Missing Slices of Bread!

***Dear Readers, We were able to retrieve over a month's worth of Daily Bread and include them all here to be used at your prayerful leisure. They go from September 11th to August 4th. Enjoy.

 

Lost and Found

 Luke 15: 1-32

The Parable of the Lost Sheep

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The Parable of the Lost Coin

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins^[a] and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ ¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

The Parable of the Lost Son

¹¹ Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. ¹² The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.

¹³ “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. ¹⁴ After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.

¹⁷ “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! ¹⁸ I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ ²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

²¹ “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

²² “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. ²³ Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. ²⁴ For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

²⁵ “Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. ²⁶ So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ²⁷ ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’

²⁸ “The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. ²⁹ But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. ³⁰ But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

³¹ “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. ³² But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

Jesus lovingly explains that there is more joy over the repentant sinner than there is sadness in his wanderings and years of searching  These classic parables graphically display the joy unbounded of having a lost son find his way home and seek reconciliation . If any of us have the slightest hesitation about seeking reconciliation, this is the answer.  Have no fear.Our loving father awaits us with arems outstretched and a heart full of firgiveness and love. There is no need to feel lost or alone, The Fahter awaits us and will lavishly receive us home again.

Bro.Rene

 

 

 

See the Speck in Your Own Eye First

Luke 6: 39-42  

The Blind Leading the Blind

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

It's so easy  to see the faults of another and not recognize our own.  We humans are prone to this and never learn to see that it does no good  If we could be more critical of ourselves and make efforts to change or improve what we find in our own lives, wouldn't we be happier"  an wouldn't others be happier  to have us off their backs" Jesus know our human nature and has sound advice about improving our behaviors.  May we listen and follow.

Bro. Rene

 

 

 

 

Deal  With The Plank in Your Eye First

  

 Luke 6: 39-42

Dan  The Blind Lead the Blind?

³⁹ He also told them this parable: “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ The student is not above the teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like their teacher.

⁴¹ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴² How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

It's so easy to see the faults in someone else's life, but miss our own.  Jesus tells us to look a ourselves first before criticizing another,l something we don't like to do, something that's very hard to do. God, help me to take an honest look at myself and ask you for the grace to correct what I see.

Bro. Rene

 

 

 

The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Matthew 1: 18-23

Joseph Accepts Jesus as His Son

¹⁸ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about^.: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Because Joseph her husband was faithful to the law, and yet did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly.

²⁰ But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. ²¹ She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.”

²² All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ²³ “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

Today's Feast celebrates the birth of Mary, God's chosen One to be the Mother of Jesus. The full Gospel for today includes Matthew's lengthy genealogy of Jesus but this shortened form focuses  on the call to Mary to be the Mother of the Messiah and the ensuing dilemma Joseph faced with his  now pregnant betrothed.  There is nothing about Mary's birth, the feast we celebrate; the focus being on the birth of Jesus. This is fitting, for Mary sees her role, her life as the instrument for bringing the Son of God into the world; she is the background of the painting which features Jesus as the main character.. Mary's humility and devotion to her calling serve as ;models for us in our attempts to live as disciples of Jesus.  Jesus first, and all that we can do to make him known and lived is second.  This is truly a Marist Feast!

Bro. Rene 

Loving Father, you entrusted to Saint Joseph your only Son and his mother, our mother, Mary. Joseph protected them from harm and taught Jesus how to work for a living so that he could provide for his mother. Grant that we too may know his protection and be strengthened by his courage and perseverance, so that we might embrace the daily tasks in front of us more fully. We ask this through your Son, our Lord. Amen.

 Rev. Gabriel J. Griggs, C.S.C.

 

 

Blessings and Woes

  

Luke 6: 20-26

The Beatitudes

²⁰ And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said:

“Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

²¹ “Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied.

“Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh.

²² “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! ²³ Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.

Jesus Pronounces Woes

²⁴ “But woe to you who are rich, for you have received your consolation.

²⁵ “Woe to you who are full now, for you shall be hungry.

“Woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep.

²⁶ “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Luke provides us with four Beatitudes while Matthew gives us eight, and he presents four woes, to round out the lesson on how to live as a good Christian.  They are stated simply and directly but open the door to a lifelong meditation and attempts to live them  accordingly. Their brevity might tempt us to gloss over them quickly, but if we sit with one a day over the next eight day, we might discover a richness that can enhance our discipleship and make us better human beings as well as better Christians..  Let's start today.

Bro. Rene.

 

 

Jesus Calls and Heals

  

Luke 6: 12-19

The Twelve Apostles

¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles: ¹⁴ Simon (whom he named Peter), his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, ¹⁵ Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called the Zealot, ¹⁶ Judas son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.

Blessings

¹⁷ He went down with them and stood on a level place. A large crowd of his disciples was there and a great number of people from all over Judea, from Jerusalem, and from the coastal region around Tyre and Sidon, ¹⁸ who had come to hear him and to be healed of their diseases. Those troubled by impure spirits were cured, ¹⁹ and the people all tried to touch him, because power was coming from him and healing them all.

This Gospel passage is fitting for our opening day of school at Central Catholic in Lawrence, MA, for it reminds us that we too are called by Jesus to teach not just in our field but also in what it means to be a Catholic Christian and  Marist.  True, not all are Catholic, but the basics of love of God and love in neighbo apply to all, and as Marists we exclude no one, but embrace all as members of a loving family.  What a joy and privilege it is to be called to do this.  What joy it is to meet students who love coming to school to be with their Central Family! I met two girls at the Feast of the Three Saints who were just beaming with the prospct of returning to school. What healing too comes from our safe and loving environment!   May we embrace our call and share the enthusiasm of our students with one another and with all of them!

Bro. Rene

 

 

Jesus Is Above the Law

Luke 6: 6-11

A Cure On The Sabbath

⁶ On another Sabbath he went into the synagogue and was teaching, and a man was there whose right hand was shriveled. ⁷ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal on the Sabbath. ⁸ But Jesus knew what they were thinking and said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Get up and stand in front of everyone.” So he got up and stood there.

⁹ Then Jesus said to them, “I ask you, which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to destroy it?”

¹⁰ He looked around at them all, and then said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He did so, and his hand was completely restored. ¹¹ But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law were furious and began to discuss with one another what they might do to Jesus.

Jesus shocked the Pharisees and teachers of the  law by curing the man with the shriveled hand  and showed us that the Law of Charity is above the laws made by men. True, our salvation is guided by the Law but Jesus is our Savior,  thus it is to him that we owe allegiance not to the Law. 

Bro. Rene

There is much in my life that is withered. How many relationships are unhealthy? How many times have I turned away from a chance to help? How few people do I truly open up to and offer myself for? Lord, help me to stretch out my hand, my heart and my entire being so that you can restore me to the fullness of love and health, generosity and openness. Amen.

 Rev. Matthew Kuczora, C.S.C.
 

 

 

Take Up Your Cross

 Luke 14: 25-33

The Cost of Being a Disciple

²⁵ Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: ²⁶ “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. ²⁷ And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

²⁸ “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? ²⁹ For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, ³⁰ saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’

³¹ “Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? ³² If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. ³³ In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. 

Bearing our daily cross may not sound like the best  PROMO for being a disciple of Jesus at first glance, but further reflection validates it and even makes it appealing. As a disciple of Jesus how can I want less than what he experienced?  I need my cross, I need my "death" even if it's just "death  to self." my selfish wants, my comfort, "My Way!"  Jesus says specifically that we cannot be his disciples without carrying our cross. Who would forgo being a disciple of Jesus by avoiding a cross?  For being a disciple is of far greater value than anything we can conjure up..  Carry9ng our cross is a small price to pay for so great a privilege.  Bring on my cross!

Bro. Rene

 

 

A Higher Law

  

Luke 6: 1-5

Jesus Is Lord of the Sabbath

6 One Sabbath Jesus was going through the grainfields, and his disciples began to pick some heads of grain, rub them in their hands and eat the kernels. ² Some of the Pharisees asked, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?”

³ Jesus answered them, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? ⁴ He entered the house of God, and taking the consecrated bread, he ate what is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” ⁵ Then Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.”

Jesus was a very  practical leader and teacher.as seen in this episode from Luke.  The disciples needed to eat, and although it was the Sabbath when "harvesting" was forbidden, he allowed his friends to pick grain and eat.  Th Laws of Charity and Common sense took precedence over the letter of the Law.  We often find ourselves in situations when we need to set aside certain restrictions or laws, in order to serve our neighbor and perform a charitable act.  No need for guilt or compunction.  A Higher Law takes precedence.:  Love of Neighbor.

Bro. Rene

 

 

The Old Is Better

  

 Luke 5: 33-39

Jesus Questioned About Fasting

³³ They said to him, “John’s disciples often fast and pray, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, but yours go on eating and drinking.”

³⁴ Jesus answered, “Can you make the friends of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? ³⁵ But the time will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; in those days they will fast.”

³⁶ He told them this parable: “No one tears a piece out of a new garment to patch an old one. Otherwise, they will have torn the new garment, and the patch from the new will not match the old. ³⁷ And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. ³⁸ No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. ³⁹ And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”

There's a time for fasting but from what Jesus said while he was with them, it was not the time to fast. That would come later, and the comparison of new wine and old wine in their appropriate containers again points to a discerning eye (or taste) With so much being questioned and discarded in our day, is it time to taste and see what actually is the best? Orderliness is next to godliness as St.Paul says,. "1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness" (Tit 1:).  Is the "disorder" of today healthy?  It makes us sick.  It is time to bring out the old wine to appreciate what good wine is..

Bro. Rene

 

 

Do Not Be Afraid

 

Luke 5: 1-11 

Jesus Calls His First Disciples

5 One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret,^[a] the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. ² He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. ³ He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.

⁴ When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”

⁵ Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”

⁶ When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. ⁷ So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.

⁸ When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” ⁹ For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, ¹⁰ and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.

Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” ¹¹ So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.

A powerful and dramatic scene as Jesus tussle's with these fishermen  woo explain their frustration after catching nothing all night. They yield their boat to Jesus who uses it as a pulpit, ad then lower their nets at his command but against their judgment.  We might hear them saying to themselves, "What does he know about fishing?" Then when their nets were stretched to the breaking point with a huge catch they were further confounded., but also convinced that Jesus was more than he seemed in their eyes. There was a power there that moved them to leave all and follow him. He advised them not to be afraid, and would have to do so many more times in the next three years, but eventually they learned to "do whatever he told them"  Is not this story about us? We labor, often in vain, seeing no results, but Jesus beckons us to look at him, trust him and follow him without fear, a pattern that continually repeats itself.  May we begin again today even at square one if necessary, and eventually learn to follow fearlessly.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Jesus The Healer

  

Luke 4: 38-44

Jesus Heals Many

³⁸ Jesus left the synagogue and went to the home of Simon. Now Simon’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Jesus to help her. ³⁹ So he bent over her and rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up at once and began to wait on them.

⁴⁰ At sunset, the people brought to Jesus all who had various kinds of sickness, and laying his hands on each one, he healed them. ⁴¹ Moreover, demons came out of many people, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But he rebuked them and would not allow them to speak, because they knew he was the Messiah.

⁴² At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. ⁴³ But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” ⁴⁴ And he kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

Jesus is Preacher, Teacher, Savior, but above all, HEALER,  especially as we see hi in Luke's Gospel. .This familiar scene is typical of " a day i the life of Jesus."  His tireless compassion was tangible evidence of his mission to SAVE us even physically...The healing of bodies was an outward sign of the spiritual healing that Jesus came to bring us. As followers of Jesus we admit our need for healing and though our prayers and presence attempt to bring healing to others. A kind word, even just a "hello" can work wonders.  Listening to the problems that plague  people who simply need an ear and do wonders..May we follow in the footsteps of Jesus he Healer as we go about our daily tasks. At the end of the day, we'll be surprised how easy and how effective our healing ministry has been.

Bro Rene

 

 

He Spoke With Authority

Luke 4:31-37

Jesus Drives Out an Impure Spirit

³¹ Then he went down to Capernaum, a town in Galilee, and on the Sabbath he taught the people. ³² They were amazed at his teaching, because his words had authority.

³³ In the synagogue there was a man possessed by a demon, an impure spirit. He cried out at the top of his voice, ³⁴ “Go away! What do you want with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God!”

³⁵ “Be quiet!” Jesus said sternly. “Come out of him!” Then the demon threw the man down before them all and came out without injuring him.

³⁶ All the people were amazed and said to each other, “What words these are! With authority and power he gives orders to impure spirits and they come out!” ³⁷ And the news about him spread throughout the surrounding area.

Jesus captured the imaginations and the respect of the people because he spoke and acted with authority.  He was "in charge." In today's relativistic world, it seems that "anything goes", but the reality is, there are boundaries and limits; everything does not go. We have lost sight of this and hence the chaos we red about daily. If each  one of us took the time, even as much as it takes to read and reflect briefly on a passage such as this daily, we would begin to "put on the ind of Christ" and our families, our communities, our world would be a better place.  Let's begin today.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Weakness Vs Strength

^{Note: There was not slice of Daily Bread Yesterday because I was at a hotel and cold not access the internet, I will make up for it later today.} 

^{The Death of John the Baptist}

^{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.

John the Baptist was no afraid of the potential consequences of his condemnation of Herod's scandalous "marriage" and  condemned it in no uncertain terms. For this he was jailed and beheaded. Herod "caved" at the request fo John's head, fearing immense embarrassment if he did not yield to it. We might look down on Herod's cowardice, but if we look into ourselves we might find a strain or two of Herod there as well. Do we speak up when someone with a louder voice than ours speaks out against Church teaching, or speaks uncharitably about someone else? We might find many examples of the cowering Herod woven into our behavior,  but we might begin today to eliminate them one by one, praying for the courage to speak out and for the right words to do so effectively.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Using Our Gifts

Matthew 25: 14-30

The Parable of the Bags of Gold

¹⁴ “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶ The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. ¹⁷ So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

²¹ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²² “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

²³ “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

²⁴ “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

²⁶ “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷ Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸ “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. ²⁹ For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. ³⁰ And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

We are accustomed to  hearing the word "talent" in this parable, but the New International Version uses "bags of gold" Both indicate a large sum. We think of it not in terms of money but of the gifts and talents God has given us.  To some, he has given a large share, to others, not so much.  The point is, how we use what God has given us. To shy away and bury our talents ends up badly and certainly is not the recommended path to follow.  No, to use what we have, even if it's just a small thing like telling stories or jokes to brighten the days for children or the elderly, or leaving a generous tip at the restaurant, or raking leaves or shoveling snow for an elderly neighbor...Small things done well and  with joy will bring joy to others and cost us  little. Let's JUST DO IT!

Bro. Rene

 

 

Watchful Waiting

Matthew 25: 1-13

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

25 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. ³ For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, ⁴ but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. ⁵ As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. ⁶ But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ ⁷ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ ⁹ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ ¹⁰ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. ¹¹ Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ ¹² But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ ¹³ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Our lives, rightly or wrongly, tend to be impatient, to want things now, to finish tasks as quickly a we can, not that we can then rest, but so that we can "get on" to the next task  We are wheels spinning furiously, for what? The wise virgins were practical: they made sure they had enough oil in their lamps, and they had the patience to wait, for they "knew not the day nor the hour". God has a plan for each of us, a thought that boggles the mind when we think of the billions of people who inhabit planet earth; We do not know from minute to minute what's going to come next, so to be prepared is a wise and practical thing.. We keep oil in our lamps by the hours we we spend in prayer and in service to others. An open and listening heart to the needs of others; patience in dealing with the outlandish demands of the "controllers" who intersect with out lives and who can drive us crazy if we let them, these too keep the lamps buring and ready for the arrival of the bridegrrom.  May we lear to live our lives in expectation of his arrival rather than in foolish laziness or self-indugence.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Staying The Course

Matthew 24:42-51

The Good and Faithful Servant

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.

Life's ups and downs,  big and small challenges,  daily tests of our resolve and fidelity can wear us out or make us stronger.  Fidelity is the KEY...staying the course God has drawn for us. What we face today may not be there tomorrow, but God will always be looking for the faithful heart;. "in due time", in God's time, his plan becomes obvious and emerges as the best plan, better than any we cold have devised. Let us pray for fidelity and patience, and not let our will get in the way of God's will.

Bro. Rene

Lord God, your ways are mysterious and we are easily distracted and lulled to sleep. Help us to be alert, and to be not presumptuous of your mercy. Enlighten us that we may recognize the danger of drifting through our days and being overtaken by our own negligence. Wake us and enable us by your grace. Amen.

Rev. Nicholas Ayo, C.S.C.

 

 

Come And See

 John 1: 45-51

Jesus Calls Nathanael

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.”

Despite our years as believers, we find ourselves often doubting as Nathanael did  We want "proof"  It's human to question and slip into"what if's". Jesus assures Nathanael (also called Bartholomew) that he is, in Nathaniel's own words, " the Son of God, the King of Israel": Every now and then we need an assurance such as this, a "sign" that what we think God is asking of us really comes from him, or that our doubts are baseless.May our prayer today deepen our faith and trust that Jesus is truly the Messiah and Son of God who knows us and calls us daily to a deeper faith, to "Come and See"!

Bro. Rene

 

 

Practice What We Preach

 

Matthew 23: 23-26

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

Today's message is a simple invitation to be sincere, authentic, to practice what we preach.  Yet it is easy to slip into the mode of "Practice what I preach not what I do." No, our actions must reinforce what I say.if we are to be true teachers who have a lasting effect on their hearers. We need help from one another to be faithful to what we preach, friends, and a community of people who will point out when we are just full of talk and where we need to get back on track to comply with our own teaching.  Thank God there are such people. Let us be humble enough to listen to them.

Bro.. Rene 

Lord God, your Son walked among us flawed human beings. He loved the poor, the sick, and the widowed. He delighted in little children. He sat at table with men and women who were sinners and called them to new life. Only hypocrisy raised anger in Jesus. Open our eyes and hearts to see ourselves as we are and to cast ourselves upon your mercy rather than to cover our shame with lying to ourselves and to those around us. Amen.

 Rev. Nicholas Ayo, C.S.C.

 

 

Avoid Hypocrisy

 

Seven Woes on the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees

¹³ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. ^[14] 

¹⁵ “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when you have succeeded, you make them twice as much a child of hell as you are.

¹⁶ “Woe to you, blind guides! You say, ‘If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gold of the temple is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁷ You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? ¹⁸ You also say, ‘If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but anyone who swears by the gift on the altar is bound by that oath.’ ¹⁹ You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? ²⁰ Therefore, anyone who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. ²¹ And anyone who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. ²² And anyone who swears by heaven swears by God’s throne and by the one who sits on it.

Today we celebrate the Memorial of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary but we are presented with this Gospel passage that seems to have nothing to do with Mary, other than to say she lived a life opposite of what Jesus was attacking in the hypocrisy of the Pharisees. Truly this scathing description reveals the ire Jesus had when he saw religious leaders living the opposite way they should. Mary, on the other hand, lived a sincere, authentic life of obedience to God's will and of service to his Son. We might examine our lives to see if we have adopted any of the behaviors of the Pharisees and work on replacing them with those of Mary .

Bro. Rene

 

 

Make Every Effort

 

 Luke 13: 22-30

The Narrow Door

²² Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. ²³ Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

He said to them, ²⁴ “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to. ²⁵ Once the owner of the house gets up and closes the door, you will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Sir, open the door for us.’

“But he will answer, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’

²⁶ “Then you will say, ‘We ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’

²⁷ “But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from. Away from me, all you evildoers!’

²⁸ “There will be weeping there, and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but you yourselves thrown out. ²⁹ People will come from east and west and north and south, and will take their places at the feast in the kingdom of God. ³⁰ Indeed there are those who are last who will be first, and first who will be last.”

Jesus reminds us that entering the Kingdom of Heaven is not easy, for we have to go through the narrow gate of prayer, self-denial and service to one another, evidently practices not appealing to the "general public." The reward is great, so it makes sense that the price to pay should demand some effort on our part. We might begin with a faithful commitment to 15 minutes of just sitting with  the Lord.: We might find ourselves at first looking at our watches frequently and wondering why time is moving so slowly, but after time, we will wonder how the time passed too fast. and find ourselves taking even more tie, for it has been so rewarding to be calmly and peacefully with God. Turning to self-denial, we will be delighted to see how much time we gain, for example, if we stop reading every "enticing"  article that pops up on Yahoo Mail.. And, finally, we will find that serving others first not only nakes them feel important but helps rid  ourselves of any residual self-centeredness that lingers in our thinking and acting.  The key is to JUST DO IT...

Bro. Rene 

 

 

The Humble Will  Be Exalted

 Mathew 23: 1-12

A Warning Against Hypocrisy

23 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: ² “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. ³ So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach. ⁴ They tie up heavy, cumbersome loads and put them on other people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.

⁵ “Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; ⁶ they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; ⁷ they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others.

⁸ “But you are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. ⁹ And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ¹⁰ Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. ¹¹ The greatest among you will be your servant. ¹² For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

No one likes a braggart but the humble, unassuming person acts like a magnet, without having to say a word.  Just a calm, confident presence speaks volumes and  authentically radiates goodness,  effectively influences and attracts others.  Just look at the "power" Jesus had over his listeners.  He was a magnet, not only for his cures and teachings,  BUT FOR HIS OVERALL PRESENCE.  We can do the same if we remember and put this simple teaching into practice. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those we who humble themselves will be exalted.   Let's JUST DO IT!

Bro. Rene

 

 

New Life In The Spirit

Ezekiel 37: 1-14

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ² He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. ³ He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

⁴ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! ⁵ This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. ⁶ I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

⁷ So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. ⁸ I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

⁹ Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” ¹⁰ So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

¹¹ Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ ¹² Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³ Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. ¹⁴ I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

Today we will deviate from our accustomed practice of commenting on the Gospel for today and let the First Reading, or Epistle speak to us.  Dry Bones.  New Life.  How does this change take place?   When we allow the Spirit, ever so willing to come an breathe life into our dried up skeleton.  So often we are nothing more than that, a mere conformity of theological beliefs and  pious practices but no verve, no excitement,  no life to our faith.  We are a pile of dead bones simply going through the motions.  May we take a good look at how we are living out our faith, and if we fall into the "''dry-bone category", let us ask the Spirit to come upon us and breathe life into our bony existence.We will see a difference and not be disappointed, but ALIVE AT LAST!

Bro. Rene

 

 

Many Invited, Few Chosen

  

Matthew: 22: 1-14

The Parable of the Wedding Banquet

22 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: ² “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. ³ He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come.

⁴ “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’

⁵ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. ⁶ The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them. ⁷ The king was enraged. He sent his army and destroyed those murderers and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding banquet is ready, but those I invited did not deserve to come. ⁹ So go to the street corners and invite to the banquet anyone you find.’ ¹⁰ So the servants went out into the streets and gathered all the people they could find, the bad as well as the good, and the wedding hall was filled with guests.

¹¹ “But when the king came in to see the guests, he noticed a man there who was not wearing wedding clothes. ¹² He asked, ‘How did you get in here without wedding clothes, friend?’ The man was speechless.

¹³ “Then the king told the attendants, ‘Tie him hand and foot, and throw him outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

¹⁴ “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

This is a scary parable showing how a good man's intentions can be thwarted by evildoers, and how, at the same time, conformity to protocol is important.  Let's say we are among the invited who actually end up at the wedding feast,but for some reason refuse to dress for the occasion.  Why would we refuse to adhere to this simple custom? Laziness?  Defiance? How does this parable translate into my life?  Do I accept the graciousness of the host to sit at table with the guests, yet cling to my own ways?  "My Way"! Do I only half-heatedly follow the commandments or the guidelines of the Church? We put ourselves at risk when so doing.  May we learn from this parable to "step in time" with the simple things God asks of us!

Bro. Rene   

 

 

The Last Will Be First

 

 With God, All Is Possible

²³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

 As much as God loves all of us, he cannot force us into the Kingdom.  There are hard choices that WE must make.   "We can't have our cake and eat it", as the old saying goes. We have to leave the comfortable, the familiar, the family,even, to follow Jesus more completely as the center of our lives.  No half measures; the material world of things and pleasures is not compatible with the Kingdom of God, whee self-sacrifice and service to others are paramount. This might seem an impossible goal but all things are possible with God and indeed, what seems contradictory is where the truth lies;  tHE LAST SHALL BE FIRST!

Bro. Rene.  .

Is not the Lord free to give those who serve Him whatever He wishes? The Lord gives as He pleases. Ours is but to thank Him for His gifts to each of us. Lord, you warn us against envy of other people’s gifts. We know you are concerned for each of us. Help our faith that we might trust in your mercy. Amen.

Rev. William Simmons, C.S.C.

 

 

Who Can Be Saved?

Matthew 19:23-30

 

The Last Shall Be First

 

³ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. ²⁴ Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

²⁵ When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

²⁷ Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?”

²⁸ Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. ²⁹ And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife^[a] or children or fields for my sake will receive a hundred times as much and will inherit eternal life. ³⁰ But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first.

It is not easy to enter the Kingdom of heaven,  but it is not impossible either, for God gives us the grace, the means, to arrive there. If we rely on our own strength and devices, we will not make. "It's too hard", as we often say or hear, but when we focus on Jesus, do all for him, it becomes a joy, something that brings peace and happiness, and makes us want to do whatever he asks or commands.  The key is to keep our eyes on Jesus, THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE and find ourselves moving from the last to the first place.

Bro. Rene

Great Things

 

 Luke 1: 39-56

Mary Visits Elizabeth

³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Mary’s Song

⁴⁶ And Mary said:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
⁴⁷     and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
⁴⁸ for he has been mindful
    of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
⁴⁹     for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
    holy is his name.
⁵⁰ His mercy extends to those who fear him,
    from generation to generation.
⁵¹ He has performed mighty deeds with his arm;
    he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts.
⁵² He has brought down rulers from their thrones
    but has lifted up the humble.
⁵³ He has filled the hungry with good things
    but has sent the rich away empty.
⁵⁴ He has helped his servant Israel,
    remembering to be merciful
⁵⁵ to Abraham and his descendants forever,
    just as he promised our ancestors.”

⁵⁶ Mary stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned home.

 The Assumption of Mary is a special day for Marists and for all Followers of Jesus, for it previews our final destination: to be united body and soul again and to live forever in Eternity with our loving God.  Our minds are too small, to limited, to fully understand this, but we can look to Mary as the exemplar of what is to come.As Little Brothers of Mary and Lay Marists, we try as best we can to model our lives after hers:  to be open to God's daily invitations and grace, to point the way to Jesus to others, and to do whatever he tells us. We do not have to be great theologians, but simple and obedient 'servants of the Lord.

Many of us Marist Brothers took our religious habits on this day and became members of the Marist Brothers of the Schools; for me, this is the 62nd anniversary of that great day.  With Mary, I have been singing and living her Magnificat all these years and hope to continue to do so as long as God lets me. Great things have comes to pass in my life and in the lives of all who follow Mary's "little way".  May she help us to continue to be totally at God's disposal as she was. :

 Bro. Rene

 The Assumption of Mary means that the Blessed Mother was "translated," in the totality of her being, from this dimensional system to the higher one for which we use the term "heaven." Mary, who exists now in this other world, is not so much somewhere else as somehow else, and this helps to explain why we can speak of her, especially in her heavenly state, interceding, helping us, and praying for us.

Bishop Robert Barron

 

 

Jesus Fire

Luke 12: 49-53

Jesus the Cause of Division

⁴⁹ “I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! ⁵⁰ I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! ⁵¹ Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! ⁵² From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; ⁵³ they will be divided:

father against son
    and son against father,
mother against daughter
    and daughter against mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
    and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.

Jesus meant business and he means for us to take this same approach to our call to be his disciples.  We must be men and women on fire, "Fire-casters" setting the world on fire, a fire that destroys falsehood and hypocrisy, hatred and despair, a fire that divides, but also a fire that warms with love, a zealous, unrelenting fire that incites fire and enthusiasm, peace and joy in others, a fire that is never extinguished. Would that I might be a flame in that fire TODAY!

Bro. Rene.

Father all-powerful, you sent the Holy Spirit into the world to set our hearts on fire. May the grace we receive through your Spirit help us to heal the divisions that separate us from our brothers and sisters. Help us to be zealous advocates of your undying love for humanity, so that all people will work to make you known, loved, and served. We make this prayer through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Members of the Holy Cross Novitiate

 

 

The Kingdom Belongs to Such As These

Matthew 19: 13-15

The Little Children and Jesus

¹³ Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them.

¹⁴ Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” ¹⁵ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.

Jesus took the time to welcome the little children whose parents brought them to him. while his disciples were impatient and evidently tried to shoo them away. But Jesus took the occasion to remind them (and us) that the Kingdom of Heaven  belongs to the innocent, the childlike, those whose lives have not been hardened with worry or fear, but are rather full of trust, joy and innocence. Does the little child still live in me or have I buried him?

 Bro Rene

Lord God, you came to us as a new born child. As a child you were dependent on Mary and Joseph to care for you, feed you and protect you. Help us understand our dependence on you Our God, father and mother to us, to care for us, protect us and sustain us. We come to you this day as your children asking you to be with us throughout this day, no matter what happens. We pray this in Your Name. Amen.

 Rev. Thomas O’Hara, C.S.C.

 

 

Marriage Is Forever

  

Matthew 19: 3-12

³ Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?”

⁴ “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh^]? ⁶ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”

⁷ “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?”

⁸ Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. ⁹ I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.”

¹⁰ The disciples said to him, “If this is the situation between a husband and wife, it is better not to marry.”

¹¹ Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this word, but only those to whom it has been given. ¹² For there are eunuchs who were born that way, and there are eunuchs who have been made eunuchs by others—and there are those who choose to live like eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it.”

No divorce, says Jesus, except for infidelity. A hard rule, but a fence built to protect a very sacred institution. It is the ideal, meant to preserve a key factor in the fabric of society:  the family. The fabric is in shambles today, as couples do not even bother with formal marriage and divorce has lost its stigma. Is it too late to seek to help couples know each other well and understand the seriousness of their commitment before pronouncing their wedding vows? Many times people learn from their mistakes and often a second marriage is the real thing.  Why does the learning have to be trhough divorce?  Why can't adequte preparation help a couple make a mature decision the first time  It might be that the "love" they thought they had was not love, and hence they decide not to marry. Hearts might be broken but not as painfully as going through a divorce.  Let us encourage couples to know each other through and through and to prepare as best they can before ting the permanent knot.

Bro. Rene

 Lord, you teach us to hold the covenant of marriage in the highest dignity. Bless all husbands and wives in their promises of love and fidelity to one another. Help all couples experiencing difficulties. Assist all members of your Church to support and encourage one another in our vocations. Amen.

Rev. Louis DelFra, C.S.C.

 

 

Mercy Should Beget Mercy

 

Matthew 18: 21-19: 1

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.

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 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. 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.”

19 When Jesus had finished saying these things, he left Galilee and went into the region of Judea to the other side of the Jordan.

It's rather shocking to see how the servant  whose debt had just been forgiven so ruthlessly treated the man who owed him money. Rightly did the Master call him back and hand him over to the jailers until he paid back what he owed.  Mercy should beget mercy, but evidently this servant missed the point.In our own dealings with one another, are we as generous and forgiving as the Master, or as uncompromising and brutal as the servant? Perhaps our actions are not so obvious, but perhaps even in subtle ways, we take out our anger or frustrations on others.  Time to examine our thinking and behavior and get on the path of mercy if we have strayed from it.

Bro. Rene 

 

 

Life-Giving Paradoxes

 John 12: 24-26

²⁴ Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. ²⁵ Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Our lives are peppered with paradoxes.  What seems to be disaster turns out to be for the best; as Jesus points out. If we want to serve Jesus totally, we must die to self, to ambition,to our own importance, and rise again molded and conformed to what God has in mind for us. It's not easy to yield our wills, desires and plans, but thankfully, we receive signs along the way, that it is best to allow God to fashion  us into the person HE wants us to be.  So be it!

Bro. Rene  

 

 

Become Childlke

 Matthew 18: 1-5, 10, 12-14

Who Is the Greatest?

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” ² And calling to him a child, he put him in the midst of them ³ and said, “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. ⁴ Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

⁵ “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me

10 See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven look  upon the face of my heavenly Father.

¹² “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? ¹³ And if he finds it, truly I tell you, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. ¹⁴ In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should perish.

Who would have expected the answer to the question, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"  to be a little child? Yet as we think about it, the innocence, the spontaneity, the trust, the humility and goodness of a child are such a treat to adults, why wouldn't these qualities be the ones we should strive for? Even just one of them would calm our spirits and help bring peace to others and make God's kingdom of love more tangible. We might look at our behavior today and see if it reflects that of a bear or of a child and make adjustments accordingly.

Bro.Rene..

 

 

All For Jesus

  

Matthew 17: 22-27

Jesus Predicts His Death a Second Time

²² When they came together in Galilee, he said to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. ²³ They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life.” And the disciples were filled with grief.

The Temple Tax

²⁴ After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Peter and asked, “Doesn’t your teacher pay the temple tax?”

²⁵ “Yes, he does,” he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. “What do you think, Simon?” he asked. “From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own children or from others?”

²⁶ “From others,” Peter answered.

“Then the children are exempt,” Jesus said to him. ²⁷ “But so that we may not cause offense, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours.”

We are presented with the second prediction of the death and resurrection of Jesus, which did not register at that time with the disciples...they only  realized what he was saying after the actual event.  Further into the fog is the question of paying the temple tax. Jesus was the new temple, yet he complied with the letter of the law.  Sometimes we are asked to do things we don't quite understand at the moment, but looking back, see that it made sense to do them.  The important view in all of this is to keep focused on Jesus, then we will never be confused.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Let us listen to him, follow him with all our hearts, and all will make sense.

Bro. Rene

 

 

The Truth Will Make US Free

 

Luke 12: 32-48

³² “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. ³³ Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. ³⁴ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Watchfulness

³⁵ “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, ³⁶ like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. ³⁷ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them. ³⁸ It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or toward daybreak. ³⁹ But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. ⁴⁰ You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

⁴¹ Peter asked, “Lord, are you telling this parable to us, or to everyone?”

⁴² The Lord answered, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom the master puts in charge of his servants to give them their food allowance at the proper time? ⁴³ It will be good for that servant whom the master finds doing so when he returns. ⁴⁴ Truly I tell you, he will put him in charge of all his possessions. ⁴⁵ But suppose the servant says to himself, ‘My master is taking a long time in coming,’ and he then begins to beat the other servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk. ⁴⁶ 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. He will cut him to pieces and assign him a place with the unbelievers.

⁴⁷ “The servant who knows the master’s will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows. ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Our world is full of temptation and exciting allurement  for things that do not satisfy.  The internet is a gateway to the perverse and false and makes them accessible at the touch of a fingertip. Lies fill the media and dupe the unsuspecting who trust that what they see or hear must be true.  Not so, as is becoming more evident thanks to recent disclosures leading to deeper investigations. The most trustworthy source of truth is the Bible, THE WORD OF GOD. Meditating on this passage and putting it into practice in our thinking and behavig will bring us peace and life, for it is the TRUTH.  Why look elsewhere?  This is the Lord's Day, let us give him the first place in it and learn from him.  We will not be disappointed.

Bro. Rene

 

 

Listen To Him

 Luke 9: 28b-36

The Transfiguration

²⁸ About eight days after Jesus said this, he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. ²⁹ As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. ³⁰ Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor, talking with Jesus. ³¹ They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem. ³² Peter and his companions were very sleepy, but when they became fully awake, they saw his glory and the two men standing with him. ³³ As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.” (He did not know what he was saying.)

Take a moment to focus on the details of this spectacular event:  clothes as bright as lightening, Moses and Elijah in glorious splendor, Peter, so dazzled he didn't know what he was saying, a cloud covering them, a voice speaking to them.  Surely a spectacular glimpse into another world.  It was a moment to witness the glory of Jesus,  a moment to prepare them for the.not so glorious events in the life of Jesus, and for the challenges they (and we) would face in the future. Let us go to the mountain today, not to be fearful, but fortified and strengthened in our faith and mission to make Jesus known and loved.

Bro. Rene

 

 

A Paradox

Matthew 16: 24-28

What Good To Gain the Whole World?

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 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.

²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.

A true disciple is willing to give up everything, even life itself, in order to follow Jesus.  Most of us shun suffering and pain,--the cross-- or would rather remain silent and hidden when popular opinion is contrary to the teachings of Jesus. Why so shy? "What good will it be to gain the whole world and forfeit our soul?"  No, in order to save our life, we must surrender it, lose it,.  In order to gain the strength to do this, we need to deepen our love for Jesus by spending more time with him in prayer and meditation, and simply by asking him for the grace to live the paradox of losing life in order to gain it.

Bro. Rene