All Hallows Eve

Halloween, the popular October observance which promotes costumes, tricks or treats, and now ghoulish yard and house decorations, has become a billion dollar commercial success, but was originally intended in a much simpler form to honor those "hallowed", holy souls who had not yet reached heaven, and were serving a time of purification in what came to be known as purgatory. Tomorrow we will honor the saints in heaven and the day after, All Souls Day, is officially the day to remember the souls in purgatory, in fact, the whole month of November is devoted to praying for them.
In the eighth chapter of his letter to the Romans, St. Paul reminds us that "the sufferings of the present time are as nothing compared with the glory to be revealed for us." (Rm 8:18) He continues using words such as expectation, groaning, waiting, redemption hope and endurance.  Take a moment to look at Romans 8: 16-25.  These verses will cast Halloween in proper perspective and will also help us face today and the day of our own imminent death with HOPE.
Bro. Rene

Curing On TheSabbath

In today's Gospel passage, our compassionate Jesus releases a woman bent over for 18 years, of all times, on the sabbath.  (cf. Lk 13:10-17).  He knew what he was doing and that the leader of the synagogue would be angry.  Jesus is quick to reply: "This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not to have been set free on the sabbath day from this bondage?" (Lk 13: 16).  May we be moved by this story to remember that the works of charity, of healing, override the letter of the Law. The sabbath is "God's day" and certainly the works of love have a place there, of all places.  May the Holy Spirit free us from the constraints that keep us from performing acts of charity "even on the Sabbath!"
Bro. Rene

Passion for God; Compassion for Humanity

When questioned about which commandment is the greatest in the Law, Jesus responded with the commandment to love God with the total heart, strength and being, and to love neighbor as self. (Cf. Mt 22:34-40) It makes sense that loving God should be paramount as loving things or even other people leaves us still longing for "something more." And, it makes even greater sense that the love of others should be next, for the love of God is inseparable from the love of neighbor.  As Jose Pagola asks, who could possibly profess to love God passionately, totally, without having compassion for the suffering children, or someone in need?  May we reflect on our own love of God and how it shows in our care for others. May grace help us move from passion to compassion.
Bro. Rene

Patrons of Lost Causes and the Zealous

The Catholic Church honors two apostles, Simon and Jude, about whom we know very little.  St. Jude, however, is very popular as the patron of hopeless, or impossible situations.  Novenas, statues and prayers to St. Jude abound, and a famous children's hospital is name after him (thanks to the actor, Danny Thomas, who prayed to the saint when he was in desperate need of work.  His prayer was answered and he then donated heavily to the hospital and worked for its growth.)  St. Jude is often confused with the author of the Epistle of St. Jude, which was written by a nephew of Mary and Joseph; the name Thaddeus is added to his first name to distinguish him from the betrayer, Judas Iscariot.
Simon is called the Zealot to distinguish him from Simon-Peter and, according to legend, preached in Mesopotamia where he was martyred.  He might have belonged to the Zealots, a group advocating for the overthrow of Roman Rule in Palestine at the time of Jesus.
In dedicating this Feast in their honor, the Church reminds us of our mission to carry on the spread of the faith with conviction, zeal and confidence.  Nothing is impossible with God
Bro. Rene

Two Sides

This morning St. Paul reminds us that we all carry two forces within, one for good, the other for evil. They seem to fight each other as long as we have breath. "For I do not do the good I want, but I do the evil I do not want." (Rm 7: 19).  It's almost as if we have a split personality: the outer person is the good one publicly viewed and acclaimed, but the hidden shadowy person with base and unseemly thoughts and desires does not, thank God come into the public eye, but certainly makes us wonder who we really are.
Edgar Allen Poe's, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is based on this dichotomy and the classic 1920 silent film starring John Barrymore is a graphic, frightening depiction of the destructive power of that inner evil. if allowed to reign freely.  Dr. Jekyll runs out of the antidote to Mr. Hyde and finds himself a victim of his unbridled evil tendencies.  "Mr. Hyde has killed Dr. Jekyll" a colleague proclaims.  So it will be said of us if we do not encourage our "shadow side", but emphasize the good that we show to the public.  Perhaps our prayer should be, "Lord, help me to BE (through to the core), my public self,  that person which people see."
Bro. Rene

Setting The Earth On Fire

The blazing words of Jesus about setting the earth on fire and sowing division can be disconcerting until we stop and reflect on them. (cf. Lk 12:49-53).  Sometimes, the only way to rebuild, is to start from scratch; an easy way to do this is to burn down the old, bulldoze away the ashes, and build anew.  Sometimes we are lulled by a false peace, and need to be shaken by truth to a real and lasting peace.  Painful and scary, but necessary.  Jesus is also looking for a world ablaze with love, and would give his right arm to see that happen.  He is not one to stand for mediocrity or lukewarmness, so he speaks harshly and graphically so that we get the point.  We might search our souls and look for the dead wood that needs to be burned away; we might look and see if complacency and lukewarmness have seeped in and dulled our desire to help Jesus establish his kingdom.  His words are a wake-up call for us. May we hear them and follow through on them.
Bro. Rene

Much Will Be Required

"Much will be required of the person entrusted with much." (Lk  12: 48).  We might like to think we have been especially gifted, and truly we have been, which naturally leads to gratitude.  But there is another hitch:  we are to use these gifts for the good of others, for the common good, and to give glory to God.  As we move to the end of Ordinary Time and approach Advent, the words of Jesus regarding the "last things" become somber and foreboding.  Accountability, responsibility become major themes.  Preparation for the Second Coming of Jesus demands that our "house" and our "books" be in order.  As Jesus reminds us and as we see so often, the personal coming of Jesus is like a thief in the night.  How many people daily die suddenly?  A sobering thought, but a reality.  Today and in the days ahead we will be reminded of the "shortness" of this life, and the need to render a full account of our gifts.  May we take some time daily to look at them, thank God for them and measure how we are using them.
Bro. Rene

Be Vigilant

Jesus is very clear:  "Gird your loins and light your lamps and be like servants who await their master's return from a wedding, ready to open immediately when he comes and knocks." (Lk 12:30).  Jesus always comes, his love is so great, that nothing can hold it back, except our indifference or stubbornness.  We intentionally or unintentionally through our busyness or distraction keep the door locked or our lamps out, while he knocks or tries to inflame the lamps of our souls. Somehow, his persistence will penetrate as oil seeps in through the cracks.  He will not give up.

St. Marcellin advocated being in the Presence of God as much as possible and initiated the "Prayer of the Hour" so that the Brothers might pause from their studies, teaching or manual labor, to offer a prayer..a Hail Mary, an Our Father, a Glory Be.  At least it was something. but he also encouraged developing a sense of God's presence with us as we go about our daily tasks, as if he were working alongside with us.   Cultivating this habit would surely make us ready for Jesus' coming, no matter when.

Bro. Rene

Against Greed

Note:  I will be at the Oblate Retreat Center in San Antonio, Texas for the next two days...I may or may not be able to "cut" a slice of bread...If not, there will be bread on Thursday.

One of the Capital sins, Greed has never found favor with Jesus or any spiritual teacher since.  Jesus puts it simply:  "one's life does not consist of possessions." (Lk 12:15).  Another translation reads, "possessions do not guarantee life."  Being greedy is not necessarily tied in with money, but THINGS, attachments cars, houses, antiques, can be imprisoning and blinding, preventing us from seeing ourselves, others, the world, with the eyes of God. Jesus urges that we store us "treasures" in what matters to God. May we be able, through grace, to discern just what they are, and may God grant us the courage to act on what we discover.
Bro. Rene

Mercy Changes the World

Besides being the 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time, today the Catholic Church observes World Mission Sunday.  It is also the Optional Memorial of St. John Paul II.  The theme for Mission Sunday is, "Mercy Changes The World." a concept close to the heart of Pope Francis. St. John Paul II, with over 100 trips around the world, and with his personal charisma, was a powerful evangelizer.  It is fitting that his Memorial falls on this day.
 The Church is expanding rapidly in "Mission Countries", Africa, Asia, the South Pacific and Central America; prayers and fiances are requested throughout the world to help support these new missions. The Marist Brothers work untiringly and creatively in these areas and are supported by generous contributions from our summer Mission Appeal talks in various dioceses of the United States.  Requesting prayers for our missionaries is always part of our appeal, so today,  with an emphasis on mercy, might we pray that we ourselves become more merciful. and  that those "in the field" be blessed with the gifts of patience and fortitude to  meet the relentless demands for mercy among the people of these missionary parishes.  May we also pray for more vocations to fill the ever-increasing  pastoral and educational needs in these mission countries. "Mercy Changes the World."
Bro. Rene

Mother of Mercy

":Hail, Mother of Mercy and of Love, O Maria." These words from a popular hymn honoring Mary remind us that Mary shares a mercy role with her Son to whom devotion as the author of mercy has grown with the spread of the Divine Mercy Chaplet devotion and the image of the Jesus of Mercy. The story goes in the Revelations of Saint Bridget, that Jesus urged his mother to ask some favor of him. She, like Queen Esther, asked for mercy for all people; Jesus assured her that whoever asked of mercy through her, would obtain it.  Pope Saint Leo wrote, "Mary is so ready to show mercy that she merits to be called not only merciful, but mercy itself." How much do we need mercy?  Does the world need mercy?  Mother of Mercy grant us the gift of mercy which we so desperately need and and fervently seek.
Bro. Rene

Worry

"What me worry?"  Mad Magazine's Alfred E. Neuman has made this a classic question, but the truth is, we all worry.  Jesus frequently argues that there really is nothing to worry about, citing the lilies of the field, the birds of the air, the hairs on our head and our worth compared to the many sparrow that fly undaunted daily, finding all they need to eat and nest.  Yet we persist in our obsession with worry fear and anxiety
Noted spiritual author, Caryll Houselander, wrote many years ago that trust is accepting that "whatever God allows to happen, is, in his plan of love, what is really best for you and those whom you love." (Magnificat, October, p.296).  She continues:  "The more you say, 'I must not worry,' the more you will: I think it better simply to offer the worrying to God...." (op.cit.)  She dealt with worry by imagining the worst that could happen and then asked, "So what?"  If it worked for her, it might just work for us.
Bro. Rene

Layiing Down One's Life

From 1642-1649, St. John de Brebeuf, St. Isaac Jogues, St. Rene Goupil and their companions were martyred for their faith in what is now upstate New York.  A large, peaceful tract of land near Auriesville, (actually Fultonville) is dedicated to the memory of these North American Martyrs and serves as a reminder that the faith we celebrate in this country came at a price,  The example of these French Jesuits who with great passion and conviction taught, suffered beatings, mutilation and finally, death reminds us that indeed, there is not greater love than to lay down one's life for another. Rather than cling to the great gift of life, they "threw it away" so that others might live.  The faith did grow and spread in that area, and ten years after the death St. Isaac, in a village near where he was martyred, St. Kateri Tekakwitha was born.
When pain, illness, disappointment or even failure enter our lives, we might remember the example of these men, whose memorial is today,  and these words of Bishop Robert Baron:  "Cling to your life and you will lose it; invest it, throw it away in love, and you will get it back thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold."
Bro. Rene

Lambs Among Wolves

As we celebrate the Feast of St. Luke, Evangelist, artist, physician, companion of Paul, we hear Jesus instructing the 72 disciples whom he sent out in pairs to prepare the towns for his own visit.  He warns them that their task will not be easy, "Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves." (Lk 10: 3).
Vatican II made it clear that all are "disciples", evangelizers, carriers of the good news.  It is not simple the mission of the clergy or those in consecrated life, but all the baptized have this same call to bear witness by word and example, to heal (in whatever way we can), to forgive, to show compassion and acceptance, to act with justice.  We may find resistance, mockery, indifference and rejection, but if we remember Jesus' warning that we are lambs among wolves, we will find joy in these negatives as much as we find it in our successes.
Bro. Rene

Keeping the Cup Clean

When the Pharisees criticized Jesus for not observing the prescribed washing before the meal at the home of a Pharisee, Jesus turned the complaint back to them and retorted: "Oh, you Pharisees!  Although you cleanse the outside of the cup and the dish, inside you are filled with plunder and evil." (Lk 11: 39).  He explains that by giving alms, "everything will be clean for you." (Lk 11:41).  We've heard the expression, "Charity covers a multitude of sins." And surely it does, for when it comes to meeting our God, he will not ask how many "little laws" did you keep or break, but how much did you love?  Our human weakness keeps us from scoring less than perfect on the details of the Law, but the spirit of the law is to love as Jesus did.  Yes, keeping the law will help us do that, but if we concentrate on loving our neighbor, reaching out to help the needy, giving from our need as well as from our abundance of our time, talent, and resources,  we'll find true cleanliness of heart, our "cup" will be clean and flowing over.
Bro. Rene

Someone Greater

An angry Jesus speaks to the crowds and to us, warning us that seeking a sign leads nowhere.  How tempted we are to look for a sign of relief from the natural disasters of the past month, even the past week; or a sign of deliverance and peace from the threats inside and outside of the United States.  No sign appears, and as Jesus said, "This generation is an evil generation; it seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it, except the sign of Jonah.  Just as Jonah became a sign to the Ninevites, so will the Son of Man be to this generation." (Lk 11:20-30).  Jesus, the Son of Man is the SIGN...the something, someone greater, to whom we are to look.  For some, this is too simple; they want something more spectacular. Not going to happen. Wasn't the Incarnation enough?  God becoming Man?  Or the Resurrection?  Jesus rising from the dead and returning to the right hand of the Father? May our hearts and minds be open to this "sign" and look nowhere else for another.
Bro.  Rene

The Invitation

The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Mt 22:1-14) continues to "hit home" today as much as it did when Jesus first told it.  The invitation to share a feast with God, whether it be at Sunday Eucharist or Worship, or to closer intimacy with God through prayer, or to more generous giving of our time or finances in the service of others,  is always on the table, but our terrible, terrifying freedom leaves the choice up to us. How many  times do we find it easier to slither away with some excuse (usually a lame one), reject the invitation and deprive ourselves of one great opportunity after another?  We rely on God's infinite patience and mercy  but also risk the possibility of being cast into the darkness, "where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth." (Mt 11:14).  A fearful image, but sometimes fear is needed to move our sluggish engines into positive motion. If we can spend hours, week after week, pasting hard-to-find stickers on Publisher's Clearing House forms, in the mostly futile hope of winning a million dollars a day for the rest of our lives. can't we find the time to RSVP affirmatively to God's invitation where so much more is promised?
Bro. Rene

Listen and Observe

Today's brief Gospel Passage, Lk 11:27-28, contains a simple message:  "Rather, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe it." (Lk 11:28).  As the woman interrupted Jesus to shout her praises of him and the mother who nursed him, so too should we shout out by our actions how we have listened to HIS word and made it part of our lives.  We might not hear anyone praising us or our mothers (yes, maybe we would), but at least people will take notice, and, we hope and pray, do likewise.
Bro. Rene

Searching For Peace

Last night at St. Monica's Church in Methuen, Massachusetts hundreds of people gathered for an Ecumenical Vigil Prayer for Peace sponsored by the Methuen Police Department. It was a simple service with prayers offered by representatives of the Catholic, Congregationalist, Jewish and Muslim traditions, as well as by the Methuen's chief of police.  A strong desire for peace, reconciliation was expressed  and a sense of "family" love prevailed.  It was an "oasis of peace" in a world where violence, division and hate continue to grow.
In Fatima, thousands gathered last night as well for a huge Vigil honoring the hundredth anniversary of the sixth apparition of Mary and the famous "Miracle of the Sun." That celebration continues today and will for several days as Rosary Rallies will be held around the globe.  Mary pleaded for prayer for the conversion of "sinners" (all of us).  If that conversion would go global, the peace that has so far eluded us will fall into place. The search for peace is not great mystery; it begins with the conversion of each one of us. May we pray for that grace for ourselves and for the world.
Bro. Rene

No Prayer Is Lost

How many times are we asked to pray for someone who is seriously ill, looking for work, depressed, struggling, or in some need or other?  Sometimes, it is apparent only a miracle will answer our prayer, and we begin to wonder if our prayer will actually have an effect. It's natural to think this way, we are not saints with the "gift of healing," yet in today's Gospel, Jesus urges us "to ask and you will receive; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. " (Lk 11: 9).  He goes on to remind us that we are not dealing with a robot, but with our compassionate Father.  Further, he gives the example of the wicked who give gifts to their children.  If they do it, how much more will our heavenly Father?  (cf. Lk 11:12) .  The answer may not be what we want, always, but nevertheless we will receive the Holy Spirit, who will enlighten us eventually as to what was really the best answer to our prayer.  In any case, our prayer is not a waste, it is not lost.
Bro. Rene

"Teach Us To Pray"

Luke's Gospel gives us a succinct version of what we now call "The Our Father".  Interestingly enough, it comes to us via the request of the disciples who had been observing Jesus at prayer.  No doubt he was in deep communion with his Father and they, no strangers to prayer, wanted to move  to the level where they perceived Jesus to be.  We all ask  at some time or another, "What's the secret of good prayer?"  A good question and a good place to begin, for it leads to ask as they did, "Lord, teach us to pray." (Lk 11: 1).  The answer:
Father, hallowed be your name,
your Kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread
and forgive us our sins
for we ourselves forgive everyone in debt to us,
and do not subject us to the final test.  (Lk 11:2-4)
Praying this version slowly today and in the days ahead will help us reach that deeper level we seek;
it will bring us to the level of praise, acceptance of God's Way,  the humble realization that God provides our daily nourishment, and the need for forgiveness.
Bro. Rene

"The Better Part"

We join Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary this morning and see Martha busy with many tasks, and Mary simply listening to Jesus.  (Lk 10: 38-42).  At Martha's complaint, Jesus tells her (and us) that being distracted, multi-tasking, as we would say today, is not what life is about, but it is as Mary is doing, being quiet in the presence of Jesus, hearing his word, learning who we ARE and how we relate to him: this is the better part.
When days get so full that we begin to forget where we put things, or don't have time to return calls or e-mails, we might as well be in the kitchen with Martha, slinging pots and pans around, trying frantically to put supper on the table.  Being fragmented, a slave to work and the demands of other people, is not the ideal way to satisfy the longing for peace and union with God that harbors deep within us.  Saying NO more frequently so that we might have a bit more time to sit quietly and hear Jesus speaking within us will help us to become who we are meant to be.  Our worth is measured not by what we DO, but by who we ARE.
Bro. Rene

Jonah and the Good Samaritan

Today' readings provide two opposites: One man runs away from his mission, the other, literally bends over backwards to help a person in need.  God has to show Jonah rather dramatically by a near ship wreck and three days and nights in the belly of a large fish that he'd better get back on track and do what he had been commanded to do.  The Samaritan, on the other hand, needs no prodding.  He simply sees the need and attends to it with compassion, and generosity, interrupting his own journey, spending his own money and taking time, even on his return, to make sure this stranger is on the mend. 
How much of Jonah, and how much of this Good Samaritan do we harbor within us?  If we lean more towards Jonah, then today is a wake up call, before our ship is wrecked to change our course and follow in the footsteps of the unnamed, but now immortalized, Good Samaritan.  Starting with "little things", what can I do to respond with generosity of time and treasure to help the "victim" who might be wounded in the ditch as I pass by?
Bro. Rene

Mistreating God's Gifts

The Parable in today's Gospel is scary.  It reminds us of how out of control we can get.  After providing all that the workers needed for a good harvest, the landowner faces a rebellious group who refuse to give him his harvest, kill his slaves, and finally his son. (Mt 21: 33-43). We think immediately of the Hebrews, the prophets sent to them to remind them of the connection to God, and finally, Jesus himself, killed by them.  On another level, however, it could be us, who can so easily develop an attitude of "entitlement", that all the goods we enjoy are ours:  the fruit of our labor, or talents. We owe nothing to anybody. With this thinking, we forget the basic principle that all is gift...gift from God.  We are stewards who must use these gifts as God wants, and certainly not hoard or refuse to share them with others.  God has not been stingy with us; we cannot be stingy in sharing our bountiful gifts with others.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of the Rosary

When the Turks and Christians were engaged at Lepanto in 1571 St. Peter's Square in Rome was filled with pilgrims praying for a victory.  Their prayers were answered and the Pope instituted the Feast of Our Lady of Victory.  Three years later, he extended the Feast to the universal Church under the title of Our Lady of the Rosary.  In 1917, Mary told the children she was the Lady of the Rosary and repeated over and over again her desire that the Rosary be the prayer to combat the forces of Communism and to bring sinners to repentance.  Devotion to the Rosary has continued to be strong, especially this year, the 100th anniversary of the Fatima Apparitions.
We might make it a point to include the Rosary in our prayers today and in the week ahead, to take part in vigils and community Rosary gatherings commemorating the "Miracle of the Sun" on October 13th..  The simple but powerful repetition of the Hail Mary frees the mind to concentrate on the events in the life of Jesus and thus bring us closer to him as does meditating on passages from the New Testament.  That is Mary's focus, and ours as Marists:  to draw ever closer to him, and become more and more like him.  Our Lady of the Rosary,  pray  for us and obtain this Victory for us!
Bro. Rene

Dithering

Jesus speaks strongly in today's brief Gospel selection (Lk 10: 13-16).  He Castigates the towns of Chorazin and Bethsaida for failing to accept his teaching even after the wonders he performed for them.  It's clear: either you accept Jesus and bask  in his favor, or reject him and suffer separation from him. Dithering back and forth is not acceptable, yet, isn't that where we often find ourselves? We excuse ourselves, hiding behind our busyness, fatigue or feeling of inadequacy, and fail to ACT on what we hear and know what we should be doing. But to encourage us, we have the example of Blessed Marie Rose Durocher, whom we honor today.  If anyone had excuses, she did, but did not use them from avoiding what God wanted.  She was rejected from religious life because of "ill health", yet she founded the congregation of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary.  She addressed the overwhelming educational needs of the children of the Canadian frontier by opening schools;  soon her 30 sisters had 450 students in their care in various little towns and parishes.  Her ill health remained with her, but nevertheless, she moved forward with this "project" until her untimely death at the age of 38.  She certainly was no "Ditherer", but a woman of action.  Let us pray with sincere hearts with Father Herb Yost, CSC:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your patience with us. We are so slow—or maybe even unwilling—to believe that your way is the only way to peace and wholeness, both for ourselves and for our world. We’ve heard the Gospel so many times; we are aware of all our blessings, mostly undeserved; we are aware of how you protect us and care for us. Still we dither. Jesus, please give us the grace of actually wanting to follow you. Amen
Bro. Rene

On A Mission Together

Today's Gospel passage (Lk 10: 1-12) inspired Francis Bernadone to make it the foundation of the way of life for himself and his followers; it can inspire us as well to make it the blueprint for our own lives as "missionaries".  It includes trust, fearlessness,  peace, acceptance of what comes our way, in steadfast belief that it comes from God, companionship, and love.  Jesus sent the 72 out to "scope" the towns where he intended to preach, to prepare the way for him.  Interestingly enough, he sent them two by two, knowing that there are few, if any, who can "go it alone" or "do it alone" This is one of the important lessons we need to incorporate on our current missionary journey.  We are all called to be missionaries, to be the among the anonymous 72;   With someone to share our ups and downs, successes and failures, the "job" becomes a bit easier, and the trust and other needed qualities seem to fall into place better. Francis and his followers used this template.  Many parishes now have women's groups, men's groups, young adult groups based on this principle:  we are on a mission together.  May we hear Jesus speak to us and find a way to share our journey with others or with another.
Bro. Rene

New Superior General

The Marist Brothers and the Marist World are rejoicing in the election of Brother Ernesto Sanchez Barba, a native of Guadalajara, Mexico, and member of the past General Council.  Br Ernesto spent time in West Virginia in the early nineties as part of a Contact Summer program; his focus was to learn English at the time, but his engaging personality captivated the young members of the program when he shared meals, liturgies and his musical talent with them. 
As we celebrate St. Francis of Assisi today, we congratulate Br. Ernesto, who in many ways has captured the love of Jesus that is special to St. Francis, as well as his humility and devotion to poverty.  May we follow in the footsteps of these two great men.
Bro. Rene

Vengeance

With the media still ablaze with stories about the Las Vegas Massacre, it's no wonder we might tend to feel the urge for vengeance...in some form. The shooter is already dead, so anger is then directed against guns, stricter laws, more control.  There is truth here.  But again, what has contributed to the flagrant disregard for the commandment, "Thou Shalt Not Kill" instituted thousands of years ago to combat the flagrant killing in those "primitive times"?  It is toward a discovery and understanding of this symptom of our "sickness" that we should redirect our desire for vengeance.  Violence is on the increase, and it certainly does not arise from hearts that are at peace.  Rather, the lack of peace, the lack of "tranquility of order", as peace is defined, is one of the foundation stones of this  disturbing disregard for the dignity of life and the right to life, we thought we all shared in this country which so proudly displays our Bill of Rights for the world to emulate.  Peace begins in the hearts of each one of us.  Let us pray for it.
Almighty and merciful God, we ask for your grace to support our brothers and sisters who have suffered from the violence in Las Vegas. Welcome to eternal life all who died in the attack, give strength to those who were wounded, and comfort all who mourn. We pray for the day when the senseless violence that has plagued this nation for so long ends for good. Until then, make us instruments of your peace. Amen (Fr. Tim Mouton, CSC_

Bro. Rene

Overworked Guardian Angels

Startling reports of 400 wounded and over 50 dead as the result of a massacre-like shooting in Las Vegas cause us to pause and again ask, What is happening?   We do not know the motivation or the circumstances of the killer, but it is certainly appalling to see that one man actually fired indiscriminately on a crowd of innocent concert-goers.  Their guardian angels, it seems, were helpless in the face of such violence, but the larger question is, what is the root cause of so much killing, so much disregard for all 10 commandments, so much dysfunction in our society?  May our guardian angels guide us in ways of peace and safety, in ways of love and respect for one another and for God's commandments....especially the great commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves.  It's time for us to make a greater effort to live and teach all the commandments.  May God have mercy on the wounded and deceased. but on us the living as well, whose obligation it is to live according to his law.
Bro. Rene 

Higher Regard for Others

St. Paul speaks clearly about who should be first:  "Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important thn yourselves, each looking our not for his own interests, but for those of others." (Phil 2:4).  He then quotes the beautiful hymn describing the total abasement Jesus chose and offers it to us as a model: the emptying of self, obediently accepting death...death on a cross. (cf. Phil 2:6-11)  Quite a contrast to our current "ME FIRST" attitude that permeates our society. Yes, we need to take care of self, but ironically the best way is to put others first and discover that indeed our "self" finds a happiness and glow it could not experience otherwise.

St. Therese of Lisieux, who is usually celebrated on October 1st, spent her short life learning to empty herself for the sake of others.  Her cloistered life prevented her from being the missionary she longed to be, but instead of wallowing in disappointment and frustration, she PRAYED for missionaries, wrote encouraging letters to them and offered up little inconveniences and annoyances for them.  She prayed for the conversion of criminals and received a sign that her prayers were answered when one of them kissed the crucifix before his execution.  Her self-emptying brought her to sainthood; may she help us find that same path.
Bro .Rene