Building on Solid Ground

In today's Gospel, (Lk 14:25-33) Jesus challenges those who wish to be his disciples with bold renunciation, willingness to bear the cross, and careful, prudent study, tinged with fearlessness, before engaging in a project. Our mission of evangelization is so important that we don't want to risk its failure by recklessly jumping into it.
Fifty years ago, the Marist Brothers opened a new school, Marist High School, on Chicago's very Catholic South Side. It was built adjacent to cornfields and a cemetery. It was a risky location, but with the faith and daring that accompanied other Marist enterprises, Br. Pius Xavier Lyons proceeded with a "state of the art" building and a faculty composed of our "best" brothers, hand-picked to guarantee an immediate favorable reputation. The school has fulfilled and even exceeded those dreams, now at 1750 coed students and armies of successful alumni serving their communities with the Marist stamp of faith, humility, simplicity, boldness and daring. The challenges that Jesus gave his disciples 2000 years ago served Br. Pius well in 1963, and remain true today.

Across the Atlantic last night, Pope Francis boldly led a prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East, especially in Syria, doing exactly what he had asked Catholics around the world to do on September 7, pray and fast. He leads by actions that back up his words, he builds on the solid ground of prayer, fasting and action. He wins not only the admiration of even the secular press, but also models for us how not to build on sand, but on "terra firma." Who are we to hold back from doing the same? What can I do today in the years ahead to join him in living out the example set by Jesus?
Bro. Rene
Bro. Rene