I Heart Christ

Tonight we celebrate the beginning of the New Year.

Do you do a daily pocket check? No really? Before you leave the house, do you check to see if you have everything? Cell phone? Keys? Handkerchief? Pen?

What we really need to see is, if Christ in the pocket of my heart. Is Christ's presence there as my day begins... like Mary who kept the memories of Jesus' birth in her heart and reflected on them...

So take a look at this video: it's humorous as it starts out but ends up in the pocket of our hearts...

Shepherds: Look Deeper

Let’s consider the shepherds first.

They are peasants: simple, hard-working, honest people. Under our layers of modern sophistication and education, we are all peasants. It’s the peasant soul in us, the child in us, that hears angels, that is hailed by the heavenly glory, that dares to hope and wonder with awe.
The shepherds are outdoors, exposed to God’s sky, not protected by human artifice. Even when we’re in an office, surrounded by technology, the shepherd-self in us is always in this situation. No place is safe from God’s invasion.

What the simple shepherds do is the highest and holiest thing any saint or mystic ever does, on earth or in heaven.

They are “keeping watch by night.” In the darkness they wait and watch, like the little child at the center of our souls. And it’s in the darkness that the heavenly light dawns. In the silence is heard the angels’ song. Kierkegaard said, “If I could prescribe only one remedy for all the ills of the modern world, I would prescribe silence. For even if the Word of God were proclaimed, no one would hear it; there is too much noise. Therefore, create silence.”

The shepherds are “keeping watch over their sheep,” as our soul watches over its body with its flock of desires, responsible for the care and direction of our herd or instincts. It’s as we go about this humdrum daily business that supernatural grace comes to us through the ministry of angels. We do not usually see them, as the shepherds did, but they are there. In heaven we will recognize them, and their role in our lives. “So it was you all the time! It was you who were there...then...”

“The glory of the Lord shone round about them.” This is the shekinah, the heavenly light that had appeared visibly over the Ark of the Covenant and on Mount Sinai. We can still see it, but only with the inner eye of faith. Only if we believe, do we see.

“They were afraid.” We fear the unknown, the opening skies, the passages between worlds, like birth and death. Even when the angel says, “Fear not,” the event is no less momentous, The awe is now joyful, not fearsome; but it’s still “awe-full.” It is “good tidings of great joy.” Joy can be as awesome as fear. The Good News, the incredible event of the Incarnation, is the most joyful and the most awesome news we have ever heard.

The angel tells the shepherds that this event is “to you.” Not just to “mankind” in general, but to us, these ordinary individuals — Almighty God comes to our fields, stables, offices and homes. This is no prerecorded message; this is God calling us up personally.

The shepherds’ response is immediate and practical: “Let us go to Bethlehem.” The angel’s message has power; it moves people to go. When Cicero addressed the Roman senate, everyone said, “How beautifully he speaks!” But they remained in their seats. Yet when Demosthenes addressed the Greek army, they leaped up, clashed spear upon shield and said, “Let us march!”
The angels are like Demosthenes. Scholars, seeing angels, say, “Let us interpret this.”

Shepherds, seeing angels, say, “Let us go.” Karl Marx was profoundly right when he said, “Philosophers have only interpreted the world, the thing is to change it.” Both bad religion (Marx’s) and good religion (Christ’s) change the world.

Unlike the wise men, the shepherds have no gifts to bring Christ. They are poor beggars — like us. “Just As I Am” is our song. They come with dirt under their fingernails and in their souls. They come to receive, not to bargain; to wonder, not to understand. They run to Bethlehem to fall on their knees — that is, to fulfill the ultimate purpose for which we were all created.

-Peter Kreeft

Wise Men: Look Deeper

“WISE MEN still seek Him,” reads the bumper sticker.

Fools think they are wise, so they do not search. The three wise men go on a pilgrimage, on a search, because they know they are not wise.

Just as saints know they are sinners but sinners think they are saints, good people do not call themselves “good people” and wise men do not call themselves wise.

Thus, the wise seek. And all seekers find, according to our Lord’s own promise. But only seekers find. If the wise man in us will travel far from home, comfort and security, then we may arrive at Bethlehem.

As Pascal says, there are only three kinds of people: those who have sought God and found Him (these are reasonable and happy), those who are seeking God and have not yet found Him (these are reasonable and unhappy), and those who neither seek God nor find Him (these are unreasonable and unhappy). Everyone in the second class makes it into the first; all seekers find. But only seekers.

The wise men came from “the East,” the land of the rising sun, the symbol of hope. Any pilgrimage we begin in seeking God, in any part of our lives, is undertaken for this motive. Hope is one of the three most necessary things in the world, one of the three theological virtues. Hope is our energy, our trigger, our motive power.

The wise men come to worship, just as the shepherds do. That’s why they are wise; not because they know the means, the way, but because they know the end; not because they lift their heads to the stars but because they bow their knees to the Baby. Wisdom is not the pride of cleverness in knowledge, but the humility of holiness. “The fear of the Lord, that is the beginning of wisdom.”

They make their pilgrimage from East to West. Oriental wisdom must turn West to find Christ, and the West — Rome — must go East. For Christ is born at the center. He is at the center of all things metaphysically, so it’s fitting that He be born at the physical center of the world as well, between East and West, North and South, between ancient and modern times. All time centers on Him; all dates are B.C. or A.D. Everything is relative to Him. He is the absolute.

-Peter Kreeft

A breadth of heaven: Look Deeper

The Meaning of Christmas: Look Deeper

Brother Ryszard, Brother Thomas, Father Francis and Brother Kenneth enjoy Christmas!

Today’s scripture announces an order of family behavior that should apply in all families: honor, authority, respect, prayer, reverence, obedience,care, kindness and consideration of others –all meant to establish a household of loving justice.

St. Paul offers a similar kind of “house order,” calling us to “put on,”a garment, a cloak of: heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness of those who offend us, gratitude and, most important of all, a willingness to let Christ rule our hearts.

We might well ask if those virtues find a home in our own hearts because if they don’t find a home in our hearts, how can we expect them to find a home in our homes? in our religious communities? in our families? in our relationships at work? in our schools? in the world and how we view it?

Honor, authority, respect, prayer, reverence, obedience,care, kindness and consideration of others, justice, heartfelt compassion, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness of those who offend us, gratitude and a willingness to let Christ rule our hearts…

The Eucharist we celebrate today and receive is nourishment to grow those virtues in our hearts, in our community, in our schools, in the world - and how we look at the world and shape it.

May the Holy Supper we offer today, at the table of our household of faith, feed us for living as the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph: in peace with God and with one another.

Brother Patrick & Brother Nigel enjoy a few moments before the Christmas Tree.

Brother Thierry, Father Thomas and Brother Nestor prepare to serve Christmas dinner.

Emmanuel, God With Us

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist say it well.

God has always been with us, but the Incarnation radically changed His manner of being “with us.” The most sacred item for the people of the Old Testament was the Ark of the Covenant, which contained several holy objects: the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, God’s word inscribed by God Himself; a jar of the manna with which God fed them in the desert; and Aaron’s rod, the symbol of his priesthood (Heb. 9:4).

From the moment of the Incarnation, when the Holy Spirit overshadowed the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is called the Ark of the New Covenant, she held within her womb the Word of God in the flesh, who is the true manna in the Most Holy Eucharist, and who is the Eternal High Priest. Emmanuel, “God with us,” loves us with an intensity that is beyond our human comprehension, but we can begin to grasp it when we approach Him in the Blessed Sacrament, and receive Him into ourselves.

O Emmanuel, our King and our Law-giver, Longing of the Gentiles, yea, and salvation thereof, come to save us, O Lord our God!

Brother David prepares the altar at the Province Christmas Day Mass.

The second reading is proclaimed by Brother Stephen at the Christmas Day Mass in the Community Chapel.

For Unto Us a Child is Born!

Father all-powerful and ever-living God,

we do well always and everywhere
to give you thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Today you fill our hearts with joy
as we recognise in Christ the revelation of your love.
No eye can see his glory as our God,
yet now he is seen as one like us.
Christ is your Son before all ages,
yet now he is born in time.
He has come to lift up all things to himself,
to restore unity to creation,
and to lead humankind from exile into your heavenly kingdom ...

God loves us!

A reflection on the Incarnation for Christmas Eve:

We know what the Incarnation means to us, that God the Son, by becoming human, caught up our human nature into his, made each one of us one with him. He took our human nature for is own and gave us his. He experienced everything that we do, except sin, and he even took upon himself the guilt and punishment of sin.

He made himself subject to our limitations: to discomfort, poverty, hunger and thirst and pain. He knew fear, temptation and failure. He suffered loneliness, betrayal, unrequited love, utter desolation of spirit, the sense of despair and death. He suffered all these things, and all the secret, incommunicable things known to each individual, which can never be told; and he overcame them all.

Christ lived each of our lives. He has faced all our fears, suffered all our griefs, overcome all our temptations, labored in all of our labors, loved in all of our loves, died all our deaths.

He took our humanity, just as it is, with all its wretchedness and ugliness, and gave it back to us just as his humanity is: transfigured by the beauty of his living, filled full of his joy. So that no matter what suffering we meet, we can meet it with the whole power of the love that has overcome the world.

God intimately and silently shares all of our secrets, no matter how hidden we may keep them from other people. God knows our hidden selves, and still God is pleased to be with us. God rejoices in our triumphs and shares the pain of our unspoken sorrows - all in complete and undisturbed solidarity with us...

God has chosen to be one of us. Rejoice in your humanity! Celebrate your individuality! Know that God treasures you.O God who comes to us in Advent, help us to recognize our humanity as a gift that, with Jesus, we share with you.

- A Child in Winter, Caryll Houselander

God is with Us!

O GOD-WITH-US,
Emmanuel, king and lawgiver,
desire of the nations,
Savior of all people,
Come and set us free,
Lord our God.

Jesus, God-with-us, all compassionate and loving God whom we honor and adore, You have unlocked the gates of heaven and cleared the pathway for all humanity to come to You in the glory of the Father. Save us from the chains of sin and darkness. We thank you for the gift of redemption and look forward to the day of Your coming in glory. Amen.

Today we consider the second strange circumstance surrounding a Child who is God.

He is not recognized by anyone.

Let us think, for example, of the innkeepers at Bethlehem. If they knew that God was there in their ole place, they would have opened the door. They would have sheltered him. But they thought it had to do with vagabonds, refugees from who knows where, a pair of unknown persons.

And they did not want to receive them.

And we, would we have received them?

How could we believe that God wanted to present Himself to us in this form?















Chris Calabrese joins in the afternoon caroling.















Sister Patrice assists one of the Residents during Lessons & Carols.

King of All

O KING OF ALL NATIONS,
the only joy of every human heart: O Keystone of the mighty arch of man. Come and save the creatures you fashioned from the dust.

Lord, every nation on earth adores You, for by Your passion, death, and resurrection, You have saved all humanity. Your constant love and friendship reach from the heavens to the ends of the earth. You alone have bridged the deep chasm created by sin; You have protected us from the grasp of the evil one. You are the source of all life; help us to be as one family in You, our God and Savior. Amen.

Christmas is just around th corner. And so, what is it that we celebrate at Christmas?

We surely celebrate the birth of a child, but not that of a common child, rather, it is a Child who is God. Now, if we compare this birth with other births, for example, with the births of other children, then we notice some strange things. This child is born in unusual circumstances, disconcerting, even annoying circumstances – since it has to do with the Son of God.

A first strange circumstance. He makes himself known to the shepherds. He came to earth. He did not warn the great ones. He did not warn the mighty ones. He made nothing known to the priests. He cast aside the hierarchy.

There was no press conference to announce to the world an event of such significance. Nevertheless, he was greatly interested that someone would know. Someone had the right to be the first to know the news. He sends his messengers to some shepherds who were camped near the city guarding their flocks. The shepherds live on the margin of society and also often on the margin of religion. They are uneducated and they do not know the law. It is precisely to these to whom Christ sends his angels to announce his coming.

Jesus wants to make everything clear from the beginning. He sees everything in reverse. In his eyes, the great ones are the small ones. The last are the first. Those shunned by society are his privileged. The Good News is communicated first and first belongs to those who are “on the outside.”

Marianist Advent-ures

O RISING DAWN, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: Come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Radiance of the Father, light for our eyes, and guide for our souls, brighten our days by showing us the way to the Father, for You said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Your life showed us the way to live; Your words spoke of the truth of the Father; Your sufferings and death brought us to new life.

May we be radiant with Your joy, as we begin to recognize Your coming to us in one another. We thank You for the gift of Your Body and Blood in the Eucharist which nourishes us and gives us renewed life. Amen.

Last week, Bro. Peter, Bro. Patrick, Bro. Joseph, Bro. Daniel and Bro. Michael made haste with over 70 students from our Marianist high schools to visit the elderly and the Little Sisters of the Poor in Queens Village. While Santa was busy with gift-giving others sang carols throughout the home. At the end of our visit we joined the Little Sisters and residents in the Chapel for Lessons and Carols.

(Suzie Craven & Tim Lynch spend some time singing carols in the dining area.)

(Santa and the students from Chaminade & Kellenberg Memorial share their joy with the elderly of Queen of Peace Residence.)

Vocation Joy

O KEY OF DAVID,
O royal Power of Israel controlling at Your will the gate of heaven:
Come, break down the prison walls of death
for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death
and lead Your captive people into freedom.

Christ Jesus, You are the key to the happiness of our hearts.
The darkness of sin and the awareness of our weaknesses drag us down,
but You have come to lift us up and redeem us.
We place all our hope in You who have freed us from sin.
Teach us to open the doors of our hearts to You
and to one another through awareness of the mystery of Your Presence in others.
Lead us into the light of Your love and grace. Amen.

VOCATION JOY:
When discerning your religious vocation it helps to ask, “What gives me hope?”

Remember Mary running to Elizabeth sharing her great Hope and rejoicing.

So what brings you hope?
Pay attention to what pulls at your heartstrings.

I remember last year when I visited the Missionaries of Charity in the South Bronx. I was walking through a room near the chapel when a little poster caught my eye. It read, "The surest sign of God’s presence is Joy.”

A calling, a vocation, is an invitation to a particular path of nurturing and loving Jesus supernaturally conceived inside you. Think about joy!

Vocation: Fear of disappointment

O FLOWER OF JESSE, You have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in Your presence; the nations bow down in worship before You. Come, let nothing keep You from coming to our aid.

O Christ, living sign of the Father’s love, we adore You as the Center of our lives. You are our model for grace, truth, and living in the light of the Father. Be our strength in times of sorrow and trouble; be our joy in times of sadness; be our light in the darkness of sin and our troubled world. We are in awe of Your holy Presence. May we rejoice and share the signs of Your coming with one another. Amen.

Fear of disappointing others:

Many think that they will disappoint parents, family and friends should they not become a religious. In this case, people really have to listen to the Spirit within and try to do what they truly believe they should be doing. If they try formation and discern it's really not for them, that's okay.

People who fear their vocation decision will disappoint others need open, honest dialogue with family and friends about their vocation. Like the one in discernment, family and friends have been in a questioning state of mind. Thus, they too, may gain peace of mind if the vocation is at least tested.

This is an important point. Rather than being disappointed, if the loved one doesn't continue, family and friends may be put at ease knowing a serious question has been explored and answered. Never exploring the vocation question would probably be more disappointing.

Vocation excuses, excuses, excuses...

O LORD OF ISRAEL, who showed Yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: Come, stretch out Your mighty hand, to set us free.

Lord, our God, reveal Yourself to us in the persons, circumstances, and events of each day, especially in those who need our time and talents. Open our eyes to recognize Your workings in all that happens to us; keep us open to Your coming to us in the unusual events and surprises of each day. May the place of our work become “holy ground” for we believe that You are present everywhere. Amen.

EXCUSES:
There are all kinds of excuses for not following a vocation. Why not go back to Scripture for various excuses used by folks we now hail as our faith heroes. If you think you are too young, check out the story of Jeremiah. If you feel you cannot speak, read the story of Moses. If you ever wonder how a vocation could be yours, read the story of Mary's Annunciation. If you feel you are too sinful, read the life of Saint Peter. If you think you are not capable of being called by God, read the story of Sarah. This list goes on and on. Scripture is filled with the stories of people who had excuses just like us. What makes them great? They moved forward in faith, relying on God.

Is God calling you to religious life? If so, what are you doing about it? What is your excuse not to follow?

Vocation is a GIFT!

Everyone knows that in life is all about choices. Choices are usually based on interest, attractiveness, pleasure, wants or needs. We face these choices daily and we recognize that we are responsible for our choices. Sometimes we lose out on something good because our choice was not based on good reason but rather an excuse that proved to be non-productive. When called by God we are free to respond. Our choice to respond or not to respond is totally up to us. God never pushes or demands from us. He is always a gentleman! He leaves us free to respond.

Hey, I DON'T THINK I AM HOLY ENOUGH, I AM NOT WORTHY. There seems to be a strange belief going around that anyone thinking of becoming a religious must be totally holy or worthy. The truth here is this: To say that one IS holy enough or worthy enough is a sure sign of the sin of Pride, the Original Sin that got us into trouble a long time ago! To focus on being holy or worthy enough is to miss the whole point of having a vocation.

In the Book of Genesis we read that God made us in His image and likeness. What is that image and likeness? It is love and holiness. We are holy people. Since any call from God is a gift, the excuse of not being holy or worthy enough simply falls short. At no time will anyone ever be holy or worthy enough. That is what makes this vocation a real gift.

Certitude in a vocation

So are you 100 percent sure of a vocation decision ? If you not 100% sure many say they can't act on it.

But no one has to be completely sure just to investigate a religious vocation. If religious life has been a gut question over a period of time, it's worth exploring.

If others have agreed that a religious vocation seems fitting -- or worth investigating all the more reason to step forth. By entering a formation program, people commit to a particular time of exploration, not to the end result of religious life. The degree of certainty becomes more important as people move through and near the end of formation.

It is less important in the beginning.

Vocation is a Call not a Feeling

Last week a sophomore asked me after Midday Prayer in the Chapel: "How did you ever decide to become a Marianist Brother?" Now, I coukd take that question in many ways. Should I read into the question. Was I reading into the question?

Before I even had a chance to respond the young student asked, "Didn't you want to get married?" It's a pretty hard task to explain something that is so mysterious and so personal in the four minutes between classes. But I did not want to miss the opportunity that God was giving me at the moment.

Did I ever want to get married? Well, sure I thought about getting married. Would I find Mrs. Right, get married and have a family? Maybe, these things happen, except, that I wasn't looking for Mrs. Right.

I think the reason why I wasn't looking for love was because I'd already found it. I had fallen in love with God. When someone realizes that they have a religious vocation what they realize is that they are being asked to love in a unique way.

I have at times desired to get married and have a family and be a father, but that desire is very different from being called to live all those things. A vocation is about a calling, not a feeling.

I believe that God has created me to love Him and to show my love by dedicating my life to the service of others.This call is mysterious, it is breathtaking, it is joyful, it is a gift. With hope, faith and love, I am on a journey with the goal of reaching Heaven.

HOW? God asked, and I said Yes.

Please pray that I continue to remain faithful to that call.

Marianist Monday

We are in Jesus Christ
by our union with him -
his prayer is our prayer;
it is he who offers our prayer,
which is also our prayer.


All of us are called to be conscious of the presence of the God of Love.

This is what Blessed William Joseph Chaminade calls the time of "meditation on the presence of God."

This meditation is "a calm attention to the presence of God."

In order to do this during our time of prayer, Father Chaminade recommends great simplicity. "This simple attention of the mind, accompanied by a gentle ardor of the heart, together with this aspiration or thrust of the heart."

Be conscious of God's love today!

REJOICE

Today is Gaudete Sunday, a day in which we are exhorted to "REJOICE."

There will be a day, there will be a time, Zephaniah says, when men and women will “sing aloud” and “shout,” where they will “be glad and rejoice” with all their hearts. This true, authentic joy will well up not as a result of piling up enough money or achieving certain levels of success. No, this lasting joy will flow from the fact that God has found his joy in us, in you!

One of my favorite spiritual authors sums it up beautifully as follows:

It sounds too good to be true. It sounds like pious exaggeration, a salesman's pitch. Instant joy? All you have to do is surrender to God? What's the catch?

There is a catch. It's a big one, but a simple one: you have to really do it, not just think about it.

To do it completely requires something we dislike very much: death. Not the death of the body. The body is not the obstacle. The ego is. Self-will is. We fear giving that up even more than we fear giving up our body to death—even though that ego, the thing St. Paul calls "the old man" in us, or the Adam in us, is the cause of all our misery.

That old self has sold itself to the devil. It's his microphone. It sits there behind our ears chattering away. When we're about to give ourselves to God, it instantly whispers to us: "Careful, now. Hold back. Don't get too close to him. He's dangerous. In fact, he's a killer."

The voice speaks some truth. Even the devil has to begin with some truth in order to twist it into a lie. It's true; God is a killer. If you let him, he will kill your old, selfish, unhappy, bored, wretched, mistrusting, loveless self.

But he will do it only if you want him to; and he will do it only as much as you want him to. God is a gentleman. He will never rape your soul, only woo it.

And when he does, you understand one of the reasons why sex is so different, so special, so holy: it is an image of this, of heaven, of the ultimate meaning and destiny and purpose of your life.

Even the tiny foretaste of heaven that we can all have here on earth by surrendering to God is as much more joyful than the greatest ecstasy sex can give, just as being with your beloved is more joyful than being with her picture.

You either believe all this, or you don't. If you do, then do it! If you don't, then try it. You'll like it.

Our Lady of Guadalupe

Juan Diego was born in 1474 in what today is a part of Mexico City, Mexico. He lived a simple life as a weaver, farmer, and worker. He was baptized at the age of 50 by a Franciscan missionary, and so began a faithful “walk” with God each day…15 miles to be exact! Every day, Juan would walk to Mass the full 15 miles!

He is more famous for the amazing miracles he witnessed at the hands of Heaven; Our Lady appearing to him, the roses the bishop asked for blooming in winter, and the magic of the tilma, a stunning work of art painted by Heaven itself on his burlap clothing (which still exists today, defying all scientific comprehension and study).

But in all this, it was still his walk that strikes us. The dedication, the patience, the sheer strength of his character, his obvious passion for the Eucharist….. staggering. And when Mary Immaculate called him to his special mission, he called himself a “nobody.” Wow!

Walking 15 miles through desert terrain to stand, to kneel, and to bask in the glow of that Divine Fire of the Eucharist…. Wow!

Today we celebrate this Lady of Guadalupe! According to the traditional account, the image appeared miraculously on the front of Juan Diego's cloak. The image still exists; it is on display in the Basilica of Guadalupe in Mexico City. It is perhaps Mexico's most popular religious and cultural image, and the focus of pilgrimage.

Hallelujah!

Gregorian chant is sung every day in honor of the Lord and His Church.

Now take a look at this very entertaining video...Enjoy! And hallelujah!

Jesus the Lord is coming!

Are Your Prepared?

"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and strengthens the powerless. Even youths will faint and be weary, and the young will fall exhausted; but those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. " –Isaiah 40:28-31

And…

“Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” -Matthew 11:28

Trust is the most difficult thing in the world; but when we trust, if we can trust, then everything is easy.

We are free.

How's your Advent going?

Hey, how's your Advent going?

I don't know about you but, to be honest, it might just be the last question I'd want to be asked. At least, so far -- there's still too much to do... and I'm not talking about the tree, the lights, the cards, or the Christmas shopping, either.

Luckily, though, time still remains for those of us who've got some catching up to do with the preparation that counts the most -- we've just gotta make the most of it. And, well, there are as many ways of approaching the task as there are the number of us.

Maybe the answer is to take an Advent minute to step back and breathe (...or ten ...or more), an extra smile or helping hand to someone who could use it, a night off from shopping or the party circuit, or maybe that call, note or email we've been meaning to get to... whatever it is, just do it... or, at the very least, try to... because especially in these days, it's all in the little things.

No question, we can focus on and devote no shortage of time to no shortage of things in these crazed days... but along the way, let's just make sure whatever we do in the days ahead begins and ends with what it's (really) all about:

"God's Smile" is the Gateway to Heaven

Today we celebrate the patronal feast of the United States, The Immaculate Conception.

Here is part of the Pope's reflection on this feastday:

"Today, wherever a Catholic community exists, Our Lady is venerated in it with this stupendous and marvellous name: the Immaculate Conception....On today's feast, so dear to Christian people, this expression rises from hearts and is pronounced by lips as our heavenly Mother's name. Just as a child raises his eyes to his mother's face and on seeing her smile forgets every fear and every pain, so do we, turning our eyes to Mary, recognize in her "God's smile", the immaculate reflection of divine light; in her we find new hope even in the midst of the problems and tragedies of the world."

Last evening a small group of students gathered to celebrate the Eucharist together in the Emmanuel Chapel followed by dinner.

The theme for the evening was Mary's "Yes." What is keeping me from me saying "Yes" to my vocation?

O Mary help us to believe with greater trust.

O immaculate Virgin give us the same courage to be alert to the call of Christ.

Encourage us to be alert, not to give into the temptation.

O Loving Mother may we have the courage to be "watchmen of the dawn", and give this virtue to all Christians so that we may be the heart of the world in this difficult period of history.

Virgin Immaculate, Mother of God and our Mother, pray for us!

Marianist Monday

Students from St. Martin De Porres Marianist School travelled to The Sunrise on Friday to prepare the elderly for the coming of Christ. They shared their joy and song and were received with smiles and singing.

"Let us peacefully follow the path traced out by Providence and all will turn out for the best."

Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

The One was Jesus!

John the Baptist was a hairy, often smelly, flea-bitten, insect-eating, sharp-tongued wilderness man.

John the Baptist was human roughage. But Jesus called him a prophet.

John the Baptist was full of the Holy Spirit. That is why his words hit home with so many. But he knew there was a greater power and greater effectiveness than he could ever have.

For however much he was inspired by God, he could never send that Spirit into anyone. Could he cause them to put their sins behind them? Yes. Or strive to be holy? Yes. But he could not give them the presence of God. He could only tell them to prepare for the One who could and would give it.

It was John's job to tell of the One to come, the Messiah, the One who would send the Holy Spirit into those he baptized. One whose words and deeds would have even more impact than John's. One that John knew as friend and family, whom John had already come to respect and highly value, but didn't know as the One. The One was Jesus.

Be sacraments of God's Love

(Kevin Liddy, Dan McQuillan and Chris Pupke gather together after Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament but before their Dodgeball victory)

(Brother James offers some assistance to a St. Martin DePorres Marianist School student)

Practice in your life the love that comes to us in Jesus.

Just as in the Incarnation,

Christ becomes a sacrament of God's love in our world,

we are called to be active sacraments of God's love for one another.

We are sacraments of God's love

when we support and encourage one another,

when we help one another along,

when we look for ways to do good for one another.

Marianist Advent-ures

The Advent season is a time of preparation that directs our hearts and minds to Christ’s second coming at the end of time and also to the anniversary of the Lord’s birth on Christmas.

Last weekend the Province hosted students on our annual Advent retreat at Founder's Hollow. The retreat offers an opportunity to begin the time of preparation for the coming of Christ.

O God,

increase our longing for Christ our Savior

and give us strength to grow in his love,

that the dawn of his coming may find us

rejoicing in his presence

and welcoming the light of his truth.

Amen.

Joyful consecration

When Christians speak of the work of the "Holy Spirit", they are speaking about the operations of the Spirit of God in the material world we live in, and within us. But God the Holy Spirit isn't here just to hang out, or to do a miracle or two for sport.

The Spirit is there to cause things to happen in peoples' lives that bring them more in tune with God's purposes on earth (and beyond). When the Spirit starts changing someone, it shows as a growth in character, a change in their way of life that is good for the people they live among. This change in character is called a 'fruit of the Spirit', like the fruit grown by a tree can feed people and wildlife.

From ancient times to today, abundant fruit from an orchard is seen as cause for hope and celebration. Abundant spiritual fruit also breeds hope and is well worth celebrating.

Seems the fruits of the Spirit are present with this group of consecrated women. So much that they seem to be coming out of the woodwork. Check out these Franciscan nuns in Spain:


A 43 year-old prioresses has revolutionized an old Poor Clares convent in Spain, turning it onto a magnet for dozens of young professional women. . . .Sr. Veronica joined the convent which had not seen a new vocation in nearly 23 years.
. . .
The Spanish daily newspaper could not resist publishing an extensive report on Sr. Veronica. According to the newspaper, she “has become the biggest phenomenon in the Church since Teresa of Calcutta,” as “she has made the old convent of Lerma into an attractive recruiting banner for female vocations, with 135 professional women with a median age of 35 and 100 more on a waiting list.” The paper adds that Sr. Vernoica has also “opened a house in the town of La Aguilera, 24 miles from Lerma, at a huge monastery donated by her Franciscan brothers.”

A joyful 21 year old postulant said, “…I asked Our Lady to teach me to love her son like she does.” Such perfect Mariology; Our Lady is not the object of our worship, but she points to that object, teaches us about Him, guides and prays, precisely as Pope Benedict described.

Marianists rejoice & the Church Rejoices

DEVELOPMENTS IN THE CAUSE OF FAUSTINO

On Wednesday, June 3, Father Antonio Gascón received a telephone call from Msgr. Pellegrino, Secretary of the Promoter of the Faith, requesting 10 copies of the positio of the Servant of God Faustino Pérez-Manglano Magro. The Congregation for the Causes of Saints has decided to study the positio of Faustino in view of deciding upon the heroicity of the virtues of the young Marianist student who died in Valencia (Spain) in 1963 at age 17.

The decision to study the positio of Faustino was due to the initiative of Father José María Salaverri, who had proposed to the Cardinal of Madrid that he present the person of Faustino as a model for Christian youth at the World Youth Day celebration in the Spanish capital to be held in August 2011. The same proposal was directed to the Cardinal Archbishop of Valencia, His Eminence Agustín García Gasco, who wrote to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints requesting the study of the positio of Faustino.

The Cause of Faustino was treated in the Archdiocese of Valencia between October 1988 and October 1991. The positio was written by the then Postulator Father Enrique Torres and deposited with the Congregation on 31 October 1994. Since then it has been awaiting its turn to be studied. The moment has finally arrived and at next November’s meeting the theologians will discuss the theological and cardinal virtues of the Servant of God Faustino Pérez-Manglano.

This news fills us with an immense joy because Faustino inspires a multitude of Christian life groups, Marianist lay communities, and pastoral and educational activities throughout the entire Marianist Family.

Let us pray that Faustino might be declared “Venerable” by the Pope.

Tim Hawkins - Corporate Worship Songs

I came across this video and laughed my head off. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.





"All-powerful God,
increase our strength of will for doing good
that Christ may find an eager welcome at his coming
and call us to his side in the kingdom of heaven
where he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

As we begin Advent, every blessing, joy and grace to one and all....

Marianist Monday

Lord Jesus Christ,

Son of the Eternal Father,
Son of the Virgin Mary,

we thank you for offering your life in sacrifice on

the Cross, and for renewing this sacrifice

in every Mass celebrated throughout the world.

In the Power of the Holy Spirit

we adore you and proclaim

your living presence in the Eucharist.

We desire to imitate the love you show us

in your death and resurrection,

by loving and serving one another.

We ask you to call many young people to religious life,

and to provide the holy and generous priests

that are so needed in you Church today.

Lord Jesus, hear our prayer.

Amen.

Our two Marianist high schools have Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament beginning at 3 p.m. every Monday.

Blessed Chaminade often lobbied for more silence at his Sodality gatherings and in his religious communities. He said that "the practice of absolute silence is an excellent means of arriving at the constant, active presence of God."

Like faith, silence for Blessed Chaminade involved the whole person: silence of words, of signs, of mind, of emotions, and of the imagination. In silence, the heart is focused only on God and with nothing but God.

Come and pray with us!

Happy New Year 2010

Today brings us to the First Sunday of Advent, the beginning of the Year of Grace 2010.

Advent is a time to take a good look at ourselves and ask the questions:

"Am I ready for the coming of Christ?
Am I living the life that would be pleasing to God?
Am I ready to face God and say that I have done everything to serve him and others?"

All of us are sinners and can make changes in our life to become more holy and become more pleasing to our Lord.

Advent is just that time to turn away from bad habits, to make changes in our lives, and for some of us, maybe even make a u-turn.

Don't wait for tomorrow, make the change today, tomorrow might be just too late.

Sacrifice: What would you give your life for?

This two minute video certainly puts a new twist on a certain Scripture passage!

Thank You

(Above is pictured the Eucharist celebrated in the Catacombs of St. Priscilla in Rome)

Father William O'Malley offers this thought on gratitude:

Someone(do you remember who?) taught you how to read, and other people challenged you to read more and more complex writing, year after year. How many of us ever thought to thank them for such an inestimable gift?

The word "Eucharist" means thanksgiving. And to appreciate that, one must be humble enough to accept how stunningly blessed and privileged each of us is.

The true question is not what is the Eucharist, but who is the Eucharist.

The Catechism says:We must therefore consider the Eucharist as: thanksgiving and praise to the Father; the sacrificial memorial of Christ and His Body, the presence of Christ by the power of his word and of his Spirit.

A Thanksgiving Proclamation

Proclamation Establishing Thanksgiving Day - October 3, 1863

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.

It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth.

~Abraham Lincoln

An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving means so many things to so many people.

For some Thanksgiving means family. It’s when the whole gang comes together from all across the country to give thanks.

But not everyone has a perfect family. And a good percentage of us don't even have a fully functioning family. For many familes, Thanksgiving is just a reminder of past hurts or wounds.

When it comes down to it, Thanksgiving is a time to appreciate what we do have. For some, that’s family; for others, it's simply a roof over their head or food on the table.

But what do we all have in common to be thankful for as Catholics?

Answer, the Eucharist. Wanna know why?

The Eucharist actually means thanks giving. Because no matter what is different about our Thanksgiving Day meals - from eating turkey sandwiches for two to a feast for 40 - the one food we can all be grateful for is the Bread of Life. The feelings we all have during these festive days all start in the heart of Christ, whether we know it or not.

So, this Turkey day, let’s all take a moment between the parades, the pigskin, the leisure and the pies to thank God for a food that’s truly life changing.

"Long Live Christ the KIng"

Yesterday we celebrated the feastday of Fr. Miguel Pro. On the day of his execution, Fr. Pro forgave his executtioners, prayed, bravely refused the blindfold and died proclaiming, "Viva Cristo Rey", "Long live Christ the King!"

Marianist Monday

Brother Daniel is pictured above with his Latin school class. And below is a reflection sent to me with an adaptation to the Marianist vocation.

Question, "What's a hero?"

Answer, "A man who gives his life for others."

A fireman who rushes into the World Trade Center to save a life but loses his own.

A soldier who walks toward enemy fire to drag his buddy behind the lines.

A pilot who bails out in the Hudson River, keeping his cool and thereby saving lives.

But let's face it: These are moments of heroism, performed on impulse and usually over before the "hero" has a chance to consider the consequences.

What about someone who gives his whole life for his God, his Church, his fellow man and woman? What about someone who takes—and keeps—a vow of poverty, chastity, and obedience forever? For what personal gain? For what ulterior motive?

I'm sorry, this one's a slam dunk:

It takes a special kind of courage to be a consecrated religious.

Pope Benedict explains,

"In our culture today we want to be able to react to new demands, and we hope, by changing jobs fast, to be able to climb the ladder as quickly and as high as possible. But I think there are still callings that demand the whole of a person. Being a doctor, for instance, or a teacher, is not something I can do just for two or three years, but is a calling that requires my whole lifetime. That is to say, even today there are tasks that are not a job that runs alongside my life, so to speak, in order to ensure I have money to live on. For a true calling, income is not the criterion, but the practicing of some skill in the service of mankind. . . .We all stand in a great arena of history and are dependent on each other. A man ought not, therefore, just to figure out what he would like, but to ask what he can do and how he can help. Then he will see that fulfillment does not lie in comfort, ease, and following one's inclinations, but precisely in allowing demands to be made upon you, in taking the harder path. Everything else turns out somehow boring, anyway. Only the man who "risks the fire," who recognizes a calling within himself, a vocation, an ideal he must satisfy, who takes on real responsibility, will find fulfillment. As we have said, it is not in taking, not on the path of comfort, that we become rich, but only in giving."

Christ the King

Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Be a leader by following

Yesterday we traveled to the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception for an evening of worship. Twenty two of us attended the Adoration in the overflowing Seminary Chapel followed by food and dodgeball.

The evening focused on a beautiful theme: To be a leader one must be a follower.

Prayer provides us the opportunity to give to God. It is the raising of our minds ands hearts to God or asking good things from God. Let us pray to follow Christ, to learn to pray as Jesus himself prayed often in the Gospels.