Prophets In A New Land

Our General Chapter in 2010 called all Marists to "go with haste to a new land," that is to move quickly into new ways of living and spreading our charism, to move beyond the status quo into new ministries, now involvement of lay collaborators, a renewed simplicity of life based on our humble beginnings, and definitely, a new fervor in our communal and prayer lives. It is encouraging four years later to see the progress that has been made and the new horizons opening up. In three years, we will be celebrating our Bicentennial, and work is in progress not only to mark our first 200 years with meaningful celebrations, but to incorporate changes in our constitutions which reflect our prophetic mission. Our Pope Francis is showing us how to live the Gospel simply, directly, with compassion and inclusion of all. We are not elitists, but brothers to everyone. No task, no place is too "low" for us. In Cambodia our brothers and lay people are slowly upgrading our school with computers and toilets. Toilets! Doesn't everyone have a toilet? Running water, which we take so much for granted, is an upgrade in this poor country, but not too below the dignity of the brothers to make sure it is part of their school. It was the same in Rwanda a few years ago when we upgraded our outhouses with running water. From these basics to the more elevated adventures of Marist lay/brother communities in South America to our own "intentional" community in the Bronx, where a radical simplicity and observance of our constitutions are paving the way to this "new land." We honor St. John Bosco, founder of the Salesians today, a man who took radical steps to reach the street kids of Italy in the late 19th century as did St. Marcellin in the earlier part of the same century. Under their inspiration, may we continue to take radical steps to renew ourselves and remain prophetic and vibrant.
Bro. Rene

Keeping the Lamp Burning

Note:  I will be in Esopus, NY till Sunday on a Marist Youth Encounter Christ retreat, and am not sure if I will have access to internet nor the time to send a daily slice of bread, but I'll try.  Meanwhile, please pray for all of us, team, retreatants and support staff.  Thank you.

Jesus uses the example of a lamp to remind us of our mission as his disciples.  He lights up our lives, he enlightens us with truth and with a relationship that fills us with so much joy that our faces do shine like a lamp, a lamp that is not to be hidden under a basket, but put on a lampstand for all to see.  He is the source of that light, and occasionally, as with any oil burning lamp, we need to refill it so that it keeps burning.  Catholic Schools week is giving us a chance to do that, as we offer special prayers for teachers and students, show our appreciation, and reflect on just what good we are doing.  It was clear at the March for Life how effective our schools are as I watched thousands kneel in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, attend Mass with respect and avid participation, or line up and wait for hours to go to confession. Wow!  And then at a recent St. Andrew's dinner for perspective seminarians...fine, fine men lining up to join the ranks of the clergy. And this Encounter...God is very much at work through us.  Let us not cease to give thanks.
Bro. Rene

New Marists In Mission

The Marist Family, consisting of both consecrated and lay members, is in the process of deepening its understanding and living out of its  Marist spirituality, its Marist way of living and working, or in a word, it's charism and mission.  The legacy Fr. Champagnat gave us is a special gift to the Church which has served its purpose admirably in the past 197 years and will better help us meet the challenges of the 21st century the deeper it is embedded in the hearts of each believer.  A year-long process has been initiated which will include gatherings to study the Marist charism and how to integrated and embody it in our daily lives. Fittingly, a first step was taken during Catholic Schools Week at Central Catholic High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts.  All our Marist schools, students, faculties and staffs, are being included in these experiences, and then a general meeting in Nairobi, Kenya will take place in September 2014 to put together the results of these local gatherings.  It is a time for us to examine how we are living the five pillars of presence, simplicity, community, love of work and imitation of Mary, and determine how we can do so even more effectively.
Mary, help us to discover how we already live our Marist Way, and how we can grow in enthusiasm for it and how we can better share this way and enthusiasm. Amen.
Bro. Rene

The Patron of Education

Catholic Schools Week is enhanced by today's  Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, the patron of education. Although he died at the age of 50 in 1274,  he had lived long enough to contribute enormously to theological thought and method that has had a profound influence on the Church even to this day. He believed and taught that true education included  both the intellect and the affections and that it should be based on faith, lead to hope and move the learner to love, a love expressed in service. Our Catholic Schools still operate in that framework. 
St. Thomas blended prayerfullness and learning; Thomas would spend hours in prayer along with the hours spent on his study and writing.  He was gifted with ecstatic experiences and revelations in which Jesus expressed his pleasure with the works Thomas produced, but which also caused him to lay down his pen, saying, "All that I have written is but straw in comparison to what has been revealed to me."  St. Thomas, 
may our thoughts, reading and reflections bring us closer to God as yours did for you.
Bro. Rene

Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service

National Catholic Schools Week began yesterday and will continue the rest of the week.  This is the 40th anniversary of this special celebration of our Catholic schools, which have contributed so much to the life of the Church and to society as a whole. This year's theme, communities of faith, knowledge and service, sums up the purpose of our Catholic school system throughout the United States and the whole world, for that matter.  St. Marcellin's vision of establishing schools whose primary function would be the Christian education of youth, also included education in secular subjects, so that these well-prepared graduates would be able to take leadership roles in the market place.  And so they have.  The stress on service as part of the faith formation of students dates back to the '80's and is now as much a part of Catholic schools as is daily prayer.  Even public schools require service hours;  the fruits of this emphasis can be seen in the great numbers of adults who continue to give of their time and talent in their professional lives, or through their parishes.

It is fitting that the memorial of St. Angela Merici, who founded the Ursuline Sisters for the Catholic education of women falls in Catholic Schools Week.  She went against the tide which offered education only to men, or to the daughters of the wealthy.  She offered it to all, and because her Sisters were not confined to the cloister, they were able to establish schools that were accessible to rich and poor alike.

Seeing the droves of Catholic School students in Washington for the March for Life, so fervent and yet so enthusiastic in their participation at Mass, so silent and prayerful during Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, or so conscientious about going to confession, revealed that the spirits of St. Angela and St. Marcellin are still alive and well in our Catholic Schools today under the leadership of well-educated and totally dedicated laymen and women.  Indeed, there were very few Sisters in the group from the Archdiocese of Boston, and I was the only Brother working in a Catholic School.  May our prayers this week support the powerful and effective work being done in our Catholic Schools to insure the passing on of the faith to the next generation.
Bro. Rene

Repent

In today's Gospel, Matthew records the first words of Jesus as he begins his public life:  "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Mat 4: 17).  This the same message that his cousin, John the Baptist,  preached (Mt 3: 1)..We usually think of repentance as a Lenten theme, but here it is already, on the Third Sunday in Ordinary Time. Given its frequent appearance, it has to be considered the core message, which demands attention now, and cannot, should not, wait for Lent. John and Jesus see that all of us, not just the people who stood in front of them, are not living to the full potential of an active believer in the Word of God.  There are frayed edges, and rounded corners, as, by our "fallen human nature", we seek the "easy way out."  The challenge to live the life of compassion, forgiveness, love, faith and hope as revealed in the Scriptures and made explicit in the example and life of Jesus cannot be ignored if we, like he was, are to be a "light in the darkness." (Mt 4:16).
Our weekly, if not daily, participation in the Liturgy of the Eucharist; our daily personal prayer; our treatment of one another with respect and love, as if we were dealing with Jesus himself; our walking the extra mile to soothe those hurting in spirit, or in body; our comforting of those who mourn; our advice to the confused; a simple smile;  a spoken affirmation of the good we see in others; our confrontation of injustice and efforts to rectify it, all these are ways of repenting, that is, of turning away from our selfish habits and ways, to others, and ultimately to Jesus.
Bro. Rene

St. Paul's Conversion and Ours

Today ends the Week of Prayer for Church Unity, significantly on the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul.  To arrive at the unity of all Christians (ut unum sint...that they may all be one--(Jn 17:21) is a process that has taken and will take a long time to come to full fruition, as did the conversion of St. Paul. His dramatic confrontation by Jesus on the road to Damascus, was only the beginning the the journey in his 180 degree turn-around.  He was blind for several days, healed, and baptized, but spent several years praying and reflecting on the event before he began his preaching.  We often forget that there were no Scriptures, as such, as yet written at this early stage of the Church, so Paul had to take the "sayings of Jesus" and the witness of the living community to help him understand the message of Jesus, the message of salvation, which he then went on to preach with great passion.
Recently, the 41st March for Life took place in Washington, DC, and another step toward a pro-life society was taken.  Young people, some of whom didn't really understand what abortion meant, were enlightened and became determined to do what they could to enlighten others.  From the first march  which 35,000 people attended has grown in magnitude to hundreds of thousands (before the snow prevented some from attending, there were 600,000 expected).  Middle school ages to octogenarians marched in the bitter cold to demonstrate their belief in the sanctity of life.  In time these numbers will grow; already polls show a shift in support from abortion to pro-life.
As with our own on-going conversion, there can be no estimated time of completion, no deadline.  It's a process that accompanies us to our passage to heaven.
Bro. Rene

Post March for Life

Time has slipped away...only a crumb this morning:  God was and always will be with us.
Bro. Rene

The March For Life

Today we bus to Washington, DC...750 from the Archdiocese of Boston...total of 600,000 expected.  Snow and cold await us, but the graces of a pilgrimage can't be measured, so we trust that hearts will turn, if not laws. Please pray for us.

Not sure about internet access...am sure about a very tight schedule...may or may not be a slice of bread on Wednesday and Thursday.

Bro. Rene

Martyrs for a Cause

This year the annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day falls on the same day as the memorial of the Roman soldier, St. Sebastian during the reign of the emperor Diocletian. Both these men knew that their lives were in danger as they stood steadfast in their beliefs.  Dr. King lived with threats to him and his family as his popularity grew, but he continued to stand up for the rights of those deprived unfairly and unjustly. His fears were fulfilled on that early April day in 1968. Sebastian, as the legend goes, tried to help Christians, despite his military rank, but was detected and betrayed to the Emperor.  He survived the arrows that pierced his body, and eventually was clubbed to death, never denying his faith nor regretting his attempts to protect others. Though these men never met (in this life), they serve as models for us as they both risked their lives for what they deeply believed.  How lukewarm we must seem to them as we duck our responsibility to work for justice and equality for all, or live our faith without the passion that drove them to their martyrdom.
Yet, our God is not finished with us, and the door to deeper love and commitment needs only the turn of the handle. May our reflections this day give us the courage we need to open this door.
Bro. Rene

Behold the Lamb of God

John the Baptist testifies clearly that Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, the Son of God. (Jn 1:29,34). He did not know him in this capacity, even though he was his cousin, but understood through the Holy Spirit that Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah.  Often times we let externals stand in the way of our acceptance of people, or our recognition of their gifts  A now classic example is that of Susan Boyle whose appearance on the British talent show, Britain's Got Talent, almost caused ripples of laughter as she appeared as an ordinary woman in a house dress and accompanying hairdo, but caused mouths to drop as she flawlessly rendered the beautiful song, I Dreamed a Dream.  Pope Francis has a knack for reaching out to the most neglected or lowliest, and making them feel welcomed and loved. His reach knows no bounds, and attracts people by his warm, genuine love for them.  It remains to be seen what this Week of Christian Unity will find him doing, or how he will use the week to point out to the Lamb of God for Christians to recognize, but not only believers, but non-Christians and non-believers as well.
Tomorrow we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and will remember his efforts to include all in basic civil rights.  On Wednesday, thousands will gather for the March for Life in Washington (the Archdiocese of Boston sending a record number of 750) to make a statement for the rights of the unborn, to help others recognize them as people too.  The spirit of John the Baptist lives today as we too point to the Lamb of God.

Following Mary's Example

As Marists, we hold Mary in special esteem as the Mother of God and our mother as well.  We refer to her in St. Marcellin's term of endearment, "Mary our Good Mother". In his words, she is our "first superior" and our "ordinary resource."  There is not doubt that she was his way to Jesus, that her example of faith inspired him; that he trusted her implicitly and that he loved her as his real mother.  If we wish to imitate him, we need to ponder, as Mary did, to reflect often on her, and the events of our life.  It might take the form of a "collage" of major events and turns in our lives and see them surrounding the presence of Jesus and Mary. Some of us have been privileged to visit some of her shrines where she has appeared and worked miracles to help us with our faith.  Others have experienced her in the answer to prayers made through her intercession. It is in pondering our spiritual time-line that we come to see how Mary has been there, quietely leading us to Jesus.
Our pondering should lead us to Mary's openness to God's will, her "Behold the handmaid",  her "Fiat",
"be it done unto me."  With this as our mode, our "fiat mode", we touch the heart of Mary and of what it is to be Marist. We allow God to do "great things for us, to lift us up from our lowliness an fill us with what our souls seek We become instruments of saving grace for others, lifting them up and leading them to Jesus. We cannot do much more than this to be like her.
Bro. Rene

Acting on God's Word

As we celebrate the Memorial of St. Anthony of the Desert, we recall the story of his dramatic move from "the comfortable life', to the rough, ascetic life of the desert.  He was so moved by the story of the rich young man (Mk 10: 17-31), that he dispersed his inherited wealth among the poor and took up residence in the sandy desert, and spent the rest of his life there.  We hear the same Gospel story and others, and yet we make no such drastic change in our lives. Perhaps God is not calling us to such a major shift in our lifestyle, but he is always calling us to allow him to refresh us when we have found ourselves too busy,  His joy comes from our daily strivings, our embracing of the drudgery of routine.  We cannot always be on Mount Tabor, but how we deal with life on the plains of duty and necessity,  inviting the God of  of all, even the smallest details, to be with us, secures his friendship and etches his joy in our hearts.  It is no wonder that St. Marcellin encouraged his followers to recall the Presence of God frequently, for in it and through it, his Word permeates even our most ordinary actions.  St. Anthony, St. Marcellin, help us to act on God's word with joy.
Bro. Rene

Marist Humility

One of the three virtues stressed in Marist Spirituality is humility.  For most of us, this is a hard virtue to practice consistently.  Pope Francis, is making headlines for his humble acts and straight-forward words, indeed a contradiction to his desire to do good quietly and humbly. A long time ago he learned what true humility is.  The story is told that when as a young student he was given the "Most Humble" medal at his school, the administration took it away from him the next day because he was wearing it! It is difficult to be humble and not be noticed and acclaimed for it, or in some way to bask in the acclaim received for our humble deeds.
St. Marcellin, coming from his lowly farm life, poor showing in school, and life-long trouble with good grammar and spelling, was "hard-wired", it would seem, for humility.  He kept acknowledging that all was gift from God and Mary's intercession, not from his own efforts and expertise.  He was constantly reminded by his critics, even his fellow priests of his short comings, but persisted in following the graces and inspirations he received.  He must have loved the story of the leper who, on his knees, begged Jesus to be made clean. He felt no entitlement, no right to be cured, but acknowledged the need of a power beyond him to remove his affliction.  So elated was he with the answer from Jesus, I will it.  Be made clean, (Mk 1: 41), that despite the admonition not to tell anyone, except the priest about the healing, he went about broadcasting it everywhere.  This was not pride, but recognition of the Giver and the gift.  Would that our attitude could be the same.  I can be, if, like Marcellin, we remember who we are, where we came from, the Giver and the gift.
Bro. Rene

Jesus Heals

The healings that Jesus performed in addition to his teaching and preaching remind us of how close to the needs of people Jesus was (and is).  He was not trying to "show off" his powers as an Action Hero or Superman, but to show how genuinely he was concerned for people's well being, how aware he was of their pains and needs, and how willing he, as God's revelation of his love for us, was to lavish that love to all who sought cures.  Jesus shows this compassion in taking care of the hunger of the multitudes who came to listen to him.  Jesus is not distant from our everyday aches, or our worrisome anxieties, though at times he might seem to avoid us or ignore our calls for help.  Even when it seems that life is "unfairly" piling up trial after trial on us, he is there with a purpose, and with his soothing presence.  He is calling us to deeper trust, and perhaps to something we have been avoiding, when these hard times hit one after another.
  Concussions are in the headlines these days, and I have spoken with our own athletes who can't seem to heal fully and keep having recurring headaches, and dreams of playing sports again, dashed as the years go by without clearance to return to the field or court.  Hard for them, their parents and their teams. The call to patience, to trust, and to a deeper dependence on God and his will is there.  What is the response?  Ignatius, the soldier spent months in pain and inactivity because of a severe leg injury incurred in a battle, but from that period emerged a new man, the founder of the Jesuits and a saint.  God approached him in his pain and brought about a healing never anticipated by the dashing Sr. Knight.  What does God have in store for us?
Bro. Rene

Teaching With Authority

As Marists, whether in the classroom, or in the market place, whether vowed, or lay, we are called to be teachers, to bring the knowledge and love of Jesus to all who cross our paths, especially the most neglected and needy youth.  We cannot evade this obligation, or if we do, we must drop out of the Marist World.
Jesus wowed the crowds in Capernaum because "he taught as "one having authority, not as the scribes."  Jesus had no teaching degree, yet he commanded attention, convinced and persuaded without imposing, and won hearts both by his words, but also by his actions.  He showed his message, he lived his message.
I met a very devout man this morning who was on his way to a new job as a car salesman.  We joked about the reputation of such people.  Immediately, however, he said that he could not be "phony" or lead people on dishonestly, and that his faith would have to permeate his dealings with prospective buyers.  I would say, he would "sell as one having authority", he would be real and show people that he cared about them, their purchase and their satisfaction.  Again and again, it is the old axiom: "Actions speak louder than words."  Lord, help me to live what I believe and what I say.  Save me from doing anything less.
Bro. Rene

Saving Others

Saving Mr. Banks is not your ordinary movie.  A long-time (from earliest childhood memories) a fan of Walt Disney, and a special cheerleader for Mary Poppins (a film now 50 years old), I saw more into the current film than just the history of how the classic that has delighted generations, came to be. It seemed to fit right in with yesterday's Slice of Bread encouraging us like Jesus to see our mission as releasing captives (no matter what bondage encumbers them), helping them to see, giving them an alternative vision of life when it seems that "all is woe." During the Golden Years of Disney in the '40's, '50's and early '60's, when Walt was live and chose the books and subjects for the Disney films, there was always the theme of making it through adversity to "living happily ever after."  Those of us who grew up on those classics didn't realize how much of an evangelizer Walt was without being preachy. Happily, Walt's upbeat view of life no matter what, as portrayed by Mary Poppins, carries over in Saving Mr. Banks.  Layered behind the delightful Poppins books, was the very sad and dark side of life that plagued their author, P.L. Travers. The battle between her, Walt and his gifted team, after a very moving conversation with him  yielded to a liberation, a redemption that freed her up of a past that was killing her soul, brought tears and laughter back into her life , and gives the audiences an example of how we, by living our faith and convictions, by persistence and by speaking from the heart with true compassion, can do the same for others...  The film is the Epiphany, the Baptism of the Lord all rolled up in an entertaining, infectious, successful treat. It's the Walt Disney formula that has worked since the late '30's to liberate the ghosts which haunt the likes of a P.L. Travers, which, unfortunately are so rampant..  See it, and you'll understand.
Bro. Rene

With The Holy Spirit and Power

Today is the Baptism of the Lord, the great Theophany, when God the Father reveals to Jesus and to us that he is the Beloved Son with whom he is well pleased. Standing among sinners, the sinless one begs John to be baptized, and John rightly responds that Jesus should be baptizing him! (Mt 3: 14). Humbly, both "allow it" and John pours the cleansing waters of the Jordan over Jesus. The event affirms that Jesus is chosen to carry out the mission of the suffering servant described by Isaiah: I the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice,/ I have grasped you by the hand;/ I have formed you, and set you/ as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations,/ to open the eyes of the blind/ to bring out prisoners from confinement;/ and from the dungeons, those who live in darkness. (Is 42: 6-7) Jesus went on and faithfully carried on his mission.
We, who have been baptized in Jesus now share that same mission.  We too are the "beloved" of the Father.  We too, sinners, stand among sinners, yet with the Holy Spirit and Power (Acts 10: 37) we can be instruments in giving sight to the blind, and freeing "captives" imprisoned in the dungeons of self-doubt, anger, self-pity, oppression and injustice. It too can be said of us, He went about doing good and healing all those oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. (Acts 10: 38).
Bro. Rene

He Must Increase

This final Day of the Advent/Christmas cycle, John the Baptizer appears again, not to announce the message of repentance with which we began the cycle, but with the message of humility and self-effacement, of relinquishment of what we might deem "important" or "necessary" and to complete abandonment to the will of the Father. As Jesus emerges to begin his ministry, John realizes that his work is done,  His joy is complete and he proclaims, "He must increase, I must decrease." (Jn 3:30). 
These words might be our prayer and our goal as we move ahead into Ordinary Time on Monday and the months ahead in 2014.  It is the message of humble, selfless servanthood that Jesus will proclaim by his life, his preaching and his deeds, yes, even to the total gift of himself on the cross. Jay Cormier, in his little Advent/Christmas booklet, Waiting in Joyful Hope, writes: To walk with Jesus in the coming year means embracing John's attitude of selflessness:  to place ourselves last for the sake of others; to seek reconciliation and peace before the satisfaction of our own needs and egos; to work to establish God's kingdom of compassion and justice before securing our own needs and security. What a perfect template for our New Year's Resolutions, even if it comes a bit after January 1.
Bro. Rene

All Is Good

Gifted writer, Ann Voskamp  notes in her New York Times best seller, One Thousand Gifts, "All God makes is good....That which seems evil only seems so because of perspective, the way the eyes see the shadows.  Above the clouds, light never stops shining."  Pain and frustration, if taken at face value, can easily be described as "not good", but if they lead us to a prayer seeking God's help and grace to bear with them, they have achieved the good of leading us to God, whom we might otherwise have neglected, as is so often the case when everything seems to be going well. We do not "need" God at those times, and ignore him.  In today's Gospel, a leper falls prostrate before Jesus, as did the Magi, and pleads for his healing from this "evil" disease. . Jesus responds by granting his request.  Leprosy, of all things, helped bring the man to Jesus, and the news of his cure brought great crowds to listen to Jesus and be cured of their ailments. His plea reached far beyond his own healing.
So often we miss opportunities like this to present our needs, our sorrows, our impatience to Jesus and ask for a cure. We wallow in the pain and in our self-pity; we fail to see the sun shining behind our self-imposed clouds. Good is everywhere, grace is everywhere; we need to open our eyes and see it.
Bro. Rene

Bathed In His Radiance

The theme of Light continues as we proceed toward the end of the Christmas Season by meditating on the meaning of the Epiphany.  The Collect for today's Mass speaks about acknowledging the full splendor of the Redeemer and being bathed in his radiance.  Wow...Lord, let your light shine on us, give us a bath in it!  What is that light, that radiance if not his love?  St. John, in his first letter, again waxes eloquently and directly on Love:  We love God because he has first loved us.(1 Jn 4:19).  This light then radiates from us to love of others.  Whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 Jn 4:21).  Ideally, if we put these words into practice and our light shines for all to see, it will be said of us as of Jesus, And all spoke highly of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. (Lk 4:22)  May our day be filled with gracious words and deeds that radiate the love God gives us minute by minute.
Bro. Rene

Our Enlightened Hearts

Dear Readers,
The promised link to the inspiring actions of Pope Francis I referred to yesterday, cannot be linked to this blog.  If you wish to see it, I will have to forward it to you via your e-mail address.  Don't hesitate to ask; it is worth seeing.

"The Enlightenment"  is a name given to the intellectual movement in the 18th century when thinkers and philosophers challenged traditional ways and for the most part, dismissed them.  The French philosopher, Voltaire was one of the chief leaders in this movement which undermined faith and set us on the course that has led to relativism, materialism and consumerism. Some would disagree, but these substitutes for a solid faith in God and the actions which flow from it, have not brought the prosperity, freedom and happiness they promised.
The intellect is only one part of the way we find and understand the truth.  Pascal, who was a contemporary of some of the great enlightened thinkers of his day in France, rightly observed:  "The heart has reasons which reason knows not."  The Collect of today's Mass prays:  "O God, who bestow light on all the nations, grant your peoples the gladness of lasting peace and pour into our hearts that brilliant light by which you purified the minds of our fathers in faith."  The light that truly ENLIGHTENS comes from Jesus and shows our hearts the way to joy and peace. Let this Collect be our prayer today; let us feed our hearts as well as our minds and bodies, and let us act on what our hearts tell us.
Bro. Rene

Epiphany Continues

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&shva=1#inboxAs we contemplate the great event of the Epiphany, St. John helps us with his classic description of love and one of his favorite themes in his Gospel as well as in his first letter.  Beloved, let us love one another, because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten by God and knows God.  Whoever is without love does not know God, for God is love. (1Jn 4: 7-8).  The radiance of the Sun of Justice, the Son of God reaches the ends of the earth through love, through the deeds of love. This link shows us love in action, the actions and deeds of our beloved Pope Francis. Click on it and be amazed at how natural and how simple it is to translate the words of St. John into action.  Through him, as our leader, the message of the Epiphany, that Jesus came for ALL people is visible and serves as a model for us to put into practice wherever we are. am working on connecting to the link.
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?shva=1#inbox/14368b13d420975a
Bro. Rene

The Challenge of Epiphany

Today is the traditional date for the observance of Epiphany.  Many dioceses, and even non-Catholic Christians cling to it. The readings this week will refer to the theme of "light" and the mission of Jesus (and us) to be a "light to the nations" "The people who sit in darkness have seen a great light, on those dwelling in a land overshadowed by death, a light has shown."  (Mt 4: 16).  The infant we just worshiped with the Magi has become an adult who is seeking to fulfill his mission:  "He went around all of Galilee teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, and curing eery disease and illness among the people.  ..they brought to him all who were sick with various diseases and racked with pain, those who were possessed, lunatics, and paralytics, and he cured them: (Mt 4: 23-25). He wasted no time.
We are called to continue this ministry, to drive out the demons of war which continue to traumatize veterans, the demons of brokenness, of failure, of division, hopelessness and despair.  An impossible task?  It so happens that we remember Br. Andre Bessette, the diminutive Holy Cross Brother, thought to be too frail to enter the Brothers of the Holy Cross, but who lived till his 80's, and became responsible for the building of St. Joseph's Oratory in Montreal and, through his intercession, the cure of many crippled in body and spirit.  We remember also, St. Aloysius Gonzaga, who in his brief life (died at 23) cared for the sick and is the  patron of those with chronic illnesses.  No excuses.  If these men, "weak" as they were, could be God's instruments of light and healing, so can we.  No task is beyond us if God's light is guiding us.
Bro. Rene

"Following Yonder Star"

Who were these Magi, a word whose translation ranges from Wise Men to Kings? Evidently they were educated men who advised Persian kings in matters of politics and  science.  They were astrologers who studied the heavens looking for movements that would help them give more accurate advice.  The New Star caught their attention and they followed it, hoping it would lead them to further Truth.  It did.  They found Truth in the form of an innocent newborn boy, and fell on their knees in adoration and homage and presented the gifts they had brought with them.  Pagans, they represent the non-Jews who are also to be included in the work of salvation for which this child was born.
Epiphany, Greek for "manifestation",  is considered a major element in the Christmas story and message; it represents the universality of God's saving love and is a call to us to fall on our knees in belief, adoration, worship, and gift-giving of ourselves, our time and talent. If these non-believers could travel so far with only the hope the star provided that they would find a king, how much more should we who have the gift of faith be willing to "put out" for the Savior we know and love? Do our prayer and our lives consist of adoration, gratitude and willingness to offer ourselves in service to others or are they  just centered on "me"?  May the star that led these Magi to Jesus, guide us as well.
Bro. Rene

Bringing Others To Jesus

Not all of us have the benefit of a star to lead us to Jesus as did the Wise Men, but God most often uses other people to do so.  Andrew brought his brother Peter to Jesus after spending a day with him.  Some years ago, a woman named Antonella, through her quiet, reasoned conversations with a Muslim was instrumental in his asking to be baptized a Catholic.  Elizabeth Ann Bailey Seton, while in Italy caring for her husband who suffered from tuberculosis, was so impressed, not only with the beautiful churches and art work she saw, but also by the simple piety of the people, that she left her Episcopal church to become a Roman Catholic.  For this her family shunned her, but her love for Jesus and the desire to share him with others led her to take even more risks.  She accepted an invitation from the president of St. Mary's College to open a school in Baltimore.  If this wasn't enough, she took a further step and founded the Sisters of Charity who still continue to bring others to Jesus through education.
None of us, though anything is possible, would dream of being capable of such dramatic influences on others, but in our own quiet ways, by listening, by thoughtful  words and deeds of kindness, we can give others a glimmer or Jesus and spark their desire to follow him more closely.  Our baptisms commissioned us to be evangelizers; others have taken up the mission, why can't we?
Bro. Rene

The Holy Name of Jesus

In many cultures, certainly in the Hebrew culture, the name of a person is a description of the essence of his or her "essence."  The name, Jesus, means Savior, and certainly that's who he is.  We are familiar with the logo, IHS, which comes from the medieval spelling of Jesus, IHESUS, using the first two and last letters. There is power in that name.  Jesus promised, Whatever you ask in my name, I will do. (Jn 14:13).  It inspires reverence and awe:  At the name of Jesus, every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:10-11).  ...there is no other name under heaven given to the human race by which we are to be saved. (Acts 4:12).  We often end our prayers, in Jesus' name.  Sometimes, when we can utter nothing else, the name of Jesus comes to mind and lip; it alone is enough to give us solace, or to drive away frustration or temptation.  It is a simple prayer we can use all day and simply by speaking it or thinking it, we remind ourselves that Jesus is with us, Jesus will help us no matter what we face.  May the holy name of Jesus be in our hearts and on our lips in a special way today, (and everyday henceforth) as we celebrate the Memorial of the Holy Name of Jesus.
Bro. Rene

197 Years Ago

On this day in 1817, Fr, Marcellin Champagnat welcomed his two candidates for the "Little Brothers of Mary, Jean-Marie Granjon and Jean-Batiste Audras, into the little house he had purchased with borrowed money and renovated with his own hands.  From these humble beginnings, grew a world-wide congregation that boasts of 3,400 members, 60,000 lay colleagues, and 1.5 million students.  Today, the Marist Mission is being shared more and more with "lay-Marists", a movement which rivals the initial founding of n order for men consecrated by vows.  Let us join in giving thanks to St. Marcellin and to Mary for this "miracle" which is helping to make Jesus known and loved across the globe.
Bro. Rene