Saturday, April 30, 2016

Growing In Prayer

If we are taking the teachings of Jesus seriously and doing our best to imitate him and grow more completely in love with him and in love of neighbor, taking the advice of a spiritual director and reading books on spirituality and prayer, we might find ourselves longing for more TIME for prayer. How else are we going to accomplish this goal?  We might desire to have the leisure to ponder as Mary did and allow the word of God to fall like seed on the fertile soil of our hearts and just grow and grow. We are frustrated, however, for as much as we try to find the TIME, it eludes us, a victim of our "duties of state". i.e. the things we have to do because of our roles, our jobs, or because the needs of others call us to give of ourselves beyond what we have planned, to eat into that precious time we have allotted for prayer.  What are we to do?   We are caught.
However, a close look at the lives of Jesus and Mary does not reveal the luxury of pondering daily for endless hours;  they were busy.  With Jesus, it was walking from place to place, hours preaching, teaching and healing;  with Mary, the duties of wife and mother without the microwave or the washing machine that lighten those household tasks today.  For them, it was those very roles, duties and tasks that produced the fruit that comes from prayer:  service to others.  Fr. Ron Rolheiser calls this "the prayer of charity,"  Done with love, the most ordinary things can be the imitation of Jesus and Mary that we hope to accomplish.   May we then go about our days with peace and joy, knowing that we are following in these sacred footsteps that lead us to union with our Father.
Bro. Rene

Friday, April 29, 2016

What A Friend

In today's Gospel passage, Jesus calls us his friends:  "You are my friends if you do what I command you.... I have called you friends because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you...."  (Jn 15: 15b, 16)  This is a fitting passage on the Memorial of St. Catherline of Siena, whose love for Jesus resulted in intimate visions, ecstasies and eventually the stigmata.  We might for a moment pine for such a friendship with Jesus, but for most of us with our daily duties and multiple distractions, perhaps the best we can do is seek a friendship on the level of a best friend, a friendly card or letter from time to time, or, as extoled in the old classic, What A Friend We Have in Jesus,  a relationship to the one who gives us peace, ability to bear pain, strength in trial and temptation, hope in discouragement and sorrow, knowing that he is always at our side and closer in prayer. Humming or singing this hymn often could strengthen our friendship and perhaps lead it to deeper levels.

Brad Paisley - What A Friend We Have In Jesus...

http://www.metrolyrics.com/what-a-friend-we-have-in-jesus-lyrics-brad-paisley.html
Bro. Rene 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

All For Love

As Jesus prepares for his passion, death, resurrection and ascension to his Father, he repeats in different ways his command to love one another.  "As the Father loves me, so I also love you.  Remain in my love."  (Jn 15: 9).  Today, the Church honors two men whose lives, mission and message illustrate that selfless, unconditional and universal love:  St. Peter Chanel and St. Louis de Montfort.  St. Louis remains a popular advocate of devotion to our Blessed Mother as his consecration to Mary spreads widely among Marial devotees.  Less popular is St. Peter Chanel, (except where the Marist Family has served.  His early desire to be a missionary, his patient obedience in awaiting the opportunity to fulfill his dream, and his martyrdom on the Island of Fotuna after four years of evangelizing, including learning their difficult language, give us a model for our Marist spirituality.  As we approach our 200th anniversary in 2017, the Marist Brothers are observing "The Year of Fourviere", for it was in the hilltop church of Our Lady of Fourviere, that overlooks the city of Lyon, that 12 young seminarians pledged before the statue of Our Lady, that they would begin a society of priests, brothers, sisters and laypeople dedicated to her (The Society of Mary). with the purpose of making her Son known and loved, particularly among the poor and neglected. So, we as the Marist Family claim St. Peter Chanel as "our saint" along with St. Marcellin Champagnat. His zeal, determination and patience serve as an inspiration to live out the command to love, no matter how far it takes us...even to the point of martyrdom.
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Abide In Me

Community Service seems to be a healthy trend that's growing daily...schools, private and public, require it and even the judicial system is assigning it rather than incarceration.  There is a spiritual component to service, from teamwork, to growth in community; from reflection on the work to prayer.  Some do not see the connection to the spiritual world, and would prefer just to "serve", just to do the work involved.   But, the true value of service comes from union with the VINE...where the juices of grace provide the fruit which comes from our labors, our service.  "Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me, you can do nothing." (Jn 15: 5)
Let us abide in Jesus and bear that fruit which will last.
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Peace

Seeking peace in our "post-Christian" world seems to be more and more difficult. Without a connection rooted in God, there is little to give balance and stability to our daily lives.  Work has become the new force that eventually consumes us.  There is little or no time to reflect on the events in our lives, or in the world; there is little or no time to absorb and relish the beauty around us:  nature's displays of sunrises, sunset, full moons, flowers, blooming trees; and certainly we take for granted the people who are part of our lives, failing to tell them how much they mean to us, how good they are and how much their goodness and beauty stir up joy and gratitude in us.  No, it's run, run, run, from this to that at an ever increasing speed.
In anticipation of his departure from his Disciples, Jesus offers them peace, a peace that the world cannot give. (cf Jn 14:27).  Why do we so foolishly look elsewhere for that elusive peace that indeed the world cannot give?  Perhaps copying this verse and posting it above our computer screens, or some place where it stands out, to us will help us to slow down, and even stop to focus on Jesus, and his GIFT OF PEACE.  "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.  Not as the world gives do I give it to  you." (Jn 14:27)
Bro. Rene

Monday, April 25, 2016

Thank You, Saint Mark

St. Mark, whom we honor today, gave us the first written account of Jesus, the first Gospel.  It is brief, and powerful getting immediately to the point:  "The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." (Mk 1:1).  No hesitation...Jesus is the Son of God.  Mark ends his gospel  with the injunction: "Go into the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature." (Mk 16:15).  The Eleven took his word seriously and began to carry it out right after Pentecost as we have seen in the daily readings from the Acts of the Apostles.
What about us?  The same "command" applies to us:  a tough task, but with determination and by simple example, we can do it.  Sometimes our actions are the only Gospel some people will read.
Let us be on the alert to be kind and good to all, to bring joy, laughter, and sunshine as we go about our work and dealings with people.
Bro. Rene

Sunday, April 24, 2016

As I Have Loved You

Love is a word that is thrown around so much, we wonder what real love is.   We love the color of a dress or car...really, is that love?  We love to get up early, or stay up late.  Is that love?  A recent Time Magazine article on the rampant and expanding spread of pornography and its effects on love-making are disturbing, but also a good proof of what happens when sex is detached from love. Real love is destroyed. 
Jesus urges us to love one another, but the catch is, to love one another as he has loved us. (cf Jn 13:34).  And how did Jesus love? unselfishly, patiently, inclusively, forgivingly, totally.  There is no boundary to his love.  It is unconditional and total, as well as simple and innocent as seen in the story of little Jaden. Click here - video -
Smile and be as loving as this innocent child.
Bro. Rene

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Greater Than These

Jesus gives us a powerful description and high expectation of the believer.  "Amen I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father." (Jn 14:12).  How can this be?   We've seen many a saint be a miracle worker.  Indeed, the daily readings from the Acts of the Apostles are filled with miracles wrought by Peter and Paul.
In our own day, we are seeing contemporaries like Pope St. John Paul II and soon, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta  canonized.  Miracles were attributed to them, yes, but their lives bore witness to the Father as did the life, words and works of Jesus.  Therein lies the fulfillment of these words of Jesus, "greater than these."  We can, in faith be the same kind of witness and simply by our loving presence "work miracles" in the lives of those around us, calming them, assuring them that they are loveable, and that God is very near, indeed, within them and is the source of their goodness.  Most people are not aware of this, but become new and energetic when they realize it.  It's like Jesus saying to them, "Take up your pallet and walk."  May we not hold back, but believe and do these "greater things."
Bro. Rene

Friday, April 22, 2016

What Way?

The question of Thomas, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" (Jn 14: ;5), is our question so often, when things are bleak: illness, surgeries to repair or replace joints, accidents, loss of jobs, deaths of family members or close friends.  These lead us to say, "This can't be the way God wants for me."  Jesus answered Thomas:  "I am the way, and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."( Jn 14: 6).  Jesus turns the bleak into light, into life.  So often after one of these dark moments, a greater good, one that we never imagined, emerges and we see again that "God's ways", no matter how illogical or "messed up" they seemed at the time, were really the right ways. This doesn't make sense according to human logic, but in the divine plan, in "divine logic", it makes all the sense in the universe.  Ours is to look to Jesus as the Way, and follow in faith and trust, even in the worst cases.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, April 21, 2016

Being Anselmian

St. Anselm de Bec was a Giant among the thinkers of the medieval Church, He lived a long life spanning most of the 11th century, 1033-1109. One of the 35 declared Doctors of the Church, he was abbot of the Benedictine Monastery of Bec and later, Archbishop of Canterbury; his writings shed light on our understanding of God. His motto, "Faith seeking understanding" indicates, as one writer put it, that "he did theology on his knees."  As much as he is revered for his intellectual contributions to theology and philosophy, he is a saint because of his prayerfulness, compassion and love-in-action.
Last evening at St. Anselm College, in Manchester, NH, the legacy of St. Anselm was vividly evident in an awards ceremony honoring 13 students for their living out of the Anselmian ideal of faith-filled service and leadership.  The accomplishments of these students is jaw-dropping and raising the question how they could accomplish so much and still be so academically superior. It was inspiring to see so many young people dedicated to their faith and accomplishing outstanding achievements in service to the disabled, the poor, and the rejected.  There is no need to worry about the future as young adults such as these infiltrate our world.  Like Anselm, they are beacons of light and hope.
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

Our New Self

St. Paul tells us that we have put on the new self, which is being renewed, for knowledge, in the image of our creator. (cf. 2 Cor 3:18).  The liturgical cycle insures that this renewal is on-going, as with physical therapy, it must continue in some form, even when the physical therapist is no longer at our side to make sure we are stretching or doing the exercises that will help us to continue to heal. We are still in the Easter Season, still working on the renewal that Lent and the repetition of our Easter promises began.  Are we being faithful to our Lenten resolves (at least some of them) that are helping to build up this new self of ours?  Are we more patient, loving, respectful, generous and trusting?  Do we find ourselves whining or slipping into spiritual laziness?  Better to take a good look at us these days, and nip our regression in the bud.  Keeping our eyes and heart on Jesus is the best way to keep on track and foster the grown of the "new self."
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Secure In Jesus

The Good Shepherd continues his description of his incredible and infinite love for his sheep (us):
"My sheep hear my voice: in know them and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish.  No one can take them our of my hand."  (Jn 10:27-28).  He holds on to us tightly, jealously. A further elaboration of this binding love comes to us in today's word in God Calling:
Truly the Christian Life--life with Me--is a Love story.  Leave all to Me.
All you have missed you will find in Me, the Soul's Lover, the Soul's Friend, Father--
Mother--Comrade--Brother.  Try Me.
You cannot make too many demands upon Me--nor put too great a strain upon My Love and Forbearance.
Claim--claim--claim--Healing--Power--Joy--Supply--what you will.  God Calling, p. 84.
Jesus can't make it clear enough: we are secure in him.  All we have to do is believe it and live it.
Bro. Rene

Monday, April 18, 2016

The Love of the Good Shepherd

Most of us have no idea what shepherding is.  It is not taking care of one little loveable lamb that we can pick up and cuddle in our arms.  It is not simply letting them graze on lush green grass for the day and then opening the gate to the sheep pen for the night.  From the pictures of Jesus the Good Shepherd, we can create a romantic, idyllic image that is far from the truth.  In reality, the shepherd is awake before the sheep, before the break of dawn, moves herds of thousands of stubborn and "dumb: sheep on horseback and with the aid of an intelligent and capable sheepdog, brings them to new pastures and water.   He may have a few partners to help; it's basically a long and lonely day demanding patience and a loving resignation as he realizes that without his guidance and protection these sheep would soon perish.
So too with Jesus, guiding us, stubborn and dumb as we are, always there to make sure we are fed and our thirst satisfied.  He protects us from harm and leads us to green pastures as so beautifully described in Psalm 22 ( 23). 
The Lord is my Shepherd;
there is nothing I shall want.
Fresh and green are the pastures
where he gives me repose
Near restful waters he leads me
To revive my drooping spirit.
He guides me along the right path;
he is true to his name.
If I should walk in the valley of darkness
no evil would I fear.
You are there with your crook and your staff;
with these you give me comfort.

You have prepared a banquet for me
in the sight of my foes.
My head you have anointed with oil;
my cup is over flowing.

Surely goodness and kindness shall follow me
all the days of my life.
In the Lord's own house shall I dwell
for ever and ever.

Bro. Rene


Sunday, April 17, 2016

Listening To The Good Shepherd

How many times in a conversation do we find ourselves drifting to other thoughts and missing what people are saying to us, right in front of us?  If it includes a date or time, we walk away saying, "Now when are we supposed to meet? We have to call or e-mail for the answer.
How often when we attend Mass do we "drift" during the readings?  In the Byzantine Rite, an admonition is given as part of the Liturgy:  "Be Attentive".  How wise it is to be told:  "Pay attention."  So when we hear today's brief Gospel, let us pay attention.  "Jesus said:  "My sheep hear my voice;" (Jn 10:27).  Indeed, as good sheep, let us open our ears and hearts to LISTEN!
Bro. Rene

Saturday, April 16, 2016

Turning Away From Jesus

As Jesus described himself as the bread of life that must be consumed, this shocking and "hard" concept turned some of his followers from him.  "As a result of this, many of his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer walked with him." (Jn 6: 67).  This sad rejection continues today, as we see former altar servers, or good, practicing Catholics at some point drifting or turning away and adopting a "decent" way of life (really based on Christian values) but have no connection with the Church any longer. They have their freedom of choice, but the same question Jesus asked his Twelve challenges us:  Do we also want to leave?  Like Peter, may we answer:  "Master to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God," (Jn 6: 68-69)
Bro. Rene

Friday, April 15, 2016

Beyond My Control and Understanding

Note:  Apologies are in order for the absence of yesterday's slice of bread.  I waited for close to a half an hour for the installation and configuration of 16 "Updates."  Does anyone know what they do?  The computer doesn't work any faster; nothing seems to change.  So, time ran out and "God Nation:" never got written or sent in time for your Friday Spiritual Nourishment.  Below is the gist of what I had intended to write:

It seems that the Archdiocese of Chicago is planning to close 100 parishes and schools, due to dwindling populations, deterioration of old buildings, and impossible costs of their restoration and maintenance. All hard facts.  On the soft side are the histories of how these, in many cases--such as St. Adalbert's, one of the Gateways to Pilsen, a once large Polish neighborhood-- magnificent churches came to be built:  with the pennies and nickels of immigrants who generously sacrificed to build replicas of the churches they knew in "the old country."  Towers, bells, marble, soul-stirring organs:  nothing was too good for the House of God. Weddings , baptisms, first communions, confirmations, funerals for generations of people tied them closely to their churches.  Vatican II declared that "we are the church", rightly so, and the church building is a tangible extension of the "we". The pain of closing, de-consecrating, and often, demolishing churches is real, undeniable and understandable. However, Jesus did not become man to establish a kingdom of beautiful buildings. He came to show his amazing love for us by making himself our brother, but also by becoming our food. St. Augustine describes it this way:  "No nation is so great at the Christian people, nor any to whom God has come so close as to us.  we feed upon God." (quoted in Magnificat, April, p. 198). If we turn our energy and attention to being a "God Nation", then no debt, no deterioration, no power can take that away from us.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, April 14, 2016

God's Love Is the Foundation

No matter what our age, the state of our health, the stress that too often over burdens us, or the overwhelming suffering and injustice in the world around us, we need to know and be assured that God's love is the foundation upon which all hope stands firm.  The Resurrection of Jesus, so great an event that we can never fully fathom it, is the "proof" that God's love is the rock that remains stable through all of life's ups and downs. We can make the prayer of the Psalmist our own:
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O Lord, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth,
from my mother's womb you have been my help.
My hope has always been in you.  (Ps 71: 5-6)
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

A Word of Wisdom

Note:  Whether or not it's the Verizon Strike, I've been facing a computer that freezes at the drop of a hat, or is, in the classic tradition, "as slow as molasses."  Here goes in the remaining time left.

Paul sends us this word of wisdom, as if he were aware of our headlines, radio talk shows, or campaign speeches, as relevant today as when he sent it to the Ephesians.  All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another has God has forgiven you in Christ. (Eph 4:31-32).
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, April 12, 2016

Like a Shepherd He Feeds His Flock

700 years before the birth of Jesus, the Prophet, Isaiah included a reference to a shepherd who would feed his flock (Canticle of Isaiah 40: 12).  Good Shepherd Sunday will be observed next Sunday; in today's Gospel we hear Jesus describing the food that shepherd offers his flock:  himself!  "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me will never hunger, and whoever believes n me will never thirst". (Jn 6: 35). This bread, received in faith, is the guarantee of eternal life.  How more explicit can Jesus be?  His audience will plead ignorance, ask for further clarification;  some will accept it, others will reject it.
The same offer to partake in this holy bread of life is made to us weekly, even daily.  How many find "other things" to do instead of taking advantage of it?  It's almost incomprehensible, but it is a reality. Perhaps it's time to pray with John 6 and renew our hunger for the bread that fully satisfies.
Bro. Rene

Monday, April 11, 2016

Food That Does Not Perish

When Jesus fed the huge crowd of 5,000 men, he made a lasting impression, one that arose perhaps not from the purest of intentions, but from hunger.  The crowds searched for Jesus, and as he said, "not because you saw signs but because you ate the loaves and were filled." (Jn 6:27 ).  He urged them not to work for food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life: belief in the One he sent...in Jesus. In this day and age, it takes COURAGE to do that, to remain steadfast in the faith.  The story of Grace Wesley told in the current film, "God's Not Dead 2" portrays this realistically and convincingly.  Standing up for the faith means opposition, unpopularity, and possibly, as in the case of the 11th century Polish martyr, St. Sanislaus, death!  How far are we willing to go?
Bro. Rene

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Do You Love Me?

Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him.  Wouldn't once have been enough?  St. John Chrysostom, one of the revered Fathers of the Church, wrote that "Three confessions are made to answer to the three denials; that the tongue might show as much love as it had fear, and life gained draw out the voice as much as death threatened." (quoted in Magnificat, April, p. 130).  It is a powerful question whose answer, if in the positive, can be life-changing.
A former Rwandan student who had been in the seminary for 9 hears and was on retreat to prepare for ordination was struggling with the options of marriage and a family or the priesthood.  An important question but troubling, so close to ordination. Meditating on this passage, he heard the question addressed to him, and when he said yes, he was flooded with peace, and went ahead to receive the sacrament, using the question, "Do you love me?" on his ordination card and as his mantra for life.  He's coming up on his ninth anniversary as a priest, is happy and very effective as a pastor of a large parish in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda.  It was that question that saved his vocation.
If we were asked, what would be our answer?   What implications would it have on our lives? In reality, it's not "if" but "We are" ...We are asked that question every day, many times a day. How do we answer?
Bro. Rene

Saturday, April 9, 2016

Living the Risen Life

As we move further into the Easter Season, we continue our reflections on what the Risen Life is.  We experienced the amazement, even incredulity of the Apostles and disciples as they encountered the Jesus they saw die on the cross alive again...eating in front of them, showing his wounds.  Yet because this was such a unique occurrence, it took time for disbelief to turn into joyous and lasting belief.  In the 40 day period between the resurrection and ascension, and the further 9 days till Pentecost, they began to put things together until that clarifying morning when they received the Holy Spirit and it all came together with power that enabled them to go about not only believing but proclaiming the Good News that Jesus had risen and paved the way for his followers to do the same.
And what constitutes this Risen Life?  Freedom from the binding cords of sin, laziness, depression, distrust and fear. A drinking in, on the other hand, of Beauty, Goodness, Joy, Peace and Love.  A new level of life, true life, with a joy and happiness that buoys us up and gives hope to others.  The Resurrection is the basis of hope, and we are its witnesses.  Let us do our best to carry out our mission.
Bro. Rene

Friday, April 8, 2016

Rejoicing in Suffering

The invitation to rejoice in suffering sounds like a huge contradiction.  Who in his or her right mind would smile instead of grimace at pain?  Takes a little craziness, but when we read that Peter and the Apostles, just fresh from being flogged and ordered not to speak anymore about Jesus, "left the presence of the Sanhedrin, rejoicing that they had been found worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name" (Acts 5:41), we realize that their "craziness" and joy came from their love of Jesus and their identification with him in his suffering.  We are challenged to do he same:  "If they can do it, so can I."  This attitude gave them the freedom to disobey the order and to keep on teaching and proclaiming Jesus.  What guts!  Eventually all, except John, gave their lives for Jesus and inspired hundreds, thousands of others through the ages to do the same.  Can they inspire us today to smile at our stress, our disappointment, our back,shoulder or knee pain,? Jesus, help me with the courage, freedom and "craziness" I need to rejoice in my daily pain, and be an inspiration to others as your Apostles are to me.
Bro. Rene

Thursday, April 7, 2016

Rwandan Genocide Anniversary

From April 7, to mid-July 1994, 22 years ago, the Rwandan Genocide raged in that small country, the size of Maryland, killing close to a million people in those three and a half bloody months.  Easter was April 3rd that year, so from Easter Joy, the country plunged into hell.  Efforts at healing and forgiveness are still being made, and a recent article by Fr. Marcel Uwineza, SJ, in AMERICA magazine (April 4-11, 2016) writes about five "markers and distinctive signs of hope that emerge in the face of human suffering." They are helpful to ponder during our Easter Season reflections and lead us to the same place where Mary Magdalene found herself when she cried out "Rabboni!" (Jn 20:16)
1) Jesus is our hope.
2) We are destined for better things.
3) Our identity is rooted in Love.
4) We are agents of transformation
5) The Resurrection of Christ is the foundation of hope and forgiveness.
The article is entitled ON CHRISTIAN HOPE and appears on pages 24-27 of this issue.  Perhaps it an be reached through Google.  It bears reading.
Bro. Rene

Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Light vs. Darkness

There's no question that the powers of darkness still have a foothold in our world.  Some of the atrocities committed world-wide appear daily in Yahoo News available to all at just the click of a mouse. The darkness seems so thick that we might be led to believe that "This is the end"; "All is lost";"So steeped in sin are we that there's no turning back."  Our faith is undermined by the darkness and we forget, so easily, the Light we just celebrated so dramatically at the Easter Vigil.  There's hope in seeing a completely darkened church penetrated at first by the light of the Paschal Candle as the refrain "Christ our Light" is answered with a loud, "Thanks be to God."  Light spreads from the Candle and eventually the darkness is dissipated and light prevails. The solemn Exultet praises the light that dispels all darkness and urges us to allow the light to penetrate our hearts.  So, with this strong symbol of the Truth still fresh in our minds, how can we be skeptical or pessimistic?
And further, today Jesus reminds us, "...whoever lives the truth comes to the light..." (Jn 3:21). Let us cling to the truth and walk in the light.
Bro. Rene

Tuesday, April 5, 2016

Born Of The Spirit

Todays' Gospel passage recounts a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus, one of the chief priests, that took place at night (for Nicodemus didn't want his colleagues to know about it) before the  events of the Passover a couple of years later when Jesus was crucified, died and rose again to life.  Jesus set the stage, the framework, the explanation for his sacrifice.  "...the Son of Man must be lifted up (crucified), so that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.." (Jn 3:15).  Jesus uses the phrase "born from above" (Jn 3:7b) and refers to the wind as an example:  "The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear he sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes, so it is with everyone who born of the Spirit." (Jn 3: 8).  Anyone who has experienced wind, especially the weeks of wind on the Plains, knows how exhilarating and maddening it can be.  It overpowers, it never stops, it challenges, it ignites prayer, it forces submission.  So it is with the life of the Spirit:  we are no longer "our own", but at the mercy of a force stronger than we are.  If we resist, we suffer, but if we comply, we are given a power beyond our imagination.  Nicodemus struggled to understand what Jesus was talking about, but when Jesus rose and appeared to others, he understood.  It takes an inner death to be born again; it takes a death to the flesh, to concupiscence, to self-centeredness; it takes a commitment, an adherence to Jesus,  to be born of the Spirit.
Bro. Rene

Monday, April 4, 2016

Mary's YES.

The Solemnity of the Annunciation of the Lord, normally celebrated on March 25th has been transferred to today, as the 25th fell on Good Friday this year. Because of the transfer, we might tend to forget it...just another Monday...BUT we can't neglect this solemnity and call ourselves Marist, or Christian, for this is the day when "it all began."  Mary's YES opened the door to the Incarnation, God becoming man, and Mary's "marriage" to the Holy Spirit, for it was by the Holy Spirit that she conceived the Son of God.  Without her consent, there would have been no God-man, Jesus, no Christian faith, no Little Brothers of Mary, no Marist network of schools educating 60,000 students in 80 countries. Her YES is the basis of our Marist spirituality; throughout our lives we repeat our Yes in imitation of Mary, as invitation after invitation, even in the most simple and routine events of the day, come our way, not delivered by Gabriel but by LIFE. Let us ask Mary for the grace we need to respond with her generosity, faith and trust, not holding back in fear, or without full understanding.  Let us pray the Hail, Mary and  the Angelus, often and reverently today, paying closer attention than usual, and making them the cornerstone of our relationship with God.
Bro. Rene

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Divine Mercy

The second Sunday of Easter was selected by Pope St. John Paul II to dwell on the devotion to Divine Mercy popularized by St. Faustina.  This year in particular, the Year of Divine Mercy proclaimed by Pope Francis calls us not only to reflect on Divine Mercy, but to put it into action the  exercise of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. We are encouraged not only to pray for the sick, but to visit them, similarly with prisoners, and literally to feed the hungry and clothe the naked. 
This is also the Sunday when we read how Jesus dispelled the doubts of Thomas and evoked his great act of faith.  Perhaps we are skeptical about our ability or the availability of time to put these works into practice, but watching Thomas and listening to Jesus, say "do not be unbelieving, but believe...Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed." (Jn 20: 27, 29) we have no excuse.  May we pray with St. Faustina "For the sake of your sorrowful passion, have mercy on me and on the whole world."  and find way to put mercy into tangible action.
Bro. Rene

Saturday, April 2, 2016

Affirm Films Scores Again

The production company, Affirm Films that gave us WAR ROOM and RISEN have another quality film in theaters currently:  MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN...Fine acting, cinematography, screenplay...all...with a strong, non-preachy message of FAITH...so appropriate especially in this Easter Season.  A week after the dramatic Easter Vigil and the culmination of a six-week Lenten season, we might tend (already) to question our faith, in light of terrorism and the woe-begone headlines that plague us day after day. This film presents a story where faith is tested to the breaking point but as always, affirms that no matter how bad things get, God's love is ALWAYS with us, giving us every reason to remain steadfast in faith, hope and charity...with a good sense of joy and lots of laughter thrown in.
Bro Rene

Friday, April 1, 2016

Amazing Catch

The recent movie, RISEN, recreates the scene of today's Gospel from John, 21: 1-14,  the miraculous draught of fish which strain but do not break the net, after a whole night of unsuccessful fishing by these professional fishermen.  When they heed the advice of the stranger on the beach, whom they later recognize  as Jesus, they are amazed at how quickly their net filled up. The film depicts their joy an astonishment, not only at the number of fish, but at realizing it was Jesus who was guiding them. Their enthusiasm is genuine and exhilarating as they realize that Jesus is still among them, still working miracles.  They will remain a bit reticent and timid until they receive the Holy Spirit, then boldness and courage to attack the impossible will take over and drive them to the borders of the Roman Empire and to martyrdom.
It is further amazing to us as we realize how Jesus builds, little upon little, and gradually transforms these fishermen into fishers of men.  So too with us, in perhaps less dramatic ways, but nevertheless real, as he transformed the illiterate country boy, Marcellin Champagnat into a priest, founder and saint, can he work transformative marvels in us.  We need but ask, allow, and cooperate with our whole heart and soul, eventually finding our net full of grace and power to enrich and attract others to a deeper friendship with Jesus.
Bro. Rene