Jesus the Prophet

Whereas Jesus was acclaimed in other towns in Galilee, when he came to Nazareth, his own people rejected him.  He reminded them in response to their objections that prophets traditionally were not welcomed in their hometowns (cf. Lk 4: 23).
A prophet is one who stands apart and critiques what he sees around him. As Jose Pagola writes, the prophet is not anointed by anyone.  His authority comes from God who is bent on inspiring and guiding his beloved people with his Spirit, when political and religious leaders do not know how to do so. In an unjust society where the powerful look for their own well-being while silencing the suffering of those who weep, the prophet dares to read and live reality as seen through the compassion of God for the most miserable. His entire life is turned into an 'alternative presence' that criticized injustices and call for conversion and change. (Pagola Following in the The Footsteps of Jesus, Year C p. 90)   
Do we see Jesus as a prophet? Are there any prophets such as this today? Do we still need them?  Who is calling the Church, us, to conversion?  Do I see myself as a prophet?  Some questions to ponder today, and in the fast-approaching 40 days of Lent.
Bro. Rene

Bearing Fruit

"Every tree is known by its own fruit" (Lk 6:44).  On this Saturday dedicated to Mary, we take a moment to reflect on this verse from St. Luke in light of her.  She received the Word in her womb and brought forth fruit in love.  We pray daily, "and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus."  By this most holy and precious fruit, we have come to know Mary as the Mother of God, and as such, the Mother of all Grace.  She is the channel through which the grace of God entered our world and continues to bring forth new fruit in those who believe.
In a particular way, we Marists dedicate ourselves to assisting Mary in this mission, this process, by providing the means for grace to reach our youth. Through education we help students to understand who their Creator, Redeemer and Sanctifier is and how best to serve this Triune God.  Through retreats such as the Marist Youth Encounter Christ, we give students a hands-on experience of God through activity, talks and sacrament.  At this current Encounter, students in large numbers received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and tonight their encounter with Christ will climax when they participate in Holy Mass.  Friendships, fun, joy, and affirmation as well as commitment to live the Christian life reassuringly demonstrate that the Marist Tree is bearing good fruit.  For this we humbly give thanks.
Bro. Rene

Jesus Is Always With Us

We say this, we pray this, we tell ourselves and others this all all the time, but do we actually "see it" happening?  A friend sent a link to a moving video depicting Jesus side by side with folks in the most common and sometimes most dramatic situations.  It's only four minutes, but easily could serve as an inspirational and nourishing slice of bread for today.  Type in jesusisalwlayswithyouvideo at the top of your screen and several links will show up.  Just click on the picture of Jesus with the boy, turn on your sound and SEE how indeed Jesus is always with us.
Dear Jesus, so often our words need reinforcement to help us really appreciate the depths of what we are saying.  May this little video help me to realize how present you are and to turn to you more frequently during my busy day.  You are never too busy for us, but are always there!
Bro. Rene

Patron of Schools

We remember St. Thomas Aquinas, also patron against thunder storms because he was spared from a lightning bolt which killed his sister who was in the same room as he.  Known also as "the dumb ox" because of his huge size and quiet ways, one of his professors, however is quoted as saying, "We call him the dumb ox, but someday his lowing will be heard around the world."  As so it is; his theological writings, especially his famous Summa Theologicae, have been used in seminaries for centuries and he stands out prominently among scholastic and modern theologians  Yet, it was not only his cerebral prowess that made him so renowned and listed among the 35 Doctors of the Church, but also his piety and contemplative side that brought him to sainthood. We owe the familiar hymns, Adoro Te Devote and Pange Lingua to him. So much did he love the Eucharist that would experience ecstasy while offering Holy Mass, and toward the end of his life, he had a revelation that caused him to stop working on his Summa, with the famous quote, All that I have written is but straw compared to what has been revealed to me."  He died of a serious illness at the age of 50.
His life inspires us to seek wisdom and understanding as well as to use that knowledge to enhance our spiritual lives.  St. Thomas give us a love of learning, but an even greater love of God.
Bro. Rene

Sowing the Seed

Note:  Yesterday I received two slices of bread; I don't know how  that happened. I don't know if this was the case with everyone.  At any rate, here's today's slice.

Jesus gives us the familiar parable of the Sower and the Seed.   Interesting to note that the Sower continues throwing down the seed no matter where it lands: on rocky soil, among thorns or on rich soil.  These three stand for us, and no matter what our stance at the moment, Jesus will keep sharing the Word with us.  Examining our lives we might come to the conclusion that we have some clearing or tilling to do if we are to become productive soil in which the Word can take root.  With Lent on the horizon, this might be a good time to start looking at ways we might best use the 40 days to allow the seed to take root in our lives.   It might simply be a daily reading and reflection on a chapter from one of the Gospels, or a Psalms, a chapter of Proverbs, or one of the Epistles. It might be a daily Rosary, or a chapter in Matthew Kelly's book, Rediscover Jesus, or some other spiritual book.  If we let the opportunity slip, we are letting the rocks or the thorns prevail. Is that what we want?
Bro. Rene

Family Members

We don't often consider ourselves as family with Jesus, Mary and Joseph; we look upon them as the Holy Family and try to imagine what that was like, and then model ourselves accordingly after them.
However, in today's short passage from St. Mark, 3:31-35, Jesus says, "Here are my mother and brothers. For whoever does the will of God is my brother an sister and mother." (Mk 3: 35).  He includes us in his "holy family."  This means intimacy, love, patience with one another, care, concern, and, at times, healthy criticism and admonition to correct things that might split up the family.  It also means forgiveness, for what family doesn't occasionally run across occasions when one member hurts or offends the other.  Love Story's famous line, "love means never having to say you're sorry" does not apply.  Love means that we DO need to say we're sorry when we've done something wrong, and need forgiveness.  In this year of Mercy, may we, for the sake of the family, ask forgiveness for past mistakes, and grant forgiveness to those who have offended us.
Bro. Rene

Conversion

Conversion is an on-going, life-occupying process.  We've just finished the Advent/Christmas Cycle which began with John the Baptist's cry to repent, turn to God, and in two weeks we'll be entering the season of Lent, when a major push is made to purify and redirect our lives in preparation for Easter.  40 days of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. today we focus on a dramatic call to conversion as we celebrate the Conversion of St. Paul. Jesus evidently wanted Paul to work for him, not against him, as he had been doing and forcibly called for a change of heart and mission. It took a bright light, which brought Paul to his knees, and the voice of Jesus indicating that his persecution of Christians was a direct attack on him, to stop him in his tracks and begin the process of conversion. Blinded for awhile, as he had been blind in his anti-Christian behavior, he saw the error of his behavior and submitted to the command to find Ananias, who prayed over him and restored his sight.  It was two our three years before Paul actually began his energetic preaching career.  What went on during this interim?  No doubt further study of the Scriptures, prayer and reflection, and meeting members of the Christian community.  His letters and preaching as recorded in ACTS, indicate a solid, well-thought out understanding of what it means to be a follower of Jesus.  He continues to teach us today and to stir up in us a passion for the Gospel, for truth, for self-less discipleship, and for the on-going conversion to which we are called daily.
Bro. Rene.

Clarifying the Mission

St. Luke makes is clear that Jesus is filled with the Spirit who directs him to live his mission, stated in the words of the prophet Isaiah:
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring glad tidings to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives
and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free,
and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.  (Is 61:1 quoted in Lk 4:18)
Jesus did not invent his mission but took up the mission given by the Holy Spirit.
This is the mission now of every follower of and believer in Jesus.  If we call ourselves Christian, we are to walk in his footsteps to accomplish this mission in our day.
Pope Francis, since he began his pontificate and years before that as Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has made this his mission and invites us at every opportunity to accept it as ours.  As Marists, we direct our attention to the poor and least favored, the most neglected, and seek to proclaim liberty, give sight to the blind and free the oppressed through education, particularly education in the Faith. But we don't all have to be teachers in front of a classroom;  we can be teachers through lives that bear witness to the way of life Jesus taught us:  compassion, forgiveness, respect, acceptance, love.  These teach and touch as effectively, if not more so, than a brilliant classroom lecture.  We might use this day to reflect on our actions and see how they measure up to our mission. Are we living up to the standards set by Jesus?  If yes, praise God and continue.  If not, begin now.  Begin again and again.
Bro .Rene

Was Jesus Crazy?

Note:  This is our 2000th slice of bread since we began posting in 2009 with 70,199 "hits".  How time flies and how the bread piles up!  All praise and thanks to God for making this possible.     

Today's brief Gospel passage from Mk 3:20-23  presents a family dilemma and a reminder that things haven't changed that much since the time of Jesus, or, perhaps since the creation of humankind.  A large crow gathered to see Jesus at the house where he was staying, making it even impossible for him and the disciples to eat. Hearing of this, his relatives wanted to seize him saying, "He is out of his mind."  Was he?  No, but in their view, in their expectation of a simple carpenter, he did not fit the mold any longer, and must have gone mad.
It seems when anyone takes a daring step "out of the box", he or she must be crazy.  People just don't do that.  When Father Champagnat began a teaching congregation with two young men, barely educated; when he built a large building way beyond the existing number of brothers at the time with borrowed money, yes, he was looked upon as crazy as well.
And when for 42 years people have been gathering by the thousands in Washington, DC, to bear witness to the sanctity of life, yes, the are considered crazy...especially this year in view of the huge blizzard still crippling the capital as you read this.
Passion, the strength of conviction, the urgency of the mission, all contribute to this "whackiness", yet without such people, where would we be?  Instead of joining the relatives of Jesus in condemning him or his followers,  we must pray for even a tenth of that zeal to fire up our own mission and calling.  We must be fire, not ashes.
Bro. Rene

March for Life

Note:  A huge "Nor'easter" heading for Washington DC today has cancelled the pilgrimage to our capital for many of us, the 24 of us from Central Catholic and the 800 from Notre Dame, to name a couple.  We can all join with the Notre Dame community in praying for life, the pilgrims who chose to brave the elements and go to Washington, as well as for mothers who are contemplating an abortion or who have already had one.  May God have mercy on all.   

Notre Dame Prayer for Life

Eternal God, source of all life, you have created us in your own divine image. By the power of the Holy Spirit, your Son became flesh and revealed to us the sanctity of all human life.
Grant, we implore you:

Protect all unborn children;
Guide and support all expectant parents;
Comfort the aged, the sick, and the dying;
Strengthen prisoners, especially those awaiting execution, and their victims;
And bring peace to our world, torn apart by war, terrorism, and countless other acts of violence against life.

May our Notre Dame community (as well as our Readers of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread)  bear witness to a seamless culture of life and so value the dignity and worth of every human being, from conception until natural death.
Grant this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Bro. Rene

Envy

Envy can be overt, out in the open, pure jealousy, or it can be subtle and even hidden. Today's Old Testament reading from the first Book of Samuel, (1 Sam 18: 6-9; 19: 1-7), describes Saul's blatant envy of David about whom the woman chanted the refrain, "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands."  So galled was Saul that he discussed killing David with his son, Jonathan.  He could not stand being in competition with this young man and wanted the full spotlight for himself.  Jonathan, David's good friend, persuaded Saul to relent and he did, swearing that he would no be killed.  This truce lasted temporarily but his envy continued to smolder beneath the surface and the two could never get close.
Envy, one of the seven capital sins, eats away like a horde of termites in a wooden barn.  Left alone, the barn will eventually collapse.  Untended, un-corrected, re-diverted,  envy will do the same in us.
It's easy to see and point it out in others, but somehow is not so visible in our own eyes, part of the reason why it is so destructive.  Let us pray that we might listen to others, to the Jonathans in our lives, and ask God to cleanse us from it and its terrible consequences.
Bro. Rene

One Heart, One Soul

Everyone's heard of Notre Dame, famed football powerhouse and leading Catholic university in the United States, but not many, I would say, know of Blessed Basil Moreau, founder of the Holy Cross Fathers, Brothers and Sisters. Born ten years after St. Marcellin in southern France, his life and vision bore a strong resemblance to his.  Both were dealing with the ignorance of the faith as a result of the havoc wrought by the French Revolution.  Both saw education as the primary factor in the rebuilding of the Church, both emphasized family spirit and had the goal of making God known and loved. Located in Saint-Croix, near Le Mans, Fr. Moreau's congregation took it's name from the town, Holy Cross, and focused its' spirituality on the Cross, taking as a motto:  "Hail holy cross, our only hope."
Fr. Edward Sorin was commissioned by Fr. Moreau to lead a small band of priests and brothers to northern Indiana in 1842 to start a school which evolved into the University of Notre Dame du Lac, the Notre Dame famous for its fighting Irish, among other achievements.  The spirit of unity among the members of the Congregation of Holy Cross spills over to the alumni of its educational institutions, resembling the family spirit that exists in the Marist world.  Let us give thanks to God for yet another religious congregation that seeks to carry out the mission of Jesus with simplicity and determination.
Bro. Rene 

God's Loving Care

When planning a birthday party for a toddler, much care goes into details such as the flavor of the cake, the color of the frosting, the decorations, the list of invited relatives and friends.  Much fuss, to make it all right for a youngster who can barely appreciate it as he or she emerges from the crumbs with frosted hands and face.  Yet, we find pleasure in all of this, for it is for this young, precious child whom we cannot love enough.
So it is with God's care for us:  it is anticipatory...it is sensitive to our likes and loves, it cannot be matched in attention to detail, it delights in making us happy.  And yet, like the frosted toddlers that we are, we do not, cannot appreciate the love that is always a step ahead of us, knows our needs and what is best for us.  We just plod along in our own worlds, oblivious at times to the hovering, loving God who wants to lavish his love upon us ."What return shall I make to the Lord for all that he has given to me?" asks the Psalmist.(Ps 116.12).   Making an effort to acknowledge that boundless love often during our busy day, and whispering a quick thank you, might open the door to a greater return of love for love.
Bro. Rene

Obedience Over Sacrifice

The question of the value of sacrifice (burnt offering) over obedience dates way back into the Old Testament.  Samuel took King Saul to task for disobeying God by taking sheep and oxen and  sacrificing the best of them, but keeping the rest. Saul's reasoning seemed to make sense, but contradicted the command not to take any spoil from the defeated enemy. "Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission [better] than the fat of rams." (1 Sam 15: 22). This is a hard lesson even for us today.  Obedience in an age of individualism and "self-actualization" is not a popular virtue. We pride ourselves on making proper decisions, many times according to our norms, and not the objective norms given to us by God as in the Ten Commandments.  Lying and stealing are rationalized "for the good of the party"  or for the "security of the nation."  At the same time, the law of love...of charity toward neighbor supplants the law as in the case of driving a person who suddenly becomes ill to the Emergency Room just as the last Mass is about to begin.  The driver misses Mass, but has saved the life of the sick person.  Keeping in mind always the spirit of love puts obedience into the context of obedience to a higher law and becomes a "sacrifice of love, of time," and a gift of presence.
Bro. Rene

Water Into Wine

No one will dispute the place of water in our lives; without it we cannot survive beyond four days, plants cannot grow, the earth becomes parched and lifeless; we use it to cleanse everything from ourselves to our vehicles, our dishes to our clothes. A glass of cold spring water satisfies our thirst and somewhat our taste, but a taste nothing lie the taste of a fine wine.  Wine is a step up, for sure.  It is interesting that Jesus takes ordinary water and lifts it to a new level.  St. John refers to his miracle as a "sign"...and looking deeper into it, we see it as a sign of what we become through baptism; the newborn baby, as beautiful as he or she is, through baptism is raised to a new level as a child of God; the water becomes wine.  As baptized Christians, our ordinary acts should be done with the festive joy that surrounds a glass of wine.
Of further interest is that the water becomes wine at the instigation of Mary, who plays a major role with Jesus and the servants:  "Do whatever he tells you." (Jn 2: 5).  Pope Francis and our own Marist Superior General, Br. Emili Turu speak of a Marian Church...one of compassion and attention to the small details of daily life, such as assuring that wedding guests have enough wine to drink.  As Marists, it is our place with Mary to make this Marian Church a reality...by our actions to attend to the needs of people with compassion and human sensitivity, thus turning the water of need or routine into the joy of fine wine.
Bro. Rene

Letting Jesus Heal Us

Little children like to "do it myself".  We've heard this over and over, and have to admit that this nugget sticks with us as adults.  A certain stubbornness refuses to allow others, yes, even Jesus , to intervene and give us a helping hand.  Only when we get very desperate do we allow a momentary lift.  Why are we so reluctant to refuse the loving hand of Jesus to help us?  We marvel at the miraculous cures recorded in the Gospels, but refuse that same help in our daily life.  Yes, when we are sick or are asked to pray for someone else who is in need, we turn to Jesus, but with our daily dealings with others, with our little projects, we rely solely, on ourselves...at least I do.  Am I ashamed to admit that I need help, that I can't do it myself?  It's not to late to let that stubborn child grow and are realize that Jesus came to save us from our sins, our weaknesses, and we are thwarting his mission as well as causing ourselves needless stress when we rely solely on ourselves.
Bro. Rene

Appreciation

Students and faculty at Central Catholic have designated today as "Appreciation Day", an opportunity for us to recognize the gifts we are and the gifts we are to each other.  So often we take each other for granted, as we do with the sun, moon and stars, hot and cold running water, electricity, supermarkets loaded with food, our brains, our digestive systems, the air we breathe; the list could fill pages. If we don't stop and make a conscious effort to show our appreciation by a simple "thank you" or proclamation of awe...."It's awesome"...a common phrase over used by the young to show their wonder, amazement and, unfortunately, limited vocabulary, but when looked at carefully, does express a humble sense of the magnitude and magnificence of God's creation.  What an "awesome" effect we can have on one another if we call attention to the beauty and gifts we see in each other and each carry in our own unique way, and if we make it a point to verbalize a "thank you", even at the slightest gesture of kindness.  Let's make this a real day of appreciation and, the beginning of a new way of approaching the wonders God has put in our lives.
Bro. Rene

Grandmothers Do Count

Today is the memorial of a great saint in the Eastern Church, but little known in the West:  St. Marcrina the Elder, the grandmother of St. Basil the Great, St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Macriana the Younger.  St. Basil is a Doctor of the Church and along with his brother Gregory, highly regarded as one of the Eastern Church Fathers.  She instilled a great piety and love of the faith in these grandchildren and by her prayers and example, influenced them to do great things for the Church.
We know in today's society, with so many dysfunctional or broken families, the role of the grandmother as the woman of faith and anchor of the family has become more essential in the passing on of the faith.  They walk a narrow path in wanting to do this while not stepping on toes.   Perhaps through the intercession of St. Marcrina some light might be shed on exactly how to do this.  May we all pray to her for guidance in passing on this pearl of great price.
Bro. Rene

Recharging

At the end of our long and tiring days, we might take a few moments to reflect on Mark 1:29-39. the description of one of Jesus's long and tiring days and what he did to recharge his spirit.  He began the day by attending the synagogue and then going to the house of Simon Peter and Andrew for something to eat.  They found that Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever.  Jesus cured her and she then got up and took care of them.  That evening, after sunset, the whole town gathered at the door with the sick and possessed looking for cures.  Jesus complied and cured them all.  It must have drained him, but after a short sleep, he arose  the next morning while it was still dark and went to a deserted place to pray.  It was there that he found new energy so that when Simon and the others found him, he went with them to the neighboring villages to preach and drive out evil spirits. "For this purpose I have come. (Mk 1:28). 
It's a simple lesson for us:  as humans we will get tired and overwhelmed by "the multitudes"---of people, meetings, e-mails, things-to-do, decisions to make, etc.   We need to step aside, go to a "deserted place, lay it all before our Father and let him supply the energy, both physical and spiritual, to continue our work, our mission, our lives.  Without these occasional "breaks" we will wear out, empty our tanks and have nothing to give ourselves or anyone else inspiration and motivation.
Bro. Rene

St. Marguerite Bourgeoys

Not unlike St. Marcellin in his devotion to Mary and passion for the education of youth, St. Marguerite Bourgeoys, the first Canadian to be canonized, answered the call she felt deep inside not only to consecrate her life to God, but to spend it, overcoming many obstacles, to educate the youth of Montreal. Her vocation began in France when during a procession she looked at a statue of Mary who seemed to recognize her. She became part of a "Confraternity of Mary" and decided to become a missionary in Canada where she landed in 1652. There she founded the Congregation of Notre Dame, a non-cloistered group (unique at the time) so that her sisters could move about freely to found and work in schools.  This style of religious life was opposed, and in addition to dealing with poverty and harsh living conditions, she had to fight to defend this "radical" form of religious life.   She won, as she won the hearts of everyone by her joyful spirit, holiness and boundless generosity.  When a young sister was ill, the elderly Marguerite offered her life in exchange for the recovery of the young sister; her prayer was answered, the sister recovered  and Marguerite died a few days later.  She was canonized in 1982 and the CND's still conducts schools in Canada and in the United States.
When our Marist Brothers first came to New York City, they taught the boys of the parish of St. Jean Baptiste (St. Anne's Academy) while the Sisters taught in the girls school.   For 19 years, the Marist Brothers and CND's lived and worked side by side in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. May St. Marguerite and St. Marcellin continue their work through all of us, both lay and consecrated men and women! 
Bro. Rene

Extraordinary Calls

As we enter Ordinary Time, a short period this year between now and Ash Wednesday on February 10th), we are reminded by today's Gospel that extraordinary calls can always happen, even in Ordinary Time.  The God of Surprises can hit us and Jesus hit the Simon and his brother Andrew with the call, "Come after me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Mk 1: 17).  James and John were given the same call and, like Simon and Andrew, left family and their lives as fishermen to follow Jesus.  At that point, they had no idea what this call would entail, but something magnetic in the person of Jesus enabled them to take this huge step into the unknown.  What had begun as an ordinary day, took an extraordinary turn.
Jesus calls us too:  "This is the time of fulfillment.  The Kingdom of God is at hand.  Repent, and believe in the Gospel." (Mk 1: 14).  These are not empty words, but a major challenge to leave the familiar, the secure, and move into the realm of risk, change, and dedication to the mission of redemption.  If it were not for Jesus, we could turn away from it, but like these four men, may we find the courage and the power of love to follow the call.
Bro. Rene

Our Brotherhood in Christ

The Baptism of the Lord today brings our Advent/Christmas Cycle to an end.  In this past week, we have already seen Jesus at work in his ministry, cleansing lepers, healing the blind, but today we look at the root of his mission: his role as the "beloved Son" in whom the Father is "well pleased." (cf. Lk 3:22).  Jesus will go to the desert for 40 days to clarify this role, through prayer and the three temptations he will experience. He will emerge focused on the reason he came into this world: to give his life for the forgiveness of our sins and to give us the opportunity to enter into the God Family as his brothers and sisters.  Jesus did not have to be baptized by John, but chose to do so for our sakes, that we would submit ourselves to the Father, to be his adopted children, and sharers in the mission of Jesus.
As we so often receive communion with our minds elsewhere, planning the day, mulling in self-pity over all that we have to do, so too do, etc., so too we ignore the profound privilege of our own baptism and the special relationship it gives us with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as well as with each other. We share a common Father now, we share a real relationship with one another. May take time to reflect on our baptism today and often,  and may our words, actions, our lives, reflect it as we move forward into Ordinary Time.
Bro. Rene

He Must Increase

Advent began with the call from its major figure, John the Baptist for repentance, a change of life, and as we approach the end of the Advent/Christmas cycle, he appears again with his final word to us:  "I must decrease, he must increase." (Jn 3:30).  This is what makes John's joy complete, and ours too.  We might think of a vacation in Hawaii or skiing in Switzerland, winning the Powerball, or a secure job with Goldman-Sachs as the source of complete joy, but these or their equivalents fail to satisfy.  Accomplishing our mission, fading into the background after guiding others to the full Christian life, is the true fulfillment of our assigned life's task and the source of the joy that John humbly presents to us.  If our Advent/ Christmas observances are to bear fruit, this is where we should be now...decreasing in life's spotlight, and fostering the increase of attention on Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Bold Faith

We sometimes wonder why nothing happens. "Same ol' same ol'. "  Could it be that we are too passive and not bold enough to take the initiative to MAKE something happen?  In today's Gospel, a leper breaks the rules and customs of his time, does not use his bell to ward off other people, and approaches Jesus asking directly for a healing.  Jesus responds immediately, reaching out to him, touching and healing him. (Lk 5: 12-16),  If he had not approached in this bold act of faith, he would have continued in his leprosy and eventually died from it, but with the cure, his life was totally changed.
St. Marcellin founded the Marist Brothers with this same kind of bold faith, beginning with two young men who needed much education and formation.  He faced crisis after crisis, but continued with bold confidence in Mary and in our Heavenly Father.
Br. Florentius, founded Central Catholic in this same manner:  with 50 students, three brothers and no money.  Thousands have been educated at this school which thrives 80 years after its beginnings.
In our own lives, do we approach Jesus with such bold faith?  If not, it's time we did.
Bro. Rene

The Command To Love All

St. John doesn't leave room for excuses or rationalizations when it comes to our obligation to love everyone:  "This is the commandment I have from him: Whoever loves God must also love his brother/sister." (1 Jn 4: 21).  It's easy to love those with whom we agree or share similar likes and gifts, but the people who are "hard" to like, either by their actions or their attitudes are the ones that most need our love.  It is amazing what we can discover if we can break through their outer shell.  If we persist in showing them loving kindness, we will find similarities and common ground we never knew existed. 
Jesus uses the words of Isaiah to describe his mission “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” ( Lk 4:18-19) These things are the work of love and they describe our mission clearly.  It is love that unbinds and frees people of he burdens that hinder them from apparently being loveable.  Taking the time to get to know them and uncover the fetters that bind them enables us to give them exactly what has been lacking.  May we wisely and prudently put our mission into practice TODAY!
Bro. Rene

Overcoming Fear

Pope St. John Paul II began his papacy with what became his motto:  "Fear Not."   St. Marcellin often told the brothers to "Fear Nothing."  These admonitions do not come out of thin air; the are constant throughout the Scriptures.  Gabriel tells Mary not to fear; the angels tell the shepherds not to fear, and in today's Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples not to fear when he approaches them walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee.
Today, we remember St. Andre Bessette, "Brother Andre", a man of small stature, orphaned at 12, sickly,  unskilled in the eyes of the world, and plagued by his own timidity.  If anyone had reason to be afraid because of his self-perceived inadequacies, it was he.  Yet, his faith in God and his devotion to St. Joseph enabled him not only to overcome his fears, but also to be instrumental in thousands of healings and the building of the popular St. Joseph's Oratory atop Mount Royal in Montreal.  Forgetting self, and overcoming the real or imagined criticism of others, he was able to accept himself as he was, and put his trust in the God who had created him.  In order to follow his example, we might just ask ourselves, "If God has brought me safely thus far, will he abandon me now? St. Andre, help me to accept myself as I am and to trust in God's love and plan for me. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Let Us Love One Another

In his first letter, St. John sums up the core of Christian Doctrine in a nutshell:  "Let us love one another, because love is of God:" (1 Jn 4:7).  This is who we are as Christians, this is what we do. Love makes God known, for God is love; love enables us to do what we think is impossible; love heals, love forgives, love empowers, love saves.  
Today we celebrate St. John Neumann, a native of Bohemia, who immigrated to America, became a Redemptorist priest and Bishop of Philadelphia.  He loved his vocation and gave it all his energy, establishing schools and learning Gaelic to better serve the Irish immigrants in his diocese; he "was close to the sick; at home with the poor, a friend of sinners." (Pope Paul VI).  He was a true missionary, emptying himself totally so that others might receive and grow in the faith. He lived the words of St. John and serves as a model for us to do the same wherever we are on our journey of faith. St. John Neumann, pray for us!
Bro. Rene

Turning Points

Although we are still in the Christmas Season, the hoopla of Christmas and New Years is behind us and as we return to our regular routines, it might already seem like Ordinary Time  Yes, we might keep our Christmas decorations and Creche up for another week, but for the most part, Christmas is over for many as discarded Christmas trees in yards attest.   We might have a few resolutions on our agenda, but the question remains, what will this return to the ordinary mean for us?
We read of the reaction Jesus had when he heard that John the Baptist had been arrested:  he "turned to" (in Navy terms) and exploded his ministry, preaching about the nearness of the Kingdom of Heaven, and curing "every disease and illness among the people." (Cf. Mt 4: 12-17, 23-25).  John's arrest became a turning point for Jesus.  John was forced to decrease, and Jesus took it as a signal to increase.
Today we celebrate the Memorial of Elizabeth Ann Seton, who also made a major turn around when her husband died.  She became a Catholic, and eventually founded the Sisters of Charity and the American Catholic school system. His death was not the end, but the beginning of something she had never dreamed of.
What surprises await us as we let go of the gala Christmas festivities and pick up again where we left off in November?
Bro. Rene

Following The Star

How fast the days have flown by since Christmas; new Epiphany, often referred to as "Little Christmas" for in some countries in imitation of the gifts of the Magi, this is the day of gift-giving.
We barely have time to pause and reflect on this significant solemnity, so catapulted from one event to another are we.  Not so for the Magi, who came from the East and for months, with great sacrifice, left the comfort of their homes to follow the star which was leading them to the newborn king.  Their sole purpose was to "pay him homage", to worship him.  (cf. Mt 2: 2).  As the prophet Isaiah had foretold, "The people walking in darkness have seen a great light. On those living in the land of the shadow of death, a light has dawned." (Is 9:2).
We cannot deny, that despite our advances in technology, our wars to end all wars, our efforts to free ourselves from the bonds of slavery to opinion or injustice, we still live in darkness, we still search for the light. Each year as we retell this story, our hopes are stirred and the light glimmers for awhile. To keep it from dimming again, we need to look at the promising graces that abound despite the darkness.
Yesterday I attended a Court of Honor sponsored by the Boys Scouts of American, at which a young man received his Eagle Scout pin.  He was surrounded by adult scout leaders and young scouts, all of whom renewed their pledges to live lives that are "physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight"  These men and women are the stars that today provide the light of hope.  They will lead others to live exemplary lives and help the light of Christ brighten the darkness of our times.  In what ways can we all be bearers of the light?  Can we follow the path of self-discipline and sacrifice to "do homage to Jesus" by leading lives of faith, integrity and honor?
Bro. Rene