Receiving Jesus

"... whoever receives me receives the one who sent me." (Jn 13:20).  When do we receive Jesus?  We could easily say, "in Holy Communion" and be very right.  That is the moment par excellence  when we host Jesus in the recesses of our heart.  He is our special guest to whom we give the greatest hospitality we can. But there are other times when Jesus comes looking for that hospitality:  when someone stops us when we are busily on our way to another task, and unloads a concern or burden he or she is bearing. It's a call for us to lay aside our agenda, and take time to welcome, to listen to, and to just be a sounding board for this person, as if it were Jesus himself asking for our time.  It might be a phone call, or an e-mail that "intrudes" on our day, our plans, but would we hesitate to be totally present if Jesus appeared in a vision?  Most of the time he chooses to come to us in the people and situations of our daily lives.  It is in these places that we tend to miss him, or treat him with brusque inhospitality. What do we need to do to link the welcome we give to Jesus in Holy Communion, with the welcome we give to those who knock at our door at what we deem the most inopportune time? How can we come to see these "inopportune moments"  as special times of visitation from the One we claim to live above all else?
Bro. Rene

Simple Prayer

Even in at the time of Jesus, multiplication of words kept people from really connecting with God deep in their hearts. And certainly, public praying aloud with all to see and "marvel" was and is not an effective way to pray.  Jesus admonishes his followers to pray in the secret of their rooms behind closed doors, and not to babble on and on, but "be still" and know the love and power of the Father. (cf. Ps 46:11).   Simple, quiet time BEING with God, being with Jesus, allowing the Spirit to pray within us, provide a peace, a harmony, an energy that allow anxieties to melt away and a confidence, an energy, a strength to emerge which enable us to accomplish more than we thought possible, for it is not we who are the doers, but God working through us.  Jesus tells us not to fret in prayer, "Your Father knows what you need before you ask him." (Mt 6:8).  Let that reminder guide us to a trusting, simple prayer.
Bro. Rene

True Devotion to Mary

The Church honors two men whose lives display true devotion to Mary and still have a mighty impact on people today.  St. Peter Chanel, a Marist Father, born in a tiny village in France, is the patron saint of Oceania because he died there while attempting to impart the faith.  His ten month voyage to the South Pacific brought him to the island of Futuna where he spent three years learning the language and evangelizing by word and example.  His success incurred the ire of the king, and when the king's son sought baptism, the king sent his henchman, Musumusu, to kill Fr, Chanel.  Five months after his death, the entire island embraced the faith, including Musumusu! The faith remains strong on the island and wherever its citizens have migrated.
St. Louis Grignion de Montfort, also from France, lived 200 years before St. Peter Chanel, but then as now, his writings on the True Devotion to Mary, influenced him and St. Marcellin as well. He founded the missionary Company of Mary.  Today, Catholics have rediscovered the de Montfort Consecration and prayerfully prepare to consecrate themselves to Mary by asking her give them her heart so that like her they may be totally open to the will of God. 
The zeal and conviction of these men lead us to examine our own devotion to Mary and how we might consecrate ourselves more fully to leading others to Jesus through Mary.
Bro. Rene

LITTLE BOY

This past weekend an endearing faith-based film, Little Boy, hit the screens across the nation and earned close to three million dollars.  It's not a financial blockbuster, unfortunately, but without being unfairly judgmental, "the critics" have not helped to spread the word, that this film presents faith, innocence, spiritual growth, and the power of love through the experiences of a little boy, who awakens the little boy (or girl) in all of us.  The critics have slammed other faith -based films such as God's Not Dead, Do You Believe? and Heaven's For Real because they are "too preachy, too direct"  not "nuanced" for today's "politically correct" audiences.  What if Jesus had relied simply on "nuance" for his message, or the apostles? Read the "sermons" of Peter, Stephen, and Paul in the Acts of the Apostles. Do they hold back, or do they out-rightly challenge and invite? Pope Francis himself in our own day, does not rely on nuance, but has won hearts for "saying it like it Is."  For believers, Little Boy fortifies and underscores the power of prayer, the trust and innocence of an 8 year old which we lose, it seems as we "grow up".  Sadly, this is the case but somehow, that eager willingness to believe with the faith the size of a mustard seed can be, must be revived. For non-believers, it could open the door to faith. I applaud Alejandro Monteverde and Eduardo Verastegui for having the courage to give us this faith-filled gem. Jesus, please give me the faith the size of a mustard see so that I can move mountains as you promised.
Bro. Rene

Such a Shepherd!

How blessed are we to have such a shepherd as Jesus describes in today's Gospel:  one who knows his sheep, loves them and will search and find them when they are lost.  One who lays down his life for them and desires even that those who do not at the moment belong to his fold will one day be part of the one flock. It is fitting that in our post-Easter reflections the Good Shepherd is presented to us, for he explains the reason why he suffered, died and rose from the dead:  it was the "command from the Father" that he lay down us life for us, take it up again and us with him. (cf, Jn 10:18). This should give us reassurance, confidence and a greater reason to come to know and love Jesus ("and mine know me") (Jn 10: 14). 
Usually, this passage is applied to our "Shepherds", our priests and bishops, and certainly there is a lot of food for thought for them to examine how they relate to us, how they know us and care for us.  They may find gaps that need to be filled, and we need to pray for them that they be true to their calling.  But the examination can also be applied to us as parents, as teachers, friends of youth...how do we shepherd?  How well do we know "our sheep"?  Are we willing to search, find, and bring them back into the fold?  To lay down our lives for them? As followers, disciples of Jesus, it would seem that the image of the Good Shepherd should apply to us as well as it does to him.
Bro. Rene

The Gift of St. Mark

Mark, the Evangelist, gives us a brief but detailed account of the sayings and doings of Jesus; his was the first Gospel to be written, usually attributed to the year 60 or thereabouts. Because of his close relationship with St. Peter, (Peter calls him his "son" (1 Pet 5:13), we have a better perspective on him than in the other Gospels.  Evidently, Mark also accompanied St Paul, referred to in Acts as "John Mark".  In his own right, he was a missionary, taking to heart the command of Jesus, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." (Mk 16: 15). Tradition credits him with founding the Church in Alexandria, and he is today the patron of Egypt.
Mark's Gospel begins with the unequivocal statement, "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God." (Mk 1;1).  There it is folks, "the Son of God"; make no bones about it.  He then jumps right into the testimony of John and the baptism of Jesus.  No time to waste...Get right on with it.   So to us, he says, the same.  What are we waiting for; why do we hesitate? Yes, we will have opposition, but after reading what Jesus did, we cannot delay in preaching the gospel by word and deed right now.!
Bro. Rene

The Gift of the Eucharist

Note: Severe back pain forced me to cancel my trip yesterday.  I remain in pain now and will see a neuro-surgeon this morning; hence we're back to slicing up some daily bread until further notice.




We receive Holy Communion so often now, that it can become routine and not receive the attentiveness it deserves. With the singing of the communion hymn and the brevity of the remaining minutes of the Mass, we are out the door without really having had time to spend time in intimate conversation or just "being with" Jesus. People even start talking in Church before waiting to be outside, so even more "post-communion" time with Jesus is lost.  Perhaps we can better prepare for Mass by arriving a few minutes early and take time to remind ourselves what we are about to be doing.  Or we could shut off the radio in the car and do some preparation while we are driving.  Remaining in our pew for a few extra minutes after Mass might be a sign to the "talkers" that we need more time with Jesus.  It has been said that it takes 10-15 minutes for the host to be absorbed in our systems, so we have plenty of time to acknowledge the gift of the Eucharist, thank God for it, and ask Jesus for the grace to live in harmony with him and with our families and all who come into our lives after Mass.  The Eucharist is the nourishment of our souls, and the door to eternal life, it deserves our fullest attention and follow-up.!
Bro. Rene

"The Will of the One Who Sent Me"

As Jesus explains the great love of the Father for us, as well as his, he cannot stress enough how great that  love is, the greatest the world or universe can ever know.  He compares it to hunger, something with which all are familiar.  God hungers for us and satisfies our thirst and hunger by giving us the best food possible, the Body and Blood of Jesus.  As our Creator, God wishes to lose nothing that he has brought into being.  Jesus says, "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it on the last day." (Jn 6: 38)  God's will is that everyone who believes in Jesus should have eternal life.  Like a magnet, God wishes to draw all of us into eternal happiness with him; yet he has given us free will and leaves the choice of counteracting that magnetic force of his love and rejecting it.  Seems senseless to do this, but we know how often we do.  With each reception of the Eucharist, may we renew our determination to believe and act on God's satisfying will and love, and pray that our wills may be more supple, compliant, and joyfully accepting of his plan and desire for us.
Bro. Rene
Note:  I will be traveling to West Virginia early tomorrow and while there may not have access to the internet.  Thus it could be that the next slice of Daily Bread be on Tuesday.  It's in God's hands and so are all of you.

Faith Seeking Understanding

Today is the Memorial of St. Anselm, Bishop and Doctor of the Church, a man with a fascinating story of faith, courage and wisdom.  He is another example of God's grace working in people who at some points were much less interested in God as God was in them.   After 27 years of "wandering" seemingly directionless, through the influence of the famous Abbot of Bec and later  Bishop of Canterbury, Anselm entered the monastery of Bec and allowed himself to be "reshaped" by the Benedictine rule and lifestyle.  He later became a\Abbot of Bec, and beyond that, Archbishop of Canterbury, two positions, in which at the age of 20, Anselm in his wildest dreams would have never imagined himself.  He was one of the brightest theologians of his time and is still highly regarded in theological circles.  His "battles" with King William and Henry 1 of England, are worth reading.  Google him and see for yourself. 
His definition of theology, "faith seeking understanding" is something we onto which we can latch for it means "an active love of God seeking a deeper knowledge of God."  We believe that we may understand.  It's not just dry reasoning or a collection of abstract formulas, but something that touches our hearts and presses us on to seek more.  Spouses, friends, anyone in a relationship, seeks to know more about the beloved in order to treasure and cherish him or her.  So too with our relationship with God:  love urges us on to know more about him, and the more we do, the more love grows.   Thank you, St. Anselm for making it so simple.
Bro. Rene

Food That Endures

We sincerely search for the secret to happiness; many think that money will give them all they want. It must be nice to be able to vacation wherever and whenever in exotic spots, or to buy as many cars and homes that whims dictate, but do these really satisfy?  Even those of us with lower incomes find ourselves delving into the magic of things, only to find ourselves encumbered by them, looking for places to store them, forgetting even what we have. Jesus tells us: "Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you/" (Jn 6: 27).  Why is the Carthusian Monk so happy with so little?  Little in material goods, but loaded with union with Jesus.
Someone said that the fullest and easiest prayer is "Jesus"...Just the name fills and satisfies.  It leads to a love relationship that far surpasses any of our best human relationships, for Jesus is always there in tender intimacy, complete understanding, our best friend, father/mother, lover. Jesus is the food that endures.  As Isaiah questions:  "Why spend your money for what is not bread;/ your wages for what fails to satisfy?" (Is 55:2).  Jesus, help us to find our food in you.
Bro. Rene

Faith Grows Slowly

The accounts of the Resurrection reveal the incredulity of the disciples, who cannot be blamed for their slowness to believe. Shortly before his own death, Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead, but that was seen as a miracle worked by Jesus. HIs own resurrection seems to have gone beyond their experience and took time to "sink in"  Jesus had to assure them over and over that it was true, he had risen,  He ate in their presence, he invited Thomas to touch his wounds, he even cooked breakfast for them.  No, this was no ghost, but he had to "open their minds to understand the Scriptures" (Lk 24:45) and recall his own words about dying and rising.  It was only these post-resurrection reflections that helped them make sense of what they were experiencing.   It took steps and time to put it all together.
As we look at our own faith experience, is it not the same?  How slow we are to believe.  Indeed, we need repeated reflection, signs, assurances, just as the Apostles.  The Easter Season is for this, and the repetition of the Lenten/Easter Seasons year after year help our slow moving minds to move gradually toward a solid, invincible and solid faith.
Bro. Rene

Love During The Storm

Storms come into our lives as suddenly as they arose on the Sea of Galilee, notorious event today for its unpredictable squalls.  A doctor's visit often changes lives in minutes..."You have a mass in your lung and we must do a biopsy as soon as possible."  "I'm sorry to report that your daughter was killed in a car accident this morning."  An argument, a day when "everything turns to mud", we all know these and somehow have to dig deep into our inner resources, and, like the Apostles, despite our fears, see that Jesus is there in the midst of the upheaval telling us not to be afraid. (cf.  Jn 6:21).  The love of Jesus for us is so strong that it impels him to be there for us, and encourage us to turn to him, the one and only who can bring peace, perspective, acceptance and the trusting return of our love to him.  He alone calms the storm, any storm; he is there in the midst of it, offering us his love and security.
Bro. Rene

Feeding the Multitudes

Jesus paid such attention to details that he took care of feeding those who came to hear him and/or be cured.  He knew that without action indicating an understanding of the ordinary needs of his listeners, his words would ring shallow. Too often we can get lost in ideas or words while our audience is "dying of hunger."  Not so Jesus...cures, preaching, but above all, feeding!  Then how much more his lessons would make sense.  He used this technique when explaining the gift of his body and blood becoming the food and drink so necessary for our spiritual growth and nourishment.   The miracle of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes became a preview of a very difficult lesson to comprehend:  that his flesh would be our food under the appearance of bread and his blood, our drink under the appearance of wine.  This would not have gone over on empty stomachs.  Even with the miracle, there were some who scoffed and withdrew their allegiance to him. 
In our daily dealings with one another, attention to detail, to the needs of others, to what is real and concrete can make more of an impact than the best of b lofty intellectual arguments.   Lord, keep me real, keep me simple, help me to be sensitive to the people I serve so that I may feed them effectively.
Bro. Rene

Witnesses For Chist

We are familiar with the advice of St. Francis of Assisi, "Preach always, but if necessary use words."  St. Marcellin Champagnat subscribed to the same idea, when he stressed the notion of "Presence of God", that is, remembering that God is always present to us, and that we in turn should relay that Presence to others, and we could add, "using words if necessary."  Over these past weeks the media in Massachusetts has been filled daily with stories of two high-profile trials, and the word, witness,  has appeared over and over again.
Jesus speaks of his own role as witness:  "But the one who comes from heaven is above all.  He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but on one accepts his testimony..  Whoever does accept his testimony certifies that God is trustworthy.  for the one whom God sent speaks the words of God." (Jn 3: 31-34).  As Jesus bears witness and testifies to the truth of God, so too does that role fall upon us.  Deacon Mel Tardy, academic advisor at the University of Notre Dame sums up our role succinctly and convincingly:  Let us pray during this 50-day season of Easter to be more open to receiving the testimony of Christ as witnessed to us through his apostles, the evangelists, and his Holy Church. Finally, let us pray that, through grace, we ourselves can serve as more faithful witnesses to the truth of Christ; for when WE become witnesses to Christ—when WE begin taking up crosses out of love—we allow Christ to use our own hearts to reveal his true light to a world sorely in need of love.
Bro. Rene

Doing "The Work" of LIght, In Light

The city of Boston has named this day, the second anniversary of the marathon bombings, "Boston One Day" and Mayor Marty Walsh  is encouraging Bostonians to spend the day doing simple good deeds for others, based on the awesome reaction of those who stood innocently watching the Marathon and responded to the tragedy with spontaneous acts of kindness, care, risk and compassion, helping strangers in panic or in need of medical aid.  There was a oneness of purpose that afternoon; all pitched in without being asked to help the helpless.  Love and goodness flowed as abundantly as the blood from the victims. So, today there will be an attempt to imitate that healing flow of love and goodness.
In today's reading from the Gospel of John, Jesus speaks of works of evil and work of light. Yes, evil doers prefer the darkness to hide their deeds, while those who believe do the works of light and goodness in the light, so that others make see and do likewise.  "But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God."  (Jn 3:21).  That day two years ago was a day of darkness and light; today it will be all light and an example for us to do "the work" of light in the Light.
Bro. Rene

"Born From Above"

In the nighttime conversation with Nicodemus, Jesus tell him, "You must be born from above." (Jn 3:7b).  Nicodemus, as do we, struggled to understand this, for he took the verb "born" literally.  In our own day, we frequently hear the phrase, "born again Christian" and are sometimes repulsed by it, as we conjure up in our minds large congregations swinging and swaying with hands erect and huge smiles on faces. We fear that these gestures are fraught with emotion and lack depth of conviction.  That may be true or not true, but at least there is the joy, energy, and enthusiasm  that many Christians lack.
Being "born from above" means taking to heart and integrating the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and being transformed, as were the apostles from timid, fearful people into dynamic disciples who literally put their lives on the line in standing up for their faith and convictions.  It's a power that builds on our talents and gifts, and directs them to approach others fearlessly and invite them to come follow Jesus.
Pope Francis in his Easter message put it this way: "And the Spirit of the risen Christ drove our fear from the Apostles' hearts and impelled them to leave the Upper Room in order to spread the Gospel.  Let us too have greater courage in witnessing to our faith in the Risen Christ!  We must not be afraid of being Christian and living as Christians!  We must have this courage to go and proclaim the Risen Christ, for he is our peace, he made peace with his love, with his forgiveness, with his Blood and with his mercy."
Come, Holy Spirit, birth me  from above.
Bro. Rene

To The Humble Comes the Prize

As you digest this slice of Daily Bread, know that it is the 60,001st slice receiving a "hit" since we began sending them in 2009.  172 of them yesterday in Russia, far surpassing the "hits" in the United States!  A friend told me yesterday that there is a religious awakening in Russia, so much so that Easter Services were televised live from the Cathedral in Moscow, a first! 
Another friend who preached in his church on Sunday reported that a parishioner thanked him for brining her " closer to Jesus"...  The preacher is only 18!!!
Jordan Spieth, 21, not only won the Masters in Augusta, but has won the hearts of fans and viewers worldwide with his skill tempered with simplicity and humility. He is Jesuit educated and devoted to his family.   A good man!
It is no surprise that humble things, humble people win hearts.  for didn't Jesus say, "Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth, and blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God."?  (Mt 5: 5,7). 
There are marvels in the world outside of Marvel Comics that inspire, encourage, and reassure us that the violence taking place in the mid-East, in Aleppo, for example, will not prevail...but if the followers of Jesus live as he described in the Beatitudes, there would be peace, love, and joy in our world.
Bro. Rene

Endless Mercy

"Low Sunday", now "Mercy Sunday" unravels another dimension of the Resurrection:  Forgiveness, Trust, Peace, several aspects of the endless Mercy of Jesus.  During the evening of the day of resurrection, Jesus appears to the disciples who ran from his suffering and death with the greeting of "Peace."  He does not chide nor rebuke them for their fears and disappointing disappearance from the scenario when he needed them the most.  He also confronts "Doubting Thomas" on his next visit, and with gestures addressing his disbelief, evokes a full confession of faith:  "My Lord and my God." Mercy radiates like light, flows like a Spring Stream emptying the mountains of snow above, washing clean, begetting new life.  This is the message of Mercy Sunday.  We come to Jesus, in great need of mercy, and it is there, overflowing, spilling over thrice-fold, endlessly.  If we are to rise with Christ, we must bend like Thomas, confess our weakness, acknowledge our need, and press ourselves into a belief which manifests itself in "Jesus gestures" and "Jesus actions."  Jesus, your mercy, please; cure my unbelief, push me into greater trust, love and service to you and others.  Amen.
Bro. Rene

Slow To Believe

In Mark's account of the Resurrection, Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, who immediately believed and ran to tell the apostles and others who were mourning and weeping over his death, but they did not believe.  Two disciples encountered him while walking away from Jerusalem, but even their testimony did not convince the doubters.  (cf. Mk 16: 9-1 1).  John tells us of Thomas's doubt, so familiar to us.  (cf Jn 21: 24-29).  We might ask, "Why were they so slow to believe?  Jesus had predicted his death and resurrection, how dense could they be?"  But if we look at our own lives, we can ask the same question, so slow are we to believe that Jesus is risen and is with us every step of the way.  We might dismiss this as pious dribble, but indeed it is true.  How many times do we have to be given "signs" before we believe?  Jesus is bending over backwards through the Scriptures, sacraments, events, and people in our lives to verify that indeed HE'S ALIVE and invites us to allow him to transform our disbelief into belief.   Alas, we are so slow to believe, so slow to move.  Jesus, wake me up, shake me up, speed up my belief in you!
Bro. Rene

Hope Comes From the Resurrection

The Resurrection sets the pattern for our sufferings, illnesses and quandaries.  When things seem the worst, when hope is stretched to the point of despair, a turn around always comes just at the right time.  An interview with Br. Anthony from Liberia describes the great reduction in Ebola cases in a country which was ravaged by the epidemic.  Schools and businesses were closed, people were dying by droves.  Help came, and the spread of the disease was contained.  Preventative measures are still in place, mainly the washing of hands (of all the simplest of things), schools and businesses are open again.  Aleppo seems hopeless, yet at the same time, hope does spring that a turn around will take place there as in Monrovia, Liberia.  In this morning's Gospel (Jn 21: 1-14)), the empty net is filled when Jesus appears, and the apostles sit at a breakfast he prepared.  Jesus is always with us...Let our minds and hearts never lose sight of him, nor of HOPE!
Bro. Rene

Risen With Christ

Further reflection on the Resurrection invites us to cast aside the shadows which hinder us from living a full, joy-filled Christian life. Sin, laziness depression, distrust, fear, hesitation, lack of confidence, need the light of the resurrection to transform them to joy, peace and love so that what we do shines like the sun on a cloudy world and inspires others to ask, "Why the joy, the smile, the humor, the spark in your voice, the spring in your gait?  If we can answer with St. Paul, "I live now, not I, but Christ lives within me." (Gal. 2:20), then we have caught the spirit of the resurrection, we have risen with Christ.
Bro. Rene

Rejoice, O Hearts That Seek the Lord

This one line in Psalm 105 (3b),  Rejoice, O hearts that seek the Lord,  is a fitting refrain for the Easter Octave and Easter Season, for all seasons, for that matter.  Our lasting joy can only come when we seek Jesus with all our hearts and when we finally find him. When Mary Magdalene was at the tomb seeking Jesus, she could not be comforted until she heard her name, "Mary" and responded with, "Rabboni," the name of her teacher, leader, savior and best friend.  The disciples were disconsolate without Jesus; his death was hard enough to accept, but then when they heard his body too was gone, a new emptiness took hold of them.  Only when he appeared and assured them that he was alive, did they find peace and joy, and then with the descent of the Holy Spirit, they received strength and courage to continue the work of Jesus.
So too with us, especially as Marists who have the mission to make Jesus known and loved, our call is to seek and find Jesus, and when we do, we will rejoice with a joy that will enable us to bring the love of Jesus to all, despite their indifference or opposition.  Rejoice, and be glad, for our Jesus seeks us more than we seek him.
Bro. Rene

Recognizing Jesus

More often than not, we are blinded to the beauty  and benefit of the common, everyday wonders as crocuses blooming where until recently, there had been mountains of snow,  or to the ability to walk without limping, or to stand without back pain.  We are so pre-occupied with all that we have to do, or so caught up in routine, that we fail to notice what's right in front of us.   Mary Magdalene, in this morning's Gospel story was upset, to say the least, to find the tomb where Jesus had been laid, empty that she failed to recognize Jesus in the man who spoke to her, thinking he was the gardener. (Jn 20: 15).  Only when he called her name in his familiar voice and gentle tone, did she recognize him.  So too do we fail to see Jesus in the people we walk past every day, or with whom we even work or live.   Do we recall that Jesus loves them as much as he loves us?  Do we see or think that he is living and working in them as we sense that he's doing in us?  It takes a Mary Magdalene story such as this to remind us to look more carefully with eyes that see the presence of Jesus in others, as well as the beauty and purpose of all creation and events in our lives, even our aches and pains.
Bro. Rene

It's Not Finished

As Jesus came to the point of his last few breaths, he uttered, "It is finished." (Jn 19:30) The passion was finished the suffering was finished, his days of preaching and healing were finished, but his mission wasn't finished.  When he rose from the dead and assumed his glorified body, he commissioned his apostles to forgive sins, and to go out to the whole world baptizing  and preaching the Good News.  Now it's our work.  The glory of the Resurrection we celebrated with great joy and solemnity is not over because it's Monday.  For us, it's not finished.  This whole week is an Octave of Easter...that is a prolonged Easter Day, and the Easter Season lasts for 50 days, until Pentecost.  Our question should be, what am I going to do to live the Easter message?  We set out a program for ourselves at the beginning of Lent and tried as best we could to remain faithful to it for the 40 days.  Likewise, we need to give some thought and planning as to what we will do for these next 50 days to keep the joy and message of Easter alive.  He is Risen!  How do we show it in our lives as Easter people.  This short prayer of Gerard Manley Hopkins might be a start.  

 Let him Easter in us,  be a day-spring to the dimness of us

         be a crimson-cresseted east 

G M Hopkins sj

Bro. Rene

Darkness Into Light

One level of the Liturgy of the Easter Vigil is the lighting and blessing of the new fire, the blessing and lighting of the Pascal Candle and the gradual illumination of a darkened church from the Light of Christ.  It is a dramatic enactment of what really happens in baptism when the darkness of sin is replaced with the life of God.  No wonder the joyful Exultet praises the night turned to joy, for death and sin no longer have their power.  Even the most tragic events of history or of current events such as the brutal murders in Nigeria cannot extinguish this LIGHT.  The Easter liturgies are filled with Alleluias, for all other words seem to fall short.  As with the disciples, it takes awhile for the notion of resurrection to sink in, or, because of habit, we fail to get excited, but ask any newly baptized adult who has been baptized at the Vigil or the week after, to describe the feeling and the realization that he or she is now a child of God.  Pope Francis puts it this way in speaking of the  disciples:
They could not contain their joy in knowing that Jesus was alive, or the hope that filled their hearts. This should happen in our lives too. Let us feel the joy of being Christian! We believe in the Risen One who conquered evil and death! Let us have the courage to 'come out of ourselves,' to take this joy and this light to all the places of our life! The Resurrection of Christ is our greatest certainty; he is our most precious treasure! How can we not share this treasure, this certainty with others? It is not only for us, it is to be passed on, to be shared with others. Our testimony is precisely this.
A happy and joyful Easter to all!
Bro. Rene

Waiting in Hope

The image of the 13th station, Jesus Is Taken Down from the Cross. immortalized in Michelangelo's The Pieta lingers into Holy Saturday.  This moment also given artistic recognition in  Franco Zeffirelli's Jesus of Nazareth and Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ, but with two different interpretations.  Olivia Hussey, as Mary in the Zeffirelli film, wails her lamentation without restraint, while Maia Morgenstern, in the Passion, stares in cold, numbing, haunting pain straight at the audience. Both underscore the truth that no mother should bury her child. Yet even in this suffering as in the passion and suffering of Jesus, there is hopeful expectation of the future resurrection. It's just a matter of waiting for the clock to reach the actual moment. Holy Saturday finds us in that same stance: the silence, the emptiness, a Mass-less day.  All has come to a halt, but there is a confidence, an anticipation that is tempered and strengthened in the waiting.  May our reflections and our interactions with others this day strengthen and express our hope.
Bro. Rene

The Power of the Cross

At our Holy Thursday Prayer Service at Central Catholic, I had the privilege of standing before a large wooden cross and inviting the student body to join me in making a reverent sign of the cross, slowly and reflectively.  What better place than to have the cross as the background for a gesture that can be rote, and make it instead, a prayer?  I was very moved by this simple gesture. Later in the Service, we processed with the cross and raised it up in front of each class year.  The students stood, bowed their heads and prayed in silence while the liturgical choir sang a beautiful rendition of Were You There?  The power of the cross humbled us, captivated us, and brought us close to Jesus.  Simplicity, dignity, reverence prevailed.
This afternoon at the Celebration of the Lord's Passion, we will venerate the cross, and have the opportunity to experience the Power of the Cross an opportunity not to be dismissed lightly. Calvary becomes real, the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus is underscored by the chanting of the Reproaches: My people, what have I done to you? Or how have I grieved you? Answer me!/ Because I led you out of the land of Egypt,/ you have prepared a Cross for your Savior.  ... Behold the wood of the Cross on which hung the salvation of the world. Come let us adore. May we be humbled and find a deeper love, simplicity, dignity and reverence.
Bro. Rene

The Washing of the Feet

Part of the ritual of Today's Liturgy of the Last Supper is the washing of the feet. Most churches now perform this annual rite rather than just read about it. The Pope himself  kneels and washes as did Jesus.  It is humbling to expose one's feet and have them washed and dried.  Most of us make sure that our feet are clean, toenails cut, and presentable to the presider who washes them. But when Jesus did it, the feet of the apostles were dirty from the dust that their sandals allowed to cover them.  Not only was it a symbolic act, but a real washing.  Jesus was not afraid to get his hands dirty.  This takes our symbolic act to a deeper level. How willing are we to get our hands dirty in the service that Jesus mandated? How much of our "substance", our dignity, our shyness are we willing to put out there for the sake of others?  "As I have given you an example, that as I have done for you, so you also should do."  (cf. Jn 13:15).
Bro. Rene

The Cross Stands Tall

As we draw closer to the Triduum and the holiest days of the year, the role of Judas is highlighted in the stories surrounding the Last Supper and the subsequent events leading up to Easter Sunday. As we look at our own world with the negotiations with Iran, the Swiss airliner crash, the latest attacks of ISIS, we cannot be blamed for wondering if there will ever be an end to betrayal, violence, division between one another. It's almost as if the flames of hell burn on the surface of our planet.
There was a recent fire which destroyed the historic Saint John Church in Benwood, West Virginia. This photo was taken by David Beazel, a graduate of Bishop Donahue High School, and a very special friend...Amidst the flames, the cross stands tall, as a reminder that the cross of Jesus will prevail over the hellish flames that appear to be consuming us.  If we focus on the cross, if we carry the cross after Jesus with willing and loving hearts as he did, we can be sure that the flames will not destroy us because salvation has already come.
Bro. Rene