Leaving All

Note:  I apologize for the absence of yesterday's slice of bread, Perseverance.  I waited to long to start writing and missed the 9 : 47 deadline by even less than a minute...posted it as soon as the clock hit 9:48, but it was too late.  Hence, I'm getting an earlier start today in case I run into technical problems which also delayed me yesterday.  

Today we remember St. Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter and the first to respond to John the Baptist's recognition of the Lamb of God.  According to John's Gospel, Andrew, and another disciple of John, followed Jesus and spent such an impactful afternoon with him, that even years later, the precise time of four o'clock was remembered and recorded in Jn 1: 39. Andrew then found Peter and brought him to Jesus, and the next day brought Philip to him. Andrew is regarded in the Greek Church as the "Protoclete, the  First Called.
Legends abound about Andrew after the Resurrection, having him preach in Greece, and hanging from an X shaped cross from which he preached for two days before dying. It seems that such a cross only came into existence in the 14th century, but it has remained part of the iconography and St. Andrew lore that we all love, so much so that St. Andrew's cross adorns the flag of Great Britain.
And although St. Andrew never reached Scotland, his relics did, carried by St. Regulus and he is highly regarded in Scotland as one of its patrons.
Without looking ahead for immortalization in fact or legend, Andrew stands as a model of one who recognized Jesus and left All, his business, his father, to follow him. How keen is our eye-sight, our insight, and how daring are we that we might recognize Jesus as he comes to us daily and follow him with such abandon? St. Andrew, pray for us poor blind and weak Christians who have so much to learn from you and who need your faith and courage to live the life of a disciple of Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Perseverance

"By your perseverance, you will secure your lives." (Lk 21:19).  We don't have to wait to be persecuted to put this word of Jesus to use.  Just going about our daily duties, with time running out, with important papers hiding away under piles of other papers; with disagreements and differing points of view, it's hard to keep calm and rational.  We might fly off the handle for a minute and then realize that bending to our frustrations is no solution.  It is steadfast perseverance, based on faith and trust that will calm us down and keep us focused on what really matters.
Bro. Rene

When Will The End Come?

For centuries, the advent of earthquakes, famines, wars. and natural disasters of all sorts, have caused panic, for these were the very "signs"  Jesus used to answer the age-old question, When will the end come?"
People have sold everything, homes and property, to be completely free for the Second Coming, and never has it arrived on the predicted date, or any date, for that matter.  Truly, no one knows the day nor he hour.  The message is that being ready for it at any time, is the way to live.
With Advent on the horizon for next Sunday, this is the time to start preparing our hearts for the Coming of Jesus, not only at Christmas, or the end of time, but right now, as he comes to us in the people and events of every day.  Most of the time we miss him, so busy and unfocused are we, but St. Marcellin's advice to live in the Presence of God, will help us to refocus and be alert to his nearness.
Let's be attentive; be awake, be ready.
Bro. Rene

The Widow's Mite

Reading about the widow whose gift of two coins, all she had to live on (cf. Lk 21:1-4) makes us stop and wonder if we could do the same.  Some people give begrudgingly as the collection basket comes around, or a request comes through the mail or on the telephone; some give out of guilt, or frustration, "just to get them off my back."  We don't know exactly the widow's motivation, but her generosity certainly caught the eye of Jesus and merited his commendation, not that she was looking for it. She evidently trusted that somehow her gift would "come back" and that she'd be able to buy food or whatever she needed. We might have noticed that God will not be outdone in generosity, and often our gift to others is counter balanced by an unexpected gift to us.  Perhaps more important in our self-examination is to see whether or not we are giving out of love and compassion, as Jesus gave so freely of what he had and of who he was.  If not a financial gift, it might be the gift of time, advice, encouragement, companionship; large or small it can make a difference. 
Bro. Rene

A Different Kind of King

Today's celebration of The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, presents us not with the usual authoritarian monarch, but with a shepherd who is engaged in compassionat service to the poor, the naked, the hungry, prisoners, etc, as we read in Matthew 25: 31-46.  He calls his followers to the same kind of compassion and reminds us all that when we treat or mistreat others, we treat oor mistreat him. He is not your ordinary king, nor is this an ordinary kingdom.  It is built on love and service to one another, not on fear and neglect of the rights and dignity of others.  As such, it is not a popular approach to "governance" and often finds itself at odds with the prevailing attitudes toward power, even to the point of persecution.
The Knights of Columbus are focusing this week on praying for these persecuted Christians and invite us to join them.
Bro. Rene

Prayer for Persecuted Christians

O God of all the nations,
the One God who is and was and always will be,
in your providence you willed that your Church
be united to the suffering of your Son.
Look with mercy on your servants
who are persecuted for their faith in you.
Grant them perseverance and courage
to be worthy imitators of Christ.
Bring your wisdom upon leaders of nations
to work for peace among all peoples.
May your Spirit open conversion
for those who contradict your will,
that we may live in harmony.
Give us the grace to be united in truth and freedom,
and to always seek your will in our lives.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Lady, Queen of Peace, pray for us!

 

Reflecting On Our Resurrection

We continue to pray for the "souls of the faithful departed"  even after the joy of being with family over Thanksgiving, for the WHOLE month of November is dedicated to them.  We most likely remembered deceased family members, especially those who died in the past year, as we prayed before our meal, and today's Gospel about life after death brings to mind our own future. Jesus was clear about resurrection and certainly his own was the definitive model for what awaits us.  As we get older, "the end" becomes more of a reality, as we see more and more of our family, friends, and colleagues leave us, for what we say at wakes or in eulogies, "a better place."  Today we might reflect on our own limited time and the glory of the resurrection, the new and fuller life, that awaits us.  Such a reflection will help us to put "things' in perspective and to realize that the invitation of Jesus, "Come to me all who labor and are heavy burdened, and I will give you rest," (Mt 11:28) is meant for NOW, not just at the end of our life.
Bro. Rene

Cleansing the Temple

For our post-Thanksgiving and Pre-Advent reflection, the Church provides Luke's brief version of the Cleansing of the Temple (Lk 19:45-48) and the Memorial of the 117 Vietnamese Martyrs canonized in 1988 by St. John Paul II, two rather sobering contrasts to the joy and gratitude of yesterday, but nevertheless nourishing to our spiritual life.
What was once a necessary convenience to Jews who came to worship at the Temple, where Roman coins were not allowed because of the "graven image" of Caesar on them, had become a wholesale disgrace to the sanctity of the temple, and raised the ire of Jesus which motivated his forceful action and their quick expulsion. We might reflect on how "things" attitudes, and behaviors, once innocently part of our daily routine, have become detriments to our relationship with God and others, and need purging.  Advent is the perfect time for the cleansing of our "temples" in preparation for the birth of Jesus.
Reflecting on he suffering of the Vietnamese martyrs might help curb our whining, when we find the "purge" too painful.  As Father Paul Le-Bao Tinh testified, "In the midst of these torments, which usually terrify others, I am, by the grace of God, full of joy and gladness, because I am not alone--Christ is with me."  May we find that same Presence, joy and gladness as we "cleanse our temples."
Bro. Rene

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is a marvelous holiday. Families reunite to share the love that continues to grow even when distance separates members for most of the year.   There's no joy like seeing eyes light up and smiles stretch from ear to ear, a scene that tops the tastiest turkey.
Today's Gospel recounts the joy one man experienced, and took time to acknowledge and thank the author of that joy, Jesus Christ.  The tenth leper, cured of his disease, returned praising God aloud and thanking Jesus.  For his gratitude and his act of FAITH he was promised salvation .(Lk 17: 19).  This is the day when we can do the same:  Shout out praise and thanks to God, the Giver of all Good Gifts!
Happy Thanksgiving, Good and Faithful Followers of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread.
Bro. Rene

Opportunities to Love

(Note:  Yesterday's slice will appear as a second post (or vice-versa); I posted it too late to appear yesterday);

How many times a day or a week does someone ask for a favor, or do we come across a situation that requires our assistance?  Like the servants who received gold coins to trade from their master, we have been given the gold coin of a loving heart.  Do we invest it, as did the first servant, or do we wrap it up in a napkin as did the third servant? (cf. Lk 19: 11-28).  This parable parallels the parable in Matthew, which we read last Sunday, and, despite some minor differences in detail, gives the same message:  Do not be afraid to invest, to give, to love.  Investing in the opportunities to love can only multiply and expand our "treasury"  The more we give of our hearts to others, the more will they come to us, seeing our generous hearts and knowing that we will find a way to give to them too.  Jesus did not hold back, neither should we.
Bro. Rene

The Presentation of Mary

Paralleling the Presentation of the Lord on February 2nd, the Presentation of Mary, though based on the story in the ProtoEvangelium of St. James, is one of the 12 Major Feasts in the Eastern Church, was introduced into the Roman Church in the Middle Ages, and as Marists has particular interest for us. We imitate Mary's total dedication to God, symbolized by this presentation, which enabled her (and us) to accept with her resounding FIAT, (Be It Done Unto Me) to the invitation to be the Mother of Jesus. As such, she was eventually proclaimed Mother of the Church by Blessed Paul VI, three days after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council. As Marists, we look upon Mary as our First Superior and Ordinary Resource; she is our Mother too, in a special way. She nourishes us by drawing us always closer to her Son, and guides us in our mission to make her Son known and loved.
As St. Marcellin  put it, "She has done everything for us."  We accompany her today as she is presented in the Temple, remembering that we are Temples of the Holy Spirit, whose doors are open to the students we teach and those with whom we work, and invite them to enter and share the blessings of being part of the House of God.  As we list those things for which we are grateful and will celebrate on Thanksgiving, may we include Mary our Good Mother and Mother of the Church as one of them.
Bro. Rene

Healing Blindness

Jesus performed many miracles, only some of which are recorded in the New Testament.  The healing of a blind man appears in today's Gospel and reminds us of our need for the healing of our own blindness:  our pride, our sense of self-sufficiency, our self-centered willfulness,  our insensitivity, and on and on. 
Recently, on November 18th at Ford Stadium in Detroit,  the humble Capuchin, Father Solanus Casey, was beatified before a crowd of 66,000 people for leading the simple life or a doorkeeper and Pray-er for the thousands who came to him for spiritual and physical help. He led a life of faith, hope and charity.  He struggled through the seminary and was ordained as a "simplex priest", that is allowed only to say Mass, not preach or hear confessions, yet through him, the light of Christ was visible, because in his humility, he did not stand in the way but saw clearly his limitations as well as the power of God to work in and through him.
Such a path to clear vision is open for us if we focus our attention on Jesus through frequent repetition of the Jesus Prayer:  Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Miraculous healings and changes have taken place through this simple prayer.  The life of Blessed Solanus shows us that the way to sainthood unfolds for the humble and simple. 
Bro. Rene

Risk Taking

The  Parable of the Talents (Mt 25: 14-30) challenges us to use our gifts and talents in a way that they multiply and bring greater profit to their owner.  In the parable, each person acknowledged that these talents really belong to the Master, yet each, except the third, took risks in somehow doubling them. The third was afraid to take a risk, simply burying his and awaiting the Master's return. This does not win him praise, but rather a place in the "darkness outside...wailing and grinding of teeth." (Lk 25:30), not a happy place!  Where would we be, where would Christianity be, if this very cautious approach were taken to it?  It would have dried up centuries ago.  No, the point is, it's got to grow, we've go to make it grow.  Pope Francis reminds us:"He (God) knows us personally and entrusts us with what is right for us;....Let us not disappoint him! Let us not be misled by fear, but let us reciprocate trust with trust!"  Let's be risk-takers!
Bro. Rene

Do We Give Up Too Soon?

In our day of high speed internet and just about everything else, we've become "spoiled", as our whining underscores our impatience when cyber or auto traffic slows down our operations or brings them to a halt.  It's not wonder, then, that this attitude carries over to our prayer life.  When we hear Jesus tell us "to pray always without becoming weary," (Lk 18:1)  we can't digest it.  We immediately think that the answer is NO, or that God simply doesn't hear us.  Not a new phenomenon; people have experienced this for centuries.. St. Augustine offers some consoling advice:  God sometimes DELAYS his response so that our prayer might become more fervent, or that in spending more time with him without results, we come to know him better, and through this knowledge, come to love him more, a result more desirable than the answer to our prayer.  Such time spent with Jesus also teaches us more patience and more acceptance of God's plan, and helps us mature to a greater level of trust and faith in him.  In the end, whether or not our prayer is answered the way and when we want, we are blessed by the experience.  The message:  Don't give up too soon...or even better.  DON'T GIVE UP AT ALL!.
Bro. Rene

Losing Life To Save It

A Paradox:  ""Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses it, will save it." (Lk 17: 33). At first glance, this doesn't make sense, but squeezed through the filter of experience, it makes a lot of sense.  "Life" is often understood as fun, fame, freedom to do "whatever feels good," but as time goes on, this approach is less and less satisfying, and eventually comes to a dead end. Truth to tell, separating ourselves from our material possessions or positions of control or power brings more peace that we can imagine; losing our SELVES in the service of others, and certainly of God, brings a deep and lasting joy that carries us through the worst of trials.
St. Elizabeth of Hungary learned this in her short life; she lost her husband after six years of a happy marriage, was ostracized from the court when she refused to remarry, but gained great peace and happiness in giving  her wealth to feed the poor as well as to build a hospital that was readily accessible to them. She even worked there herself. In divesting herself of the trappings of the royal court, she found an new "court" and true.  She brought joy and health to others by :"losing her life" and such a degree of holiness that four years after her death, she was declared a saint.  May she help us lose what's holding us back from following in her footsteps.
Bro. Rene

The Kingdom of God

These dark days of November and the ever frightening situation of our world foster questions about the coming of the kingdom of God.  Nothing new...The Pharisees asked Jesus the same questions, but Jesus said it cannot be observed or announced, "For behold the Kingdom of God is among you." (Lk 17 21). It's where we are and where we make it.
We remember St. Margaret of Scotland today, a remarkable woman who built the Kingdom of God in her family and country.  Shipwrecked while escaping England from William the Conqueror, she landed in Scotland, met King Malcom III, fell in love, married him and bore 8 childlren,, one of whom was St. David, later King of Scotland. Her piety, austerity, generosity and patience helped her to make Christianity REAL and set the example for the people of Scotland, her family, and especially her husband, whose rough nature was sanded down to civility and gentleness through her efforts.  One person CAN make a difference!  May we do our part today and the days ahead to bring about the Kingdom WHERE WE ARE by our fidelity to Jesus and our acts of kindness,love and compassion.
Bro. Rene

Giving Thanks

As we approach Thanksgiving Day in the United States, the theme of gratitude begins to emerge in planning for the celebration of the day, the food, the cards, travel plans, etc., and even our liturgical readings have been focusing on gratitude, although independently, of the national holiday.  Today we read of the ONE leper who returned to Jesus to say thank you, while the other nine, elated by the cure, continued on their merry way without a word of gratitude. (Lk 17: 11-19). 
Do we need a major cure or event in our own lives before we offer, thanks, praise and glory to God, the Giver of All Good Gifts?  What about the little things, the ones we take for granted, and in our haste or preoccupation with self or the next item on our "To Do List" ?  We might stop on the hour to say thank you for the little gifts of the past hour:  the good mornings we received from others, our working internet, the air we've been breathing, our breakfast...it doesn't take long to make a long list.  Why should our gratitude be relegated to one day?  A good habit would be to offer thanks frequently during the day...for the good things, and for the "bad" things, as we perceive them, which later often turn out to be good things.  God's gifts come in abundance, in all sizes, shapes and forms...May our eyes be open to see them, and our hearts open to give thanks for them.
Bro. Rene

Faithful But Unprofitable Servants

Jesus speaks to us today about avoiding the "frills and thrills" of service to him and to others.  All is gift, and when we use them to help others or to bring attention to Jesus, we are not doing something special that deserves fanfare and lights. Our talents are not ours, they come from God.  Therefore,  Jesus tells us our attitude should be, "We are unprofitable servants; we have done what we were obliged to do." (Lk 17:10). 
In this light, then, may we use our talents to their full extent and thus draw attention to the Giver of  all good gifts, as well as through our kindness, and compassion be a help to others in their need. The following prayer by Fr. Herbert Yost, CSC might be our prayer today:
Let us not boast, Lord God, about our accomplishments in your service. What good we have done has been due to your help, grace, and inspiration. Let us be aware of your assistance through fidelity, honesty, courage, and faith. If we are at peace both with ourselves and with others, it is due mainly to your help in keeping us from bitterness, hate, or jealousy. Let our kindness to others reflect your kindness to us. Amen.   
Bro. Rene

Tall Order

Today's brief passage from Luke 17:1-6 contains a tall order:  avoid scandalizing the young and forgiving others seven times seven.  No wonder the disciples asked for an increase of faith!   How else could we comply with these difficult demands?  It is faith in God's power and grace that will make I possible for us to carry them out.  We  haven't seen many mulberry trees transplanting themselves to the sea,  have we? So it would seem that our faith is not even the size of a mustard seed! Lord, increase our faith, help our unbelief,  lest we be overwhelmed by our sins and lack of forgiveness.
Bro. Rene

Keeping Our Lamps Full

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, (Mt 25: 11-13) appears in the same chapter as "the Last Judgement" when the sheep are separated from the goats. The Wise Virgins and the sheep are rewarded and the Foolish Virgins and goats receive no commendation nor reward.  It is clear that the goats deserve their punishment, for they did none of the things, such as feeding the hungry, sheltering the homeless, etc., that the sheep did  It would seem that the Foolish Virgins were just irresponsible, and distracted from their mission, but one writer suggests that like many of us, they were so busy helping others that they neglected to keep an eye on their own oil and thus were running on empty when the bridegroom arrived.  This is perhaps a pertinent, if not as grim" a warning to "do-gooders" or victims of a "messiah complex" to be careful and to balance their good deeds with time to replenish their oil supply.  The best example of the Wise Virgin is the Blessed Virgin, who, obviously had a full lamp when Gabriel approached her with the proposal to be the  Mother of God.  How else could she have so readily agreed?
Each week we have one day set aside for an "oil fill," and this is it:  Sunday.  May we be wise enough to fill up and be ready for the Bridegroom when he calls.
Bro, Rene 

Serving One Master

Jesus warms is in Today's Gospel that we cannot serve two masters and sets up too opposite poles:  God and wealth.  The Pharisees, Luke tells us, "loved money." (Lk 16: 15) and evidently had lost sight of the ONE MASTER, choosing wealth and esteem over God.
St. Martin of Tours, whose Memorial is today, faced a similar choice:  he was a soldier, but refused to fight and was imprisoned for his disobedience.  However, upon his release the opportunity to choose service to God arose when he saw a beggar shivering with the cold and gave him half his cloak.  In a dream, he saw that the beggar was Jesus.  Martin sought Bishop Hilary as his spiritual guide and became a hermit, but was eventually pressed into becoming a Bishop by the acclamation of the people and served God faithfully until his death.
On this Veterans Day, we salute the men and women who have chosen to serve God by serving their country.  We pray that the examples of St. Martin and St. Michael the Archangel inspire them to keep their focus on the ONE MASTER while doing their best to comply with the demands of military life.  We pray for all those who have given their lives, the ultimate gift, in the line of duty.
This Verterans Day Prayer might help us serve them:

St. Michael the Archangel, you are the prince of the heavenly host of angels and the guardian of souls. You watch over us and protect us as we strive to live with faithfulness. As patron saint of soldiers, we ask you to look after those who have served our nation in the military. Guard our veterans, who have placed themselves in harm’s way to defend our country, and help them find meaningful work and relationships. Bring us all safely to our final heavenly home. We ask this through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.
 Bro. Rene

Standing Firm

Pope St. Leo, whose Memorial we observe today, is one of the three Popes known as "the Great":  Gregory and Nicholas, being the other two.  He was elected Pope in 440 and died on this day in 461. He is noted for standing firm to support the dogma that Jesus both God and Human, possessing two natures in one person. It was Pope Leo's letter to the bishops of the Council of Chalcedon in 451 that convinced them to accept this succinct formula.  The story goes that upon hearing his letter, they all cried out at once:  "Peter has spoken through Leo!"
Not long after, the dreaded Attila The Hun and his army were approaching Rome, and the people begged Pope Leo to negotiate with him. Attila spared Rome and accepted Leo's compromise of an annual payment for the next three years.  When the Vandals came a few years later, Leo negotiated with them but not quite so successfully; they looted the city but spared the people and the buildings.
Pope Leo's courage, firmness and diplomacy serve as an example in our own time when Attilas and Vandals of all sorts threaten us at our gates. Pope St. Leo the Great, help us stand firm in the face of the temptations and forces of evil that plague us as much now as in your day. Amen.
Bro. Rene

Zeal For God's Temple

Today is the Feast of the Dedication of the Lateran Basilica, otherwise known and the Basilica of St. John Lateran.  It was built by the Emperor Constantine, on property bought from the Lateran family and was dedicated in 324 AD as the Basilica of the Most Holy Savior.  It was the seat of the Bishop of Rome where the Popes resided until the 1300's, and has undergone several renovations and additions over the centuries and been rededicated to Sts. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, but remains "the Pope's Church."This Feast recalls the excitement over the building of the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem and the Temple rebuilt after the Babylonian Captivity in 538, as well as for the dedication of this basilica.
 Having a "house for God" has been a long tradition; people take pride in their churches around the world.  In Rwanda, as the Catholic population swells, existing churches are being enlarged, and new ones built.  I some areas of the United States, magnificent structures built with the pennies and labors of immigrants are now being closed, yet where the Catholic population has shifted, new ones are rising.
The future of the Church, however, is in the youth of today, and although many are from non-practicing Catholic Families, they are hungering for "something more" and are turning back to the Church to satisfy that hunger.  Let us pray that the zeal for God's house, God's Family, the Church continues to grow and spread.
Bro. Rene

A Call To Deeper Discipleship

Today's Gospel passage is another one of the "hard sayings" of Jesus:  to be his disciple, we must hate our families and give up all our possessions. (cf. Lk 14: 25, 33).  What?  Become an OGRE?
Not quite.  Carrying our cross, as Jesus also tells us, is part of this deeper discipleship to which he is calling us. Perhaps not all can follow to the extreme extent he outlined, but the truth of sacrifice as necessary is clear.  Nothing, no one can stand between the disciple and the master. Sometimes "hard things" have to be said to a family member; a choice between some new gadget or "toy" and the pleas for aid to Puerto Rico, or the hungry in our own communities, especially around Thanksgiving and Christmas face us and force some "stretching" and sacrifice.  Jesus is saying that discipleship costs us plenty if we take it seriously.  The reward of closer union with him makes the sacrifice palatable, even joyful
Bro. Rene

One Body

St. Paul reminds us that we are not just individuals floating around on our own, but members of ONE BODY and thus part of one another.  When one of us suffers, we all do, and when one of us is successful, we all share in that success.  We dont't think that way in our very individualistic culture, but in truth we cannot survive without being part of this Body, this community.
So, "Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor."(Rm1210)
Bro. Rene

Marist Martyrs

Prayers  are being offered globally for the 26 members of the Baptist Church outside of San Antonio, Texas who were shot to death while attending a Sunday Worship Service, as well as for the many wounded.  We choke at yet another atrocity, evil taking place in a sacred space. It brings to mind the atrocities in Civil War Spain in the 1930's when a staggering number of priests, religious, and lay people were martyred.  Pope John Paul II beatified 233 from all walks of life who were killed for professing their faith during a time of persecution, not for any political involvements.
. This group of martyrs is only a small portion of the more than 10,000 people killed and include 13 bishops, 4,154 priests and seminarians, 2,365 religious, 283 nuns and about 4,000 lay people killed for helping or hiding nuns or priests. Among the religious, 47 were Marist Brothers. Although the Thirties seem long ago, wholesale slaughter finds its niche in our day as well. These Texans, simply by being present in their Church, never expecting such a final Amen, can now join can now join them in singing Alleluia, Praise and Glory to our God.
Let us pray for the happy repose of their souls, those who mourn them,  for God's mercy on all, including the shooter, and for an end to such senseless acts of violence.
Bro. Rene

"Whoever Feeds On Me"

Today's Gospel again advocate humility and will reach a wider audience because of Sunday Mass attendance.  Jesus speaks of servant leadership, "The greatest among you must be your servant." (Mt 23:11).  Leaders with this quality appeal to us and are the most effective, for the lead by example more than by word.  How do they get that way? They take to heart the example of Jesus, himself the greatest Servant Leader.  "Just as the living Father sent me/ and I have life because of the Father,/ so whoever feeds on me shallhave life because of me."  (Jn 6: 58).  Jesus is speaking of himself as the Bread of Life in St. John's Eucharistic discourse in Chapter 6, but we can alse read it with the idea, of yes, the more I feed in Jesus, follow his teachings, observe his ways, spend time with him, the more I will feed myself on who he is and the more I will grow to be like him.
As we receive the Eucharist today, may we be filled with the Essence of Jesus and become stronger, more confident, more humble and more like him.
Bro. Rene

Learning Humility

In today's Gospel, Jesus concludes his parable with the haunting truth: "Everyone who exalts himself witll be humbled, but the one who humbles himself, will be exalted." (Lk 14:11). When we accept our limitations, when we come to know what they are through failure, but see that "there is life after failure," when we recognize our gifts as well as the gifts others possess and learn to be content with ours and not jealous of theirs, then a true confidence comes to us and we can now genuinely BE OURSELVES and assume a leadership role that will be respected and followed.  We can then take our place with the "exalted"...those who are respected as role models and leaders.
Bro Rene 

God Our Healer

All Souls Day "continues" as we pray for the souls of our loved ones throughout the months of November.  Aside from Thanksgiving, this is a fairly mournful month, including Veterans Day in the USA.  We are approaching Advent and our Scripture Readings will be dealing more and more with "The Last Things", the end of the World, the Second Coming of Jesus, etc...We are starkly reminded of our mortality and the long hours of darkness don't help keep our spirits on a high level.  The cycle of life is important to remember again, lest we delude ourselves with visions of man-made immortality.
However, we DO have some consoling words from the Scriptures which should keep hope alive, and even foster it, as well as bring us comfort:  "I will restore you to health, of your wounds I will heal you." (Jer 30:17).  "I will heal their defection,/ I will love them freely." (Hos 14:5)
This prayer too will help:
O God, our Healer and our Good, you sent your Son to cure the world's sickness by taking upon himself the burden of its guild.  Heal the diseased vision that causes us to mistake evil for good heal the sickened mind that causes us to mistake selfishness for love; heal the unhealthy habits that we have made our own, so that we may stand before you, whole in body, soul and spirit, to sing your praise  forever with all the saints, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.      
Bro. Rene

"Hope Does Not Disappoint"

St. Paul tells us today that "hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us." (Rm 5:5). Jesus assures us that "Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me, because I came down not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me. 
And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it up on the last day." (Jn 6: 37-39). 
This is why we pray ardently today, All Souls Day, for those whose journey to heaven is not yet finished as they await our prayers and the purifying effect of being temporarily separated from complete union with God.  They will not be "lost", but eventually will enjoy heavenly bliss.  Let us pray with hope and confidence that our prayers for the souls of the faithful departed will be heard.
And let us continue these prayers the whole month of November, which is dedicated to them.
Bro. Rene

Blessed Are We

As we celebrate with great joy and festivity the Solemnity of All Saints and hear the Beatitudes read to us, we might pause to reflect on the great GIFT of having the example of so many "recognized" (canonized) people whose holy lives from all spheres of life serve as models for us.  These have lived the Beatitudes and show is that certainly with God, all things are possible.  They struggled as did St. Marcellin, with personal limitations and opposition from others.  St. Therese of Lisieux lived a secluded life as a cloistered Carmelite Nun, suffering greatly with tuberculosis in the  final months of her short life, and even in the darkness of those days, was able to turn herself over completely to God.
It might be helpful today to review the lives of our favorite saints and ask them for the grace to understand and follow the command of God:  "Be holy, for I, the Lord, your God, am holy." (Lv 19:2)
Bro Rene