Kinship

Family Spirit is one of the key components of our Marist Spirituality, and it flows right from the Gospel:  "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it." (Lk 8: 21).  The General Conference meeting at the Hermitage in France this month has been stressing the global nature of our Marist Family, not only with delegates from all the different parts of the world where we are located, but also by looking at the vision of St. Marcellin.  He wanted Marists to be in every diocese of the world, and now, 195 years after our founding, thanks to the huge number of Marist Alumni and lay colleagues, that dream is coming closer to reality.  Communication via our latest technologies have brought us closer together.  Just this morning, for example e-mails from two Ryans, one in Afghanistan and one at Penn State, brought their worlds into mine.  Through their written words I could see and hear them.  And we mustn't forget that our prayers and our attendance at Mass and reception of Holy Communion make us one with the Body of Christ, which is not only present in the Holy Sacrament, but in the Body of Christ throughout the world.  So, the two Ryans were with me at Mass, along with everyone who partakes of this slice of daily bread.  What a privilege to be brothers and sisters of Jesus and of one another!.  Let us celebrate our global kinship with joy as we go about this day.
Bro. Rene