We Are Witnesses

 

  Lk 24:35-48

³⁵ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

³⁶ While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. ³⁸ He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? ³⁹ Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

⁴⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. ⁴¹ And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave him a piece of broiled fish, ⁴³ and he took it and ate it in their presence.

⁴⁴ He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶ He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷ and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things.

We continue to focus on the resurrected Jesus. We see his efforts to convince his Apostles that indeed, something new, something "impossible" had really happened: he was alive but in a new form and that they had a job to do: to go and tell the whole world about this. Indeed they did and we continue to do so, but there are still more non-believers than believers. There are 2.8 billion Christians, only one third of the world's population.  In a world on the brink of a major war, when the number of "nones" or people with not church affiliation or faith is ever increasing, we are in a similar situation to where the apostles were that first night. We are meditating these days on the Resurrection and praying for the coming of the Spirit. May our faith grow stronger and our mission become clearer,  to spread the Good News, and in Marist terms, "make Jesus known and loved."

Bro. Rene

Dear God, help me to understand my mission  and grant me the grace to carry it out. Amen.    

Don't Be Afraid

 

 Jn 6:16-21

Jesus Walks on the Water

¹⁶ When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, ¹⁷ where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. ¹⁸ A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. ¹⁹ When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. ²⁰ But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” ²¹ Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

We can picture the storm and feel the fear in the seasoned fishermen heightened by the apparition of Jesus walking on the raging waters. When they allowed him to enter the boat, the storm ceased and they safely reached the shore. How often do we panic when faced with choices affecting our future or the future of those we love? Or when overwhelmed with trials we feel we can't handle, or when Jesus seems to have abandoned us? Yes, life has it's "storms" but each one is an opportunity for us to cast aside our fear and allow Jesus to come into our boat. He is the ONE who calms the storms in our lives. May we always turn to him when we feel we are perishing. He will not disappoint us.

Bro Rene 

Dear Jesus, so often I feel tempest-tossed with the demands of my daily life and the choices I have to make. Cast away my fear,  come into my boat and calm the raging waters in my soul. Amen.

 

A Preview

 

 Jn 6:1-15

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), ² and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. ³ Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. ⁴ The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

⁵ When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” ⁶ He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

⁷ Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

⁸ Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, ⁹ “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

¹⁰ Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). ¹¹ Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

¹² When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” ¹³ So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

¹⁴ After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” ¹⁵ Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Just picture 5,000 hungry people, five loaves, two fish and 12 baskets of "left-overs".   Truly a spectacular miracle! Not only does it show Jesus's compassion for the crowd, but sets the stage for the gift of himself in the Eucharist.  He knows and takes care of our physical and spiritual needs and does something concrete to meet them. Does this event embolden us and give us confidence to proceed when what we face seems impossible? When we hunger for guidance, or strength to bear illness, disability, or difficult choices, is not Jesus there with the solutions?  May we learn to put our trust in him and be confident that as he fed this multitude, he will take care of us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Jesus, you demonstrated your loving care in a spectacular way by feeding the 5,000. Help me to trust that you will satisfy my needs as well. Amen.

Believe In The Son

 

  Jn 3:31-36

 God Gives The Spirit Without Limit

³¹ The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth. The one who comes from heaven is above all. ³² He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. ³³ Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful. ³⁴ For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit. ³⁵ The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands. ³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.

As we journey toward Pentecost, Jesus tells us to keep our sights on "the one who comes from heaven" who "speaks the words of God" and that "God gives the Spirit without limit." Jesus has not abandoned us, although he has ascended to heaven, but has sent his Spirit to accompany and guide us. We can easily doubt that Jesus is still with us as we watch most of the half hour nightly news. The last minute or two of happy, "feel good news" barely compensates for what we've just been watching. There were no such newscasts in the time of Jesus but fear and pessimism know not the limits of time, for they exist in all eras. But the gift of the Spirit gives us hope and "renews the face of the earth." May we grow in trust and faith in the all-powerful Spirit.

Bro. Rene

Dear God, send us your Spirit and drive all fear and distrust from our hearts. Amen. 

Live By The Truth

 

  Jn 3:16-21

 God's Great Love

¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ¹⁷ For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. ¹⁸ Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. ¹⁹ This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰ Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. ²¹ But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

St. John has given us one of the most popular and beloved statements of Jesus that is quoted everywhere, even on banners waved at ball games: John 3; 16, "For God so loved the world that he gave us  his only begotten Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but might have eternal life."  It's all there: believe and receive eternal life. Of course, the belief includes action, putting that faith to  work.  Both take effort, but both are gifts as well. If we relish God's love and put it into action in our lives by loving our neighbor, then we are "living the gift."

Bro Rene

Dear God, you so loved us that you gave us your Son; help us to so love our neighbors that we give our lives for them. Amen. 

Believe!

 

  Jn 3:7b-15

 Born of the Spirit

⁷ You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ ⁸ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

⁹ “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.

¹⁰ “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? ¹¹ Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. ¹² I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? ¹³ No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.¹⁴ Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, ¹⁵ that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”

This conversation with Nicodemus sets the stage for the need  and coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Although Nicodemus struggled with the idea of being "born again", he did become a believer as we see at the crucifixion of Jesus. We might find ourselves also struggling with our Faith, even in these days so close to the Resurrection, so let's listen to Jesus as if he were talking to us, rather than to Nicodemus. It might be worth reading this whole segment in John 3: 1-21.  We have just renewed our Baptismal promises, let us strengthen our faith commitment and live it more fully.

Bro  Rene

Lord Jesus, increase my faith and help me live it with fearless conviction. Amen.

The Annunciation

 

 Lk 1:26-38

The Birth of Jesus Foretold

²⁶ In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, ²⁷ to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. ²⁸ The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. ³⁶ Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.

For anyone  who has devotion to Mary, and especially for Marists, this Gospel passage is the cornerstone of our spirituality:  to be open to God's plan and to willingly say YES to it as Mary did. Trust, love, faith  surrender all play a part in the FIAT of Mary, and in ours. Did Mary know all that her submission to God's will entailed for her? Did she see herself bidding farewell to her carpenter Son when he began his mission, or when she stood beneath his dying body on the cross, or beholding his risen body after his resurrection? Did she see herself still mothering his Body, the Church, and caring for each of us as her own? All were included in her faith-filled YES. She did not hold back and stands forever a model for us.

Bro. Rene

Dear Mary, as you accepted God's will so totally, help us to do the same. Amen. .