Continuing Assurance

In this final week of the Christmas Season, we have seen the manifestation of Jesus to the Magi, the feeding of the 5,000 men plus their families, and today, his walking on water and the calming of the wind and waves.  (Mk 6:45-52). The manifestations continue in very concrete fashion, feeding people and the calming of a storm, The admonition of Jesus, " Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid" and his climbing into the boat with the frightened apostles are assurances that he remains with us (Emmanuel) in all circumstances, even when we think we've reached our limit and will totally fall apart and crash.  This scene, this "manifestation"of his on-going presence with us, is our continuing assurance  that we will not perish.
Bro. Rene

Putting Love Into Action

St. John  speaks simply and directly about his favorite subject, LOVE, in today's first reading:  1 Jn 4:7-10.  "Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God; everyone who loves is begotten  by
God and knows God." (1 Jn 4:7). The gospel for today, Mk 6:34-44, recounts the feeding of the 5,000, astonishing in itself:   5 loaves and two fish feeding 5,000 men, not counting women and children, with 12 baskets of fragments  left over.  In his introduction to the miracle, Mark calls attention to the compassionate, tenderhearted Jesus, whose heart was moved to pity for the people who were "like sheep without a shepherd" and who needed to hear his message.  So he taught them until nearly dark;  then, aware of the time and their hunger,  he asked the apostles how they could feed them.  Not letting the objections of the apostle discourage him, he went ahead with this simple, yet spectacular banquet on the green grass. Yes, love in action means feeding the hungry, having compassion on those who are lost, spending time listening, encouraging, just being with people who might be depressed, elderly or recovering from illness or surgery.  It is giving whatever we have, even Saturdays or  Sunday afternoon, to "feed others."  "Let us love one another because love is of God.
Bro,. Rene

A Door Keeper

St. Andre Bessette whose poor health almost prevented him from becoming a member of the Congregation of the Holy Cross in Montreal, served the community and the people of God for 40 years as the doorkeeper to the school and to the graces of healing for thousands through the intercession of St. Joseph.  His simplicity and humility brought him close to St. Joseph and to the people who sought healing.  Eventually the Oratory of St. Joseph atop Mont Royale has come to welcome 2 million visitors a year.
St. Andre's life reminds us that it is the weak and despised of this world that God has chosen to confound the wise and strong.  May we not hesitate to be the doorway of grace for all who come to us seeking entrance to healing of body or soul using the gifts that God has given us, be they small or great.
Bro. Rene

Leaving All to Give All

Note:  a further apology...I was so intent on composing yesterday's post that I lost track of time and missed the deadline.  Look for two slices today, this and one below it...

We celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord a day earlier than the traditional January 6th as we enter the final week of the Advent/Christmas Season. We look upon this event as the revelation of Jesus to non-Jews, to the Gentiles, to the world.  "Jesus came all" is the message, but there are other aspects that can help us in our own spiritual quest and longing to find the Lord Jesus and make him the central part of our lives.
Signs and dreams are not out of the question as we have seen in the stories of Mary and Joseph, from the annunciation to the return from Egypt.  The Magi saw a very tangible star:  we call it the "Star of Bethlehem.  Astrologists have been able to reconstruct the heavens of 2,000 years ago and have discovered the phenomenon of the convergence of Venus, Jupiter and the star Regulus, to form a BRIGHT STAR over Bethlehem at the time or the birth of Jesus.
The Magi left behind their families and occupations to follow that sign, a pattern that we need to follow when God's signs indicate he is asking MORE of us than we anticipated. Their quest was satisfied and in return, they offered gold, frankincense and myrrh to honor the child.  What treasure from our own hearts can we offer to him?  In many countries, today is the day of gift giving. What a wonderful gift it would be to give our hearts, our ALL to Jesus, not holding anything back!  "Take, Lord, receive, all I have and possess; you have given all to me, now I return it.  Give me only your love and your grace, that's enough for me." (St. Ignatius of Loyola).
Bro. Rene

What Are You Looking For?

Note:  apologies are due to all of you for the absence of yesterday's slice of bread.  I had so much on my mind, so many little tasks to do within a short period, that I totally FORGOT to cut and post a slice...the first time, I think, this forgetting since I began posting in 2009.  Very sorry and hope it won't happen again. 

"What are you looking for?"   I could easily answer:  "My hearing aids that have been missing for a month." Or "my January Magnificat that I saw in the mail weeks ago when it arrived," or, of all things, "my St. Anthony prayer card."  But the question is more penetrating than that, and is one that should be on our lips daily.  When Jesus asks this question of John's disciples, they answer with another question:  "Where are  you staying?" ( Jn 1:38).  Jesus invites them to come and see and they spend hours with him.  There's the key, spending time with Jesus, listening, with hearts ready to be ignited with love and a desire to serve, ready to change, if necessary,  If we have set a goal, a "New Year's Resolution" to deepen our relationship with Jesus, then that will demand sacrifice, the giving up of other enticing activities or pleasures, to spend time with him.  These hours will yield what we seek and make the "sacrifices" entailed seem meaningless in view of the gains made in coming to know and love Jesus more.  We will become more like the friend we love and the more we are "at home" with him, the more we become a doorway for him to pass through to others, and others to pass through to him.  May we never underestimate the miracles that can happen as we spend more time with Jesus...Andrew, the brother of Simon, told him about Jesus. Simon then met Jesus and became Cephas, Peter, and the rest is history.
Bro. Rene   

Preparing the Way for Jesus

The gospel for today, John 1:19-28, recounts John's declaration that his mission was to "make straight the way of the Lord," (Jn 1: 23), to prepare hearts to receive "the Lamb of God.".  A fitting prototype for three saints whose mission was along these same lines:  St Basil the Great, St.Gregory Nazianzen and St. Marcellin Champagnat.  The former two are Doctors of the Church and take their place among the early Fathers of the Church, Basil the Great, being the founder of Eastern Monasticism and defender of the faith, as was Gregory, Bishop and once a monk in Basil's monastery.  St. Marcellin, without the acclaim given these two men, in his quiet way, was a dynamic force and model of faith in God and trust in Mary, as he set out to found a congregation of Brothers who for the last 203 years have been making a forceful impact on the world through education and commitment to Mary's way of pondering the mystery of God's presence , and of doing good without fanfare, but nonetheless very effectively.  Now in 83 countries and with the ranks swelling with Marists of Champagnat, our lay colleagues, we continue to prepare the way for Jesus by making him known and loved through our example and our teaching. We give thanks for this great privilege and mission and pray that MANY others join us in this work that seems even more necessary today than it did 203 years ago. May we continue to be faithful to the wisdom and zeal of these great men.
Bro. Rene

The Mother of God

We've had the Nativity scene before us for a week; today we acknowledge the Mother who carried the Son of God in her womb, as any mother, for nine months, before placing him in the manger for all to see. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church, puts it, "Mary , the all-holy, ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and because the Spirit had prepare her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son and his Spirit could dwell among men." (CCC 721). It's almost incomprehensible to think of the Creator placing himself in one of his Creatures, but, as we believe, "nothing is impossible for God," this is the reality. And as a bonus, it God's all-wise plan, Mary is OUR mother too, given to us as she stood at the foot of the cross.  She stands with us as she did with Jesus in his suffering and in his triumph.  Let us find a place for her in our hearts and spend some time today with her pondering the Gift of her dual Motherhood.
Bro. Rene