Mary's Consecraton and Ours

Today's Memorial of The Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is based on the apocryphal story in the Protoevangelium of St. James, and has no basis in history, but theologically, it underscores again the preparation of Mary as the Vessel who would carry the Word of God to the world.  It has been a popular feast in the East since the sixth century, and only in the 11th century was it adopted in the West. 
If we meditate on these words of St. Germanus below, with their beautiful imagery, we can come to a deeper appreciation of our Good Mother, so important in our Marist Spirituality. For we too are vessels consecrated to God the Father to bring forth Jesus to our world. How striking and inspiring it is to witnesss the total dedication of people to this mission.
Last night, helping out in a local soup kitchen known as  Bread and Roses, I saw people who had been volunteering there for 17 and 18 years, week after week serving donated food to those who had none.  One man had been working there for 34 years! They presented themselves to God at some earlier point in their lives for the service of others, and showed their commitment by sticking to it all these years.
What can we do in our own circle to follow in their footsteps, the footsteps of Mary?
May Mary's example provide the motivation we need
 "Hail, holy throne of God, divine sanctuary, house of glory, jewel most fair, chosen treasure house, and mercy seat for the whole world, heaven showing forth the glory of God. Purest Virgin, worthy of all praise, sanctuary dedicated to God and raised above all human condition, virgin soil, unplowed field, flourishing vine, fountain pouring out waters, virgin bearing a child, mother without knowing man, hidden treasure of innocence, ornament of sanctity, by your most acceptable prayers, strong with the authority of motherhood, to our Lord and God, Creator of all, your Son who was born of you without a father, steer the ship of the Church and bring it to a quiet harbor" (adapted from a homily by St. Germanus on the Presentation of the Mother of God).
Bro. Rene

Unless the Lord Build the House

One of the favorite Scripture verses of St. Marcellin, is this one from Psalm 127: 1, "Unless the Lord Build the House, in vain to do the builders labor."  He reminded the brothers constantly that their work would be in vain if it were not connected to the root, the source of all energy and good, Jesus Christ. Blessed John Henry Newman wrote that our talents, intelligence, profession bear lasting fruit only if the sap of this vine flows through these gifts and lifts them to a supernatural level. "Idle is our labor, worthless is our toil, ashes is our fruit, corruption is our reward, unless we begin the foundation of this great undertaking ( the building of a university...or we could expand it to include any of our projects) in faith and prayer, and sanctify it by purity of life."
A simple way to bring our daily, routine tasks to a deeper level, is to pray the familiar words, "So help me, God."  One second's worth of consciousness, one quick prayer, and the "house" we are attempting to build becomes the work of God.
Bro. Rene

The Big Lie

Dear Readers,  I thought you might be interested in a few rather startling statistics regarding our daily slices of bread.  1,270 slices have been served since 2009, with a total of 41,643 "views"; last month there were 864 readers, 33 yesterday alone; the majority of slices make it to the table in the USA, but they cover the globe, including Russia (!), the Philippines, Africa, Europe and the Ukraine. I hope all of you continue to find some daily nourishment.--Bro. Rene

The Evil One (Devil...let's call a spade a spade) is ever at work to discourage, undermine or make us feel alone.  Is it no wonder that so many seek companionship in drugs, alcohol, "recreational sex", looking for some connection to others.  The Big Lie is that we are alone, no one really cares, God, if there is a God, does not listen, so why give him a place in our lives?  How empty can we be? Suicide is becoming more popular; I wonder if has reached the level it did in the time of the Roman Empire.  But, if indeed we believe the lie and let our "alone-ness" pull us apart, as sad as it is to say, suicide makes sense.
However, we are not alone. The Psalmist puts is simply,
Many are saying of me,
"There is no salvation for him in God."
But you, O lod, are my shield.  (Ps 3:3-4)
Yesterday a what was a sad, sad funeral, there was, nevertheless a sense of God's nearness and the presence of the deceased dropping lollipops from heaven to comfort and console his parents and all of us.  A huge outpouring of people, love, and deep faith, the sunshine and gentle breeze on what had been predicted to be a nasty day, were signs that God is near, is listening, knows our pain, and is there with love and strength for us.
This morning I was a bit discouraged at what seemed to be a "falling readership", which prompted me to check out the stats above...No need to feel alone or discouraged...It's a Big Lie.  Let's not fall into it.
Bro. Rene

 

Lord, That I May See

Most of us have no idea what it is to be blind, not to see the faces of our family and friends, not to see the beauty of the sunrise, sunset, spring and summer flowers, fall foliage or magnificent works or art.  We are blessed with the gift of sight which we so often take for granted, unless it is jeopardized by age or dreaded diseases such as glaucoma or macular degenration.  Yet in many ways we are blind.  We cannot see even to the next hour, tomorrow, or five years from now.  When death takes the young, we struggle to understand, and ask, "Why" over and over again.  It is then when we share the longing and the prayer of the blindman Jesus encountered on the road to Jericho, whom Matthew identifies as Bartimeus.  He first recognizes Jesus as the Son of David and calls on him for mercy.  Then, Jesus asks him directly what he wants, letting him put forth his demand, and allowing Jesus to respond.  "Lord, that I may see" or in more contemporary language, "Lord, please let me see again."  (Lk 18: 41). Jesus tells him that his faith has saved him and restores his sight.  Bartimeus immediately praises God and follows Jesus.
When we are lost in the mystery of darkness, the oblivion of WHY, we can only  ask for mercy, and then allow Jesus to give us the sight which brings us understanding and comfort.  We cannot reason or find it ourselves.  It is a gift from God.
Bro. Rene

Remaining Steadfast

A fitting meditation for our last week in Ordinary Time:  "By standing firm, you will gain life" (Lk 21:19).  Another translation reads, "By your perseverance you will secure your lives."  Joseph Pagola says that the original term can also be translated at "patience", and he says that indeed we need it our times more than ever. With all that is going on in our world, our Church, our families, it seems that no progress has been made since Jesus ascended into heaven.  Our own lives, at times, witness to weakness, failure to grasp and live the essentials of our beliefs, and we can fall into negativity and discouragement, blaming forces "outside" ourselves, for what is going on inside. Jesus never promised that our lives would be smooth and without obstacle; indeed he warned of persecutions by governments, opposition even from family members, and hatred by "all."  Not a pretty picture, but one that history and our own times affirm.  So, it is now that we are called to make a firmer commitment to the hope of life in the world to come. The victory has been won, as we sing at Easter; we need to hang on to this hope despite the ugliness around us.
A striking analogy occurred to me as I reflected on Central Catholic's football win over a three-time super power champion, Everett High School yesterday.  Trailing behind this seasoned team for most of the game, our boys patiently, perseveringly "kept their cool", despite fumbles and mistakes, and with 2:10 left in the game, scored an absolutely remarkable touchdown that put us ahead 20-15, the final score.. A gift, yes, but also the result of playing firm, "standing firm".  They did not give up, and it paid off with the Division North Championship. So too with the living of our faith in the face of what might seem impossible odds: "By standing firm, you will gain life."
Bro. Rene

Thorny, Rocky Soil

Chapter 18 of the Book of  Wisdom describes the descent of God's powerful word from "heaven's royal throne" and its bounding over the earth like a fierce warrior, cutting down the bad,  taking root in thorny, rocky soil and making creation over anew.  (cf. Wis 18: 14-15). This text appears again toward the end of Advent as we get closer to Christmas, when we recall the birth of the Word in the still of the night.
In addition to that application of this text, we might also see it in the light of our own lives... For example, we commemorate three women today, Mary, Margaret of Scotland, and Gertrude, who allowed the word of God to renew them and through them, renew others.
 For Mary, the connection is obvious:  the Word became flesh in her and brought salvation to the human race.
Margaret was the wife of Malcom III of Scotland.  Her gentle spirit and beauty mellowed him and helped him to move from being a good man to an exemplary Christian and father of their 8 children, the youngest of whom became St. David, who reigned as king of Scotland and, like his mother and father, was noted for his generosity to the poor and to the Church.
St. Gertrude spent her life in the Cistercian Monastery at Helfta in Thuringia, and devoted her life to contemplation and prayer, having a profound effect on the nuns in her community.
In their simple ways these women allowed the word of God to bring forth fruit even on initially thorny and rocky soil, the kind we deal with daily.  May their example encourage us to trust and act with confidence that even in our families and communities, our simple acts of kindness and our good presence will overcome the rocks and thorns.
Bro.Rene

40 Bags In 40 Days

As we approach the final week in Ordinary Time and the start of the new Liturgical Year on December 1st, this little project called, 40 Bags In 40 Days might be one way to help us observe Advent and move a step closer to "detachment" and the simplifying of our lives.  The project consists of filling 40 trash bags over a period of 40 days of things we don't really need, things that clutter up our closets, our rooms, our homes, our attics, our garages, or our offices.   One women said she did it, felt so much "lighter" and can't even remember what went into the bags!  Isn't that the case with all of us...so much STUFF, that we don't even know what it is, or why we kept it, (always in the hopes that "someday I might need this")?  A little time each day to fill up a bag wouldn't kill us, and certainly at the end of the 40 days, we'd be amazed at how much room we have, besides having helped others by passing on clothing or household items we don't use or need any more.  Just a thought.
Bro. Rene