Soldier Of Christ

Little did the energetic, passionate Spanish soldier know that he military background would organize an "army for Christ", the Society of Jesus, which would, in Marine fashion, be the first on the beach heads and into fields untrodden to bring the Message of Christ to the natives of those shores, or to those who needed reform in the inner circles of the Church.  Ignatius of Loyola, forced to recover for a long period, found his calling through the Lives of the Saints and the powerful workings of grace within his restless soul. His conversion took years, but was solid and soon he attracted men like Francis Xavier ......who took his command to set the world afire literally. Those who adhere to Ignatian spirituality in the consecrated and lay life continue the march initiated by Ignatius, freeing themselves from attachment to material goods, their own will, and filling their hearts with God's love and grace, finding more than enough in them to be soldiers for Christ. Thank you, Lord, for the life and legacy of St. Ignatius.  May we follow his example in turning all over to you, our liberty, understanding and entire will, finding all we need in your love and your grace.
Bro.Rene

Small Beginnings

If you want your dream to grow,
Take your time, go slowly
Small beginnings, greater ends,
Heartfelt dreams grow slowly.
The talented singer, Donovan, composed this verse (quoted from memory and not quite accurate) for the enduring Franco Zeffirelli film, Brother Sun, Sister Moon back in 1971, and they seem to be fitting to recall as we hear the parable of the Mustard Seed today. (Mt 13: 31-32).  The smallest of seeds grows into the largest of plants where the birds can nest in its branches...Corner grocery stores morph into large supermarket chains; a carpenter becomes the head of a large construction company...the stories are endless.  A small word, YES, changes the world.  Mary's Yes, Champagnat's Yes.  My Yes,  my "little act of kindness" can lift another from despair or depression.  Little seeds yield big crops.  May we not hesitate to cultivate them.
Bro. Rene

Feeding the Hungry

Jesus is moved to compassion when he realizes the crowd followed him and needed to eat.  He fed them, thanks to the generosity of the boy with five barely loaves and two fish.(cf Jn  6:1-15)  We are constantly presented with requests for aid to the hungry: FEED THE POOR requests come through the mail; a second collection for disaster victims who need food and housing, a Rwandan university student in his final year who needs $200 a month for meals and housing, but his family can't afford it because of the mother's illness requiring what money they have for her medical fees;  it never ends. Would that Jesus would multiply dollars as he did the loaves and fishes!  But he does...through us...what we give, and we must give, is eventually matched abundantly by the generosity of others.  May we not hesitate to invest in the needs of others so that God can do his part.
Bro. Rene

What To Do With The Weeds

Today's parable is the familiar Wheat and Weeds. ((Mt 13:24-30). We are aware daily of the attempts of the Evil One to sow seeds of discontent, scorn, discouragement and a whole host of undesireable thoughts right along side the most sublime inclinations and thoughts that run constantly through our minds and come out of our mouths.. We wonder at this juxtaposition of "good and evil" constantly assailing us, wearying us, but also forcing us to ask for help.  When Paul asked for help with his "thorn in the flesh", the answer was:  "My grace is sufficient for you, fo my power is made evident in weakness." (2 Cor. 12:9).  Jesus advises that sometimes it is best to allow the weeds to grow, lest in pulling them up, the good plants are destroyed.  So we live with these contradiction and allow them to run their course.  In the end, they will be weeded out (sorry) and the good in us will prevail.
Bro. Rene

Good Soil

Anyone who dabbles in gardening learns sooner or later the need for good soil, in addition to sunlight and water to make plants grow and thrive, so much so, that compost piles and purchases of miracle grow bags of soil become part of everyman's garden.  We go all out to make sure our seedlings "get the best".
In today's parable of the Sower and the Seed, (Mt 13:18-32), Jesus speaks of the seed that fell on rocky ground, among thorns, and finally on good soil. Similarly, his Word falls on hearts that can't sustain it, or allow it to be choked by wordly preoccupations, and finally on hearts that allow it to yield thirty, sixty or a hundred fold.  Who wants to produce a mediocre crop?  Don't we all want to be the good soil and yield the highest?  How do we become that "good soil"?  By listening to others, being sensitive to them, by praying, reflecting in silence, soaking up God's presence, reading good spiritual books, helping our neighbor, participating in the sacraments and by allowing, as did Mary, God to have his way with us.  A generous YES to him, certainly provides rich soil.  May we not settle for rocks and thorns by saying "no".
Bro. Rene

Parents and Grandparents

Note:  A thin slice of bread as I travel to West Virginia on the way to Terre Haute, Indiana to give mission talks over the weekend. I hope to be able to continue to provide uninterrupted slices of daily bread, but it's always a question of internet access and flight departures.

For Marists, July 26th, the Memorial of Sts. Anne and Joachim,  is a special day because for many years it was the day on which young men donned the Marist Habit for the first time or pronounced their religious vows.  The custom was a result of the French Canadian influence as the Marist Brothers came to the United States from Canada, where St. Anne is held in high esteem.  Witness the great devotion to her at the popular shrine of Ste. Anne de Beaupre. May God bless these brothers who celebrate their Marist anniversary today
It is also a day to pray for parents, for to St. Anne and St. Joachim was entrusted the upbringing of Mary, the Mother of God.  As such the pair also serve as the grandparents of Jesus. Let us pause throughout the day to pray for and give thanks for our own parents and grandparents.
Bro. Rene

St. James the Greater

James. the  brother of John and son of Zebedee and Salome, martyred by King Herod, being the first of the Apostles to be martyred, remains popular today because of El Camino de Santiago de Compostola, The Way of St. James of Compostola, a 500 mile trek from Southern France to Compostola, at the tip of the Iberian Peninsula.  It has been a road for pilgrims who seek insight and personal growth through prayer, fasting and the discipline of a month of dusty, rainy, hot and fatiguing walking.
Legend has it that James traveled to Spain after Pentecost and began his preaching there. Discouraged, he was ready to leave when Mary appeared on a pillar and urged him to continue...He eventually returned to Jerusalem but his body was taken back to Spain after his martyrdom, where it rests now in the Church at Compostela.  The pillar is preserved in Zaragoza, Spain.  For those who suffer from arthritis, St. James is the patron saint, knowing much about the effects of long walks. We pray to him for guidance along our daily pilgrimage, asking for a deepening faith and consciousness of the needs of those around us.  St. James, pray for us.
Bro. Rene

Mary's Family

"Whoever does the will of my heavenly Father is my brother, and sister and mother." (Mt 12:50)
Jesus gave this response when told his mother wanted to see  him..It's a reminder that believers and doers are all part of the family.  So true for us Marists who base so much of our spirituality on family spirit.  We look to Mary as our Good Mother, our model in discipleship and in dealing with one another.  We work towards developing a "Marian Church", a church of compassion, and maternal nourishing and care for one another; a family of hospitality to all, and a family centered on Jesus. St. Marcellin advised us to make love our hallmark, so that it could be said of Marists, as of the first Christians. "See how they love one another."  Let's just not read it or say it, but DO IT!
Bro. Rene

Summer Dust Storm

Have you ever had a day when the road is clouded by swirling "dust":  a forgotten password, a pile up of events, some planned, some surprises, the clock ticking on deadlines, and a clear dread that "this will not be a good day"? What to do on such a day?  Stop all.  Let the mental wheels grind to a halt; breathe deeply several times to lower the blood pressure and panic level.  Ask for the gift of peace...Jesus, Prince of Peace,  Mary, Queen of Peace.  Try doing the best we can when this peace settles in and leave the rest to our Loving God who is present even in this miniscule part of his vast universe, who is caring for me and my "problems" and those of each of the lives of the world's 7 billion population.  God is God, and there is no other.  He is our Rock...He will not let us be lost in the dust.
Bro. Rene

Daily Refreshment

We are called, as were the disciples to spread the Good News about Jesus and his saving message.  Today's Gospel gives us some tips on making this ministry viable over a long period of time...The apostles reported all they had done seen to Jesus (cf. Mk 6:30).  We can imagine their excitement and sense of accomplishment.  Point number one:  talk to Jesus daily about what we too have seen and done. Find excitement and motivation in this little review.
Jesus surprises them with the invitation to "Come away to a deserted place and rest awhile."( Mk 6:31).  Yes, don't let the excitement or the sense of duty stand in the way of pulling back into a contemplative mode of quiet, peace and listening.  Slowing down in between "missions", duties, tasks, is necessary to sustain them over time.  "Burn out" results when this is missing.  Here's where true refreshment takes place; and actually, where more is accomplished than when we are run ragged trying to keep up with everything.
If possible, attendance at daily Mass is a major source of refreshment:  the Word of God and the Bread of Life. the soul needs these to keep all in perspective. It is inspiring to see how many retired people attend Mass during the week, now that their busyness has been reduced and they are able to concentrate on what really matters.  Even if not daily, a few time between Sundays would enhance the capacity to :keep on giving and ministering..
Such a plan might be interrupted by circumstances, even Jesus, when he saw the crowds, postponed his "desert time" with the disciples to teach them many things. (Cf, Mk 6:34).  That's why he arose earlier than the rest to be with his Father...Sometimes, early morning is the only time.  Make time, Take time.
Bro. Rene

Fortitude

We don't often hear this word used much anymore.  Stamina on the physical level, seems to be more in vogue.  Fortitude is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit that enables us from within to deal with the challenges that come to us daily  at every turn, it seems.  It's an inner "stick-to-it-iveness" that helps us deal with obstacles and press on until we accomplish a goal or fulfill a plan or obligation.  It's an amazing gift,a healthy form of stubbornness,  which bears fruit in God's time.  It is worthy of cultivation and certainly its share of gratitude...May God bless us with fortitude and determination as we live this day.
Bro  Rene

Above the Law

The  Practical Jesus appears in today's Gospel, making the choice of mercy over law.  It's the Sabbath, the disciples are hungry as they walk through a grain field. The Law forbids "work" such as plucking grains from the waving wheat. Do they keep the Law and go hungry, or break the Law and pluck the grain?  Jesus chooses the latter, for he sees a greater human need than just blind and strict adherence to a Law that is supposed to enhance the quality of human life by directing it to the divine. True, but not on an empty stomach. (cf. Mt 12: 1-8).
Where in our lives do we see the need for the Law of Charity or the Law of Mercy to take precedence over strict observance of the Law?  A priest friend while anointing a hospitalized parishioner with the Sacrament of the Sick, also anointed a Christian woman, who was not a Catholic. When questioned about it, he replied that the healing power and comfort the sacrament brought to the woman was more important than denominational borders.  Lord, let me see with the eyes of Jesus and act with the heart of Jesus.
Bro, Rene

Heavily Burdened

Surrounded as we are by illness, stress, uncertainty about our futures, wild fires, errupting volcanoes, attacking sharks, it seems that none of us is free of some sort of burden.  Thus, the invitation of Jesus in today's brief Gospel passage is more than welcome, it is necessary.  How else could we deal with all of this:  "Come to be all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest." (Mt 11:28).  His rest is more than physical rest, which indeed is helpful, but this is the rest for the soul, the blessed assurance that his grace will give us the strength and courage to continue because he will lift the burden from our shoulders and carry it, if we ask him, if we allow him. We add to our burden by trying to carry it alone.  Not possible.  HE is the savior, our friend, our true love.  He does not want anything to crush us, but simply wants us to recognize and accept his loving care. With that we can carry on chanting and praying with Julian of Norwich:  All shall be well, in all and any matters, all shall be well.
Bro. Rene

A Chilldlike Heart

Jesus praises his father for "hiding these things from the wise and the learned" and revealing them to the childlike." ((Mt 11:25).  What are "these things"? The simple truths that good can come from evil; that suffering produces growth; that God is present even when we feel or think he is not; that the faithful and trusting heart experiences true joy; that material goods do not bring happiness and that when love weeps, sin cannot abound. A child is not bothered by the complicated questions nor does a child reject another because of "differences", but welcomes all and plays happily with them. Simplicity is the gift of the child; it is what enables us to see and love "the hidden things."
Bro. Rene

Sin Has Consequences

Jesus has strong words of condemnation for the cities of Chorazin and Bethsaida, who, despite the miracles worked there, did not repent, did not become followers.(Cf. Mt 11:20-24)  Throughout the history of Israel, prophets preached, admonished and warned.  People did not heed them and the kingdom was eventually reduced to a  province of the Roman Empire. The Captivity, a wake-up call, had some effect, but as always, the Israelites chose the path of least resistance, even after rebuilding the temple.
Rejection of God's law, God's ways, sin, result in similar consequences, which may or may not occur in this life, but surely in the next. Let us pray that we might be faithful to God who has so lavished us with his love.
Bro. Rene

Our Lady of Mount Carmel

Note:  I hope the two slices of bread prepared yesterday, and for some reason were not posted, will appear today, giving us a bonus of three, a small feast!

Mount Carmel rises about the present city of Haifa in Israel.  From it, one can seethe blue Mediterranean stretch to the horizon. It is a place of beauty and peace.  No wonder it was a favorite place of Elijah and hermits who lived there and eventually evolved into the Carmelite Order of monks, nuns and priests.  One of these, St. Simon Stock, received a vision from Mary on this day in 1251 during which she gave him the scapular, a small brown "mini poncho" which overlays the front and back of the Carmelite habit, and the habits of many other Orders. The scapular is an external sign of the filial relationship established between the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Queen of Mount Carmel, and he faithful who entrust themselves totally to her protection,  who have recourse to her maternal intercession, who are mindful of the primacy of the spiritual life and the need for prayer. (Directory on Popular Piety and the Liturgy)
May we resolve, with Mary's help, to make prayer one of our top priorities and to entrust ourselves to her motherly care with confidence that she will lead us to Jesus.
Bro. Rene

Bishop Robert Baron's Thoughts on Mission

What do you need for your mission? You need a keen sense of God as the absolute center of your life. In a word, you require the spiritual gifts of piety and fear of the Lord. I realize that these terms can sound fussy and puritanical, but they are actually naming something strong and essential.

You need fear of the Lord, which does not mean that you are afraid of God. It means that nothing to you is more important than God, that everything in your life centers around and is subordinate to your love for God. And your equipping needs to include piety. That means that you honor God above everything else, that you worship him alone. These spiritual gifts enable you to find true balance; they allow you to know what your life is about.

Equipped with these gifts, you are ready for mission. Having received the fire of the Holy Spirit, you are ready to set the world on fir

Mission Sunday

A personal note:  It was on this Mission Sunday, July 9, 1995) that I was moved to "mission" in  Rwanda, perhaps the best thing I have ever done as a Marist Brother.  God will be the judge of that.)

We so often hear that we are all called to holiness and that we are all called to be missionaries, some, even to leave their own countries, that it either sinks and and we do something about it, or it goes in one ear and out the other, having no effect whatsoever.  But it bears repeating, for it is an undeniable fact. It is life-changing for us and for those to whom we "mission." as I so dramatically discovered 23 years ago and continue to see its results today, and continue to "mission" among all, especially high schoolers and young adults.
Bishop Robert Baron has some strong thoughts that mightily reinforce the above. Read them, reflect on them and act on them:  
Bro. Rene

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St. Kateri Tekakwitha

St. Kateri Tekakwitha is the first and only (at this time) Native American Saint.  She lived from 1656 -1680, dying during Holy Week.  Born in Ossernon, in what is now upstate New York, of a Mohawk father and Algonquin mother, she survived a bout with smallpox, which took the lives of her parents., leaving her face scarred and her eyesight impaired.  At the age of 17 she met a Jesuit missionary, loved the Christian message an longed for Baptism and the other sacraments. At last, at the age of 19 she was baptized, now living in Kahnawakee, Canada, close to Montreal. She attended daily Mass at the mission of St. Francis Xavier, and lived a life of prayer, fasting and service to the elderly as well as catechist to the village children.  Her health suffered from her fasting and ascetic practices and she died at the age of 24.  It is said her scarred face was clear at her death and that several miracles occurred that night, but she wasn't canonized until 2012 after many years of ardent longing and prayer by all Native Americans.  Her remains lie in a simple tomb in the present beautiful church of St. Francis Xavier in Kahnawakee, a place of pilgrmage and inspiration.  St. Kateri, Lily of the Mohawks, pray for us.
Bro. Rene.

Why Temptations?

Temptations never seem to leave us; they are like mosquitoes buzzing around and penetrating our slap-happy defenses.  As with mosquitoes, we might ask, "What purpose do they serve?"  Well, mosquitoes do provide nourishment for birds, and temptations help us build up a "defense system" over the years to help us ward off "the big one", when it comes. Padre Pio wisely admonished that a temptation-less life would make us more vulnerable when we are older and complacent after many years without major temptations. Resistance takes time to develop like the magnificent cedars of Lebanon which can be propagated from branches placed  in dry soil,  which take root, and eventually tower over all.  Even in dry soil!  How often we feel dry and that no progress is being made in our battle with temptations. Yet the deep prayer it takes to deal with the small ones helps us to be strong over time against the big ones.  Everthing serves a purpose; nothing is random, mosquitoes, cedars included. May God grant us patience and persistence as well as insight to see HIS purposes.
Bro. Rene

On A Mission

Jesus sent out his disciples, two by two, to evangelize,  cure the sick, drive out demons and raise the dead.(cf Mt 10:7).  They met with huge success, a preview of things to come after Pentecost. However,   2000 years beyond Pentecost, the need for evangelization and evagelizers is greater than ever.  The most recent Pew Poll in the USA reveals that 80 million Americans claim to have no religious affiliation; it's worse with the younger generation: 40-50% of those under 30 claimed to be "nones" ,--no Church connection. Of all those confirmed as Catholics over the past 30 years, only half practice their faith.  Sad, scary, challenging!
What to do? Pray for the drifters, the searchers, these "none's.  Ask Mary to draw them back to her son. Mingle with them talk calmly but challengingly with them, Invite them to do some service work with believers; let example rub off on them.  Our mission is the same: evangelize, bring healing to the sick and aching of heart, drive out today's demons and bring the "dead" back to life Let's not give up on them, as God doesn't give up on us!
Bro. Rene

"Diverstiy" In the "Apostolic College" and Beyond

"Diversity" a word that permeates our "politically correct" language and even dictates policy.  Jesus was ahead of all this, calling 12 very diverse men, ranging to fishermen to political activists, with even a traitor among them, as we read in today's Gospel passage, Mt 10: 107. Today is also the Memorial of St. Benedict, born in 480 AD in Rome, just after the "Fall" of the Empire, and in a time of political uncertainty and moral decline. He and his twin sister, Scholastica, left this world behind them, and Benedict, having lived in solitude for three years on Mount Subiaco, joined a monastery where his welcome was displayed by two attempts to poison him.  Leaving, he founded his own and eventually built Monte Cassino where he wrote the Benedictine Rule, which continues to attract and inspire men and women today.  In all Benedictine monasteries, diversity naturally occurs, as God's call is given across the boards to all.
We might search our souls today to see if we are "listening with our hearts" to God's call to us to welcome all into our lives and generously share with them the gifts God has so generously given to us.
Bro. Rene

The Laborers Are Few

Even in the time of Jesus, there were crowds of "unfortunates", sick,  poor, perhaps even homeless, just as in our day. He healed, he comforted, he showed compassion, as and twice fed huge crowds.  We can hear his exasperation as he noted to this disciples, "The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few..." (Mt 9:38).  He asked for prayers to increase the labor force.  This is usually interpreted as a call for an increase in priestly or religious vocations, and yes, we do desperately need people to inspire, nourish, encourage and direct the laborers, but the need is so great in today's world, that everyone must take up the challlenge in some way, shape or form.  There are many organizations in our parishes, schools and communities who need help to carry on the work Jesus did. It's time to turn off the TV and video games, and "turn to" (in Navy lingo.)
Bro. Rene

How Is God Working in My Life?

Today's Gospel describes two miracles: the healing of the woman with the 12 year hemorrhage and the raising back to life of the synagogue leader's daughter (Mt 9:18-26). They occur as interruptions while Jesus was speaking. Bot demonstrate unshakeable faith.
How is God working in my life?  Does he interrupt my plans with something better?  Does he come to my rescue even when I pray with half-hearted faith?  Do I see a continuous pattern of his loving care that presse me to trust at all times?  Do I see him as Friend or simply as Creator?  What is God showing me today?
Bro. Rene

Strength in Weakness

Like all of us, St. Paul was plagued with a "thorn in the flesh", some pain, ache, unwanted tendency; scholars are not sure what he refers to, but conclude that it was some sort of  "weakness" that humbled him and reminded him of his humanity and his need to ask for "outside help" "Three times I begged the Lord about this, that it might leave me, but he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Cor 12:9)  With Paul as our model we can take courage when we look at ourselves and try to use our weakness as an excuse not to respond fully to the invitations he sends us to move to the next level, or attempt what we consider impossible or what we are unworthy of.  We can hide behind our weakness and miss the opportunity to let God use us, weaknesses and all, to do great things for him.  With Paul we can say, "I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me.  Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong,"  ( 2 Cor 12: 10)
Bro. Rene

A Saturday Reflection

For most people, world wide, Saturday is a day for family, chores, shopping, and recreation...For some, it is the Sabbath day of Worship and prayer... Those who work a full week look forward to it for a chance to be with the family and get to their "To Do List." Sunday will be the day of REST ...of Body and Soul, with time for more refreshment than usual.. So the routine goes.
 We might lose the realization that even in such routine we are growing in our faith...the constant giving and attention young children demand of their mothers is sanctifying and blessed, if we,even for only an instant, link it to the mothering Mary gave to Jesus...or the patience expended by Joseph to teach his young son the rudiments of carpentry.. Our lives, to be fully meaningful, must be rooted in this giving, this stretching of self.  When washing the dishes, cutting the grass, repairing the porch seem mundane, necessary but "unholy"...may we remember that these are the daily tools of purification of heart and union with God.
Bro. Rene

Matthew's Call, Our Call

When Jesus called Matthew to leave his tax collector's table to follow him, something extraordinary happened.  Not only did he do what might be considered "impossible", leaving a lucrative business, but he rose up and followed Jesus.  The Greek verb is the same one used to describe the resurrection.  Jesus rose from the dead...Matthew rose to new life, Matthew was born again.  A complete change.
Jesus calls us in the same way, that is, to leave behind a behavior, an ambition, a goal, a dream, s plan, a career, a profession, to rise to a new level, even one we think unachievable, and find our true mission and purpose in life.  Matthew's call is most often linked to the call to priesthood or a vocation to the consecrated life and certainly it applies well (would that more would respond as he did,,,and they are and will) but the challenge to rise to a closer relationship with Jesus comes to all.  We use the excuse that what he is asking is impossible.  Matthew shows us that it is not. Why refuse the call to a more complete happiness over holding on to what fails to satisfy?
Bro. Rene

Walking

Walking is one of the many things we take for granted.  We don't even think about it, we just do it. It's only when we can't walk that we realize what a gift it is. Hipand knee replacements are common fare now for those over sixty, but teenage athletes with broken bones learn early how precious this gift is, as they long for the day they can discard their crutches.
Reflecting on this, we can better appreciate the joy of the paralytic in today's Gospel (Mt 9:1-8) when, in addition to the good news that his sins are forgiven, he hears Jesus say tell him to pick up his stretcher and walk home.  Jesus gives him physical as well as spiritual healing, the ability to walk sprightly and unburdened by sin.
Such walking is the ideal proposed by Paul and John as they link life in the spirit with the simple act of walking: we are to "walk in faith" (1 Cor 5:7), "walk in the spirit" (Rom 8:4) "walk in the day" (Jn 11:9), "walk in love" (Eph 5:2), "walk in Jesus" (Col 2:6). As we walk through this day, may we remember that "Anyone who says the he abides in him, must himself walk in the way that he walked." (1 Jn 2:6)
Bro. Rene

More Than Fireworks and Parades

The Fourth of July is a major event, a pivitol event in the American summer...time is determined leading up to the Fourth and summer seems to slide downhill very fast after it. Families vacation, picnic, travel, celebrate with parades, concerts and fireworks to commemorate the birth of a great nation where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are goals available to all.  The ideals of freedom and justice come not easily and a concentrated effort has been made in our 242 year old history to preserve them, requiring as much effort, even bloodshed, it seems as it first did to establish them.  In 1954 the phrase, "under God" was added to our pledge of allegiance, and rightly so, for only with God and guided by God "through the night with the light that shines from above" can we maintain such lofty goals. God bless America, our home sweet home!
Bro. Rene 

Building on Doubt

There are only a few verses in the Gospels that mention Thomas, but he will never be forgotten for his doubt and then his belief.  How much like him we are...witnesses of the marvels of grace throughout our lives, as he saw miracle after miracle for three years as he traveled with Jesus.  Yet he threw down the gauntlet of "Unless I put my finger into the nailmarks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe" (Jn 20:25)  We too are good at the bargaining table, throwing condition after condition into our prayer, with doubt underlying every one of them.  It was Jesus only who removed the doubt from Thomas, making him eat his own words...That was enough; Thomas, as far as we know, never doubted again, and went beyond Pentecost to bring the faith to India, dying there a martyr's death.  Where do I stand?  Am I a "Doubting Thomas" or a Believing Evangelizer"? St. Thomas, help me to grow stronger in my faith as I allow Jesus to wipe away my doubts
Bro. Rene

Who's First?

When one of his Disciples asked Jesus to let him go bury his dead father first before following him, Jesus rather succinctly and curtly (some might say, "insensitively") answered, :"Follow me, and let the dead bury their dead." (Mt 8:22). This "harsh" response, however, points out the need to put Jesus FIRST in our thinking and acting, something that becomes more difficult in our comfort-seeking, "me first" society.  Not  ME FIRST, but JESUS FIRST, no matter what the sacrifice. We tend to find excuses for choosing something like browsing the internet longer than intended instead of attending to our daily prayer or taking time to go through our accumulating belongings and discarding what we haven't used or don't need any longer, lest they eventually stand between us and Jesus or our family and friends. We need to take small steps in the direction of Jesus each day if we hope to put him in first place.. What can I do today to make this happen?
Bro. Rene 

Two Miracles

Some of us have the tendency to fill the gap from point A to point B with little "sub points", that is, on the way to the grocery store, stopping to mail letters at the post office, and while there, oh yes, picking up stamps; then filling the gas tank at the gas station, and of course,  while near it, stopping at the CVS to pick up a birthday card,  etc...Finally we get to the grocery store an hour later than planned...
So Jesus, on the way to see the daughter of Jairus, was delayed with another urgent request for healing.  He stopped, marveled at the hemorrhaging woman and cured her. In the meantime, the young girl died. The news provided a further opportunity for teaching and healing in an even more spectacular way.
Jesus knows that circumstances, even our own hesitant faith might stand in the way of his healing presence but as always comes to the rescue and asserts his loving care. The favor is granted and our faith and confidence, strengthened.  Jesus takes full advantage of all the points between A and B!
Br. Rene