying Down One's Life

It is no surprise that when Fr. Maximilian Kolbe heard that 10 prisoners were to be executed because one had tried to escape from Auschwitz, that he offered to take the place of a young husband and father, for all his life his strong devotion to Mary had prepared him for the ultimate self-sacrifice. He had encouraged devotion to Mary by founding a Marian Movement known as The Immaculata Movement even before he was ordained, and then spread the Movement through a magazine he also founded, The Knight of the Immaculata. He founded monasteries in Japan and India for communities of men seeking to base their lives on Mary's. Her FIAT was his guiding light, and as she gave of herself that Jesus might be born and complete his mission, so did Fr. Kolbe. He died on July 21, 1941 of starvation, thirst and neglect, the last of the 10. The young man survived the next four years and was liberated in 1945. He was present at the canonization of St. Maximilian in 1982. This saint serves as a 20th century model of devotion to Mary and to the ultimate end that such devotion can lead. In our everyday life,there are moments when we are given the opportunity to "lay down our life", our wills, our plans, our time for another. May St. Maximilian help us to respond as generously as he did. Bro. Rene

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

Marist Simplicity

Today's Gospel, (Mat 18:1-5, 10, 12-14) recalls the answer Jesus gave when the disciples asked "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" Like us, these disciples wanted to be the best; being Number One, was as important to them as it is to some of us. Yet, the answer was not, "The ones who have a Ph.D, nor the most power nor money," but a little child. There is something beguiling about a child and its sense of curiosity, wonder, trust, dependency, that is not only attractive, but evidently necessary. The humility of a child serves as the model for us and the key to a deeper relationship with Jesus. It is no surprise that St. Marcellin, whose humble beginnings always stayed with him, and kept him totally dependent on God and his mother, Mary, stressed simplicity, childlike simplicity, as one of the major virtues and characteristics of a Marist. It is so easy to avoid or ignore this simplicity as we get older and take on more responsibility for our own lives and those of others, especially our children, but if we simply relax and be who we are, keep a prayerful heart, and remind ourselves each day as we say the Lord's Prayer, that God is our Father, and we still, not matter what age we be, are one of his children, we will be living a life of Marist simplicity. Bro. Rene

Monday, August 12, 2013

Radiant With Joy

The collect for today's memorial of St. Jane Frances de Chantal, wife, mother of seven, widow and foundress of the Sisters of the Visitation, describes her as "radiant with outstanding merits in different walks of life, and petitions God to help us walk faithfully in our vocations so that we may be examples of shining light...that we may be "radiant with joy". (Ps. 34:5). With our eyes on Jesus, and our hearts open and ready to receive his daily gift of love, we can be radiant, and allow our conversation, our smiles, and our actions reveal the joy and peace that is within us wherever we are, whatever we are doing. It's not high tech, but flows from a simplicity and trust in the active and loving presence of Jesus within us, and within the people around us. Bro. Rene

Saturday, August 10, 2013

God Loves A Cheerful Giver

St. Paul writes to the Church at Corinth, among other things, asking for donations to support churches that are in need of help. He was quite the "marketer" for the cheerful giver phrase is still a household word. Here is the context in which it appears: "Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each must do as already determined, without sadness or compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. Moreover, God is able to make every grace abundant for you, so that in all things always having all you need, you have have an abundance for every good work.: (2. Cor. 9: 6-9).
St. Lawrence, whose memorial we celebrate today, throughout his life and especially as a deacon, exhibited this kind of cheerful generosity. He was the treasurer of the Church in Rome and made sure that the poor were fed. He even sold some of the sacred vessels at one point to supplement his shrinking funds. His cheerful spirit is evident at the time he was asked to show the Prefect of Rome the Church's treasures, and he gathered the poor he was feeding and displayed them to the Prefect. His jesting on the gridiron as he was being roasted to death is legend. He believed, sowed abundantly, and reaped the crown of martyrdom.
Bro. Rene
Again, I will be asking the members of a parish to be "cheerful givers" this weekend, so I may not be able to cut a slice of bread tomorrow...However, I've been surprised in the past by the presence of Wi-Fi in the parish rectories where I've been staying. Take a look, anyway.

Friday, August 9, 2013

Resting in the Lord

At some point during the day, preferably in the morning, (though some do better later at night), it is important to step back and fall into a resting position "in the arms of the Lord", if you will. These moments can give is the verve, the zest we need, for we find our strength and energy in Jesus. As suggested awhile back, doing this in front of the crucifix is very helpful. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, (Edith Stein), whose memory we honor today,has this to say about such moments: God is there in these moments of rest and can give us in a single instant exactly what we need. Then the rest of the day can take its course, under the same effort and strain, perhaps, but in peace. And when night comes, and you look back over the day and see how fragementary everything has been, and how much you planned that has gone undone, and all the reasons you have to be embarrassed and ashamed: just take everything exactly as it is, put it in God's hands and leave it with him. Then you will be able to rest in him--really rest--and start the next day as a new life. Even as a Carmelite nun, St. Teresa's days went very much like ours. She offers a prayer that might be helpful to us. O my God, fill my soul wih holy joy,, courage, and strength to serve you. Enkindle your love in me and then walk with me along the next stretch of road before me. I do not see very far ahead, but when I have arrived where the horizon now closes down, a new propect will open before me, and I shall meet it with peace. In 1942, her road led to the gas chamber at Auschwitz, where, no doubt, she met it with peace. St. Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, pray for us. Bro. Rene

Thursday, August 8, 2013

In the Footsteps of St. Dominic

(Just a noteworthy follow-up to yesterday's slice of bread: I met with three young men for whom I've been praying for several years: one, whom I hadn't seen for 3-4 years, is doing very well, going on to be a doctor of physical therapy, another is in more desperate need of prayer than I imagined, and the third is thriving. It was not simply by chance that we met. E-mails and calls from friends on the list all were positive; and so were several text messages, one from a man for whom I just started praying: much going well for him as he is reborn in the faith. The moral: keep praying and don't hesitate to add to your list!)
St. Dominic was dedicated to passing on the TRUTH through his preaching and even more importantly by his way of life, which included substantial amounts of daily prayer and contemplation, daily Mass, a life of self-imposed asceticism, and enormous concern for the poor, not only in spirit, but in material goods as well. At one point he sold his precious books, so rare in those days, to help feed the poor in a time of famine. He is noted for his confrontations with the heretics of his day, the Albigensians, who denied the value of the body, and for founding Orders of men and women to continue the work of spreading the truth. His life give us a template for our own: dedication to the truth, prayer, and help to the poor. St. Dominic, help us to put into practice to some degree, these ideals.
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Praying for Others

Today's Gospel tells the story of the Canaanite woman, whose persistence in behalf of her daughter pushed beyond the protective shield of the disciples to Jesus himself, who, at first, seemed reluctant to grant her request. Yet her faith moved him to deal with someone outside the house of Israel and he not only cured her daughter, but praised her for her great faith. (cf. Mt 15: 21-28).
How often do people ask us for our prayers? It seems there is always someone sick or in need of prayer, and most likely, out of kindness, we agree to pray for them. The list grows longer and longer and sometimes stretches over years and we begin to wonder if our prayers are doing any good. Once in awhile we run into the person we've been praying for, even after years, and see that they are doing much better. These moments affirm the efficacy of prayer and encourage us to continue.
Another benefit from these lists of people, comes from pausing for a moment to see how they are a blessing to us, especially if they are people we know well. They are like the stars above, countless, but bright lights in some way in our lives. They make us appreciate how blessed our lives are because of their presence. We are richer for having them as the treasures of our lives. And even those whom we don't know, but are simply praying for, we'll meet someday, even if in heaven, and receive their thanks.
Like the Canaanite woman, let us be persistent and of "great faith". Jesus hears our prayers and marvels over us as he did over her.
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Tabor Moments

Viewing Jesus in his glorified state with face shining like the sun and garments white as snow, Peter was filled with that exhilarating joy we hope never ends. Just last week when praying with three friends in a "group hug", it was for sure a Tabor Moment which we didn't want to break and part from each other. I hope we have all experienced such a Tabor Moment, be it on Cursillo, or holding a newborn infant, for then we can understand Peter's exuberance, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tents...." (Lk 9:33 ), Yet had they pitched their tents there, the redemption, the Church, would not have come to be. We all have to leave these blissful moments on Tabor to put Tabor into action. And without these Tabor Moments, we do not have the "juice" to make these actions truly fruitful.
Tabor Moments, when we are apart with Jesus, gazing on him, his glory, his mission, basking in his love, transform us gradually into the person God wants us to be; we are transformed into another Christ. The Spirit who filled Jesus, fills us and enables us to fulfill our mission. The transfiguration of Jesus is really a preview of our own transfiguration, and a preview of the transfiguration of the entire Body of Christ, the Church, into what it can and will be. Today is our feast as well as Jesus'. Happy Feast Day!
Bro. Rene

Monday, August 5, 2013

Go, Make Disciples of All Nations

The theme of the 28th World Youth Days was "Go, Make Disciples of all Nations". Now that the pilgrim youth are filtering back to their families and parishes, it remains to be seen what kinds of "mess" they will stir up, having been challenged to do so by Pope Francis. He is leading the charge with his own example as daily he does something "outside the box", by simply being himself, a self imbued with the spirit and courage of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
We take for granted so much of what others fought for, as in the title, Mother of God, for Mary, or that Jesus is one divine person with two natures, divine and human, that the fire needed to "make a mess" needs a huge bellows to enkindle it. Youth can quickly become enthusiastic at such a gathering as the three-million strong World Youth Day, but sustaining the energy and enthusiasm will require the backing of our prayers and encouragement. May Mary, whose major basilica's dedication is being celebrated today fire us up so that we in turn may be there for our energetic youth.
Bro. Rene

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Hidden with Christ in God

One wonders at times why the Christian life is so contrary to the "natural flow", the inclinations toward self or the "easy way", or why, a true Christian sticks out like a white stallion in a herd of brown and black stallions. It is, because, as St. Paul tells us that in our baptisms we have died and our lives are now hidden with Christ in God. (cf. Col 3:3). Our life is now a participation in the Eternal Life which flows "through the spirit, mind an body, that cleanses, heals, restores, renews youth and passes on from us to others with miracle working power." (God Calling, p. 154). Through prayer we are able to achieve a union with God which, as St. John Mary Vianney describes is like "two bits of wax that are fused together so that no one can pull them apart." Because of this union, this abiding presence we in doing less, are able to accomplish more, to achieve more, for our actions are really the actions of God working or speaking through us. How safe and secure we are with such Life flowing through our veins. What is there to fear or cause us to hesitate?
This Sabbath Day, and the days ahead give us the opportunity to absorb this reality, and to let it become so much a part of us that it flows naturally from us. Let us BE that white horse in the herd!
Bro. Rene

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Eucharistic Adoration

St. Peter Julian Eymard, once provincial of the Marist Fathers, had such a strong devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, that he left the Society of Mary and founded an Order of priests, today known as the Blessed Sacrament Fathers, the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament, and a Confraternity of the Blessed Sacrament for lay people, besides writing several books on the Blessed Sacrament. It has always been the practice in parishes staffed by Blessed Sacrament Fathers to have perpetual adoration, the doors of the churches being unlocked around the clock, and the Monstrance holding the Blessed Sacrament either on or above the altar.
Over the past several years, many parishes not staffed by the Blessed Sacrament Fathers have taken up this practice and have Adoration Chapels open to their parishioners and have benefited from countless blessings, ranging from healings to the resolution of parish financial problems.
Time before the Blessed Sacrament brings an inner peace, a strong sense of the love of Jesus for all of us, and the stirring up of a desire to love him more in our actions. It's like being among the crowds on grassy hillsides in Galilee when he preached and healed. It helps us prepare for the reception of Jesus at Holy Mass, and provides extra time to give adequate thanksgiving for so great a gift.
Bro. Rene
P.S. I will be speaking at Holy Family Parish in Russell, MA tonight and Sunday...If there's no slice of bread for your Sunday Breakfast, it's because the rectory there has no Wi-Fi.

Friday, August 2, 2013

The Miracle of Lanciano

This being the First Friday of August, whose optional Mass is usually that of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, it is fitting that we take a look at an old but not widely known miracle that occurred in Lanciano, Italy, over 1,200 years ago! A monk while offering Mass, had doubts about the Real Presence of Jesus in the Host, but when he said the words of consecration, "This is my Body, this is my Blood", the host turned into a piece of flesh and the wine, into blood. He was flabbergasted to say say the least, but a host of witnesses at the Mass affirmed what he saw. More astounding is that in 1981, a pathologist ran a series of tests on the species that remain intact without special containers, and found that the flesh, is heart tissue and the blood is real blood, AB +. When we receive the Eucharist, we are partaking of the very heart of Jesus and his own life-blood, both of which become part of our bodies. Doubters may scoff at this, but for those who believe, what further incentive to receive Holy Communion as often as possible, and to realize with great reverence and gratitude what a privilege Jesus has given us to show us his unbounded love.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, August 1, 2013

I Am With You

As we begin another month, the quick passage of time, especially if we love summer, might leave us a bit uneasy. Yet, with the weather pattern the way it seems to be unfolding these past several years, "summer" the growing season, flowers, lawn cutting, could continue for another two months. We might liken ourselves to the Hebrews wandering in the desert with the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night protecting them. God's presence is always with us, be it summer of the other three seasons. No need for "agida" in the gut. Rather, we have the assurance that God is always with us: "I will never leave your nor forsake you." A brief passage from God Calling (p.52)sums it up beautifully: There is no bond of union on earth to compare with the union between a soul that loves Me--and Me (says Jesus). Priceless beyond all earth's imaginings is that Friendship. In the merging of heart and mind and will, a oneness results that only those who experience it can even dimly realize. Let us begin this new month with that blessed assurance. Bro. Rene