Making A difference

"Make a Difference" has almost become a cliche.  It is used so often that its power might be lost.  Another way of saying it would be: my family, my community, my "world" small or large is better because of my presence.  I am making a difference, I'm making it BETTER.  What a compliment, and accomplishment!  And if thhis could be said of every reader of Bro. Rene's Daily Bread, or every parishioner, every student, every professional, indeed with Louie Armstrong we could sing, "What a Wonderful World!. 
One such man, whose memorial we celebrate, did make the world a better place by his presence and work:  St. Jerome, who translated the Scriptures from Hebrew and Greek into the language of the common people at the time, Latin.  What a beak through his Vulgate was, withstanding the test of time for 1500 years! 
We might not have such a global effect, but our reaching out, our sharing of ourselves, our gifts, our presence, can still have a knock out effect on our immediate surroundings.  Let us unlock the goodness within, let it out and better our world.
Bro. Rene

Saints Michael, Gabriel and Raphael, Archangels

We honor three great Archangels, all of whom are mentioned in the Bible.  The Western Church has given them the title SAINT, which usually refers t humans who have been acknowledged as "miracle workers as proof that they are now with God in heaven. The Eastern Church refers to them as angels or archangels, but not saints.  With or without the title, they are another level of being created by God with intelligence and will, but without physical bodies, who both God and us with enormous fidelity and love.
St. Michael, whose name in Hebrew means, " Who can compare to God?, or Who is like God,"  has been recognized as the Leader of the archangels  who thrust Satan into hell after his rebellion against
God.  As such, he is the patron of soldiers, paramedics and police officers.
St.Gabriel, "God is my strength" announced the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus, and thus is the patron of those who deliver messages for a living:  diplomats, broadcasters, postal workers communications and public relations workers.
Raphael, "God has healed", brought healing to Tobit and accompanied his son, Tobias, on his journeys; as such he is the patron of travelers, the sick, medical personnel, the those leaving home for the first, time to go off to college or the service.
May we take time today to thank them for the role they play in our lives and strive to imitate them in our service to others.
Bro. Rene

Trying To See Jesus

It's ironic that we should learn a valuable lesson from Herod the Tetrarch.  He had heard about Jesus and was curious; he thought he might be the ghost of John the Baptists, whom he had beheaded.  Elijah or one of the prophets was suggested...it is interesting that Luke notes that Herod kept trying to see him. (cf. Lk 9:9).
We might ask ourselves if our interest in knowing and seeing Jesus is so strong that we keep trying to see him.  Is our preoccupation with work, family, pleasure so great that it causes nearsightedness,blurring our vision and preventing us from seeing Jesus in the people and events of every day?   Or even taking time to see him in our prayer, or in reading about him in the New Testament?  We might ask ourselves what we are trying to see.  If Jesus is not at the top of the list, we might take it as a call to refocus.
Bro. Rene

Proclaiming The Kingdom of God

When Jesus sent the Twelve to proclaim the Kingdom of God, he told them not to take anything with them, "no walking stick, sack, nor food, nor money." (Lk 9:1-2)  We might ask how he expected them to survive.  But he did give them authority over demons and the power to cure diseases. With these they would win the confidence of their hearers, build relationships with them and be able to evangelize them effectively.  In return. some of these would provide lodging and food. Their actions enabled them to proclaim the Kingdom.
In like manner, St. Vincent de Paul, whose memorial we observe today, found that words were not enough; he was chaplain of galley slaves, and went into the bowls of the ships to bring food and medicine to the men.  He organized other priests  and lay people to address the needs of the poor. His presence and gestures of kindness won hearts: he proclaimed the kingdom by deed as well as by word.  As Christians, and especially as Marists, we are called to do the same.
Bro. Rene

The Family Of Jesus

Two verses comprise the morning's Gospel, but open a much larger concept. (cf. Lk 8:19-21). Mary and her entourage of close relatives (cousins) cannot fit into the house where Jesus was teaching because of the crowd that had gathered there.  By his response to the "problem", Jesus opens to the door for a larger family, including us. "My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and act on it."  (Lk 8:21). By living what we Jesus teaches, we become family with him.
Family is a cherished concept to Marists whose spirituality fosters family spirit  and uses the Holy Family as the model for community life. In this passage we see that Jesus and his Word are the center and hub of an active and effective family (community life).  With him as the focal point, there will always be room for others.
Bro. Rene

Being Light

Few could deny the beauty and influence of a full moon and the glow it spreads across the heavens and the earth below.  Especially awesome is moonlight shining on the snow covered grasslands of South Dakota in the dead of winter; it's bright enough to enable a driver to kill the headlights and drive by moonlight!  And to think, the moon only REFLECTS the light of the sun.  It does not create its own light.
So too with us when Jesus urges us not to conceal a lamp under the bed or under another vessel, but to place it on a lampstand to give light to others. (cf. Lk 8: 16).  The light we reflect comes from the SON and bounces off our very beings:  it is the kindness, sensitivity, compassion and love of Jesus that is very visible by our presence.  It doesn't need words, but shines from our very being.  We are the light of the world!
Bro. Rene

God's Free and Unfathomable Love

The parable of the landowner who gives the same wage to those who worked for an hour as he gave to those who worked all day is meant to disturb us.  It is revolutionary to see this kind of "equality" coming from the hands of God.  Why not pay according to the "merit" of time spent in the fields? Yet, Jesus shows us that this is not God's way.  It is difficult and challenging for us to shift to his approach.  "Justice", it would seem, would be to pay at least by the hour, but no...the landowner's agreement was to "give what is just."  His justice, it turns out, is not what the workers, especially the first-hired, think is just; we, most likely, stand with them. But the landowner confronts their objection with his reasons which are not theirs:  it's his money; he can use it as he pleases; then the zinger:  "Are you jealous because I am generous?" (Mt 20: 16a)  Ah, "there's the rub"  Jealousy.  Jesus is leading us away from thinking sand comparing according to our standards, to accepting according to HIS standards: a lavish love that is beyond our comprehension; that includes ALL and sets no limits.  It is a call to imitate that love, to work toward giving our love to ALL...even to our enemies.
Bro. Rene