Be Clean

 Matthew 8:1-4

Jesus Heals a Man With Leprosy

8 When Jesus came down from the mountainside, large crowds followed him. ² A man with leprosy came and knelt before him and said, “Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean.”

³ Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately he was cleansed of his leprosy. ⁴ Then Jesus said to him, “See that you don’t tell anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the gift Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.”

Aren't we all in need of healing of some form of deficiency, physical or spiritual?  Don't we all call out to Jesus, as did this leper, but unlike this case, we are not healed...at least in the way we had hoped.  Our prayer is answered but not always the way we wanted it to be. Learning to accept our "infirmity", struggle with it, live with it often brings a "healing" on another level, a cleansing us from selfishness or self-pity, for example.  Leprosy may not just be  physical disease, but one of attitude or spiritual deficiency. Yes, let us call out courageously for healing, as did the leper, but let us be open to the healing that God sees as best for us.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you know me and my needs better than I .Open my heart to receive the healing that you is is best for me. Amen. 

Two Greats

 Matthew 16: 13-19

Peter Declares That Jesus Is the Messiah

¹³ When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”

¹⁴ They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

¹⁵ “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”

¹⁶ Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”

¹⁷ Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven. ¹⁸ And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. ¹⁹ I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

Today we honor two great pillars of the Church, Saints Peter and Paul. When we look st these men before Jesus called them and turned their lives inside out, we would see not reason for choosing them to be leaders, apostles, heralds of 'the new way."  Their transformation is more than remarkable, it is "miraculous". We see them grow, from stubborn fisherman and fearless persecutor, to Bishop of  Rome and tireless missionary, preacher, writer and miracle worker. Can such a transformation happen today? Can it happen to me? Scary, but as we celebrate these men, let us open our hearts to allow God to do with us whatever he wants.  He never abandoned them, so also will he stick with us.

Bro. Rene

Dear God as we look at our world today, we see the need for more  Peters and Pauls. Help me to do whatever I can to continue their mission of preaching and teaching, however best I can. Amen.  

 

Be On The Alert

 

 Matthew 7: 15-20

True and False Prophets

¹⁵ “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. ¹⁶ By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

 As Jesus observed so accurately 2,000 years ago, false prophets, false standards, false values surround us on all sides. We watch the daily decline in respect for one another, Christian values and morality, and just basic honesty reported in the newspapers and on television and feel like we are being drowned at the base of a waterfall. Our daily prayer, reading of the Scriptures and determination will help us resist and even take action against the daily indoctrination of 'THIS IS THE WAY IT IS".  But it doesn't have to be; it wasn't meant to be. Let us act, even in some small way, rather than let the false prophets prevail.

Bro, Rene

Dear God, with your help I will recognize the false prophets who cross my path today, and do what I can to silence them. Amen.  

Do To Others

 

 Matthew 7:6, 12-14

⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

¹² So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Jesus calls us to put ourselves in the shoes of "the other" and to enter through the narrow gate. Ours is not to take the "easy way", but the "hard way", the way of self-giving and sacrifice. We are not to be anonymous, or one of the lost in a crowd, but we are called to stand out above others by our kindness,and by our willingness to "go the extra mile" for the good of another. He calls us to a selfless life, putting others first, and ourselves in 'the back seat".  This is not easy to do, but it is the way to LIFE!

Bro. Rene

Dear God, when my 'laziness" kicks in, remind me of this short passage and get me going again on the way that leads to life. Amen.

The Plank in My Eye

 Matthew 7: 1-5

Judging Others

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “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? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

How quick we are to see the plank, the fault, in others and yet so blind to see even worse in ourselves! It was true in the time of Jesus and remains true today. It's so easy to be critical of others and blind to our own shortcomings. Admitting this is the first step in eradicating it. Let's begin there, and then proceed to the next step of actually trying to correct or eliminate our own faults. We cannot do this alone, so let's make prayer a part of this process.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, I'm so quick to judge others while passing over my own faults.  Direct my attention to eliminating my faults first before addressing the faults in others. Amen.

Do Not Be Afraid

 

 Matthew 10: 26-33

We Are Worth More than Many Sparrows

²⁶ “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. ²⁸ Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. ²⁹ Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. ³⁰ And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. ³¹ So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

³² “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. ³³ But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven.

Three times in this short passage Jesus tells us not to be afraid. Rightly so, for fear of criticism,  rejection or worse, either consciously or unconsciously often force us into the shadows or hidden corners where we think we will be safe.  Jesus advises just the opposite and assures us that being worth more than many sparrows cared for so lovingly by the Father, He will certainly take care of us. Let us reflect on our behavior and if we find it less than fearless, then let us pray for the courage and fearlessness that we find lacking. Such a prayer is a first step.

Bro, Rene

Dear God, I am too often weak and afraid.  Give me the grace to cast fear aside and to rely on your power and strength, not mine. Amen.

God's Plan

 

Luke 1:57-66, 80

The Birth of John the Baptist

⁵⁷ When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸ Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy.

⁵⁹ On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, ⁶⁰ but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”

⁶¹ They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”

⁶² Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. ⁶³ He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” ⁶⁴ Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. ⁶⁵ All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. ⁶⁶ Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

God's plan is most often not our plan, as many of us have experienced, but it always turns out to be the BEST plan. The story of the birth of John the Baptist illustrates this and reminds us to put our trust in
God and allow him to work wonders HIS way in our lives. This is not easy, since we are basically a stubborn lot whose pride assumes we have all the answers. Zechariah was muted for nine months, during which, he evidently learned to accept God's plan and not only received his ability to speak, but became and example for us to accept God's plan in our own lives. May we do so without having to "go mute."

Bro. Rene

Dear God, may learn to relax, assume my place in your plan and walk calmly and obediently with you. Amen.

Needed Priorities

 

 Matthew 6:19-23

Treasures in Heaven

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. ²¹ For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Jesus clearly directs us from  putting all our marbles in an earthly basket. What is :of earth: will remain here. The treasure, the goal we seek is not of this world, but of heaven, where it will last forever. Our world is losing sight of this as wealth and a widening distance from God and religious practice are fast replacing traditional values. In three concise verses, Jesus sets our priorities. He also reminds us that our eyes  let in light or, if diseased, darkness prevails. We can easily be sidetracked by the media and the loosening of moral standards into a queezy and questionable set of values.  Our call is to stand firm against the values of the world and adhere to the values established by Jesus. 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to hold fast to the treasure and the light you provide and not be drawn into the tawdry values proposed by "the world." Amen.

 

Our Daily Bread

 

 The Lord's prayer

⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
¹⁰ your kingdom come,
your will be done,
    on earth as it is in heaven.
¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.
¹² And forgive us our debts,
    as we also have forgiven our debtors.
¹³ And lead us not into temptation,
    but deliver us from the evil one.^'"

¹⁴ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Jesus might have introduced this beloved prayer by saying, "Keep it simple, Stupid!"  This is a very basic, nuts and bolts prayer, hitting the essentials from acknowledging God as our Father to forgiving one another, not to mention our need for daily bread. It is a precious gift and needs to be prayed attentively,  humbly and, might I add, SLOWLY so that its richness touches our hearts at the "core of our being." Then we will realize that God is our Father.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, teach us to reverence and pray this simple but powerful prayer as you did yourself. Amen.

Specifics

 Note: Couldn't find the blog spot earlier 

 

Matthew 6: 1-6, 16-18

Giving to the Needy

6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

² “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ³ But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Prayer

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Fasting

¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

 

Jesus minces no words in his description of what we would now call  "The Christian Life. Let us spend some time in our busy lives to focus on these directives, come to see that they are what really matter, and make as much effort as we can to put them into practice.  The task of a lifetime!

 

Bro. Rene

 

Dear Jesus, you gave these instructions 2000 year ago and they are still valid today.  Help me to put them into practice in my life.

 

Your Love Lifts Us Higher

 

 Matthew 5:43-48

Love for Enemies

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Rita Coolidge's ever popular rendition of Your Love Has Lifted Me Higher and Higher, comes to mind as Jesus encourages us to love our enemies, not just our neighbors. He invites us to pray for those who persecute us, and we might add, those with whom we have difficult relationships. It's not easy to get along with everyone, but if we want to reach the level of being as perfect as our heavenly Father, we need to take that next step, we need to let his love lift us to this higher level..  Can we, will we do it TODAY? 

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to take the challenge to love all, even the most difficult, even my "enemy"! Amen.

 

Go Beyond

 

Matthew 5:38-42

Eye for Eye

³⁸ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ ³⁹ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. ⁴¹ If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.

These short verses call us to a huge challenge...to a humble step of acceptance, a walk down that extra mile, giving more than is asked and helping out the borrower.  We don't think in these terms...we are still on the "eye for an eye" level.  The Sermon on the Mount is full of demands that we might consider "beyond normal" or beyond what we can or cannot do.  May we approach this passage with an open heart and make a commitment to put it into practice.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, your teaching today is not easy. Help me to find the guts to incorporate it into my life. Amen. 

 

We Are All Missionaries

 

 Matthew 9:36-10:8

³⁶ When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. ³⁷ Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. ³⁸ Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Jesus Sends Out the Twelve

10 Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

² These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; ³ Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; ⁴ Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

⁵ These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. ⁶ Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. ⁷ As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ ⁸ Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.

As we look at our world today, we see much the same as what has gone on since Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden. No reason to panic. We need workers to reap the harvest now as much as ever.  Jesus chose twelve to be the leaven in his loaf, and indeed, over the centuries billions of people have accepted his Word and his Way. All of us are called to be missionaries though the temptation is, "Let George or Mary do it." Why NOT me?  Freely I have received, can I not freely give? May take this short passage seriously and find ways to heal the sick, cleanse lepers, raise the dead and drive out demons.

Bro, Rene

Dear God, thank you for reminding me that my life is not for me alone, but to help others less fortunate than I. Open my eyes to see and my heart to give. Amen.

 

Mary Treasured These Things in Her Heart

 

Luke 2: 41-51

The Boy Jesus at the Temple

⁴¹ Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. ⁴² When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. ⁴³ After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. ⁴⁴ Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. ⁴⁵ When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. ⁴⁶ After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷ Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. ⁴⁸ When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”

⁴⁹ “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”^{[a] 50} But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁵¹ Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart.

Yesterday we reflected on the great love of Jesus as we honored his Sacred Heart; today we honor his mother's pure heart that treasured all the events that flowed from her motherhood of the Son of God.  Being the Mother of God...beyond our comprehension, yet it is a fact and in faith we accept it.  An honor and a privilege not only for Mary but for all of us, for it gives us our Savior and our Brother. We are family: Mary our Mother, Jesus our Brother. And that heart of Mary, unsullied by sin, pure, immaculate...capable of loving all, which she has shown through the ages in her many appearances. As she loved and cared for Jesus, so she does for us. As she treasured the events in his life so she treasures the events in ours.  May we not disappoint her by our too often foolish choices, but strive as much as possible to live according to the ways her Son taught us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Mary, our Good Mother, thank you for your motherly care for us and help us to treasure and live as best we can what Jesus taught us. Amen.

The Sacred Heart of Jesus

Mathew 11: 25-30

The Father Revealed in the Son

²⁵ At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. ²⁶ Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.

²⁷ “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Today we focus on the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the symbol of his infinite love for us. As Pope Benedict put it, "The essential nucleus of Christianity is expressed in the Heart of Jesus; in Christ the whole of the revolutionary newness of the Gospel was revealed and given to us: love that saves us and already makes us live in God's eternity,  Even our shortcomings, our limitations and our weaknesses must lead us back to the Heart of Jesus. His divine Heart calls to our hearts, inviting us to come out of ourselves,,to abandon our human certainties to trust in him and, following his example, to make ourselves a gift of love without reserve."  May we find time today to sit, reflect on and experience the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. 

Bro Rene

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, we offer thanks for the great gift of your love, a love to transform our hearts and bring us closer to you. Give us vision to see our shortcomings, grace to do your will, and love to make our hearts like yours. In your sacred name, we pray. Amen.

  Rev. David T. Tyson, C.S.C.

True Righteousness

 

 Matthew 5:20-26

 Be Reconciled Before Offering Your Gift

²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Murder

²¹ “You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.’ ²² But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.

²³ “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, ²⁴ leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.

²⁵ “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. ²⁶ Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.

Jesus speaks strongly about cleaning our plate of ALL that is unseemly, and opposite of who we are or meant to be:  being angry with others, looking down on people, belittling them, totally negative attitudes and behaviors, before we offer our gifts. He challenges us to soul-searching and ACTION if we find traces of these things in our hearts. We all have some work to do here.  May God help us to "clean our plates",

Bro. Rene  

Dear God, help me take an honest look at my relationships with others and work toward reconciliation where necessary. Amen.

 

Keep All The Commandments

 

 Matthew 5:17-19

The Fulfillment of the Law

¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

We are not to pick and choose which commandments to keep. Jesus advises us to keep ALL  of them! We might look for excuses or we may :cut try to "cut corners" now and then, but God will help us eventually to see that we are really short-changing not only him, but ourselves. If Jesus came to fulfill, not abolish, the the Law, who are we to choose otherwise? It takes grace from God and courage from us to do so. Let us set our hearts today to heed his advice and incorporate it into our lives.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me not to pick and choose, but to keep ALL your commandments.Amen.

 

Let Our LIight Shine

 

Matthew 5: 13-16

Salt and Light

¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

We celebrate the memorial of the beloved Saint Anthony, friend of those who lose or can' find things, but an amazing preacher and miracle worker too.  Italian communities not only honor him with Mass but also with processions and festivals.  He is a saint that is just  a prayer away, as we have experienced.  We all but conclude our prayer for the lost object and lo and behold, there it is. But our Gospel for today reminds us that it is not just finding lost objects that is Anthony's mission, but as a preacher, stirring up the faith of people that might have gone flat or tepid, and making it a zesty part of their (our) lives again.  Through our prayers, reflections, and interactions with others let us become salt and light.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, St. Anthony and this Gospel passage remind us not to be passive but ACTIVE Christians. Help us to take this challenge seriously and put it into ACTION. Amen.

The Blueprint for a Holy Life

 

 Matthew 5:1-12

5 Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, ² and he began to teach them.

The Beatitudes

He said:

³ “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
⁴ Blessed are those who mourn,
    for they will be comforted.
⁵ Blessed are the meek,
    for they will inherit the earth.
⁶ Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
    for they will be filled.
⁷ Blessed are the merciful,
    for they will be shown mercy.
⁸ Blessed are the pure in heart,
    for they will see God.
⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.
¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
    for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

¹¹ “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. ¹² Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

The beloved Beatitudes present us with a no-fail plan for a  holy, productive life, a mold for shaping us into a disciple of Jesus for our day, for our family, for our community. We have heard and prayed over these beatitudes year  after year, but how visible are they in our lives? Can others look at us and say, "Yes, there is a 'Beatitude Man or Woman'"?  Perhaps we could take one beatitude a day or for several days, reflect on it and see how we incorporate it into our lives, truly live it!. After all, aren't we here to become holy?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you have created us to be holy and have given us the blueprint to achieve this end; help us to make serious efforts to achieve this goal. Amen.   

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

 

John 6:51-58

The Bread of Life

⁵¹ I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.”

⁵² The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” ⁵³ So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. ⁵⁴ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. ⁵⁵ For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. ⁵⁶ Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. ⁵⁷ As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. ⁵⁸ This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

Today we pay special honor to the Gift of the Holy Eucharist, our Bread of Life. The liturgy is enhanced by a Solemn Procession , which in some devout countries entails a march in silent reverence through the streets of the city. In Rwanda, for example, a dirt path is decorated with elaborate sand paintings depicting various symbols of the Eucharist: shafts of wheat, loaves of bread, and chalices. Children climb trees for a better view, hymns of praise and gratitude precede the Solemn Benediction which concludes the festive celebration.

Covid-19 has prevented most of these outward displays of devotion, but this year promises to see them return. But processions or not, this is the day to express gratitude for the Eucharist, the Bread of life, and heavenly food to nourish our souls and give us the sustenance we need in this world of challenges and demands that far exceed our human capacities to endure.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, may we take the opportunity today to thank and honor you for the great Gift of the Bread of Life. Amen  

 

Do Good Quietly

 

 Mark 12:38-44

Warning Against the Teachers of the Law

³⁸ As he taught, Jesus said, “Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, ³⁹ and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. ⁴⁰ They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. These men will be punished most severely.”

The Widow’s Offering

⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

We have a clear contrast between the showy teachers of the law and the poor humble widow, and an example of how we we should live...doing our good deeds as small as they might be, quietly and without calling attention to them or to us. "She gave out of her poverty, all she had to live on." When we think about this, it takes on a heroic dimension and presents a real challenge to us, who may give, but not to the extent she did. Perhaps it's time for us to examine our motives and actions in this regard. Can we put our own needs and wants aside for the sake of someone who has less?

Bro. Rene

Dear God, may I learn from the example of this poor widow what it really means to give without holding back. Amen.

 

 

Jesus Is Lord

 

 Mark 12:35-37

Whose Son Is the Messiah?

³⁵ While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, “Why do the teachers of the law say that the Messiah is the son of David? ³⁶ David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared:

“‘The Lord said to my Lord:
    “Sit at my right hand
until I put your enemies
    under your feet.”’

³⁷ David himself calls him ‘Lord.’ How then can he be his son?”

The large crowd listened to him with delight.

Rather than becoming embroiled in argumentation  about who Jesus is, let us simply listen to his defense and accept him as our Lord and Savior.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you are the Son of God, our Savior.  Deepen our faith and conviction  that you are our Lord and you have put our enemies under your feet.. Amen.

 

The Commandment to Love

 

 Mark 12:28-34

The Greatest Commandment

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.

How many songs or poems have been written about LOVE? It is truly "what makes the world go 'round." Love is all around us, it's part of who we are; it's what we spend a lifetime searching for, and when we find, it sets us on a joy-filled and happy road to Eternity, where we will experience the fullness of love. The headlines aptly record what a world without love is. May we do our best today to share this gift with our companions along the way, excluding no one.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, you are love; you have given me the capacity to love and be loved. Thank you, and help me to live this gift with all my being. Amen..

Our God, the God of the Living

 

 Mark 12:18-27

Marriage at the Resurrection

¹⁸ Then the Sadducees, who say there is no resurrection, came to him with a question. ¹⁹ “Teacher,” they said, “Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, the man must marry the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. ²⁰ Now there were seven brothers. The first one married and died without leaving any children. ²¹ The second one married the widow, but he also died, leaving no child. It was the same with the third. ²² In fact, none of the seven left any children. Last of all, the woman died too. ²³ At the resurrection whose wife will she be, since the seven were married to her?”

²⁴ Jesus replied, “Are you not in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God? ²⁵ When the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. ²⁶ Now about the dead rising—have you not read in the Book of Moses, in the account of the burning bush, how God said to him, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? ²⁷ He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. You are badly mistaken!”

Such a question would not be asked today, but we are grateful that it was as well as for the answer. How blessed are we to have "the God of the Living" as our God! He calls us to witness to his living presence among us, an assignment so relevant in our age of disbelief, and back turning on God and traditional teachings. May we teach and bear witness to this and other truths Jesus taught, by our word and our lives.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, we live in an age of slow and silent rebellion which attempts to ignore you and make you irrelevant. May I do my part to counteract this by standing up for the TRUTH by my words and deeds. Amen.

 

Remembering Ouur Founder

 Note: We are deviating from our usual pattern of a Gospel passage and reflection to this reflection on St. Marcellin Champagnat, Founder of The Marist Brothers, whose feast day is today.

 

While June 6 is the feast commemorating the death of Marcellin Champagnat,
it is important to see this day as one commemorating the gift of Marcellin’s life,
vision, and mission which we enthusiastically embrace today in 2023, 183
years after his death.
As the inheritors of Marcellin’s legacy and the bearers of his vision and
mission, let us reflect on these passages from Water from the Rock:
Today, those of us who follow in the footsteps of Marcellin and his first
disciples are seized by the same inner dynamism. We develop a way of being,
loving and doing, in the spirit of our origins. Gradually, day by day, we deepen
our experience of the loving presence of God within ourselves and in others.
This presence of God is a profound experience of being personally loved by
God, and the conviction that he is close to us in our daily human experiences.
(Water from the Rock: Marist Spirituality Flowing in the Tradition of Marcellin
Champagnat, # 16)
We endeavor to develop our relationship with God so that, just as for Marcellin,
it is our daily source of renewed spiritual and apostolic dynamism. This vitality
makes us daring, despite our short-comings and limited resources. Drawing
from Marcellin’s experience, we embrace the mysteries of our life with
confidence, openness, and self-giving. (Water from the Rock: Marist Spirituality
Flowing in the Tradition of Marcellin Champagnat, # 18)
Mostly young men gathered around his bedside. In his Spiritual Testament, he offered
the answers to their questions of “What will happen now?” and “How will we go on?”
Marcellin died in the early morning hours of Saturday, June 6, 1840. Brother Jean-
Baptiste, author of the first biography of Marcellin wrote, “Several times during his
illness, he had expressed a desire to die on a Saturday, but he always added that he
did not deserve such a favor. Not only was that grace granted to him, but it was given
him to die during the very hour which, for more than thirty years, he had devoted to
meditation and union with God.” (Brother Jean-Baptiste, Vie, Vol 1, p. 270)
Today in Marist History:
The Death of Saint Marcellin Champagnat
June 6, 1840
When Marcellin gave his spiritual testament to the Brothers on May 18, 1840, it was
clear that he was dying. The anguish of the Brothers gathered at the Hermitage was
evident as they wondered to themselves and with each other, “What will happen now?”
“How will we go on?” For Marcellin was not just the founder of a religious order, he was
their spiritual father and older brother. The Marist Pillar of Presence, like all the other
Pillars, had its origin in the life and witness of Marcellin Champagnat.
reflection:
In presenting his Spiritual
Testament, Marcellin stated his
vision for what he hoped the Little
Brothers of Mary (the original name
of the Marist Brothers) would
become in the days, weeks,
months, and years ahead. Like the
good father and an older brother
that he was, Marcellin offered
comfort and encouragement to the
Saturday is a day that Marist
Brothers have always dedicated to
Mary, so right after Marcellin died
the Brothers gathered in the chapel
at the Hermitage to sing the Salve
Regina (Hail, Holy Queen) and offer
prayers to Mary for the repose of
Marcellin’s soul.
In his book, The Life of Joseph
Benedict Marcellin Champagnat,
Brother Jean-Baptiste gives many examples of the love that the Brothers had for
Marcellin. We also have testimonies from some of the people who came to know
Marcellin during his years in La Valla. Here are some of their recollections

 

 I still remember Father Champagnat, who prepared me for my First Communion in
1817. It was the first time he had the pleasure of preparing children for First
Communion. I will never forget the touching exhortation he gave me before giving
me absolution for the first time; I could hear his deep faith in his earnest words. It
was as though he poured his whole soul into them. He taught catechism in his
surplice, standing in the middle between us and the boys. Everyone's eyes were
riveted on him. He was strict with those who didn't know their lesson, but he was
also very just.
--Catherine Prat--
All I can tell you about Father Champagnat is that, having had frequent dealings
with him, I considered him a peerless man, very strict with himself and strict with
others also, but always for their own good. Gentle, affable, always on good terms
with everyone. He was the father of the town of La Valla. He did incomparable
good through the whole area. Everyone loved and venerated him.
--Jean-François Badard--
I went to Father Champagnat's catechism lessons, and though I was very young, I
loved to listen to him, and especially to see the church full of grownups who
followed his explanations so carefully. He spoke simply so that the most
uneducated could understand, but he said such beautiful and moving things that
he delighted everyone. People used to say, "Let's go to the catechism lesson;
Father Champagnat is giving it." And the church would be full.
--Françoise Baché--
As for his catechism lessons, we hurried to them, and despite the cold, the snow,
the terrible roads and the distance (it took us over an hour), we were always the
first to arrive. Then he would tease our friends from the town, telling them, "You're
lazy! Look at the children from Saut-du-Gier: they have to walk more than an hour,
and they're always the first ones here. You're two steps away, and you're always
the last." He made us feel very proud of ourselves.
--Louise and Marie-Anne Duvernay--
I have seen older Brothers go to pray at his tomb as at the tomb of a saint. I have
often seen tears on their faces, when they spoke to me about him. What touched
them most of all was the memory of his fatherly goodness.
--Father Pierre-Louis Mallaure--
While June 6 is the feast commemorating the death of Marcellin Champagnat,
it is important to see this day as one commemorating the gift of Marcellin’s life,
vision, and mission which we enthusiastically embrace today in 2022, 182
years after his death.
As the inheritors of Marcellin’s legacy and the bearers of his vision and
mission, let us reflect on these passages from Water from the Rock:
Today, those of us who follow in the footsteps of Marcellin and his first
disciples are seized by the same inner dynamism. We develop a way of being,
loving and doing, in the spirit of our origins. Gradually, day by day, we deepen
our experience of the loving presence of God within ourselves and in others.
This presence of God is a profound experience of being personally loved by
God, and the conviction that he is close to us in our daily human experiences.
(Water from the Rock: Marist Spirituality Flowing in the Tradition of Marcellin
Champagnat, # 16)
We endeavor to develop our relationship with God so that, just as for Marcellin,
it is our daily source of renewed spiritual and apostolic dynamism. This vitality
makes us daring, despite our short-comings and limited resources. Drawing
from Marcellin’s experience, we embrace the mysteries of our life with
confidence, openness, and self-giving. (Water from the Rock: Marist Spirituality
Flowing in the Tradition of Marcellin Champagnat, # 18)
St. Marcellin Champagnat: pray for us!
Mary, our Good Mother: pray for us!
Let us remember: to pray for each other!