Take The Lowest Place

Humility is one of the virtues that characterizes a Marist. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus, who humbled himself as a "slave", taking on the will of his father rather than his own. We walk "in the way of Mary", again, humbly putting herself at the service of God to bring forth the Son of God and setting the pattern of the service we vow to live. We model our lives after the humble simplicity of St. Marcellin who knew and accepted his limitations, yet put all at God's disposal to bring to the world effective educators whose impact is beyond measure.
Today's Gospel contrasts the guests invited to the banquet who sought the places of honor with the ideal proposed by Jesus: taking the lowest seats. It may be that they will be moved up, but that's for the host to determine. Our Marist spirituality directs us to those lower places, to inviting the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, those who cannot repay us. In this respect, we stand akin to St. Francis of Assisi who dramatically demonstrated that this Gospel ideal is possible to live.
Yesterday, Br. Brian Poulin pronounced his Final Vow before a large gathering of brothers, family and friends, humbly committing his LIFE to this ideal while Br. Patrick McNamara, our Provincial unabashedly referred to St. Francis as the model for Br. Brian (and for all of us) to follow. May we walk humbly with all these models to the lowest places and serve God's poor.
Bro Rene