Prayer Changes Everything

Friday afternoon, in the office of the Superintendent of Schools in Marshall County, I saw a mug on his shelf with this saying, "Prayer Changes Everything."  He had just been telling me of some "impossible situations"  (broken sewage lines, newly arrived, but damaged windows for a school), and how they suddenly were resolved through prayer, not anything he was able to do.  What was his prayer?   "Lord, I put all these things in your hands; without you I am helpless.  I trust you will take care of them in your way and your time."  And so they were.  This is the prayer God want to hear...one of total trust over and beyond everything we can do physically or mentally.
There's no need for worry or fretting, for God is a God who knows the details and is more than happy to take care of them.  We simply need to put them into his hands and let him show us (and the world) how much he cares for us.  In this way prayer does change everything:  needed outcomes, and, more importantly, our deeper faith-filled outlook.
Bro. Rene
Note:  The road trip presses on to Indianapolis Saturday and Sunday...No promises ... we'll see what the Lord provides!

Discerning Hearts

It seems like we are always making choices and decisions, some easy, like planning the evening meal, some not so easy, as in seeking a new job, dealing with a medical or addiction issue.  What's the best thing to do?  Often we cannot make these decisions ourselves and seek a friend or some outside party to help us see more clearly what would be best.  Naturally, we turn to God and ask his guidance.  The thing to remember is that our choice is not simply a "head issue", but the heart must be involved too:  what is our heart, our "gut" telling us?  There's usually where we find the truth of what we really want to do, what we really would LOVE to do.  "Where your treasure  is, there also is where your heart will be" (Mt 6:21), yes, and there is our truth.  Let's pay close attention to our hearts, the inner voice that only we can hear.
Bro. Rene


Note:  An early flight at 5:55 am tomorrow and a full day and evening will interfere with tomorrow's slice of daily bread....Not sure about internet access for the next week..."On the road for Mission Appeal talks.  Indianapolis, here I come!

Small Beginnings, Greater Ends

In 1972, Donovan, the British song writer composed several songs for the Zeffirelli film, BROTHER SUN, SISTER MOON, which were incorporated into the sound track...One spoke of "small beginnings, greater ends," and provided the sage advice of taking time to let things grow slowly. When Jesus speaks of the mustard seed or the leaven in the loaf, he conveys the same idea:  small things eventually, over time, yield larger, in this case, trees where birds take refuge in branches, or loaves of bread from a bit of dough....Jesus reminds us that no matter how small we think our contribution might be, as in yesterday's five loaves or two fishes, with his power, and over time, it will surprise us how much our little effort or contribution can turn out to be.   No excuses for not being able to add large amounts of time, talent or money to a project or even to our daily activities:  small amounts will do, and greater ends will result.
Bro. Rene

The Lord Feeds Us

We hear of Elisha giving bread from 20 barley loaves to hundreds of people and sure, enough, there were left-overs.   Jesus feeds a large crowd of 5,000 with five barley loaves and two fishes, and twelve baskets of fragments are picked up when they are finished.  (See 2 Kings 4:42-44 and John 6:1-15).  In the psalms, we read of God's desire to fee us with the best of wheat. (Ps 81:17).  We feed weekly on the Bread of Life, the Eucharist, and the Bread of the Word of God is available to us daily. Indeed God feeds us, nourishes our faith, encourages our hope, deepens our love through this "bread", so readily available.  With diminishing numbers of Catholics attending Sunday Mass, where it seems, mainly the elderly whose faith over the long years of their lives has remained constant and as strong as a rock, it is becoming a matter of great concern, that younger Catholics are not taking advantage of this great source of "food for the soul."  It is discouraging to see, and be rebuffed when an attempts is made to bring people back to the Lord's table.   We are left with the challenge of good loving example, and our prayers for them.  Living our faith publicly, boldly, even courageously, along with faith-filled prayer are the tools that can be effective.  It would be nice if we could multiply loaves and fishes, and say, "See, it's for real.  Come and eat." The story stands...it needs to be proclaimed and lived.
Bro. Rene

El Camino de Santiago

A popular pilgrimage from the Middle Ages, the trek from southern France to Compostela in Spain...and then on to the Mediterranean, seems to be gaining more pilgrims than ever.  It seems that anyone who can, hopes, plans, or actually walks the 500 mile, month long "way".  Tradition has it that James, the brother of John, called James the Greater, evangelized part of Spain after Pentecost but later returned to Jerusalem where he was ordered killed by Herod Agrippa in 43 or 44 A.D., the first of the Apostles to give his life for our faith. James was part of that "inner circle" of  Peter, and John, who were present when Jesus brought the daughter of Jairus back to life, and  cured Peter's mother-in law.  He was also present at the Transfiguration and during the agony of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.   His mother, Salome, approached Jesus to ask if he and his brother John could sit at Jesus' right hand when he came to power...
Because of El Camino and the beautiful church in Compostela,always full of pilgrims, St. James is an exceedingly popular saint today whose life serves as a blueprint for ours, for we are all on a pilgrimage toward the heavenly city, as Pope St. John Paul II  spoke.  "It is a path of prayer and penance, of charity and solidarity; a stretch of the path of life where the faith, becoming history among mankind, also converts culture into something Christian."  May we all walk El Camino de Santiago wherever we are.
Bro. Rene

Blocking the Seed

When Jesus spoke of the sower and the seed, he described it falling on the path, on rocky ground and among thorns.  In all these cases, nothing grows.  We can understand the path where feet trample it, or the rocky ground where it cannot take root, but in the thorns, there is a little budding, however, eventually the tender plant gets choked out and withers.   How often do we hear the readings at Mass and because of thinking of other things, we can't recall what was just read?  We really didn't hear it, it didn't sink in.  Our thoughts, our planning for the day, blocked it from finding  the good soil of our hearts.   The same happens in our personal prayer.  How do we  cut the "weeds"?  We lead such busy lives that our daily clutter is bound to remain with us.  We can begin Mass or our prayer by asking God to help us cut the weeds and throw them into the mulch pit where later on they will do some good.    Another simple way is to simply let the thoughts drift by as a sailboat on the water without giving them too much attention.  Soon they are gone and the mind is clear again.  Our limited prayer time is too precious to allow anything to block our reception of God's seed.
Bro. Rene

Patroness of Failures

Did you know there is a "patroness of failures".  There is:  St. Bridget of Sweden.  For most of us this is likely the best news of the day so far.  I'm surprised this has not been publicized all over the world.  If not in fact, most of us see ourselves as "failures".  We start things and don't finish them; we plan, we try, we hope, we work, we wait, and it seems that little is actually accomplished.
A brief look at her life reveals that we are not alone; she experienced a similar pattern.  Born in the early 14th century,  she lost her mother and two sisters at the age of 10.  Married at 13, she brought 8 children into the world, one of them, St. Catherine of Sweden.  When her husband died, she received a vision to start a new religious order.  She laid the foundation for it in a double monastery, one for men, one for women.  Before that was done, another vision called her to Rome to plead with the Pope to return from Avignon.  That did not happen.  Bridget died before her monasteries was built, but  Catherine finished the job. The Pope returned to Rome after Bridget's death. With these major tasks incomplete during her lifetime, she entered eternal rest and left us with the example of the sowing of the seed, rather than the harvest, as the important thing. We all like to see things brought to full completion and "closure", the catchword of our day.  But no, it seems God is not as interested in closure as much as we.  He wants fidelity, trust, hope, love.  The rest is in his hands....or someone else's who might finish what we began.  In God's eyes, our "failures" are not failures, but only part of his larger plan.
Bro. Rene

Loving Jesus

Can we imagine the great love Mary of Magdala had for Jesus?  She found the empty tomb along with the other women, informed the disciples who verified her discovery, and returned to the garden to continue her mourning with the added confusion of the missing body. She had expected to find the stone intact over the door and the body inside, but that was not the case. Then, the man she assumes is the gardener, calls her name; it's a voice she recognizes, and her eyes and the eyes of her heart are opened and she clings to her beloved Jesus. Her love soars, and though not fully understanding, she knows it's Jesus and does not want to let him go, echoing the verse in the Song of Solomon: "When I found him whom my heart loves,/ I took hold of him and would not let him go." (Song 3:4).  We know the feeling when we rejoin a friend or relative we haven't seen for a long time. Can't hug enough. Mary's love kept her at the side of Mary the Mother of Jesus through the scourging, carrying of the cross and death of Jesus on Calvary, and now that love was reunited with her beloved.
This total dedication, this total love of Jesus is the model for us.  Such love enables us to bear whatever pain, annoyance, or challenge we are given.  There's no other way to make a lasting commitment to Jesus without it. Mary, help us to love Jesus as you did.
Bro. Rene
Note:  I arrived at St. Alfonso Retreat House without the mouse for my laptop, so I was not able to send a slice of bread.  Today I'm using a borrowed one...Thanks for your understanding.

How We Forget

Today's reading from Exodus 14: 5-18 describes the panic of the Hebrews as they see the Egyptians in pursuit of them.  They complain to Moses for bringing them out "to die in the desert"; they would rather have served the Egyptians as their slaves, they said.  Not long before they complained about how hard life was, how cruel the Egyptians were to them; they longed for freedom and hailed their exodus from Egypt as a victory.  Of course, they had yet to experience the even greater sign of God's beneficence, the crossing of the Red Sea, so it is understandable that panic would lead them to long for "the onions of Egypt."
We are no different from the Hebrews...when things go right, there is no God like our God, but when things are or begin to look bad, God is not good.  We complain in the same way...why, why, why!
How patient God was with the Hebrews.  How patient with us.  It takes us a long time to learn that God's ways are best for us, God's rules are meant for our happiness.  A child does not like to be limited, but it if saves him or her from falling into the swimming pool, that restraint turns out for the best.
What we need to do is look back, remember the other times when things looked so bleak yet in the end turned out even better than before. We are slow learners, but God remains ever patient and faithful.  Let us put our trust in him once more.
Bro. Rene


Note:  We are going on retreat today in Long Branch, NJ...I think there's wi-fi there, but if not, that's why there's no slice of bread. for the next 5 days...but I trust God will provide...

Good Shepherds

The scene it today's Gospel displays a compassionate Jesus. He wants to give the enthusiastic disciples and chance to tell him all the marvels they encountered on their "missionary journey" on which he sent them in last week's Gospel.  They needed a quiet place by themselves for this, yet a huge crowd awaits them when they arrive. No time for peace and quiet.  Jesus is not upset, rather he has pity on the people,  changes the game plan and teaches them "many things, for they were like sheep without a shepherd." (Mk 6:34). His compassion is the model not only for our "shepherds", our priests and bishops, bur for us as well.  We too must be compassionate shepherds, willing to change plans to meet the needs of others.  We wonder why our churches are empty.  Do people find good shepherds in the pews or on the altar?  Do they find people who are interested in them, willing to listen, willing to "go the extra mile" with them.  Pope Saint John Paul II spoke about the "new evangelization.  What is it?  Is it a new kind of preaching? That might be part of it, but it is basically each individual LIVING the message of Jesus and carrying it to others by actions that make people ask: "Why is this person so kind?  Why is he or she so interested in me?  What is he or she  so different?"  If people see the Gospel lived, as we see in this passage today, they will come  back to the fold, for they will have found good shepherds.
Bro. Rene

The Bruised Reed

When Isaiah described the Suffering Servant, he said that he would not break the bruised reed nor quench a smoldering wick. (cf. Is 42:3)  When we see a bent flower stem in our garden, we tend to break it off and get over it with; the same with a candle whose wick is about to surrender to the mounting wax around it indicating that the candle is "done"; we tend to blow it out and finish the job "put it out of its misery."   But not so with the Suffering Servant, Jesus.  He doesn't break off the bruised reed, but allows it to continue as best it can.  Perhaps it will revive and find new life;  the wax can be dumped from the candle and the wick, now free again, will flare up with a bright flame, and  continue to give  light.
 So it is with the many chances God gives us when we are "broken" or not producing our full potential...he gives us a chance to pick up and find new life.  A lesson for us in the way we treat the "bruised reeds and smoldering candles" in our lives...family members,  apparently "lost souls" to alcoholism or other addictions, and even our enemies.  If God gives them a chance to bounce back, shouldn't we restrain our condemnation, or even better, HELP them get back on track?
Bro. Rene

The Potter

The image of God as a potter, which appears in the writings of the prophet Jeremiah (cf. Jer 18: 6) reminds us that it is God who forms us into the person he has in mind when he created us.  Each one of us is different; when finished, each one of us will represent some aspect of our Potter. Making pottery is a long task, requiring patience on the part of both the potter, and the "pot".  After throwing a blob of clay onto the wheel, a long process begins, sometimes ending in apparent failure. The clay, however, can be "thrown" again, and shaped until the desired result is achieved. In order for that to happen, the clay must submit to the knowing hands of the potter; if it is not the right consistency and texture, it will not be able to comply with the design of the potter.  Only when there is harmony between the potter and the clay, will the final product be beautiful and as perfect as it can be.
So with us in the hands of the Potter who is trying to shape us into the perfect, beautiful person he had in mind when he created our "blob" and threw in on the wheel.  In the end, there should be a loving, merciful, happy person, who found his or her  "perfection" in totally submitting to the loving hands of the Potter. When we comply with the "rules" of the Potter who knows best, then we shall be the most beautiful person we can be.  Why do we resist?  Why do we want to have it "MY WAY"?
Bro. Rene

The Scapular

Part of making First Holy Communion for most children is receiving the scapular, two pieces of brown or green cloth tied together with a band so that one hangs over the chest, and the other, over the back.  It's a mini-version of the larger scapular which resembles a two-sided apron which hangs in front and in back of the person wearing it.  In 1251, it  was given in a vision to St. Simon Stock, a Carmelite hermit on Mount Carmel, which rises above Haifa, Israel.  All Carmelites, male and female, wear it, as do many other religious in other congregations.   The scapular is an external sign of he filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and the faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection,  who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer  (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy, #205).  The scapular reminds the wearer of Mary's protective role as mother and the separation from noise and busyness  that silent contemplation demands.  It is also seen as a shield against the onslaughts of the Evil One through the glitter of "the world."  The view of the Mediterranean from Mount Carmel is breath-taking, and no wonder why, in addition to its role in the ministry of Elijah the Prophet, it was chosen as a place for contemplation. We might imagine ourselves on that mountain today, and ask Mary to help us find time for prayerful, quiet pondering of the significance of the scapular and her role as mother in our lives.
Bro. Rene

Keeping It Simple

We celebrate St. Bonaventure, "The Seraphic Doctor," the Second Founder of the Franciscans, a Doctor of the Church, a man of great erudition, but also one who was very "down to earth."  The story goes that when a messenger from the Pope delivered a red cardinal's hat to Bonaventure, he was in the scullery washing dishes; his hands were too greasy to touch the hat, so he told the messenger to hang it on a tree outside until he could clean his hands and dry them.
He made theology palatable by explaining concepts in ordinary and also inspiring language.  He was not a great advocate of harsh penitential practices, but wrote instead:  "Do ordinary things in a perfect way."  This has been repeated through the centuries and comes to us reiterated by Mother Teresa's admonition:  "Do ordinary things in an extraordinary way."  Simple enough?   Extraordinary might mean, not only well done, but with love, in prayerful presence with God.  Even sweeping the floor or writing a letter, we can do that.  We don't have to preach on the street corners, or fast till we faint. Let's offer a word of thanks today to St. Bonaventure for his advice on "keeping it simple."
Bro. Rene

Failure To See

Jesus puts the woe on Chorazin and Bethsaida, two cities where he evidently worked many "mighty deeds" because they failed to repent. (cf Mt 11:20-24). What a woe-deserving castigation for ignoring an obvious good  like turning their back on a cancer cure as if  they  were entitled to it and down playing the miracle as if it were nothing.   We can be like that, so full or ourselves, so blind to the gifts we are given every day.
In contrast, we celebrate St. Kateri Tekakwitha today,  the "Lily of the Mohawks", whose simplicity and total gratitude to God enabled her to seek what would be most pleasing to God and do it. A survivor of smallpox, her face was marked with scars, which hid her natural beauty. Converted as a teenager, she grew in the faith even though she had to wait till she was twenty to be baptized, and even longer before making First Communion.  How she longed for that day, and how she went out of her way to walk through the woods to attend early Mass and receive Jesus.  She was not blind to the gifts that were given daily and in turn gave of herself in prayer and service to the elderly and ill of the village. She, like St. Therese of Lisieux, died at the early age of 24.  The small pox scars disappeared and her face was radiant with beauty, as was her pure soul.  Her canonization was LONG in coming, but her gift of seeing and accepting will long outlive the blindness of Chorzin and Bethsaida!
Bro. Rene

God Always Wants To Give More

As any loving Father, our God cannot give us enough.  When we think he's reached his limit so that we dare not ask for more, he surprises us with something else.  Speaking about our Marist Missionary efforts in Rwanda, the Philippines, Liberia and Bangladesh (those four were chosen as our focus this year), I not only sparked conversation after Mass, but was surprised to meet friends and former Marist students from the past. Even more so was the Gospel for that day, which is the one that sparked me to go to Rwanda, and the singing of Be Not Afraid, my favorite, which I sang constantly on my walk from Assisi to Rome in 1977.  These were those unexpected treats, the surprises, the assurances that God is there as ever with the lollipops I found so abundantly given on my walk.  When doubts arise, just wait...we don't even have to ask...God will show us that he is there, knowing every thought, every need.   It takes trust...but his gifts increase that trust.  And that's what he wants!
Bro. Rene

Called To Be Missionaries

As St. Marcellin Champagnat's vision of his Little Brothers of Mary grew, hoped that one day there would be brothers in every diocese of the world. That hope, that dream is still unfolding as the Marist Brothers are in 79 countries and with the help of 40,000 lay colleagues, are making Jesus known and loved to over 500,000 students.  Jesus sent his Twelve out, with instructions of what to do, what to bring, and what to wear. (cf. Mk 6:7-13). Today there are over a billion Catholics, and 31% of the world's population is Christian.  The Word of God has spread and must keep spreading since we are all called to be missionaries.
Twenty years ago, this Gospel was the turning point in my decision to go to Rwanda.  The celebrant introduced the Mass saying, "We are all called to be missionaries, and some of us are called to leave their own countries.  I had been trying to discern whether to go to Rwanda or say no, and had asked God for a sign the night before. This was the sign, and my going there has had effects that are immeasurable...both on the students I taught, the people I met, and on me...Even this day, I'm speaking at three Masses on the Marist Missions! 
All can do something, via prayer, financial assistance, or by actually doing some missionary work.  Let us not think we are off the hook because Joe or JoAnne are doing it.  No, it's our calling too.
Bro. Rene

Heartful Listening

St. Benedict, one of the most influential, beloved and imitated of our saints, began his rule with the wise counsel: "Listen to the master's instructions, and attend with the ear of your heart."  The master could be the superior, or God himself.  Listening, seeking, not just intellectually, but with the heart...ah, there's the difference.  For the heart indicates not just  a "head" understanding, but a tender, loving, compassionate response which shows itself in behavior and is integrated into our living and our dealing with others.  Listening needs silence, solitude, and attentiveness.  It's very hard to listen in a noisy world; Benedict and the great saints all found a quiet place for their listening.  Benedictine monasteries even today are places where silence prevails and listening becomes possible just walking down a corridor. These summer days beckon us to find a place in our yards, on our porches, our cars, a chapel or church,  some place where we can escape the ordinary noises and open ourselves to "heartful listening."   Surprises and Blessings  will result.
Bro. Rene

Expect Trials

When Jesus sent his Apostles on their mission, he warned them that they would be "like sheep in the midst of wolves." (Mt 10:16).  The Book of Acts recounts some of the confrontations Peter and the others encountered.  All but St. John, suffered martyrdom.  Jesus wasn't kidding!
He also assured them that when they would be "handed over",  they would be inspired and guided what to say by the Holy Spirit.
As we watch the journey of Pope Francis these days, he seems to be making his way so far without major opposition, but, there must be some which is not making the headlines. The Holy Spirit, however, is inspiring and guiding his remarks, his challenges, his humble apologies, which ARE making the news.  He is continuing to captivate the press, perhaps not such a good thing, for sensationalism is not his purpose, but an infusion of new life into the mission of each one of us, apostles by our baptism.  He speaks with vigor, he moves endlessly among the people as if he were just commissioned by Jesus.  The warning of Jesus must be circling in his head, but it doesn't stop him. And so, must it be with us in our circles, among our family, neighbors and colleagues.  We are not to stop out of fear, mockery or rejection.  Our trial might not come from without, but from the hesitation that springs from within.  Let Pope Francis model our daily missionary journey.
Bro. Rene

Chinese Martyrs

We hardly think of China as a country with Catholic Martyrs, but the startling fact is that 30,000 people were martyred between 1648 and 1930.  Eighty-six suffered death for their faith during the Boxer Rebellion.  Pope St. John Paul II canonized 120 Chinese Martyrs on October 1, 2000, the feast of St. Therese of Lisieux, patron saint of the missions.  Among these canonized was St. Augustine Zhao Rong, a convert who became a priest.  Sometimes this memorial is referred to as St. Augustine Zhao and Companions.
Wonders of grace continue today as in the case of a young woman, who though baptized, did not practice nor know anything about her faith.  A friend encouraged her to make Cursillo during which she experienced a major conversion and is a Sister today.  Her mother was also converted as a result of her daughter's conversion.
We are called to conversion daily, and even "mini-martyrdom" as we lay aside the frivolous and empty from our lives and turn more wholeheartedly to Jesus.  Let us not doubt the power of God at work in our world, and in our own lives.  Be merciful to me, a sinner, O Lord and open my heart to full union with you.
Bro. Rene

Preaching the Kingdom

As Marists, we are called to continue the work commissioned to the Twelve and the Seventy-Two by Jesus, proclaiming  "The Kingdom of God is at hand."  (Mt 10:7).  In many countries, it seems we are starting from scratch, as once they were fervent followers of Jesus, they have now, for one reason or another, reverted to a pre-Christian way of belief and life.  Our work as disciples of Jesus, teachers and preachers by example more than by word is needed as much now as it was when Jesus first called the Twelve. Can we imagine how intimidated these fishermen and  other "non-professionals" must have felt when Jesus sent them to preach?  Yet, in good faith they did it and came home to Jesus reporting success...i.e. that people heard the message and believed it.  So too must we, despite opposition, indifference, and ignorance that prevail.  We are part of a process that has its cycles, its ups and downs...We're in an apparent "down" now, but the process is not finished.  It will be only if we lose faith and give up.  Pope Francis, simply by his presence is rekindling the faith of the countries he's visiting many of whom expressed skepticism and even belligerence as his pilgrimage began.  Yet, excitement mounts as he travels; it might be too early to label the results "a mass conversion", but something good is afoot.  He's giving us the example; all we need to do is follow.
Bro. Rene

Wrestling With.....

The sport of wrestling is an extremely demanding one, physically and mentally, requiring intense concentration, quick judgment, and extraordinary stamina. Three periods of  "only" two minutes each seem like an eternity when the opponent is using all his strength, talent and energy to gain the victory.  The final buzzer is a relief to both athletes, joy for one, and a range of emotions for the other.
Today we hear of Jacob's wrestling match with a stranger, who turns out to be God's unnamed messenger.  They wrestle all night, and Jacob wins, though he receives a blow to his sciatic muscle causing him to limp and  remember that fateful night.  Often, we find ourselves wrestling with God:  his will, his way, over ours;  or with some difficult, "testing" situation that demands all our time and energy...even to the breaking point. Daily, as well, we find ourselves wrestling with our inner shadows, those things we do not wish to do, but do, and those we should be doing, but do not.  We do get tied up in knots...pun intended!   And then there are the needs of others...world wide, or hitting us personally...the poor in need of money to pay bills, or simply to EAT. Phone calls,  daily mail and e-mails plague us with the "cries of the poor."   The buzzer never seems to sound for us, and the match continues endlessly.  Like Jacob, we need to remain and ask for the blessing that comes to us through these apparent "opponents."  It takes time and patience to see them in this light, but they are opportunities for us to "wrestle with God" and come out the victor.
Bro. Rene

Living By Faith

The Gospel passage for today focuses on two healings: the woman with hemorrhages with which she had suffered for 12 years, and the raising of the official's daughter.  Both were "impossible" situations, yet the faith of the woman and the official was the base for the healing. Living by faith
"is to live peacefully, prayerfully,
hopefully, hopelessly, outside myself
At peace with myself
    yet outside myself"  --Father Dominic Thomas Rover, O.P


It is to stop worrying, doubting, giving up, but leaning more and more on Jesus, the healer. We know of cancer and addiction cases that seem impossible and we just want to give up on praying for a cure.
Not the way Jesus operates.  If the woman or the official had given up, their requests would not have been granted and we wouldn't be reading about them today  May they intercede for us when we are ready to give up.
Bro. Rene

Are We Listening?

Noise, distractions, busyness, and biases block our ears from hearing God's Word, which so often comes to us through the Liturgy, our personal prayer, something we read or hear, the constant summer singing of the birds outside our windows, or the beauty of a garden full of colorful splendor.  Ezekiel was sent to a people "hard of face and obstinate of heart."  (Ez 2: 4). We can be like that with our stubborn prejudices and opinions.  Or worse:  the people in Jesus's own village of Nazareth, who offered him no welcome, but greeted him with skepticism and disbelief might be US when we hear something with which we don't agree from the Bishops or the Pope.  It seems that daily Pope Francis is making a startling statement or doing something people deem "un-Popish",  and causing reactions similar to those of the people of Nazareth when Jesus first returned home to preach. The people thought they knew him...they had him in the "carpenter box", knew his family, and that was it.  They took offense at him, questioning the origin of his "wisdom" and because of their lack of faith, prevented Jesus from performing any mighty miracles there, except for curing a few sick people. (cf. Mk 6: 6a), 
The question for our Sabbath pondering today is: ARE WE LISTENING?   Or do we have preconceived ideas, that block us from learning something new? Lord, open my ears that I may hear clearly what you are trying to teach me.
Bro. Rene

Gunshots or Fireworks?

Two hundred and thirty-nine years ago, our Founding Fathers signed a declaration of independence,  setting the stage for a revolutionary war, and the birth of a nation now known as The United States of America.  It was a bold move, the cause of much joy, struggle and pain, but based on the inalienable rights to "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness", it stands as an ideal that is still worth striving toward, despite the on-going struggle to interpret exactly what that phrase entails.  For many years, this day has been marked by festive parades, music, family gatherings and fireworks, but in some neighborhoods, it's hard to distinguish between the fireworks and gunshots.  Today the nation is on high alert  for fear of rumored terrorist or "lone wolf" attacks on innocent people. We wonder what has happened to "the land of the free and the home of the brave."  For Americans, it is time for some deep soul-searching, not only for ourselves, but for the world, for we still represent an ideal that stems from the very soul of humanity.  For, indeed, we were created in God's image, given free-will to chose to exercise that freedom to become fully human, which in turn means to become as God-like as possible. If we lose our connection to God, the source of life and freedom, indeed the fireworks will be replaced with gunshots and no one will no the difference nor care.
For an uplift, go to You tube and listen to Kate Smith sing God Bless America and make it your prayer for today.
Bro. Rene

"My Lord and My God

Note:  In an effort to avoid heavy traffic, I am leaving Esopus, NY shortly, leaving this one throught for today's slice of bread:

Doubt takes many forms, but as Thomas learned in touching each wound of Jesus, his faith grew stronger and he was able to acclaim witthout doubt:  "My Lord and My God."  Even our doubts provide their redeeming gift.
Bro. Rene

Mercy and Forgiveness

Jesus again in today's gospel passage shows us the power of forgiveness when he both forgives the sins of the paralytic and heals him:  "Courage, child, your sins are forgiven." (Mt 9: 2).  "Rise and Walk" (Mt 9: 4). In our life-long striving to be like Jesus, this kind of forgiveness is essential.  We must forgive as he did.  Not always easy, but the recent tragedy in Charleston, South Carolina, demonstrates that even in horrific circumstances such as that, forgiveness is possible.  People who lost loved ones, who will grieve the rest of their lives, still found enough strength to forgive the killer.  Their faith and their desire to imitate Jesus enabled them to do so.  It remains to be seen what effect their forgiveness will have on the young man, but at least in their hearts, healing has begun and their example is a model for us to follow. If we were not the beneficiaries of God's mercy and forgiveness, where would we be?  The door to healing is only a step away.  "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us."
Bro. Rene

What We Need

As we begin the month of July, for some vacation time, for others "the usual", this passage from Isaiah might help puts some pep into this day and the days ahead:  "The Lord will give you the bread you need/ and the water for which you thirst./ No longer will your Teacher hide himself,/ but with your own eyes yo shall see yourTeacher,./ While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears:/ 'This is the way; walk in it.'/ when you would turn to the right or to the left." (Is 30: 20:21).  We all have "things to do", some face continuing illnesses, pain, or stress.  A friend of mine after a six month healing process of a broken ankle, twisted his "good ankle" in a simple turn in his bathroom, and is now back to braces and ice packs. Yet, the Lord sees all of this and continues to provide the "bread we need"...not always the kind we LIKE, but what we need.  He keeps us on the right path, yes, not always the path we would choose, but the RIGHT one for each one of us AT THIS TIME.  It takes faith and trust to switch to HIS plans and paths, but in the end, we learn that indeed it "was all for the best."
Bro. Rene