Strong, Persistent Love

Commercialism has taken over the legends attached to two saints named Valentine, but liturgically, we honor Saints. Cyril and Methodius, brothers who evangelized he Slavic people in the ninth century, while today's gospel recounts the story of the Syro-Phoenician woman, a "pagan", who approached Jesus in great faith to ask a cure for her demon-possessed daughter.  All three of these "major characters" show us the power of strong, persistent love. One of the Valentines was a priest during the Roman persecutions, who while imprisoned, performed marriages and healed fellow prisoners.  It's not easy to move to a new country, learn a new language, and teach the gospel s did Cyril and Methodius; it takes thick skin and the strength of a mother's love, to persist in making a request of Jesus, in the face of his initial refusal.  The tenacity of their love made a difference, for sure, and reminds us that the strength of our love can do the same.  Along with the outward trappings of cards, heart-shaped boxes of chocolates, flowers, home-made cookies or expensive diamonds, it's the love beneath that carries the power. May we remember this when we wish each other Happy Valentine's Day.
Bro .Rene

Chosen People

Way back in time, the author of Deuteronomy reminded the Hebrews that they were "a people sacred to the Lor:d"  chosen from all the nations to be a people peculiarly his own...because God loved them (cf. Deut 7: 6-8). This is meant for us now as we read in today's Gospel that there are things that come from within and cause us to forget the sacred relationship God has established with us. We need to take precautions to avoid a separation from our Creator, one of these being the renewed awareness of our being chosen, selected, by God for this special relationship. Praying the Our Father, an Act of Contrition or the Confiteor during the day can help us remain faithful to our call as chosen people.
Bro. Rene

STOP

On this 12th day of February, the birthday of Abraham Lincoln, and formerly a holiday, now combined in our overbearing efficiency and need for another "long weekend" with Washington's birthday into One holiday, our readings call attention to an even more fundamental need for weekly Sunday rest, so that indeed we can enjoy this "Wonderful World" as described in the Genesis Creation Story (Gn 1:20-2:4a) and with the Psalmist's praise God for his magnificent handiwork.(Ps 8).
O Lord our God,
How wonderful (awesome) is your name through all the earth!
When I behold the moon and the stars which have set in place--
What is man that  you should be mindful of him
or the son of man that you should dare for him? (Ps 8: 2, 4-5)
These verses alone call attention to what we take for granted because of our frenetic busyness.
We are missing the opportunity to see things in perspective, and the nudge to slow down and take advantage of our short time on this magnificent planet.  Let us take time to wonder at the beauty of falling snow (not worry about shoveling or how to get to work)...or the peace of a spring day with birds again singing from greening branches.  So much is there, we need to STOP and take it in.\
Bro. Rene

World Day of the Sick

Pope St. John Paul II initiated the World Day of the Sick in 1992 after being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, and designated February 11th, the Memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes,  as the day of its annual celebration, because of the long history of pilgrimages to the shrine, and the large number of miraculous healings.  The gospel passage chosen for today, Mark 6: 53-56, depicts Jesus at Gennesaret healing the sick who were brought to him there and in all the villages and market places he visited.
It has become the custom to dedicate the day to a person known for tending the ill, and this year we honor St. Teresa of Kolkata (now the name of Calcutta) because of her renowned care of the sick, poor and destitute. Linking Mother Teresa with Lourdes and the World Day of the Sick leaves us little excuse not to examine our own attitude toward illness and the many people in our circles who are bearing some illness, pain, disability or addiction. We can pray for them and if, possible, visit or call them.  Jesus paid special attention to them and the millions of visitors to Lourdes indicate that as with the poor, the sick we will always have with us. As Jesus gave them so much of his time, can we not give them some of ours?
Bro. Rene

Who Is Worthy?

Today's readings feature three great religious leaders and teachers, Isaiah, Paul and Peter, all of whom declared their unworthiness.  "I am a man of unclean lips", laments Isaiah (Is 6:5); "I am the least of the apostles, not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God"  writes Paul, (1 Cor 15: 9), and Peter declares, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." (Lk 5:8). Indeed each one of us could reiterate these or other reasons why we are not worthy of the immense, boundless blessings we have received from God. But the startling truth is that despite our weaknesses and unworthiness, he lavishes gift upon gift on us and calls us, uses us, to bring his truth, his love, himself to others.  Our weaknesses keep us humble, having to admit that all comes from God, and helps other people see, that it is not we who are speaking and working, but God himself through us. Each time we receive Holy Communion, we repeat the prayer of the Centurion, "Lord, I am not worthy that you should enter under my roof, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed." In the shadow of these three men, this might become a prayer we repeat often during the day, for none of us is worthy, but God continues to overlook our unworthiness and spoil us to the hilt, so great is his love for us..
Bro .Rene

Rest Awhile

After feeding the "first missionary adventure", Jesus calls the Twelve to go away to Rest Awhile...Good advice for all of us, who can be so occupied with work and "things to do", that we never stop...Not the best for on-going ministry.  Let's take the advice of Jesus this weekend and find the time to "rest awhile.".
Bro. Rene

Saint For Our Times

The life of St. Josephine Bakhita, canonized in 2000 by Pope St. John Paul II, provides inspiration and hope not only for the people of the Sudan, where she was born, but for the rest of the world. She was kidnapped at the age of eight from a noble family and sold into slavery. Until she was bought and given to a family in Italy, she suffered brutally under some of her "owners".  She became a Catholic and eventually a Sister and for 42 years in a convent in the Sudan cared lovingly for others.  When asked what she would do if she ever met her captors, she said she would thank them because if it were not for them she would not have become a Catholic nor a Sister.  Appropriately, she is the patron of the Sudan and of trafficking victims, both in need of a special intercessor in heaven.
St. Josephine's forgiveness, gratitude and humble, loving service to others serves as an example for all, who, because of our pain, can easily lose sight of the message of forgiveness and love which is at the heart of the teachings of Jesus.
Bro. Rene