Casa Maria Marianists

Monday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time
First Reading: Colossians 1:24–2:3
Responsorial: Psalm 62:6-7, 9
Gospel: Luke 6:6-11

Labor Day traces its roots back to the New York City labor movement, with the first celebration being held on September 5, 1882. In 1894, Congress made the first Monday in September a national holiday, declaring Labor Day as a day “dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”

In more recent years Labor Day has become a rite of passage from the heat of summer to the cool breezes of autumn. It is a day when families take excursions and have picnics.  Yet, if we pause to remember the true significance of this day there is a much deeper and profound meaning. Especially as we face the current economic crisis, many people remain unemployed or underemployed and major manufactures like those of the auto industry struggle to stay competitive. The sin behind much of current crisis is greed and a lack of respect for the human person and their right to work with dignity.

Pope Benedict in his recent encyclical Charity in Truth reminds us that, “the primary capital to be safeguarded and valued is… the human person in his or her integrity: man is the source, the form and the aim of all economic and social life.” (#25) In today’s first reading Paul calls us to be mindful of the Christ in us as a sign of hope. He writes about his own sufferings and labor for the good of the Christian message. He tells us that it is in and through Christ where we will find the hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge.  We must therefore stand before this difficult time in a country with a hope.

The message of the Gospel from Luke is also a message of amazing hope. Jesus once again performs a miracle, curing a man on the Sabbath (a day in which one is to rest from work). Perhaps Christ is telling us that rules and regulations are not of the most primary importance when it comes to the respect and dignity of the individual. They should be a means to an end and not an end in themselves.

President Obama will visit with workers who are members of the AFL-CIO today at their annual picnic. Unions have been an important part of the labor movement of our country. The Church has always been supportive of the workers right to organize. Pope Benedict renews this call in his recent encyclical and challenges unions to be more concerned with solidarity, justice and the common good than being self-interested units caught up in the current economic models. The Pope writes, “solidarity is clearly a specific and profound form of economic democracy.” The Pope calls us to recognize that solidarity is both the end and the means.  Unions must be networks of charity, if they are to function properly they must be concerned with justice for the human dignity of work and nothing more.

As we celebrate this holiday today and gather around once more the Eucharistic table let us pray for the dignity of work, for the rights of all who work, for the unemployed and underemployed. We remember those who have contributed tirelessly to the labor movement for the cause of justice and the common good. We pray that as we labor, we might be models of hope and come to know the “hidden treasures of wisdom and knowledge” that rest in Christ’s love. May we share this love to bring about justice and charity for the common good.

Saturday, September 5, 2009

First Reading: Acts 1:12-14; 2:1-4
Responsorial Psalm 87:1-2, 3 and 5, 6-7
Gospel: John 19:25-27

Pop Quiz! Category—Church calendar trivia:

Between mid-August to mid-September, the Church celebrates which five Marian feasts?
Answer: Assumption (August 15), Queenship of Mary (August 22), Queen of Apostles (September 5), Nativity of Mary (September 8), Holy Name of Mary (September 12) and Our Lady of Sorrows (September 15).

Although the Society of Mary traditionally observes October 2, 1817 as its foundation, Chaminade considered September 5 to be “foundational” because, on this date in 1818, at the conclusion of a retreat, a handful of men professed vows to the society.

Who would have thought that 191 years later, in a different part of the globe, we would be gathered as members of the Society of Mary to witness something similar: the Rite of Acceptance of two of our newest members of our Province, receiving them officially as aspirants to our community?

What would Blessed Chaminade say about this? Borrowing the word that Provincial Steve Glodek used during the 125th celebration of Marianist presence in Hawai‘i, Blessed Chaminade would be “astounded!”

He would be astounded by the collection of diverse stories that brought each of us here to south central Texas. He would be astounded by the 48 page document that outlines the strategic plan for our future as a province in the U.S. He would be astounded by the advances in technology that allows our world to connect instantaneously with one another and a community to experiment with an online community annal. But, most of all, I think he would be astounded by the numbers of men and women who have dedicated their lives to the vision of this “little French priest.”

Blessed Chaminade identified today’s Gospel passage as the moment of our birth as Marianists. We identify ourselves as the beloved disciple who stands at the foot of the cross to hear the dying request of Jesus: to take care of Mary and for her to take her of us.

What this implies for us is that we have a big responsibility: to take into our hearts all that Mary stands for—total trust in the Lord, a model of faith, openness to the mysteries of our vocation wherever that might lead—and sharing that with others.

I’d like to conclude with an oli pule, Hawaiian prayer chant. It’s a version of the Three O’Clock Prayer that I was encouraged to write while on my perpetual vow retreat this summer.

E ka Haku Iesu Karisto,
Ma kēia hola o ka ‘auinalā
E hui pū kākou i ka pu‘uwai a me ka na‘au
E ho‘omana‘o i ka manawa o kō mākou hānau—
ma Calvary, ke make ‘oe ma ke ke‘a
Ua hā‘awi mai i kou makuahine, ‘o Malia
E piha iā mākou me ke aloha o ka ‘Uhane Hemolele
no laila, e ho‘ohanohano i kau noi
a e ho‘omau me ka mana‘o‘i‘o, ka hau‘oli a me ka le‘ale‘a
i ke kōkua ‘ana i ka mikiona o Malia
e hō‘ike i ke aloha i ka honua. ‘Amene.

Lord Jesus,
At this hour of the afternoon
We reunite ourselves in heart and spirit
to commemorate the moment of our birth to Mary—
at Calvary, as you were dying on the cross
you gave us Mary, your mother, to be our own.
Fill us with the grace of the Holy Spirit
that we may honor your request
and persevere faithfully in joy and happiness
as we assist Mary in her mission
of bringing forth aloha in our world. Amen.