Remembering Mary, our Good Mother and Others

Long standing Catholic tradition has dedicated Saturdays to the Blessed Mother, and First Saturdays, especially.   We take time each week to be with Mary in her pondering of the presence of Jesus within us and within others, and of the plan that Jesus had for him, for her and for us.  No one could have dreamed up such a marvelous plan, and as we look at our own lives, we realize that even in our wildest imagination, could we have dreamed up what so far has transpired in our lives, not only the events, but the PEOPLE who have become part of our circle, ever widening, ever expanding.  We are amazed at the extent of the immeasurable universe, yet, who has been able to count the number of people we've met, even in passing, or those who keep coming into our lives?  They bring Jesus to us, and we bring him to them.  Just that alone warrants weekly pondering and gratitude.
On this first Saturday, let us take a few moments to look and ponder with Mary at the grand parade of people who march along with us now, or who have been with us in the past, as well as those unknowns who will come our way in the years ahead.  To borrow a word from our teens:  AWESOME!
Bro. Rene
I will be in Chicago till Tuesday, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Marist High School with a bevy of people and friends.  A blessing to have this opportunity to reconnect and celebrate with them.  Not sure of internet access...so...it might be Wednesday before there'll be another slice of bread on your spiritual table.

All Things Are Possible

Already the first week of September is approaching its conclusion.  The usual refrain, "Thank God It's Friday", rings in our heads, but at the same time, we struggle with how fast the days have sped by since Sunday and Monday's Labor Day, which might even seem like a blur in the past.   We wonder how we will ever get to all the things we want to do...even today's agenda.  It is at times like this we need to be aware of our own weakness and God's strength and pray for trust, patience, and the openness to pray with Jesus, "Abba, Father, all things are possible to you...not what I will but what you will." (Mk 14: 36).  Each time we pray the Our Father, we say the same thing: "Thy will be done"...It will be done, and it will be good, for with God all things are possible.  With this thought in mind, let us proceed with joy and confidence into this day, and fret not over the quick passage of time, what will get done and what will not, and make the best of each of these precious moments God gives us.
Bro. Rene

Setting the Blaze

 Ignatius often ended his letters to Jesuits going to the missions with the expression ite, inflammate omnia—“go, set the world on fire.” This has become somewhat of a motto for Jesuit ministries and reminds us Marists of the zeal that inspired St. Marcellin to wish for our presence in every diocese of the world. He wanted everyone to have the opportunity to know and love Jesus and he wanted disciples who would make this possible.  Such a blaze of energy, love, and hard work is not possible without fuel for the fire.  This comes with daily prayer, frequent, if not daily attendance at the liturgy of the Eucharist and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, reflection or meditation on the Scriptures, and careful observance of the actions of those who serve as models for us.
Today at Central Catholic, 350 freshmen began the first day of their four-year opportunity for formation as Marists.  Already they learned about the prominence of Mary, our Good Mother, in Marist spirituality and schools, they prayed the Hail Mary, and asked Mary, our Good Mother, to pray for them.  They were surrounded by their teachers and over 100 student ambassadors who gave up the last of their vacation days to welcome them, help them find their way through the maze of hallways, and more importantly, to model for them the Marks of a Marist Student, which will be imprinted on them during their Central Catholic experience.  The blaze envisioned by Ignatius and Marcellin was ignited again today.  May we help it to burn brightly with our own prayers and example so that it becomes a fire that kindles other fires.
Bro. Rene

Active Contemplatives

Quiet prayer in solitude was a part of Jesus' day.  The evangelists mention frequently that he spent the night in prayer, or got up early, "At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place". (Lk 4:42) to find peace, serenity and direction.  The crowds were always after him, it seemed, clamoring for him to stay, to heal, to teach.  Short-lived was his solitude, yet he kept his mission before him.  "To the other towns I must proclaim the good news of he Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." (Lk 4:43)  He tried to balance as best he could the need to pray and be in tune with his Father, and yet be faithful to his mission to bring light to the people.
As Marists, our vocation is similar.  We are called to educate, to be prophetic, to be a light to our students and one another, but this mission soon runs dry if it is not nourished by moments of solitude, of reflection, of prayer, of simply being before God with open hearts and hands to receive what he wants to give us, what he sees as our real need.  In God's presence we learn patience as we wait for him to fulfill our longings in due time, in his time. He looks for our faith, our trust first, as he did with Abraham and then provides the answers to our requests.  Stop and allow God to BE with you, then proceed to today's mission.
Bro. Rene

Standing Tall

As Marists we are called to make Jesus known and loved to youth, especially the most needy and neglected, to nourish that knowledge and love, and to be guides, or watchmen who typically stand on a high place so they can see far into the distance to be able to foresee any imminent danger and be able to warn the people to prepare to meet the oncoming danger. St. Gregory the Great. whose memorial we celebrate today, was such a watchman, guiding the Church through perilous times, despite his poor health.  He set high standards of prayer and discipline for himself and serves as a model for us to accept the high standards Jesus proposed:  to be willing to carry our cross, if we are to be his true disciple, to welcome children, to forgive enemies, to name a few.  As Marists we are called to love all, and love them equally.  No one ever said that standing tall in the role of watchman, was easy, but there is no greater treasure we can lie up for ourselves than this.  "Well done, good and faithful servant, for you have been faithful...enter into the joy of your Master."  (cf. Mt 25: 31-46).
Bro. Rene

The Gift of Work

Labor Day.  In the USA, usually a time for that last fling over the weekend, irresistible sales, or a family barbecue.  Rain in New England certainly will put a damper on some of these plans, but the up side might be a little unexpected time to look back over the summer and review all the we accomplished, and what many surprises came our way. We might also look at the gift of work. When the first parents were expelled from the Garden of Eden, "work by the sweat of the brow" was one of the punishments for their disobedience.
Yet, what a blessing it is, not withstanding the beads of sweat nor the stress that are part of it.  It is a chance for us to share in the creative action of the Father "who made heaven and earth;" it is a chance to "be more human", as Blessed Pope John Paul II observed, for we use our minds, our physical strength, and our capacity to relate to others.  The inventions and methods for improving the quality of life over the years are the results of work, often hard work. We take so much for granted the electric light bulb, for example, forgetting the days and months of failure Thomas Edison experienced in developing it.  The buildings we live, work and worship in, we take for granted, but are the results of the work of others.
Labor conditions in many places are not ideal, so again the challenge remains to work for justice in the workplace.
Above all, we can and should give thanks to God for the ability to work, the think, to move our arms and hands.  So many people cannot do even that.  So whether by serving others by work or by waiting, let us give thanks to God and remain faithful to the tasks at hand.
Bro. Rene

Humble Service

One of the key virtues instilled in Marists is humillity; along with simplicity and modesty, it is symbolized as one of the three violets frequently used in Marist art.  The violet does not grow tall, it is simple and humble in comparison to other flowers, yet it brings such joy with its early appearance after a long winter, signaling that spring and summer are soon to follow.  It does good, brings hope in its own quiet way.  And if you know anything about violets, they have a way of spreading and "taking over" a garden bed.  Would that our life of humility would spread this way, but it can and does.
Doing good quietly, consistently, without fanfare or ostentation, has an infectious quality which inspires others to do the same.  Serving those who cannot pay back, inspires them, as well as onlookers, to do the same.  Jose Pagola reminds us that "It is necessary to learn things like this:  to give without expecting much in return; to forgive without requiring recompense; to be patient with disagreeable people; to help while looking only for the good of the other.
It is always possible to cut down on our own interests; to sometimes give up little advantages; to put joy in the life of someone in need; to give away some of our time without keeping it always to ourselves; to work with others in small freely given services."  (Following in the Footsteps of Jesus, year C, p. 128)
Indeed, "Blessed are those who live for others without any recompense. The Heavenly father will reward them."  (Pagola, p. 129).
Bro. Rene