A Tough Road Back

We all experience hurts and injuries; it is part of the legacy of the Disobedience in Eden, when our first parents chose to break away from God.  The family split, brother killed brother, pain, toil and division reigned.  The pain is not only physical, but pain in the heart and feelings as disrespect, abuse, power turn one against the other.
Today we hear the Parable of the Prodigal Son, (Lk 15: 11-37)  which appeared in our liturgy last Saturday. We see the Father's untiring and unconditional love and rejoice in it, as well we should on Laetare Sunday (Rejoice Sunday).
Turning to the youngest son, the prodigal, we see the archetype of the family member who wants to sever all ties with home and relatives and "go it alone". In some instances it might be the hurt one has experienced from the people who should love and care, but don't, or who take advantage of another's goodness to the point of crushing  him or her. The pain is so great that escaping seems to be the only solution.  In today's world, we can block all social media contacts and disappear to avoid the pain.  What does it take when one "comes to one's senses" and realizes that happiness was not found outside and forgiveness and reconciliation must be sought?  A hard road, a tough road. How do we help such a soul?
We know that peace will return when the time comes, but does the "prodigal" know?  Prayer, patience, presence, accompaniment, "being there", gently nudging, encouraging, supporting these will help the one who has chosen to stray, to experience the love and welcome of the Father.
Bro Rene

Humble Prayer

The contrast between the praying Pharisee and the praying publican is clear:  the Pharisee's is a boastful, self-righteous prayer.while the publican's is humble, honest and from the heart.  It is also clear where Jesus stands regarding the two. The Pharisee has his reward in the esteem of others;  the publican is seen through the loving eyes of Jesus and receives HIS endorsement. Which would you rather have? :Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and ghe one who humbles himself ill be exalted." (Lk 18:14)
Bro. Rene

"Worth More Than Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices"

One of the Scribes asked Jesus what the first of all commandments was, knowing himself the Shema, recited daily by pious Jews, even today:  Love of God with all one's heart and power, and love of neighbor as oneself. He also knew that keeping these two commandments was "worth more than bunt offerings and sacrifices" (Mk 12:33) because they demand the turning of heart and desire away from self to another, outside the self:  to God and neighbor.  This requires more that offering the body of even a choice calf or young bull on a fiery altar; it requires the sacrifice of something deep within our core. There's nothing we cling to more than our will, our being in control, our ego, the Me, Me, Me we want to promote. There is pain, and humility that come with  turning from self-love, a self-centered, selfish love, to an "other-centered" love,  one that purifies, that empties, so that the ensuing cavern can be filled with the all-satisfying love that God gives with great abundance.  We prove our love for God by reaching out to our neighbor...or do we love God first and so happy and filled are we, that our love overflows into a selfless love of neighbor?   Either way, we cannot have one without the other.
Bro. Rene

Siding With Jesus

Even while driving out  a demon who had made a man a mute, Jesus was attacked by the "naysayers" who claimed he used the power of evil to work his miracle.  Jesus pointed out that a "house divided" cannot stand, and it would be foolish to think that evil spirits would work against each other.  No, it had to be good over evil, or nothing else.  Either a person was for Jesus or against him. ""Whoever is not with me is against me. and whoever does not gather with me scatters." (Lk 11: 23).  Jesus wanted clarity.
For centuries, we, as humans, have tried to dodge this clarity, seeking to live in the shadowy gray, thinking that we can muddle our way successfully through. It doesn't work. We can have understanding, compromise, and mercy, (highly recommended) but we cannot play with or fudge the truth to serve our own purposes. In so doing we open the door to victory for the evil spirits.  But in siding firmly with Jesus, we clearly send them back to hell.
Bro. Rene

Obeying and Teaching God's Commandments

Who is the greatest in God's Kingdom?  Is it a Hollywood celebrity?  An NBA superstar? The world's oldest person?  The World's Richest Person?  None of these, in the eyes of Jesus, but rather, "whoever obeys and teaches these commandments will be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven." (Mt 5:19).  If we look at our world through the media, it would seem there are no Greats or even "Greatests", for it seems that the Commandments are not being taught, and much less obeyed. But rather, we have a lot of "Leasts" who break them and by their example, teach others to do so.
The teaching of religion to the very young used to be a joy, and solid foundations were laid. High school brought challenges and required effort, but today, "challenge" has been enhanced by a materialistic culture so much so that it has evolved into indifference or downright rejection.  Yet, we are mandated not to give up:  "Go, teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of he son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching time to observe all that I have commanded you.  And behold, I am with your always, until the end of the age." (Mt 28: 19)  Where prayer, grace and effort unite, goodness prevails and the Kingdom grows stronger through strife.
Bro. Rene

Forgiving and Forgiving

Lent is a time for "reconstruction", "restructuring", rebuilding, renewing, renovating, turning things around, spiritually, but sometimes, as in the case of forgiveness, it demands action:  going to someone we have offended and asking for forgiveness, or forgiving someone who has offended us.  There is a verbal interchange, sometimes, tears (or sorrow or of joy) and often concluding with a hug to "seal the deal." As we hear from today's gospel, there is no limit to forgiving:  "seventy-seven times" (Mt 18: 22)  (seven being the perfect number in Hebrew, indicating infinity.  Experience has shown that this is very hard to do without help from above, so prayer is an essential element in forgiving and reconciling. Praying the Our Father, and remembering God's forgiveness is a big component in forgiveness.  The grace of the sacrament of Reconciliation is another source of spiritual aid in this process.  When we confess the sin that separates us from the other, grace comes to make he face-to-face possible.  Dear God, help me to forgive and forgive and forgive, for you have forgiven me more times than I can count.
Bro. Rene

Overshadowed

The Solemnity of the Annunciation is a major celebration for world-wide Marists, since Mary's YES not only brought us Jesus, but also became the foundation of Marist Spirituality. We can imagine the puzzlement running through Mary's mind when she beheld the Angel, was addressed "Full of Grace, and told, "Behold you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end." (Lk 1:31-32)  The explanation of how this will be, ""The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, and the Son of God," (Lk 1:35) might not have been fully comprehended, but Mary humbly agreed with her YES and history was changed forever.  What would happen to us if we welcomed the Power of the Holy Spirit to overshadow us...take control of us...so that we might bring forth Jesus to our world, by becoming as much like Jesus as possible?  The Holy Spirit can do it, has done it via the Marist Family which continues to make Jesus known and loved.  Come, O Holy Spirit, overshadow me with your Power and Grace that like Mary, I might present Jesus to the world.
Bro. Rene

A Stern Warning

Jesus makes no bones about the need to repent, turn the direction of our life to HIM.  Twice in today's Gospel passage he warns us that if we do not repent, we will perish. (cf. Lk 13: 5). The parable of the barren fig tree shows us that there might be the gift of TIME, in order to make the change, but if not, we, like the barren tree, will be cut down and disposed of.(Lk 13: 6-9)
The stern warning comes from Jesus who knows us through and through, all we are and all we've done since entering this life; we need not FEAR, for his love and compassion are there always, but at the same time, we need to make the effort to improve our relationship with him, the Father, and with others. The onus falls on us. May we make a special effort today to live our Lenten resolutions and set our course on target for the remaining weeks of Lent.
Bro. Rene

The Forgiving Father

The well-known parable of  "The Prodigal Son", has also come to be known as "The Forgiving Father", for we see how his paternal love, wounded though it was by the departure of his young son into a world we all dread for our children, came to new levels that he probably didn't think existed.  As he waited day after day for the return of the young man, he had time to go through the gamut of pain, forgiveness and arrive at love. We can assume it just wasn't for a few weeks, for in addition to the joy days in which the boy indulged till his money ran out, he also worked for awhile with the swine, until his hunger brought him to his senses. Meanwhile, he father kept his daily vigil in hope, and perhaps some confidence that the son would return. And he was right and so overjoyed, that he seems to ignore the lad's confession and request for pardon, embracing him, kissing him, (probably shedding tears of joy), dressing him in a fine new robe, placing shoes on his feet, a ring on his fingers, and calling for a major feast featuring the fatted calf saved for a glorious occasion.  This was it! Excitement, elation, the relief and joy of finding a lost treasure. The Father's cup was overflowing, even to forgiving his eldest, grumbling son and attempting to assuage his anger...no one was excluded from his love. This parable has warmed hearts for centuries because it graphically details our God, who is Forgiveness, who is Love.  How can we keep from singing?
Bro. Rene

One Month From Good Friday

It may be a shock to realize that  month from today we will be celebrating Good Friday!  Appropriately, our readings tell of the betrayal of Joseph by his brothers (Gen 37) and the parable of the murder of the landowner's son (Mt 21: 33-43, 45-46), both "types" of the betrayal of Jesus into the hands of his enemies. We might look into our own hearts to see how we have "betrayed" Jesus, or sold our allegiance to him our of fear of what others might think, or simply because of our lack of moral courage. Ordering a meatless meal on Fridays of Lent when out with business colleagues or friends takes fortitude and firmness of purpose; shifting the conversation away from the inappropriate does as well.  Putting off till tomorrow the care package for the local soup kitchen, and never bringing it; reneging on our Lenten program because of our own laziness betray our loyalty to Jesus as well.  That's why prayer is so important; that's why keeping our focus on the cross is so needed on our Lenten journey as reminders and sources of strength, for we cannot make it without God's help.
Bro. Rene

Who's At The Door?

Note:  Below this slice of Daily Bread, there should be a slice of day-old bread from yesterday. Don't miss it.

Today's Gospel story about the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16:19-31) is clear that dressed in purple we
may not be, we cannot ignore the Lazarus who may be suffering at our door, on our streets, across the border or overseas.  The Rich Man, often referred to as "Dives", but unnamed in the Gospel, must  have known who he was, for from the netherworld where he landed, he thirsted and called on Abraham to let Lazarus (called by name) dip his finger in water and touch it to his dry lips. We know the needy by the category, "needy",  but rarely by name.  And if we did know the name, wouldn't we be more likely to help?  So much more grievous, then,  the sin of the Rich Man.  No common sense person would want to share his fate, so even with that motivation, we would be moved to offer assistance. With millions or starving and homeless people in our own country and around the world, sharing even a little of what we have in so much abundance, is an obvious "must". One of the pillars of Lenten practice is "almsgiving". This is a good time to open our doors and hearts to whoever is out there. There will always be someone.
Bro. Rene

Day Old Bread

Note:  This slice of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread was intended for Wednesday, Mary 20, but due to an unscheduled interview, Bro. Rene did not make the deadline.   It appears today as a Day-Old-Slice, along with the one written for March 21st.

We recently expanded on the notion of "servant leadership", which again appears in today's gospel passage (Mt 20:17-28).  It's a t theme on which we can never reflect enough, for cocky-ness and pride easily slip into the leader whose "importance" can be inflated by the number of requests for help, presence, shelter or comfort.  The leader asks, "Why do they always come to me?  Why am I always the one?"  Jesus faced the same crowds that besiege us, but he did not allow his head to swell in pride, but humbly "gave his life as a ransom for many."  (Mt. 20:28).  With him as the Primary Servant Leader and us as the disciple,  we will avoid the trap of thinking of ourselves as "the only one" who "can do it right" or "do it all."
Bro. Rene

Ite Ad Joseph

Ite ad Joseph,"Go to Joseph," a traditional slogan, and even a hymn, demonstrating the love and confidence people have had in Joseph for centuries.  And why not?  He was the Father's "Go-to-Man" for his Son, Jesus, and did such a good job, entirely based on his faith with a little prodding from angels and dreams, in assuring that the infant born in Bethlehem would make it to maturity.  So successful was he that the Church has been entrusted to his on-going protection and care. He also serves as the patron of carpenters, husbands, fathers, and with Mary, of families.  There are even prayers and practices begging his intercession in the buying and selling of homes.  How many churches around the world are dedicated to him?  How many "Joe's" do you know?  A beloved saint, whose popularity and effectiveness have not waned over the centuries, and probably more needed now than ever, as the church and marriages seem to be in such turmoil. He also has something to say to the NONE Generation, those who have no religious or denominational affiliation, for his quiet, strong, tender faith stands up as a model for all of us as we look at him facing surprise and challenge after surprise and challenge in his life, but always moving ahead in faith and trust that God's way should and would prevail. St. Joseph, lead and guide us with your love and faith through the maze in which we find ourselves today to the House of our Father.  Ite Ad Joseph! Amen.
Bro. Rene

Being Merciful

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Be merciful, just as your heavenly Father is merciful.'" (Lk 6:36).  We wonder how we can ever match that degree of mercy, for our past attempts reveal that much is lacking in "the quality of mercy" that we attempt to show, or in the length of its duration. It must be part of our wounded nature to be so incapable, it seems, in our ability to forgive and be merciful. Jesus, however, would not have proposed this high standard if it were impossible to meet.  He gives a a few practical means of making it possible:  avoid judging others,  forgive and give.  All take effort and all help shrink our "poor me" ego, which always seems to arise as an obstacle, a barrier, between people.  The more we let go of it, the more we "die" to self, the more will we be able to see the plight of others, their needs, their circumstances, and not be blinded by our own.  Lent is the time for us to examine such interactions and make a concerted effort to let go of self, as Jesus did, as much as we can, and put others ahead of ourselves.  Then we will be able to love them with the tender compassion with which God loves all of us.
Bro. Rene

Transformation

Today's version of the Transfiguration from Lk 9: 28b-36 brings back the familiar elements of the dazzling clothing, the presence of Elijah and Moses, the confusion of Peter, James and John, the desire to remain there and the voice proclaiming the "chosen Son." Jesus was transfigured then, but it was only after the resurrection that the Apostles understood the preview that had been given to them. Their transformation came later too, at Pentecost.
Today, as well as the Second Sunday of Lent is also the traditional day to celebrate and remember St. Patrick, a man who too was transformed, but not in quite the same dramatic fashion.  It was though the years of his captivity, escape, and the invitation via a dream to return to Ireland, transform it.
Lent is the time each year when we seek some sort of transformation in our lives, not to don dazzling white clothes or convert a nation, but.to be more like Jesus, a big order, nevertheless. There's no limit, however, to our possibilities as we look at these men who were transformed, not by their own doing, but by the power of God, which is still available to us!
Bro Rene

Loving Enemies

Last night's unseasonable thunderstorm and this morning's sun  make the reminder of Jesus about the sun and rain falling on everyone even more effective as an example of how our love should be extended to all. God makes no distinctions, no discrimination but oh, for us, not so easy.  Just look at the daily headlines or newscasts, and see how the command to love our enemies is being totally ignored.  Stories of shootings, hate speech and vengeance abound.  This is what happens when God is left out of the picture.  We seek to destroy one another.  Happily, there are pockets of people of all ages who are striving with all their might to live this challenge from Jesus.  How can I today, this Lent, put the command to love my enemies into practice?  Perhaps this is THE most demanding Lenten behavior change we can attempt.  We and the world would be better for it, even if we only achieve 50% of the goal!
Bro. Rene

Reconciling

Forgiveness, as hard as it might be, strongly pervades this morning's message in both readings: Ezekiel 18:21-29 and Matthew 5:20-26.  One has to take a deep breath to find the gumption to apologize, and then, sometimes bear the criticism of others, for being "too soft."  Better to forgive, for we all stand in need of it, and then be free to bring our gift to the altar.
Br. Rene

The More Side

Why is it that we hesitate to ask for help, not only from  God, but from others?  Is it our pride?  "I help others gladly, but I don't need help myself. I can stand on my own two feet."  Such "independence" is unfortunate, for there will come a time even in the most stalwart of us, when we can't "do it on our own." Then, in humility, we'll be forced to ask and accept help from someone else, and ultimately, God himself.
Jesus teaches about asking as if he expects us to be knocking at the door all the time and tries to convince us that there's no shame in asking, God is waiting and will answer.  "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened  to you....If you, then who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him." (Mt 7:7, 11). And even beyond that, it is more often the case than not, that he give us MORE than we asked for, such is his loving and generous heart.  If you haven't asked or have hesitated, why not give it a shot this Lent?
Bro. Rene

Turning To God's Mercy

Jesus answered the people seeking a "sign" by reminding them of the story of Jonas, the reluctant prophet sent to preach repentance in Nineveh, who sensed that his message would be heeded, that God would relent on his promise of punishment and Jonas would look like a fool for preaching destruction.  Sure enough, the people repented and God relented.  They believed more in God's mercy than in their sin.(cf. Lk 11:29-33)
And where does mercy more abide than in Jesus himself?  Jesus now is the embodiment of the "sign of Jonas", that mercy is available to those who repent and turn to him.  This is what Lent is about, a renewed reliance, a humble admission, of our need for mercy and a turning to God for it.  As he heard the plea of the Ninevites, he will hear ours, for the death and resurrection of his Son Jesus, guarantees it to those who believe. Dear God, help me to believe more in your mercy than in my sin.
Bro. Rene

Appreciating the Lord's Prayer

Every time we pray the Our Father, we are using the version given to us by St. Luke (Lk 6: 8:14).  It is concise, clear, straight to the point.  Some have learned this prayer in early childhood; others, in adulthood.  In any case, it has become so familiar that we recite it with our lips while our minds wonder to plans for the day, a game we saw or anticipate, or just anything other than what we are saying.  In so doing, we miss the wealth that is present in this short prayer. Praying it slowly, with attention to each word and phrase can help keep our attention and unlock the treasure it contains. Even the word "our" or "us" reminds us of our connection to others; it's not MY Father but OUR Father...He's there for all of US, not just me.  And who are among the US?  The rich, the poor, the healthy, the maimed, the believers, the non-believers, the searchers, the lost, the saints....on and on...ALL!
Let's take some time today to see what else we can discover, and come to appreciate this precious gift we take so much for granted.
Bro. Rene  

Lenten, Lifetime Challenges

The Greatest Commandment, love God above all else, and it's counterpart, love neighbor as self, present challenges that far exceed their easy recitation when we try to put them into practice. Both readings for today, Leviticus, 19: 1-2, 11-18, and Matthew 25:31-46 call us to a change of thinking and behaving that is really meant for our whole life, rather than just for the six weeks or Lent. We're told that to love our neighbor, we need to be people of integrity, honesty, not liars, cheaters or gossipers. We could stop right there and have plenty to work on, but Jesus takes us even further, telling us that in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting prisoners, sheltering the homeless,and caring for the sick we are actually doing these things for him.  St. Mother Teresa did this and her Sisters still do it, showing us that it can be done, but at he price of giving of our time, our penchant for control, and even our financial resources.  Talk about a Lenten (lifetime) purification!  Makes giving up chocolate or TV look very simple and even petty, as hard for us as these might be, yet doing this for the love of God and the love of neighbor gives us the motivation to stretch ourselves beyond what we think we can do.  Just Do It!
Bro. Rene  

Bothersome Temptations

We never live a day without some intrusion from the Evil One in the form of mental fantasies or enticing photos or headlines that pop up when we face our e-mail obligations.  Even Jesus was not exempt from temptations as we hear in today's graphic description of his three-fold duel with Satan who used his wiles to deflect Jesus from his mission. (Lk 4:1-13) Surely, after fasting for 40 days in the desert, he was hungry, thirsty and tired, ripe for the suggestion to turn stones into bread, or take the easy road to power and honor.  We find Jesus's response to these temptations, firm, calm and effective.  As the devil quoted Scripture, so did Jesus, as the perfect rebuttal to Satan's misuse of it.  We might learn from this encounter how to deal with our own temptations, and when befuddled as to why we are so plagued by them, we might find consolation in knowing  that the Son of God had to deal with them too, for they are part of our inheritance from the Rebellion of the Angels, and the Fall of Adam and Eve.
Bro. Rene

Rising with Levi and Jesus

Interestingly enough, something we miss in our English translation of today's gospel passage of the call of Levi (Matthew) (Lk 5:27-32), is the word "got up",  the same word (ansastasis) used to describe the Resurrection,  "And leaving his post, he got up and followed him." (Lk 5:28)
In this Lenten Season, we are preparing our hearts to celebrate Easter, Resurrection; we are attempting to leave behind the attitudes, behaviors and "clutter" that bog us down in mediocrity so that we can "get up" and follow Jesus with more zip and conviction...so that we can RISE with him.  Already, so early in Lent, our goal is before us. May we not lose sight of it.
Bro Rene

Preferred Fasting

Fasting provides challenges, opportunities, and pitfalls.  Even in the time of Isaiah, 700+ years before Christ, fasting somehow became and end in itself, a matter of fulfilling the law and led to quarreling, fighting and beating. (cf. Is 58: 4). While the pinch of deprivation, be it of food, a favorite pastime or sleep might help remove barriers that stand in the way of our relating to Jesus through prayer or service to those in need,  we need to remember that it is only worth the effort if it is bringing up the quality of our friendship with Jesus and the genuineness of our living out of our faith.  Fasting is a tool to help us do this, and should not become the main focus of our Lent.
Isaiah describes in detail some practical "fastings" that please God more than the giving up of bad or questionable habits or the performance of penance: releasing those bound unjustly, setting free the oppressed, sharing bread with the hungry, sheltering the homeless, clothing the naked, and not turning backs on those who reach out to us. (Cf. Is 58: 6-9).  Does our Lenten regimen include some of these, or something similar?  Even to pick one such action would make our Lent worthwhile, and one that would continue after Lent is over.
Bro. Rene

Formula For Lent, For Life

In just three sentences, Jesus gives us the formula for a well-spent Lent, and, to take it a step further beyond these six weeks, into life itself.  "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.  For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.  What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? (Lk 9:23-25).
Self-denial, suffering, and following Jesus.  These are the effective three which help us "lose life" in order to "save it."  Most often, LIFE forces us into self-denial: a medical report of "high sugar" forces us to cut out sweets; arthritis, to limit or eliminate the daily, pleasurable jog.  An accident, and illness, even an occasional headache put us in the suffering bracket, as do disappointment. aging, sleep deprivation, or a natural disaster.  Turning from today's idols of immediate gratification and contemporary "comfort" and hedonism of all sorts...from drugs to the attitude that "anything goes", no rules of morality apply, we put following Jesus as our top priority and actually choose to perform little acts of self-denial and accept with an open heart, our daily sufferings..  Three approaches that can begin during Lent, but must continue beyond it for a fruitful Christian life.
Bro. Rene

Lent: Dying to Self; Rising with Christ

Today we begin our 40 days of praying, quietly reflecting, alms giving and acts of self denial (sacrifices) so that we might follow more closely the pattern Jesus gave us, for he "emptied himself," took on our human nature, and gave totally of himself, even to his death on the cross, so that we might rise to the new life, the new and eternal life which God from all eternity has destined for us.  Just as we periodically get a haircut, cut the grass or clean out the accumulated clutter in closets, attics, basements garages, offices, dens, kitchens and bedrooms, we make a concentrated six-weeks effort to trim and unclutter our souls, our lives, our thinking, so that we can more fully participate in the resurrection of Easter Sunday.  There should be some pushing, some effort, some straining, as any of the above tasks require, but Jesus reminds us that we should not look gloomy while doing them. (cf. Mt 6: 16-18).  Yes, ashes are a dark, stark reminder of who we are and what we are about to do for Lent, but we do not wear then on our lips.  Our smiles, our words, can be and should be cheery, for our hearts know that these days bring us closer to Jesus, whose longing to be with us far exceeds our longing to be with him.  Go Lent!
Bro. Rene

Leaving All

After hearing the exchange between Jesus and the Rich Young Man, Peter protests:  "We have given up everything and followed you." (Mk 10:28).  The implied question is, "What's in it for us?"  Peter is still learning and so are we.  There's no entitlement to having "left all" to follow Jesus.  Being a follower is a gift, and notably, not given to everyone.  All comes from God, so what we "give up" really belongs to God anyway.
With Lent beginning tomorrow, we still might be deciding what we are going to "give up" for Lent, and perhaps there's a hint in the background of "what will be my reward for 40 days of sacrifice, and self-inflicted deprivation?  There's no reward, other than what should be the purpose behind our giving up or leaving something behind: a purer heart and deeper relationship with Jesus, a more accurate reflection of him in our lives and actions. This, along with eternal life is the real "hundred-fold.
Bro. Rene

Looking For More

As we approach Ash Wednesday we might be, like the Rich Young Man, (Mk 10: 17-27) looking for what MORE we can do. Yes, we keep the commandments, and live as best we can, but what can we do beyond that to show our love for Jesus and desire for greater union with him, or to become more like him?  The young man addressed Jesus as "Good Teacher".  We too might want to be recognized as Good, and see Lent as a time to make that happen.  So often our expectations are far from reality, but we TRY.  Jesus was pleased with the man's desire and looked upon him with love, but then challenged him to take that further step by selling off his goods and following him. That was too much, and the flame of desire soon diminished into ash; the man turned away sad, and returned to his possessions.
What we need to do is examine what is holding us back from that BIG step.  Is it possessions? Is it reputation? Is it our will?  Our TIME?  Our need to be in control?  What is the stumbling block that prevents us from giving our All to Jesus, or becoming that Light for others that he IS?
Bro. Rene

The Blind Leading the Blind

Jesus asked, "Can a blind person guide a blind person?  Will not both fall into a pit? (Lk 6:39).  He continued, reminding his hearers of the speck in the eye vs. the beam, and the fruit of the tree revealing its worth.  When we look at ourselves, we seek weakness, blindness and beams, yet we can't be discouraged by them. No one is exempt from them; despite them and with we become more effective disciples for we deal with one another on an equal level. We proceed forward in humility and understanding of the complexity of our weakened human nature, and thus can have more effect than if we approached others from a "better-than-thou" stance. When we turn to Jesus for strength, sight and guidance, and receive it as who we are, real, genuine and credible people, we can be effective guides and inspirations to others.
Bro. Rene

A Kingdom For The Child

Jesus rebuked his disciples when they tried to prevent parents from bringing their children to Jesus so that he might touch them, cuddle them and bless them, for love, is conveyed strongly with a wordless touch, as we know. "Let the children come to me; do not prevent them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.  Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it." (Mk 10:14-16).  As adults, we cannot revert back to childhood, but we can maintain the sense of wonder, freedom, inquisitiveness, creativeness, trust, joy and love that we find purely and innocently in the child e once were.. Adult child-likeness would make this world such a safe and happy place, we'd think we were in heaven already. '
Lent would be a good time to renew our "inner child", and move through the season with a positive, life-giving attitude that will be a precursor to Easter, and ultimately, to paradise.
Bro. Rene

The Bond of Friendship

Jesus speaks against divorce in Mark's gospel (Mk 10: 1-12).  The well known verses,  "the two shall become one flesh", and "what God has joined together, no man must separate" are part of the wedding ritual and carry a lot of the weight of this powerful, life-time commitment. Complimenting this passage, are the verses from the Book of Sirach, beautifully and poetically describing the gift of friendship:
A faithful friend is a sturdy shelter,
he who finds one finds a treassure.
A faithful friend is beyond price,
 no sum can balance his worth.
A faithful friend is a life-saving remedy,
such as he who fears God;
For he who fears God behaves accordingly
and his friend will be like himself.   (Sir 6: 14-17)
Often we hear, "My wife is my best friend," or, "My husband is my best friend."  Add God to this equation, and the marriage is on rock solid ground, making the question of divorce irrelevant.
God, bless married couples with the gift of deep friendship as well as the grace needed daily to help their relationship continue to grow so that they may weather life's ups, downs and turmoils, major or
petty, remaining faithful to their vows, in sickness and in health, in good times and bad, till death do them part."
Bro. Rene