Casa Maria Marianists

Mass: Tuesday, January 12, 2010
First Reading: 1 Sm 1:9-20
Responsorial Psalm: 1 Samuel 2:1, 4-5, 6-7, 8abcd
Gospel: Mk 1:21-28

Two stories. Two characters — both misunderstood.

In the first reading, we follow the saga of Hannah, the barren wife of Elkanah, who goes to the temple to pray, only to be accused by a priest of being drunk!

In the Gospel, Jesus begins his ministry, impresses listeners and casts out unclean spirits, yet, eventually, is rejected and condemned by religious leaders.

So, what can these readings teach us about our faith? Perhaps, the more appropriate question is:

What are some areas in our lives where we fail to seek understanding before passing judgment? Where we determine what is right or wrong without being open to other possibilities?

As people of “faith,” when we pray, the words we say reflect a disposition of openness that allows the mystery of God’s presence to pervade all aspects of our lives.

While it’s a good thing to be self-confident in knowing what is “right” and “wrong,” we need to remember that we must remain open to the possibility that we might not know everything! That, somehow, God might be working through those situations which we find as contradictory or might not make sense.

Perhaps those are those moments we are called to grow in faith.

Why a message like this at the start of a new year? Perhaps it’s an appropriate time so that we remember to be open to all of the moments of potential growth that we will encounter in this calendar year.

It is this attitude of openness that will determine how we respond to opportunities for personal and spiritual growth, how we live our life in common, how we negotiate the healthy tension of living a vowed life and, perhaps most appropriate in this point of history in the Society of Mary, how we view the strategic plan as a way to move into the future.

As we continue our Eucharist and begin our day in ministry, let us pray that we respond with openness in understanding signs of contraction in our lives as a way to grow in faith.

“He must increase; I must decrease.”

Today’s Gospel reading presents us with an all-too familiar scene both in the scriptures and in our everyday life.  It is that of a group of disgruntled people.  It is people who are not getting their own way, those who have found something to complain about  (yes, I often fall into this category as well.)  The followers of John come to him and say “The one you baptized is now baptizing others.  And, what’s more, he’s getting a bigger crowd.  The guy on the other side of the river is stealing your show.  He’s taking away all your business!  We were the big show in town and this new guy has come and stolen the limelight away.  What are you going to do about this?”

What is John’s response?  “No problem.  That’s okay.  That’s what I wanted to happen.  In fact, it makes me happy that he’s getting all the hype, that he’s the big show in town now.  That’s been the plan all along whether you like it or not.  I must shrink into the shadows so that that he can enter into the spotlight.  I must decrease and he must increase.”

For us as Marianists, we are called to always point to Christ.  In all that we say and do, we are called, like Mary, to bring Jesus in to the world.  Today’s gospel reminds us through the story of John the Baptist that we must always make sure that it’s about Christ and not us.  It is a reminder of the humility and sense of service that we are called to each and every day.  Through the living of our lives, we are bringing others to gather around that guy on the other side of the river (Jesus) and not ourselves or our individual ministries or whatever else we might be doing at the moment.

As our egos start to deflate, it’s probably a good time to recall that while John the Baptist reminds us of this today, the last several weeks have been one long reminder of this.  The Christmas season has been a continuous story of the manifestation of the Messiah, the one who must increase.  As we come to the end of another Christmas season, we are reminded of the many stories and people who allowed themselves to take a back-seat so that Christ could shine in the world.

The shepherds rejoice not in being visited by angels, but in seeing the newborn king.  The Magi altered their return home and forego a possible “in with the king” to protect the new child.

We have journeyed with Joseph who humbly accepted the will of God in his life.  He could have easily said, “Whoa look what happened to me and my marriage plans.”  But rather he said, “Yes I will forego my own plans and raise Jesus even if it means going to Egypt for a while.”

And, of course, there is the image of Mary, the one who says, “I come to do your will, not mine.”  I am always struck by the numerous icons and statues of the Madonna and Child that depict this so well:  It is Mary holding Jesus for all to see;  It is Mary presenting Jesus allowing him to be in the forefront.

The words of John the Baptist, “I must decrease and he must increase,” are a good summary for the close of another Christmas season.  It is a reminder that we are called to always bring others to Jesus, to help others gather around him who is the light. In all that we do, we must joyfully decrease so that Christ may increase.

Mass, Monday, December 14, 2009
Reading: Numbers 24:7, 15-17A
Responsorial: Psalm 25: 4-5AB, 6 and 7BC, 8-9
Gospel: Matthew 21:23-27

There are many slang words that seem to have opposite connotations. For example, “bad” (good), “sick” (amazing); “beast” (mastery). Although not necessarily part of slang jargon, the word “authority” also can be classified in a similar manner.

Authority can have opposite connotations: in a positive way—respect, bestowed on one by others by virtue of talent, gifts and leadership; in a negative way—a presence that changes behavior (slow down while driving).

Regardless of which definition comes to mind first, “authority” is something that compels us to action.

So, what were some thoughts that came to mind when answering the question posed this morning: “How does the authority of our vows compel us to act on our faith?”

The first idea to keep in mind is that whenever we act on our faith, it is the Holy Spirit that prompts our actions.

With that idea in mind, it is important to also look at each of the vows in terms of both its letter and spirit. As Chaminade, himself, warned in his letter to the retreat masters of 1839, “The letter kills but the spirit quickens.” In other words, if we only live by the bounds of the letter of the vows, we will miss out on the richness of what the spirit of the vows truly are meant to teach us.

The spirit of the vow of poverty: not just what we can’t have, but learning to share all of our possessions—money, time and talent—with others and that all of God’s creation must be respected and cared for.

The spirit of the vow of chastity: not about all of the hot dates that we’ll miss, but embracing the life-long lesson of giving and receiving unconditional love.

The spirit of the vow of obedience: not being forced to do something we don’t want, but promising to listen and dialog with each other, discerning God’s will as a community of faith, not an individual.

The spirit of the vow of stability: not that there is no way out if it goes bad, but participating wholeheartedly and giving one’s entire life to the mission.

Like Jesus was asked in today’s Gospel, “By what authority do you do these things?”, perhaps we can answer that is it the spirit of the vows that compel us to action. There are many practical ways to act on our faith—and it doesn’t always have to be something big; the little things also can have significant impact on others.

Here is a practical list, used at the end of the day, to examine our interaction with others. Keep in mind that this list isn’t meant to be checked off and forgotten, but to as a way to examine how we can, in many practical ways, use the authority of our vows to act on our faith:

At the end of your day, ask yourself, “Today, have I…”

• Greeted someone by his/her first name?
• Smiled at someone?
• Hugged someone?
• Complimented someone?
• Affirmed someone?
• Thanked someone?
• Laughed with someone?
• Offered a potentially-helpful suggestion to someone?
• Listened attentively and patiently to someone?
• Offered to help someone?
• Actually helped someon?
• Given someone some of my valuable time?
• Shown patience with someone who frustrates me or whom I dislike?
• Tried to cheer-up someone?
• Prayed for someone?
• (adapted from a list developed by Brother Jerome Matz, S.M., Ph.D.)

As we gather around the altar, let’s take the time to reflect on these because, after a long day in professional ministry building up God’s reign, we are reminded that when we come home, we are called to continue our ministry by building community with one another as brothers who share a common vocation as Marianists.