A Tough Audience

 Luke 4:16-30

¹⁶ He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, ¹⁷ and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:

¹⁸ “The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
    because he has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
    and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
¹⁹     to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”^[a]

²⁰ Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. ²¹ He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”

²² All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.

²³ Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”

²⁴ “Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. ²⁵ I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. ²⁶ Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. ²⁷ And there were many in Israel with leprosy^[b] in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”

²⁸ All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. ²⁹ They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. ³⁰ But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.

Bravely, Jesus stood before the men of his hometown, read the passage from Isaiah, and claimed to be the one Isaiah was talking about. His audience was skeptical, challenging and then downright hostile, to the point of almost throwing him off a cliff!  What a way to being a "new job"!  However, it did not phase Jesus; he left them an continued his ministry and preached elsewhere.

When we experience opposition and rejection,  may we put ourselves in this scene and call upon Jesus to give us the strength and fortitude he had. He is the Way, the Truth and the LIFE!

Bro. Rene

Taking Up My Cross

 Mt 16: 21-27

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!”

²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life^[a] will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.

As humans, we tend to shun obstacles, challenges and pain, physical as well as spiritual.   Our current culture of the "good and easy life", although currently under siege by  by the pandemic, we still desire, and long for. It's human nature to seek the path of least resistance, to avoid pain and seek the "cushy life.". Nothing wrong with that, but Jesus urges us to go a step or many steps further and with him take up our cross, willing to lose our life for his sake and find it in following him. What profit would there be in gaining the whole world in exchange for true life?  "For the Son of Man will come with his angels to his Father's glory, and then he will repay all according to his conduct." (Mt 16: 27)  There is the choice. The  right one is obvious.  Pray for the courage and stamina to choose it.

Bro. Rene

Courageous Love

 Mark 6: 17-29

¹⁷ For Herod himself had given orders to have John arrested, and he had him bound and put in prison. He did this because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, whom he had married. ¹⁸ For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” ¹⁹ So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, ²⁰ because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled^[a]; yet he liked to listen to him.

²¹ Finally the opportune time came. On his birthday Herod gave a banquet for his high officials and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. ²² When the daughter of^[b] Herodias came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his dinner guests.

The king said to the girl, “Ask me for anything you want, and I’ll give it to you.” ²³ And he promised her with an oath, “Whatever you ask I will give you, up to half my kingdom.”

²⁴ She went out and said to her mother, “What shall I ask for?”

“The head of John the Baptist,” she answered.

²⁵ At once the girl hurried in to the king with the request: “I want you to give me right now the head of John the Baptist on a platter.”

²⁶ The king was greatly distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he did not want to refuse her. ²⁷ So he immediately sent an executioner with orders to bring John’s head. The man went, beheaded John in the prison, ²⁸ and brought back his head on a platter. He presented it to the girl, and she gave it to her mother. ²⁹ On hearing of this, John’s disciples came and took his body and laid it in a tomb.

Despite his liking to listen to John the Baptist, Herod was not strong enough, not courageous enough to stand up for him when, at the instigation of her mother, Salome, who had just danced for Herod, asked for his head on a platter. We might find this an atrocious request, one that would make us decline it instantly, bur Herod, even though "deeply distressed", caved in to it as the eyes of his guests and those of Herodias "zoomed" in on him. This kind of cowardliness is not acceptable in the Kingdom of God.  No, the courageous love shown by John the Baptist is what we need, more now than ever, in our world of violence, fear and sickness. Not-so-solid foundations are shakier than ever; rock-solid courage is the order of the day, lest we, like the Baptist, could perish at the hands of the frightened and unprincipled.  We might find this prayer helpful today and in the future:

Lord, the beheading of John the Baptist reflects how fear and truth telling can lead to death and violence. May we have the courage to stand in Your truth and speak life, love, compassion. From the moment of conception until our last breath life as your gift stands true. Touch those today with anger, revenge or hatred for another person or a group. Let Love and Life win over fear, violence and death. Open our eyes, ears, and hearts to see your Son and our Brother Jesus in all now and forever. Amen

Rev. James Bracke, C.S.C. 

Bro. Rene 

Keeping Our Flasks Full

 Gospel: Mt 15:1-13

25 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.

⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’

⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’

⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’

¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.

¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’

¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’

¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

As we read and reflect on this passage, we see what complacency can do: cause us to disconnect from God and get lost in our laziness.  The wise virgins were careful and vigilant, not knowing when the bridegroom  actually coming, but ready with full lamps when he did.  Not so the foolish, and thus lost out when the oil merchants wouldn't open their doors for them.  A simple thing to keep our "flasks" full...the flasks of our souls.  Our faithfulness to daily prayer and reflection requires some discipline but none beyond our capacity, and once "in the groove" prayer time becomes sweeter and we find the time passing too fast and easily slip into "more". If we have not taken time daily for this refreshing experience, we might start today.  We will never regret keeping our flasks full!'

Bro. Rene

Vigilence

 Note:  Still trying to find the right time to post.  Had intended to slice the loaf earlier, but again, attentiveness to the needs of another pre-empted my good intentions.  We'll see in a few minutes when the slice is posted.

Gospel:  Mt 24: 42-51

⁴² “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. ⁴³ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁴ So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.

⁴⁵ “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? ⁴⁶ It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. ⁴⁷ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁸ But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’ ⁴⁹ and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards. ⁵⁰ The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of. ⁵¹ He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

The warning, "Keep watch because you do not know the day hour Lord will come." does not always refer to our death, but to events in our every day life.  We do not know how the Lord will come to us....as one of our friends with support or an unexpected favor for us, or in the person need of advice or help of some sort.  It may even be in the mood we are in and like the weather which at one moment "gets us down" or in the next, picks us up. Whatever it might be, it takes FAITH to see the hand of the Lord in the events of our daily life. The trick is, not to lose hope. We need to hear this often, for like a leaky boat, before we know it it's full of water and we are sinking.  A daily bail out in the form of a prayer for trust will keep us afloat.

Bro. Rene

Seemingly Off-Kilter

 (Note:  because of a "mission of mercy" I was not able to post a slice of bread this morning, but noticed that yesterday's slice appeared today.  Same with the day before...I seem to be out of kilter with a possible new deadline. Will see what happens tomorrow...if we can actually catch up the the current day...Make this a good one.)

Against Hypocrisy

Matt 23:23-26

²³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. ²⁴ You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel.

²⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. ²⁶ Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

 This morning's short gospel passage,  part of several "Woes",  reveals the strong feelings Jesus had against hypocrisy.  It is a sharp warning to us to avoid it and to be as genuine and straightforward as we can, something not always easy to do. At least we can try to match our behavior to the gospel, and especially not judge others who, in reality or simply in our opinion, do not measure up to it.  We are all learners, pilgrims, travelers searching for the right road, and often along with others, go astray.  

We celebrate the Memorial of St. Louis, King of France who serves as a model of sincerity and putting his body where his words were. Not only did he raise 11 children in the Faith but died on his second crusade.May he help us today to be faithful to God's Word and to our relationships with one another as sisters and brothers.

Bro. Rene

Quick Responder

 Gospel: Jn 1: 45-51

⁴⁵ Philip found Nathanael and told him, “We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

⁴⁶ “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Nathanael asked.

“Come and see,” said Philip.

⁴⁷ When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, he said of him, “Here truly is an Israelite in whom there is no deceit.”

⁴⁸ “How do you know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus answered, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.”

⁴⁹ Then Nathanael declared, “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the king of Israel.”

⁵⁰ Jesus said, “You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You will see greater things than that.” ⁵¹ He then added, “Very truly I tell you, you will see ‘heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on’ the Son of Man.”

The Gospel of John uses the name Nathanael for this disciple known as Bartholomew in the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. The incident related in today's Gospel for the Feast of St. Bartholomew describes how Nathaniel's skepticism, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (Jn 1: 46) quickly changes to a profound profession of belief :"Rabbi, you are the Son of God; you are the King of Israel" (Jn 1:49).

Something "clicked" with Nathanael and he was now quick to believe. What an encounter with Jesus will do! Would that we would be so attentive and quick to respond!  We can try by asking God to make us disposable to his voice as he talks to us in our daily circumstances or in our quiet prayer.  We just might hear him calling us by name and speaking intimately to us and inviting us to greater trust in him, to greater love for him.

Bro. Rene

Who Is Jesus?

 Note: For some reason, yesterday's slice of Daily Bread did not appear.  Check for a double slice today.

Gospel:  Mt 16: 13-20:

Peter’s Declaration about Jesus

¹³ Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” ¹⁴ And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” ¹⁵ He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” ¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” ¹⁷ And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you, you are Peter,^[and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” ²⁰ Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.

When Jesus asked his disciple who people said he was, a variety of familiar names came up. but then taking a huge step forward, Peter pro ports"  "You are the Messiah, the Son of the Living God." (Mt 16: 16).  Where did this come from?  Did Peter have a special connection to heaven?  It must have been a combination of his observations and close attention to the words and "signs" Jesus was so lavishly delivering to his audiences and the work of the Holy Spirit.  "For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my heavenly Father in heaven." (Mt 16: 18). 

Sunday is a day devoted to peace, quiet, worship, and attentiveness to God's Word and workings in our lives.  May we take time to ponder with the Apostles the words and workings of Jesus not only in the Scriptures, but in our lives as well.

Bro. Rene 

Mary, Our Queen

  When we think of Mary, Mother of Jesus, we usually imagine her as wife and mother, preoccupied with daily household chores or among the crowds watching Jesus teaching and healing. Rarely do we imagine her with  crown and queenly robes...but after being taken up into heaven at the end of her earthly days, she has asumbed her role in heaven as the Queen Mother of the King of Kings, "with all the rights and privileges, thereof" (to borrow from graduation talk). Her influence continues in motherly care and her interest in helping Jesus with the work of salvation continues...with that "motherly touch:". We hail and love her as our mother too, but she has been given a queen's power and influence with her Son to give us that "second"  or "third"...chance" and many more after that to help us finally "get it right."  Mary, continue to pray and intercede for us, who sorely need your motherly and queenly influence with Jesus, our King.

Bro. Rene

Two Great Pillars

 When a scholar of the law asked Jesus what the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus calmly answered, love of God, love of neighbor. (cf. Mt 22: 34-40). Simple to say, not easy to live, but there it is, plain and direct.  It is certainly the fuel and motivation for a lifetime, We can SAY we love God above all people and things, but our actions more often than not belie our sincerity, for we put self ahead of God, and certainly when it comes to love of neighbor, our actions show that we love some more than others, and even ignore or disparage some people.  There is plenty of room for improvement in the observance of the Great Commandment.  It is good to reflect on it often and to ask God for the grace to live it.

Bro. Rene

The Invitation

The invitation is on the table.  Yes, Jesus is inviting all of us to a deeper relationship of love and trust.  It is an age-old invitation dating back to his days in Palestine when he called his first disciples.   But,as we see in today's Gospel Passage, we are free to ignore the invitation, not that it does us any good, and leaves Jesus frustrated. (Mt:22:1-14). Yet over the centuries to this day, the invitation to a happier life, a wedding feast, still goes out.

St. Bernard of Clairvaux accepted the invitation and offered it to 31 on others who accepted it and followed him into the monastery at Citeaux.   In the course of his life, the invitation continued to bring members to the monastic life to the tune of the 70 monasteries he founded.  Even if we cannot join a monastery, the invitation to a more sincere and devoted Christian[life of prayer and service to others can be accepted and incorporated into our lives.  The extra time we all have due to the Corona Virus restrictions is a gift and an enticement to delve deeper into prayer and reflection on the Scriptures...15 minutes a day is not much to ask of us, but soon we find we are spending a half-hour or more in this new-found oasis. May we not ignore the invitation but take it to heart and turn our lives in the direction of Jesus.

Bro. Rene

Never Too Late

 The familiar parable of the landowner who hire workers from dawn to late afternoon reminds us that there is really no timeline for God's action in our lives. (Mt 20: 1-16).  The workers hired at the last hour received the same wages as those who worked all day...These did not understand the largesse  of the landowner and expressed their resentment.  But the kind land owner explained that it was his right to dole our wages as he saw best and put the complainers to rest with his kindness to them and to the latecomers.  

When we feel that it is "too late" for us to benefit from God's forgiveness or kindness, may we remember that God has no timeline.  It's all a big NOW for him and being late does not exist.

Bro. Rene

Nothing Is Impossible For God

 Today, Jesus reminds us that attachment to material wealth can be a real hindrance in our relationship with God. It's not the wealth itself, but the attitude that might come with it: " I have all I need, I don't need God." Dangerous, to say the least.  In these "Pandemic Days"  we have already seen commercial "giants" of the past, tumble and fall, doors closing for good, and workers losing jobs they once thought forever secure. Fickle is fortune, and certainly not to replace God.  A delicate balance that can be maintained by full focus on "the things that are above."  Many a wealthy person has succeeded in maintaining such a healthy balance, using their material wealth and security to help the less fortunate and have come to the rescue in these days of those who were unfortunate enough to find themselves jobless.And for those who have given up everything to follow Jesus, as did his apostles, there is his promise that "everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or other or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life." (Mt 19:29). Are we ready to put our lives in the hands of the God for whom nothing is impossible?

Bro. Rene

A Call To More

 When the rich young man approached Jesus with a longing to do more, he could not accept the challenge Jesus presented to him: to sell what he had, give the proceeds to the poor, and follow him. (Mt 19: 16-22). Many of us feel a restlessness with our comfort and security and envy those who have been able to cast aside material wealth to follow Jesus. Yet when :"push comes to shove", we find that we can't make such a move.  Too many "What if's" block the process and we continue to live with our unfulfilled desire and our sadness, just as this young man did.  It does take a "leap of faith" to make such a move, but it has been done.  We are not Saint Francis of Assisi, perhaps one of the most classic and dramatic abandonner of worldly goods, but there are small ways we can dispose of the clutter of clothes we no longer wear, the books we have read, and even some of that excess cash we are saving for "a rainy day." If we cannot give it "all away", at least giving SOME of it might help us comply to the invitation of Jesus, lift the sadness and fill our hearts with joy.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Lord, Help Me

 

^{Note:  Remember to look for yesterday's post on the Assumption below this one.}

²¹ Jesus left that place and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. ²² Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” ²³ But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” ²⁴ He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” ²⁵ But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” ²⁶ He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” ²⁷ She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” ²⁸ Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly.

 Today we hear the story of the Canaanite Woman and her possessed daughter. (Mt 15: 21-28).  Her persistence in spite of Jesus's silence and later gruff and dismissive words pays off and Jesus, moved by her faith and insistence (will not take no for an answer) dismisses the demon.  So often we pray with only a particle of the faith and persistence of this unnamed but immortalized woman and are disappointed because we do not receive an answer. Consistent prayer from the heart (no matter if we receive an immediate answer or not) is the key to deepening our faith to comply to "whatever God wants".  (Not my will be done, but yours.cf. :Lk 22:42). Our main goal is to be in tune with God's plan for us; it may not be to our liking at first, but later we see that his wisdom truly overshadows ours.  "Lord, teach me to pray." May we learn a lesson from this Canaanite woman.

Bro. Rene

Mary's Assumption

 Note:  Of all days to miss a post...Distracted by phone calls.  Very sorry...This is vow anniversary day for many of us Marists;  60 years ago for my taking of the Marist Habit...60 glorious and fruitful years...the good outweighs the challenging times, and I can say truthfully that growth would not have taken place without them... God certainly knows best. Rejoice with me as the anniversary celebration continues, and more challenges and growth lie ahead.

We celebrate the Solemnity of Mary's Assumption with great joy and, perhaps, more hope than ever, as we continue to live under the restrictions of Covid 19. What was it like for Mary, sinless, totally obedient to and accepting of God's will, to give birth to the Son of God, raise him along with St. Joseph, and be present at his passion and death?  Only the balance of the Resurrection could offset the pain she must have felt.  And then, as a further boon, to be taken up body and soul to heaven soon after her "dormition", and now exercising her motherly care for all of us in big and small ways.  As Marists, we proclaim ALL TO JESUS THROUGH MARY, ALL TO MARY FOR JESUS. What a good way to live!  Thanks,  Jesus and Mary.  May we all be faithful to what you have taught us and be willing to accomplish your every wish.

Bro. Rene

A Dynamo For Jesus

We honor St. Maximilian Kolbe today, a priest who spread devotion to Mary like a wild forest fire in the United States and Japan, and who eventually, in the footsteps of Jesus, offered his life for a fellow prisoner who was condemned to death.  The Japanese starved their victims, but after 10 days, Fr. Kolbe was still alive and was executed. His devotion to Mary and his faithfulness to the example of Jesus, who gave us his life for us, continue to serve as an inspiration for us, especially in these Covid days.  We need his faith, determination and conviction to stand strong against the current anti-Christian trends we see in our world.  Christianity is not dead, it's as alive as ever, and it is the :way to life and happiness.  How much suffering will be necessary till people again grasp this and take it to heart?  May the example of self- sacrifice of St. Maximilian help us to find our way back to sanity and to Jesus!

Bro. Rene

Mercy Should Beget Mercy

 St. Matthew gives us a picture of what mercy is and what it is not. (Mt 18: 21-19-1) The king in the parable forgives the entire debt of his servant, but not taking a hint from this act of kindness, the servant refuses the same argument he used with his master and throws a man who owes him money and can't pay it all right away into prison. Shame on him, we say, but looking at ourselves we see that same attitude and behavior...merciless! The lesson for today is that just as we have experienced God's saving mercy, so should we extend it to others. Simple to say, but hard to do.  Meditating on God's mercy towards us and asking him for the grace to be truly merciful can help us reach this level or mercy.  Where would we be without God's mercy? And that's why we are called to extend that level of mercy to others.  Pure and simple, "tit for tat,"

Bro. Rene

The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant

²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”

²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.^[a]

²³ “Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. ²⁴ As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand bags of gold^[b] was brought to him. ²⁵ Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.

²⁶ “At this the servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ ²⁷ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.

²⁸ “But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins.^[c] He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.

²⁹ “His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay it back.’

³⁰ “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. ³¹ When the other servants saw what had happened, they were outraged and went and told their master everything that had happened.

³² “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. ³³ Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ ³⁴ In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.

³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Divorce

The Power Of Community

Today's Gospel Passage, (Mt 18: 15-26) presents the power of community in helping one another to deal with and overcome faults. One on one is the first step in helping to correct another's behavior, then a "group assault" if this gentle approach doesn't work, then finally, expulsion from the community if this also fails. 

Praying together is another powerful tool we have at our disposal.  Over time, God hears our prayers and grants them an answer that satisfies.  In all that we do, admonishing, or praying, the gentle, consistent touch seems to work best.  We too benefit, as we gradually learn patience and integration of our wishes with the plan of God.  We all benefit from the power of prayer offered in community, something we are lacking but see a great need for in these challenging Corona Virus times.

 Bro. Rene

Become Like Chldren

The Gospel for the Memorial of St. Clare urges us to follow Jesus as trusting and spontaneous little children. "Amen, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will not enter the Kingdom of heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives one child such as this in my name receives me." (Mt 18: 3-4)  Clare, the daughter of a wealthy family was smitten by the example of St. Francis, and wanted to follow him as closely as possible, and did, serving the first Poor Clares for 40 years as their loving and devoted superior. Like Francis, she "emptied herself" and gave generously of her time and love, denying herself and spending long hours in prayer as her sisters slept.  Her extraordinary life is an embodiment of today's Gospel (Mt 18:1-5, 10, 12-14) and reassures us that these words of Jesus can be put into practice by us. What is God asking of me as I strive to serve him without reserve?

Bro. Rene

A Special Request

Dear Faithful Readers,

This unusual slice of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread comes to you as part of my 80th birthday celebration.  It is totally the work of my former Rwandan students who want to make it possible for others to continue their high school education.  I helped them by going to Rwanda for 4 years and teaching them English and Religion from 1995 to 1999.  Several did their college and post college degrees in the USA....They have all done well and want to help the next generation.  Our Daily Bread is meant to feed one another, but here is a tangible way to help feed with a high school education many students in Rwanda who would not have the opportunity for high school.  In just a few days in honor of my 80th birthday, they have raised this large amount...They asked me if I could forward their drive to all of you, world-wide.  A very worthy cause and fitting legacy to to the efforts of Br. Rene.  Thank you 

Br. Rene D. Roy Scholarship Fund,for Rwandan Youth

$7,640 raised of $10,000 goa

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Antoine Kanamugire is organizing this fundraiser.

• Created July 29, 2020
• Education & Learning

25 years ago a man stepped out of his comfort zone to answer a call to serve in an unknown territory far away from his home, the United States. He went to Rwanda, in post-genocide era,  not knowing what to expect at all but he said yes to that great call to serve.

Brother Rene D. Roy arrived in Rwanda as a teacher, an educator and Marist Brother but soon turned out to be a paternal figure to many young Rwandans in his care, he went on to inspire a whole generation of young people and  found full scholarships for dozens of young Rwandans to go study in the United States.

As he turns 80 years old this year, his former students and friends have decided to honor him by continuing his legacy of care by starting a scholarship fund dedicated to help pay school fees for young people from underprivileged backgrounds in Rwanda. We are celebrating his 80th birthday by raising money to help the cause he dearly cares about.

***                                                                                                                                                                                         The full amount of money raised through this campaign will go to BROTHER RENE D. ROY SCHOLARSHIP FUND
 

Br. Rene D. Roy Scholarship Fund“Because he cares, so should you”Who are we ?•Former students and friends of Br Rene•Anyone committed to keep Br Rene’s legacy alive through his newly-established scholarship fundOn going efforts •Raise fund for Br. Rene D. Roy Scholarship Fund•Ensure that the awardees are selected through a fair process•Develop a strategy plan for advertising this good cause to benefit our effortsWho is the beneficiary ?Rwandan high school students from low income families as recommended by selected committee and approved by the board Targeted budget •We wish to raise an initial endowment of $15000 by the end of Spring 2021Initial targeted number of scholarships ?•Support 30 students•Total scholarship funds needed: $15000/year

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The Summons To A Deeper Faith

The story of the storm and sea and Peter walking on the water, losing faith, sinking, and being rescued is especially poignant in our current situation of Covid 19, political and worldwide turmoil. We have some faith in Jesus, but like Peter, we doubt and begin to sink for the storm seems overwhelming and the waves shaking us to the core. We need to hear and heed the admonition of Jesus, "Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid." (Mt 14: 27). Jesus asks us, as he asked Peter, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" (Mt 14: 31). When he entered the boat, the wind ceased and the storm died down.  We might have experienced this in the past and said to ourselves, "I'll never doubt again." But we do.  Each day brings the need to renew our request for a deeper, unfaltering faith. Seeing ourselves as Peter, bold at first, but whimpering later after a few steps on the stormy waters, we will come to the realization of how much we need Jesus, and how faithful we must be to daily prayer to keep the bond between us and him strong so that we will not sink.  "Jesus, I believe, help my unbelief".(Mk 9:24)
Bro. Rene

Mustard Seed Size Faith

The mustard seed is one of the smallest seeds, yet, faith of this size is able to move mountains.  Why aren't there more mountains dancing about in joyful frenzy? Must be our lack of faith.  We pray and ask for things but not with the faith and conviction that Jesus is talking about.  Even his disciples could not cast out the evil demons who possessed the lad in today's Gospel. (Mt 17: 14-20), and they had had previous experience, but their faith was still not up to par, still needed honing.  If that was the case for them, how much more for us?  We're not asking for much, just faith the size of a small mustard seed. How can we deepen it, grow it?  By spending more time with the Scriptures and in personal prayer with Jesus in a quiet place and where we can expel distractions as much as possible.  By quieting our minds and putting on the mind of Jesus. By becoming ONE with him.  Not easy to do in our world of distractions, but necessary if our prayer is to be pure, direct and able to cast out demons.
Bro. Rene

Sticking With The Cross

Our Gospel passage for today urges us to "take up the cross and follow Jesus. "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me." (Mt 16:24). Not a pleasant invitation, but one that is inevitable for a disciple of Jesus...There's no escape.  There may be temporary times of peace and things going well, but inevitably, the call to carry the cross comes loud and clear.  Can we refuse it?  Yes, but Jesus didn't and took it on with full consent and willingness.  From his death on the cross, came new life for us all and the assurance that bearing our little crosses, in comparison to his, will yield a reward far beyond our imaginations. May we hear these words,  "Take up your cross" and actually do it, no matter how hard and demanding it might be.  Jesus did it, so can we.
Bro. Rene

We Need Tabor

Today's magnificent Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor reveals his glory to the select three, Peter, James and John, as well as to us. We can only imagine what it was like:  'his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light.:" (Mt 17: 2). We need this scene today when so many have ignored the reality that that Son of God became one of us to show the way to the Father. Like the apostles, we are blinded, fearful and confused.  We need to open our ears to hear "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well  pleased: listen to him." (Mt 17: 5). Yes, listen to him.  There's where we fail and need to devote more time to sitting with the Scriptures, reflecting on what they are telling us and what they are asking of us.  It was good for the apostles to have this glimpse of Jesus, but as we continue to read Matthew, they didn't "get it" till after the resurrection of Jesus.  Yes, Jesus is patient with us, giving us a lifetime "to get it", but we might help the process by giving some time daily to being with him on Mount Tabor.
Bro. Rene

Boldness In Prayer

The impressive Canaanite woman who will not take "No" for an answer, appears as a key figure in today's Gospel: (Mt: 15: 21-28). When Jesus hesitates to cure her daughter, practically totally ignoring the request, this persistent mother comes back with one answer after another to persuade Jesus, and she wins. Jesus cures her daughter on the spot.
How often do we pray for favors for ourselves or others, and receive no response?  Or so it seems, but Jesus might just be waiting for us to pray with more conviction, more "moxie", before he acts. At any rate, we need to continue our prayer, answer or not, to grow our faith and trust.  The answer will come, in one way of another and we will be better, more faithfilled that ever.
Bro Rene.

The Blind Leading The Blind

It's so easy to fall into the trap of self-righteous leadership. having "all the answers" and never being wrong. Jesus warns the Pharisees and us to beware of setting ourselves up and invincible guides, let we fall into the pit ourselves. (Mt15: 14). We can get so cocky that we forget our own vulnerability and proneness to mistakes.  Every once in awhile, we need a knock of some sort to awaken us to our folly and false opinion of ourselves and of others.  A dose of reality doesn't hurt, but cleanses in a deep way, as does Clorox in our laundry...Whites look whiter and cleaner than usual with a dab of this wonder liquid.  Self-examination or a word of advice from a friend can be the eye-opener to our own blindness or the Clorox in our own sullied behavior. :Let those hear who have ears to hear!
Bro. Rene

Overcoming Fear

In these unstable days of doubt and disruption, the demon of FEAR is bound to creep in.  "What if's face us at every turn; we are not accustomed to live with so much uncertainty.  Yet it plagues us daily.  Our Gospel passage can help us as we see the boat carrying the apostles caught in a storm and Jesus walking on the water in the midst of the high winds, rain and rocking waves.  A cause for fear, to say the least. Peter ventures forth, as commanded by Jesus,  to walk on the stormy waters, but FEAR takes over and he begins to sink. Jesus saves him, but upraids him for his lack of faith.  He must be ready to do the same for us, as we allow fear of the present and future to stymie us.  May we learn as Peter did that with Jesus no storm nor challenging situation can overpower us. Let us pray over today's Gospel (Mt 14: 12-16) and find the strength and the faith to deal with the storms in our lives.
Bro. Rene

God Constantly Feeds Us

Our 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time readings strongly remind us that God constantly feeds us. The familiar and beloved passage from Isaiah (55: 1-3), "All you who are thirsty, come to the water" is followed by St. Paul's passionate defense of the love of Jesus for us in the second reading: "What will separate us from the love of Christ?" Will it be anguish, distress, persecution, famine or nakedness, the sword?...Nothing in his view, not even heavenly spirits can separate us from his love. (Rm 8: 35,37,39). And then in the Gospel, (Mt 13: 13-21) despite his need for restful quiet and prayer after hearing of the death of John the Baptist, he heals countless folks who followed him and then feeds them by multiplying five loaves and two fishes...There's no end to his kindness and concern for our well-being. He is truly the model for our lives, for we as his disciples are called to "feed" others with whatever we have in our "larders", be it food, prayer or simply listening to them and their complaints and hardships. He gives us the strength to do more than we think we can do.  May we not disappoint him.
Bro. Rene

Never Waste A Moment

As we celebrate the Memorial of St Alphonsus Liguori,  who was ordained at the age of 29 and died at the age of 91, trying as much as possible never to waste a moment, even when he was nearly blind and severely crippled. In these days of Corona uncertainty and more time on our hands than we have ever experienced, we might be asking ourselves if we are making the best use of all this "bonus" time. It's so easy to slip into Yahoo news, of sensational and questionable accuracy, and find a half hour or more lost forever in bauble and babble. St. Alphonsus would not succumb to such squandering of time, and as we look at it, neither should we.
In today's readings, (Jer 26: 11-16, 24) (Mt 14: 1-12) we read how Jeremiah almost lost his life because he was faithful to his preaching mission and how John the Baptist did lose his life because of his faithful and fearless preaching. These great men inspire us to drop the useless from our lives and get on the ball.  Life's precious moments are too dear to waste, but can be used to the fullest, even when our bodies, hampered by age, infirmity, or lack of inner drive find us longing for a welcoming couch. Like St. Alphonsus, may we not give in nor give up!
Bro. Rene