Casa Maria Marianists

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.