What To Leave Behind

Andrew and Peter responded to Jesus' call by leaving behind their fishing nets and boat to follow him. The simple sentence, "At once they left their nets and followed him" (Mt 4: 20), makes it sound smooth and easy, but it must have been harder than we might think.  This was their livelihood and  their profession.  How would we respond to Jesus if he asked us to do the same?  Both these men's "second careers" led them to accomplishments never imagined while hauling in netloads of fish. As we know, Peter became a dynamic leader and first bishop of Rome.  Andrew preached in Greece, and some say even as far as Poland and Russia.  Both suffered martyrdom, and the cross, X, of St. Andrew is well-known worldwide.
The question facing us today, the last day of Ordinary Time, and the vigil of Advent, is what do I need to leave behind to be a better disciple of Jesus?  Is it simply something material, or is it an attitude, or a dependency, an indifference, a laziness?  Let today's reflection help us to see, hear, and respond with the generosity and trust of Peter and Andrew.  There is a world waiting for the change we could bring in our "second careers."
Bro. Rene

Looking for Signs

The normal New England cold is settling in, the ground is frozen, the leaves gone, last years garden plants a dry, brittle and brown. Rhododendrons and hydrangeas have their buds for next year, but everything else is dormant. Liturgically, we are entering a season of expectation and preparation for the coming of light into the darkness of our winter, of our souls.  The readings from Isaiah which will predominate the weeks of Advent are like these buds, portending a burst of new life, of salvation. We are assured by these words of hope and anticipation we will be hearing, that new life in Jesus is on its way.  How about in our own personal lives...are there buds of hope, are there thoughts of joyful expectation that the bonds that hold us down will be broken and that we will be set free?  Can we sing with Isaiah, "Be consoled my people, take courage, for your bondage is at an end"?  Our Savior is coming.  Yesterday we thanked him and celebrated his largesse...can we keep that spirit alive into Advent and beyond?
Bro. Rene

Returning Gratitude

The one leper who returned to thank Jesus for his miraculous healing stands as a visible reminder of what Thanksgiving Day is all about.  We enjoy so much by way of faith, family, comfortable homes, multiple gadgets, and freedoms that most other countries only dream about, it is absolutely fitting and right that we should take a moment, if not the day, to render thanks to the Giver of all good gifts.  Nine of those cured continued on their merry way, as most of us do even after having our prayers answered,  yet God continues to give.  As we say grace before our meal today, let us acknowledge our 364 days of ingratitude and give God the thanks which should be a part of our daily prayers.  The gratitude expressed by those who received turkeys and food baskets as a result of the Lazarus House Thanksgiving deliveries and the meals they will serve today shows us what appreciation can be.  Let us learn from the poor and strive to become poor in spirit ourselves.
Bro. Rene

Preparation Time

The day before Thanksgiving:  for most, it's the usual routines along with trying to wedge in time to clean, cook,  and make sure all is in order for tomorrow, a day that we just can't play by ear.  Relatives travel distances to be with family, so the stage must be well set to make their journeys worthwhile.  Somehow, things do fall into place even though there might be some doubts when the weather or something else inserts itself into our plans.
This year, Thanksgiving falls very close to the First Sunday of Advent, itself a preparation time for the coming of Jesus, both at Christmas and at the end of time.  Will our Thanksgiving festivities bite into the beginning of Advent, or will we be able to clear the deck and transition smoothly into this rich opportunity for reflection and preparation?
Stepping back for a few moments from the hustle and bustle and reflecting on what these two events are about will help us to get the most out of them.  Listing even a fraction of reasons to give Thanks will give the day a richer dimension.  Asking ourselves what we need, what we are longing for, what we are hoping for, and what do all our Christmas shopping and preparations have to do with the birth of Jesus, or the place of Jesus in our lives will put the season of Advent in better perspective.  Take a moment right now to start these preparations.
Bro. Rene

Unless the Lord Build the House

Psalm 127, a favorite of Blessed Marcellin, has been paraphrased by David Haas, popular composer and in its direct and folksy manner, might serve as the nourishment we need today.

If God is not part of the team, everything we try to do, 
everything we try to accomplish,
will fail.
It is not smart to start early and to work hard all day on our own.
If we have God to direct us,
we accomplish twice as much as when we are sleeping.

We are the children of God, a blessing that only you can provide.
God is  happy when we are happy,
and with God we are able to face anything!

Pray this slowly over and over and the day will brighten.
Bro. Rene

Who's Holding It Together?

This morning's Gospel tell the brief story of the widow who put two small coins from her poverty, not from her surplus, but her whole livelihood, into the temple treasury, Her generosity and trust set the example for us, not to put our security in things, not to get upset when things don't go our way, not to hold back when we are asked to move from our comfort zone. When we think of it, God is holding the whole universe together, so what reason, other than one stemming from a lack of faith, can prevent us from boldly proceeding forward, of giving from our own livelihood, time and talent?  If St. Marcellin had not given of himself totally to his call, to his vision and mission of making Jesus known and loved, you the Church, the world, would be missing a huge piece in  spirituality and Catholic education, and you would not be munching on this little slice of bread. Let us then throw ourselves in confidence to God who is holding it all together.
Bro. Rene

King of the Universe

"All things are summed up in him" (Eph 1:10)  We bring our liturgical year to a close this week with the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, also known more familiarly as Christ the King. Today's Gospel passage, however, does not paint the image of a gold-crowned, splendidly robed king, but presents Jesus on the cross in conversation with the Good Thief to whom he promises paradise. This is a stark reminder that the mission of Jesus was to save sinners, us, to bring liberty to captives, sight to the blind and freedom to those imprisoned in chains of selfishness, self-doubt and self-sufficiency.  The thief, known as Dismas, recognizes Jesus, defends him and humbly asks to be remembered in the kingdom of this man he acknowledges as innocent and a king. This is the stance of a citizen of the Kingdom of God.  Jesus never went about building up wealth or an army to establish his kingdom, but reached out to the lowly, healed the sick, fed the hungry and forgave sinners, thus showing us what he meant by the Kingdom of God and how he saw his kingship."I am a king",  (Jn 18:33), he told Pilate, but not in the usual sense. So this is a day, not only of the triumph of his mission over evil, and the gathering of all of creation to present to the Father, but it is also a day to remind us how we are to participate in the establishment of his reign.  "Let us rejoice and be glad in it."(Ps 118:24).
Bro. Rene

Keeping Our Hearts Lifted

Yesterday's remembrances of the tragic death of President John F. Kennedy aroused many feelings as the events were reviewed, marvelous speeches made, many quoting his actual words, and stories told, some of which had never been heard before.  Feelings ranged from sadness to pride, wonder, gratitude and reverence, at times leaving us with tears, and at others with laughter. His impact, his charisma remain strong even 50 years later.  Yet we have moved on, at times stumbling, as do families after the death of a loved one.  Nothing is ever the same, but on we go.
One way to help this process of recovery is to remember that it is God who accomplishes all things and will continue to do so.  We are not left off the hook, however, and must DO our part.  We praise God, thank God, and focus on him, not on our own situations and worries, but keep our hearts lifted to him in peaceful and joyfull confidence.  Will he who has brought us thus far now abandon us?  We don't know the whole story or the big picture, but we do know we can trust God.
Bro. Rene

50 Years Later

Those of us who were alive on November 22, 1963 remember distinctly where we were when the news of President John F. Kennedy's assassination stunned us and marked the beginning of a huge change in behavior and thinking among us, a precursor to the more dramatic changes effected by 9/11.  For one thing, no one, even the president, was not invulnerable. For another, the energy, optimism, and passionate patriotism exemplified by this young president was deflated; caution, mistrust, fear and disrespect set the tone for the rebellion of the sixties, a decade whose turmoil still echoes 50 years later.
President Kennedy's youthfulness, courage, and daring inspired us who were in our early twenties, dubbed "the New Breed" by Fr. Andrew Greeley.  It was the era of "the New Frontier" and initiatives such as the Peace Corps captured our imagination and raised up men and women who with their lives answered the challenge, "Ask not what my country can do for me, but what I can do for my country."  Much to the credit of Kennedy's inspiration, the Peace Corps continues today, but leaders like him are scarce, if non-existent.
As we take time to remember the events of this day 50 years ago, it is also a time to pray for the country he loved so much, take stock of its losses and gains. and ask God for guidance in restoring the ideals which once thrived in a moment called Camelot.
Bro. Rene

Mary's Consecraton and Ours

Today's Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on the apocryphal story in the Protoevangelium of St. James, and has no basis in history, but theologically, it underscores again the preparation of Mary as the Vessel who would carry the Word of God to the world.  It has been a popular feast in the East since the sixth century, and only in the 11th century was it adopted in the West. 
If we meditate on these words of St. Germanus below, with their beautiful imagery, we can come to a deeper appreciation of our Good Mother, so important in our Marist Spirituality. For we too are vessels consecrated to God the Father to bring forth Jesus to our world. How striking and inspiring it is to witnesss the total dedication of people to this mission.
Last night, helping out in a local soup kitchen known as  Bread and Roses, I saw people who had been volunteering there for 17 and 18 years, week after week serving donated food to those who had none.  One man had been working there for 34 years! They presented themselves to God at some earlier point in their lives for the service of others, and showed their commitment by sticking to it all these years.
What can we do in our own circle to follow in their footsteps, the footsteps of Mary?
May Mary's example provide the motivation we need
 "Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).
Bro. Rene

Unless the Lord Build the House

One of the favorite Scripture verses of St. Marcellin, is this one from Psalm 127: 1, "Unless the Lord Build the House, in vain to do the builders labor."  He reminded the brothers constantly that their work would be in vain if it were not connected to the root, the source of all energy and good, Jesus Christ. Blessed John Henry Newman wrote that our talents, intelligence, profession bear lasting fruit only if the sap of this vine flows through these gifts and lifts them to a supernatural level. "Idle is our labor, worthless is our toil, ashes is our fruit, corruption is our reward, unless we begin the foundation of this great undertaking ( the building of a university...or we could expand it to include any of our projects) in faith and prayer, and sanctify it by purity of life."
A simple way to bring our daily, routine tasks to a deeper level, is to pray the familiar words, "So help me, God."  One second's worth of consciousness, one quick prayer, and the "house" we are attempting to build becomes the work of God.
Bro. Rene

The Big Lie

Dear Readers,  I thought you might be interested in a few rather startling statistics regarding our daily slices of bread.  1,270 slices have been served since 2009, with a total of 41,643 "views"; last month there were 864 readers, 33 yesterday alone; the majority of slices make it to the table in the USA, but they cover the globe, including Russia (!), the Philippines, Africa, Europe and the Ukraine. I hope all of you continue to find some daily nourishment.--Bro. Rene

The Evil One (Devil...let's call a spade a spade) is ever at work to discourage, undermine or make us feel alone.  Is it no wonder that so many seek companionship in drugs, alcohol, "recreational sex", looking for some connection to others.  The Big Lie is that we are alone, no one really cares, God, if there is a God, does not listen, so why give him a place in our lives?  How empty can we be? Suicide is becoming more popular; I wonder if has reached the level it did in the time of the Roman Empire.  But, if indeed we believe the lie and let our "alone-ness" pull us apart, as sad as it is to say, suicide makes sense.
However, we are not alone. The Psalmist puts is simply,
Many are saying of me,
"There is no salvation for him in God."
But you, O lod, are my shield.  (Ps 3:3-4)
Yesterday a what was a sad, sad funeral, there was, nevertheless a sense of God's nearness and the presence of the deceased dropping lollipops from heaven to comfort and console his parents and all of us.  A huge outpouring of people, love, and deep faith, the sunshine and gentle breeze on what had been predicted to be a nasty day, were signs that God is near, is listening, knows our pain, and is there with love and strength for us.
This morning I was a bit discouraged at what seemed to be a "falling readership", which prompted me to check out the stats above...No need to feel alone or discouraged...It's a Big Lie.  Let's not fall into it.
Bro. Rene

 

Lord, That I May See

Most of us have no idea what it is to be blind, not to see the faces of our family and friends, not to see the beauty of the sunrise, sunset, spring and summer flowers, fall foliage or magnificent works or art.  We are blessed with the gift of sight which we so often take for granted, unless it is jeopardized by age or dreaded diseases such as glaucoma or macular degenration.  Yet in many ways we are blind.  We cannot see even to the next hour, tomorrow, or five years from now.  When death takes the young, we struggle to understand, and ask, "Why" over and over again.  It is then when we share the longing and the prayer of the blindman Jesus encountered on the road to Jericho, whom Matthew identifies as Bartimeus.  He first recognizes Jesus as the Son of David and calls on him for mercy.  Then, Jesus asks him directly what he wants, letting him put forth his demand, and allowing Jesus to respond.  "Lord, that I may see" or in more contemporary language, "Lord, please let me see again."  (Lk 18: 41). Jesus tells him that his faith has saved him and restores his sight.  Bartimeus immediately praises God and follows Jesus.
When we are lost in the mystery of darkness, the oblivion of WHY, we can only  ask for mercy, and then allow Jesus to give us the sight which brings us understanding and comfort.  We cannot reason or find it ourselves.  It is a gift from God.
Bro. Rene

Remaining Steadfast

A fitting meditation for our last week in Ordinary Time:  "By standing firm, you will gain life" (Lk 21:19).  Another translation reads, "By your perseverance you will secure your lives."  Joseph Pagola says that the original term can also be translated at "patience", and he says that indeed we need it our times more than ever. With all that is going on in our world, our Church, our families, it seems that no progress has been made since Jesus ascended into heaven.  Our own lives, at times, witness to weakness, failure to grasp and live the essentials of our beliefs, and we can fall into negativity and discouragement, blaming forces "outside" ourselves, for what is going on inside. Jesus never promised that our lives would be smooth and without obstacle; indeed he warned of persecutions by governments, opposition even from family members, and hatred by "all."  Not a pretty picture, but one that history and our own times affirm.  So, it is now that we are called to make a firmer commitment to the hope of life in the world to come. The victory has been won, as we sing at Easter; we need to hang on to this hope despite the ugliness around us.
A striking analogy occurred to me as I reflected on Central Catholic's football win over a three-time super power champion, Everett High School yesterday.  Trailing behind this seasoned team for most of the game, our boys patiently, perseveringly "kept their cool", despite fumbles and mistakes, and with 2:10 left in the game, scored an absolutely remarkable touchdown that put us ahead 20-15, the final score.. A gift, yes, but also the result of playing firm, "standing firm".  They did not give up, and it paid off with the Division North Championship. So too with the living of our faith in the face of what might seem impossible odds: "By standing firm, you will gain life."
Bro. Rene

Thorny, Rocky Soil

Chapter 18 of the Book of  Wisdom describes the descent of God's powerful word from "heaven's royal throne" and its bounding over the earth like a fierce warrior, cutting down the bad,  taking root in thorny, rocky soil and making creation over anew.  (cf. Wis 18: 14-15). This text appears again toward the end of Advent as we get closer to Christmas, when we recall the birth of the Word in the still of the night.
In addition to that application of this text, we might also see it in the light of our own lives... For example, we commemorate three women today, Mary, Margaret of Scotland, and Gertrude, who allowed the word of God to renew them and through them, renew others.
 For Mary, the connection is obvious:  the Word became flesh in her and brought salvation to the human race.
Margaret was the wife of Malcom III of Scotland.  Her gentle spirit and beauty mellowed him and helped him to move from being a good man to an exemplary Christian and father of their 8 children, the youngest of whom became St. David, who reigned as king of Scotland and, like his mother and father, was noted for his generosity to the poor and to the Church.
St. Gertrude spent her life in the Cistercian Monastery at Helfta in Thuringia, and devoted her life to contemplation and prayer, having a profound effect on the nuns in her community.
In their simple ways these women allowed the word of God to bring forth fruit even on initially thorny and rocky soil, the kind we deal with daily.  May their example encourage us to trust and act with confidence that even in our families and communities, our simple acts of kindness and our good presence will overcome the rocks and thorns.
Bro.Rene

40 Bags In 40 Days

As we approach the final week in Ordinary Time and the start of the new Liturgical Year on December 1st, this little project called, 40 Bags In 40 Days might be one way to help us observe Advent and move a step closer to "detachment" and the simplifying of our lives.  The project consists of filling 40 trash bags over a period of 40 days of things we don't really need, things that clutter up our closets, our rooms, our homes, our attics, our garages, or our offices.   One women said she did it, felt so much "lighter" and can't even remember what went into the bags!  Isn't that the case with all of us...so much STUFF, that we don't even know what it is, or why we kept it, (always in the hopes that "someday I might need this")?  A little time each day to fill up a bag wouldn't kill us, and certainly at the end of the 40 days, we'd be amazed at how much room we have, besides having helped others by passing on clothing or household items we don't use or need any more.  Just a thought.
Bro. Rene

Where Is the Kingdom of God?

For some unknown reason, yesterday's slice of Daily Bread, composed earlier than usual because of the Freshman Retreat, did not make it to your table.  Today, there might then be two slices.

As we draw closer to Sunday's Solemnity of Christ the King and the end of the Liturgical Year, we will be hearing a lot about the Kingdom of God.  It will come to full glory with the return of Christ the King at the end of time, but do we have to wait that long?
One of Central Catholic's international students has thrown himself wholeheartedly into the full Central experience:  studies, sports, E-Board, and, even, though not a believer, (yet), into our retreat program.  He began leading the school prayer at the end of the day last year and continues this year.  In view of all of this, I said to him, "You are not far from the Kingdom of God." (Mk 12:34).  He asked, "Where is it?"  I tried to explain, as Jesus did, that "the Kingdom of God is within you." (Lk 17:21)   Still not concrete enough 
Meditating further on it, I can say that it comes into being when we empty ourselves as Jesus did, love God with our whole heart and soul, and our neighbor as ourselves, and "preach" by word and action, "Let us love."  Let us love always, in good times and bad, with compatible people, and those not so easy to get along with.  Let us forgive where wronged, be aware of our wrongs and ask pardon for them.  If we live the beatitudes, we certainly will be living in the Kingdom of God.
Bro. Rene

Inflamed by God's Love

A slight Italian Sister, Mother Frances Xavier Cabrini arrived at Ellis Island with six sisters in 1889 and began a dynamic career that lasted 28 years and established schools, hospitals and orphanages across the United States, in Brazil, Argentina and Nicaragua. Her Institute is also located in England, France and Spain  Supposedly too sickly to be admitted to the convent, as her health improved, she became a teacher and then founded the Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart. She had a huge heart, and deep trust in Divine Providence, and allowed herself, inflamed by God's love, to be his unwavering and dynamic instrument.
We might think ourselves "too sickly" to undertake much smaller requests from our communities, our families, our parishes, or God himself, but Mother Cabrini stands as an example of what love, trust and God's grace can do.  May we never underestimate the power of such a combination.  Lord, what do you want me to do? With you, nothing is impossible.  Lead me and I will follow.
Bro. Rene

Doing Our Duty

There may be two slices of  Daily Bread today...Yesterday's about Veteran's Day, didn't seem to make it out of the oven.

Today, we are challenged by Jesus to simply go about our business without fanfare, and not expect any reward for doing what we are supposed to do.  Our Marist tradition has always held to the "doing good quietly" in imitation of Mary.  The Marist Fathers and Sisters stress this in their living out of our Marist Spirituality.  It keeps us humble, and free from "entitlement", an attitude that seems to be growing in our society.  We are not God, nor do we have a God made to OUR image and likeness.  On the contrary, it is WE who are made to HIS image and likeness.  All that we are, and all the good we do, comes from him and doesn't even deserve a prize.  In our "Everyone-Wins,- Everyone-Gets- a-Trophy" world, we too can fall into the trap of expecting God to jump up and down for the slightest thing we do.  No, as Jesus reminds us, we are not worthy to share the same table. (cf Lk 17:7-10), We do what we are commanded, and let it go.
Lord, let me walk humbly with you and carry out your commands because of who you are and who I am.
Bro. Rene

Veterans Day 2013

This year's Veteran's day with its ring of "the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month", the Armistice that ended "the War to end all Wars", Pearl Harbor, the Arizona, the shrinking number of WWII veterans,'the 60 anniversary of the armistice ending the Korean Conflict,  efforts to rehabilitate the more recent veterans of Viet Nam, the Gulf War, Iraq and Afghanistan, falls on the Memorial of St. Martin of Tours, himself a veteran of the Roman army.  Encountering a beggar, he took his sword and cut his cloak in half, to help the beggar keep warm. The beggar turned out to be Jesus himself.  Martin then left the army, became a monk, a bishop and a great defender of the faith and advocate of the poor. His zeal combined with his gentle spirit of compassion sheds a guiding light on our times.
Peace is always the goal of war, but war is never pretty, and doesn't seem to bring about lasting peace unless a spirit of forgiveness and compassion fills the hearts of governments, soldiers and citizens. We admire and honor those who have served our country, without whose sacrifice we would not be able to live the ideals set forth by our Founding Fathers. We continue to see young men and women serving their country with that same sense of sacrifice and dedication, and when they come home, continuing to serve their fellow soldiers and citizens with equal zeal and self-sacrifice.  We pray for those who have served, given their lives and are serving now; we pray also for the grace of conversion that turned the soldier Martin into the monk and saint, to touch our governments and bring an end to war.
Bro. Rene

Encouraging One Another

One of the endearing, enduring and admirable gifts of St. Marcellin, was his uncompromising care for the brothers and their students. He answered their letters with empathy and encouragement, and took pains to walk the mountains to their communities and schools to see with his own eyes, speak to them face to face, and to make sure their zeal was focused on the mission of making Jesus known and loved.  The brothers and students loved his visits, for his positive "pep talks" helped them to let go of their "problems" and see the good that was right under their noses, but missed because of their negative attitudes. St. Paul in his prayer for the Thessalonians, reminds us that like Jesus, our role is to encourage and strengthen one another May our Lord Jesus Christ encourage your hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.  May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the endurance of Christ." (1Thess 2: 16, 3:5) St. Marcellin did it...how can we find ways this morning, this day...tomorrow...to do the same?
Bro. Rene

Living Stones

Today's feast, the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, the Pope's Church and the Mother Church of all Christendom, is a reminder to us that not only is a building important, but we too, as St. Peter says,  are "living stones" being built into a "spiritual house."  "Be built up like living stones, into a spiritual house, a royal priesthood."  (cf: 1 Pt 2:5). The Church is as strong and holy as its individual members, stones, building blocks, built on the foundation of  Jesus Christ and held together by the "mortar" of the Holy Spirit. The Lateran Basilica as beautiful as it is, is also symbolic of the living organism of the People of God, and as such calls us to fulfill our baptismal promises to live the gift of being adopted children of God and thus the calling to be a holy people, a royal priesthood which carries on the mission of Jesus. 
With Mary's help on this Saturday, our good words, our good deeds, our trust, our love, our compassion for those who suffer, can continue the construction of this living Church and bring it closer to completion.  Just DO IT.
Bro. Rene

A Minute and a Half Well Spent

 Thanks to my cousin, JoAnne Connolly, our slice of daily bread today is a special treat.  You'll want to bite into it more than once.  Just click on this address and another will appear as a link...which will make you think.  Now she's got me doing it!
Bro. Rene

http://www.youtube.com/embed/WGnEuGwvXqU?rel=0 [1]

We Are The Lord's

Writing from Contoocook and on the last day of our Marist Youth Encounter Christ, I can claim with St. Paul that indeed, "None of us lives for oneself, and no one dies for oneself...we are the Lord's" (Rm 14: 7). The faith that has brought this community of 34 students and 4 team members together is being shared to the point where those who have faith are being strengthened and those whose faith is weak, or still in embryonic form, or even "not there yet" are discovering it and awakening to it. They are all making new friends, discovering the gifts inn one another and realizing how powerful a community, especially a faith community can be. Some wish they lived way back in time with Jesus when "miracles happened all the time" and it would be "easier to believe," but are coming to see that 2000 years later, faith can and must be stronger (without the miracles). The real miracle is, that they are coming to believe, despite how hard they admit it to be. Our prayers, then are bearing fruit, and our communion in faith with them strengthens both them and us. We are all the Lord's and he never tires of reaching out to us no matter where we are, and bringing us closer to him.
Bro. Rene

Our Best Energy

What would the world be like if we used our best energy, the uniqueness that is the prerogative of each one of us, to its maximum capacity? Some have the gift of humor and can make a cat laugh, others have compassionate ears that absorb the woes and worries of all who come to them. Some have the gift of music and can play or sing away the sorrows of others. Some have the gift of teaching, others or praying, others of healing. If we gave these gifts over the the use of Jesus, how soon would the world be healed and be ready for his Second Coming!
This new day is a gift, a chance to "make a difference". Let's not procrastinate, let's not hold back on using our special gift to the fullest TODAY!
Bro. Rene

Excuses

 We have a guest writer today, a recent graduate from the University of Notre Dame, Catherine Russell, whose reflection should touch us all.

I will be on the Junior/Senior Encounter in Contocook, NH till Thursday afternoon.  Am not sure about wi-fi access. but it seems to me, it is available.  If not...keep praying.  No excuses!  (During our last Encounter, Pope Francis was elected. Let's pray for him and for all of us taking TIME to be with God and give him our undivided attention.)
Bro. Rene

Why do we make excuses to spend less time with God?
As of recent, my main excuses have been “I’m too tired” or “I have to catch up on this season of my favorite TV show.” While some reasons are more meaningful than others, such as spending more time with a family member, all excuses stand in the way of us dedicating more time to God.
In today’s passage, the townspeople pushed their invitation to supper aside because they felt that their time was better spent focusing on other commitments. Why do we put our work and daily activities before our time with God? It is easy to forget about God when life is fine and we are moving at a fast pace. When we start to struggle, however, God is right back in the picture.
Making excuses to move away from God is easy to do, especially when life is good and we may think talking to God is not necessary. But what do we gain? We might gain more time focusing on family, friends, work; but less time building a foundation in faith, which could transform these relationships and commitments.
If we continue to make excuses to turn down a relationship with God, we lose the opportunity to open our hearts to grace, which truly builds our souls to spread God’s love into all of our daily activities. Accept today’s invitation to join the feast of God’s grace so that we can draw upon this relationship to exude joy into all other aspects of our lives.

Catherine Russell ‘12

Maintaining Zeal

A four letter word, one of the few "z" words in the English language, zeal packs a power punch.  The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines it as "an eager and ardent interest in the pursuit of something."  We know how hard it is to maintain interest in anything, once we fall into a rhythm and interest sinks into rote and routine.  How to keep it "eager and ardent" is even more of a challenge.
Our model in zeal, of course, is Jesus himself.  The dry words on the pages of our New Testament do not convey the heat and humidity of Israel, nor the dust on the roads, nor the noise of the clamoring crowds looking for cures. Jesus could hardly find time to eat and pray.  He rose early to go to deserted places, and sometimes stayed up all night to lay himself before his Father and seek the grace and strength to continue his mission. He knows then, the plight we face in our own circumstances and encourages us allow him to guide us, strengthen us, and fire up our "eager and ardent" interest in whatever we are doing.
I think of Michelangelo, taking 25 years to paint the Sistine Chapel, or pounding away at a damaged hunk of Carrara marble until his magnificent David appeared.  Passion, zeal, hard work, determination, all yielded magnificent works of art.  Applied to our spiritual lives, these can yield holiness.
Bro. Rene

Lover of Souls

The Jesus who reaches out to Zacchaeus, and invites himself into the home of this chief tax collector, already a reason to be despised, and acknowledged sinner, is indeed the Son of the God described by the author of the Book of Wisdom.  In beautiful imagery, Wisdom describes the whole universe as a grain from a balance or a drop of morning dew, insignificant in light of the ineffable mercy of God for all, which enables him to overlook people's sins.  God, Wisdom tells us,  loathes nothing he has made, and preserves everything he has created  because it is his.  Truly a lover of souls, he "rebukes offenders little by little, warns them, and reminds them of the sins they are committing that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in him." (Ws 11:12: 2)
This is exactly the case with the overture Jesus makes to Zacchaeus, the grace he extends to him, which brings about a dramatic and instantaneous conversion.  Suddenly the sinner becomes so repentant that he promises to give half of his possessions to the poor and to repay those he's cheated four times over, so touched was he by the mercy of God.
This lesson in God's mercy:  that it is there always, and that God takes the initiative in lavishing it upon us, is itself a grace that can bring the Zacchaeus in us to conversion and to welcome the lover of our soul into our hearts with the assurance that no matter what sins or sinful behavior is still there, it can be and is pardoned.
Bro. Rene

Praying for the Deceased

It has long been a practice to offer prayers for the deceased, in the belief that the final stage of the journey home to God needs the support of our love expressed though our prayers and actions to help the purification process reach completion.  In this final month of the Year of Faith, we might put our faith into practice by praying for the souls in Purgatory, especially the most forgotten ones.  This is a secular age in which we live, and many have grown accustomed to living their lives for immediate pleasure and gratification, with no thought even to the possibility of an after-life. I often wonder what an awakening awaits them after their final breath.  Believing in God's infinite love and mercy, we trust that even a small spark or ember of faith would be enough to trigger the process of purification, and that with our prayers and sacrifices, these souls will eventually enter into the fullness of life in heaven. All Souls Day is focused on the Faithful Departed and the whole month of November continues the prayers begun today.  Let us make the souls in purgatory our special intention this month..
Bro. Rene

We Are All Called To Holiness

Most of us cringe at being called "a saint", perhaps because still lingering in our minds is the image of the saint whose heroic acts of asceticism and self-denial from another time and age make us equate sainthood with the impossible. In so doing, we are giving ourselves a rain-check on the game plan our baptisms laid out for us.  We were baptized into the death of Jesus, to rise with him; we were adopted as children of God and blessed with the charge of imitating our brother Jesus as priest, prophet and king.  These mandates we just can't dismiss.  Living out our baptisms as best we can, becoming the best version of ourselves that is possible is not impossible if we remember that it is God who takes our fragility, our weaknesses, as well as our strength and talents, and molds them into that ideal ME that I was created to be. He provides so much help for this to happen: the Scriptures, the sacraments, the teachings of the Church, guaranteed to be free from error; the example of those, who like us, walk hand in hand with each other with and toward Jesus.  Our agreement to follow this path, our willingness to take step after step, each one enriched by the grace of God, is all that is needed.  If, with Charles de Foucauld we can thus pray, then we will become saints.
Into your hands I commend my soul; 
I offer it to you with all the love of my heart,
For I love you Lord,
And so need to give myself,
To surrender myself into your hands,
Without reserve, and with boundless confidence
For you are my Father.
Bro. Rene