Triduum in Preparation for St. Joseph the Worker - Day 2

May 1 - St. Joseph the Worker

The first annual Religious Brothers Day

Religious Brother – Memory of the love of Christ: “The same thing you must do…” (John 13:14-15)

(Ford Madox Brown, Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, commons.wikimedia.org)

Reading:

From Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church
(Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, 2015); Paragraph #12

To deepen our understanding of the identity of the Brother, we will allow ourselves to be enlightened as we contemplate one of the most evocative icons of the four Gospels: Jesus washing the feet of his disciples. 

The story that the evangelist John offers us regarding the meal on Holy Thursday begins with the solemn and intimate statement: "Jesus... having loved those who were his own who in the world, loved them to the end" (John 13:1).  The Last Supper of Jesus with his disciples takes place in an context of commissioning: Jesus urges his disciples and, through them, the whole Church, to continue the ministry of salvation which reaches its culmination in the death of Jesus on the cross, although he had developed it during his life, as reflected in his answer to John's disciples, "Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life and the good news is proclaimed to the poor"  (Luke 7:22). 

Thus the Church experiences itself being constituted as a ministerial people commissioned by Jesus.  The evangelists represent the institution of the ecclesial ministry through two icons.  The three Synoptics choose the icon of Jesus breaking and sharing his Body and Blood with his disciples, while requiring of them: "Do this in memory of me" (Luke 22:19).  Differently, the Gospel of John presents us with the icon of Jesus with the towel tied around his waist, washing the feet of his disciples, and making a request of them later: “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." (John 13: 14-15).

In the consciousness of the Church, it is in the light of this icon of the washing of the feet that the other icon, in which Jesus shares out his Body and his Blood, finds its full meaning.  That is to say, the commandment of brotherly love gives us the key to understanding the meaning of the Eucharist in the Church.

This testimony which the Church receives from Jesus points to two aspects or dimensions of the ministry of salvation which unfold in the Church through diverse specific ministries.  On the one hand, through the ministerial priesthood, instituted by a specific sacrament, the Church guarantees its fidelity to the memory of the surrender of Jesus, his death and resurrection, and makes it present in the Eucharist.  On the other hand, the Holy Spirit stirs among the faithful the memory of Jesus showing the attitude of service, and the urgency of his mandate: "by this everyone will recognize you as my disciples" (John 13:35).  Because of this, many charisms are raised up among the faithful to develop communion through fraternal service.  That is how salvation comes to the poorest: the blind see, the lame walk, prisoners are released, youth are educated, the sick and the elderly are taken care of.

Consecrated life arises in the Church in response to this call of the Spirit to faithfully keep alive the memory of the love of Christ who loved His own to the end.  This response is expressed in many forms, but at the deepest level there is always the option of "a radical gift of self for love of the Lord Jesus and, in Him, of every member of the human family. 

The vocation and identity of the Religious Brother acquire meaning in this dynamic, which is both inclusive of and complementary to the various ministries, but which also needs and promotes prophetic signs.

Prayer:
Lord, you have commissioned our Salesian Brothers to serve as you have served.  May your love fill them, our charism guide them, and our communities support them in their service of your Kingdom.

Triduum in Preparation for St. Joseph the Worker - Day 1

May 1 - St. Joseph the Worker
The first annual Religious Brothers Day

Religious Brother –  Witness and Mediator of God's Love

(Andrei Rublev, Trinity, https://en.wikipedia.org)

Reading:

From Identity and Mission of the Religious Brother in the Church
(Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life, 2015); Paragraph #13

What is the origin of the vocation of the Brother if not the experience of God's love? "We have known the love God has for us and put our faith in it" (1 John 4:16).  That is also the source of every Christian vocation. "Being Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction"
(Pope Benedict XVI, Encyclical Letter Deus Caritas Est; 25 December 2005, 1).

The vocation of the Brother is not only intended to be that of a recipient of God's love, but also of being a witness and mediator of that same gift, of the project of communion which God has for humanity and which is based in the Trinitarian communion.  This project, the Mystery which has been revealed to us in Christ, seeks to establish a horizontal relationship between God and humankind at the very heart of humanity, precisely where God wants to be present.

Relationships of affiliation are thus transformed simultaneously into

Brotherly relationships.  For that reason, saying "brother" is like saying "mediator of God's love", the God who "so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life" (John 3:16).

To be a "Brother" is also to be a mediator of the love of the Son, the Mediator par excellence, who "loved them to the end" (John 13:1) and asked us to love one another as He loved us (John 13:34).

In this world that God loves so much, the Brother cannot hide. On the contrary, he experiences the impulse to go out to encounter and embrace God.  In contemplating the saving work of God, the Brother discovers himself to be an instrument which God wants to use to make the covenant, God’s love and concern for the weakest, more visible.

Prayer:
Lord, we thank you for calling our Salesian Brothers to be signs and instruments of your love for us and young people, especially those who are in need.

Mercy On Line

       Anyone who has traveled by plane over the last month has surely had to deal with the daunting, almost never-ending lines through the security check points. Situations like that can easily lead a person to feel annoyed at the process, or get frustrated when the potential of missing their flights seems imminent. Having done a lot f traveling recently, I can surely understand those frustrations over the maze like journey.  Nevertheless, my recent participation at the Eucharistic Congress in Atlanta helped to remind me that there are many things in life that require the virtue of patience.

        There were also long lines at the Eucharistic Congress in Atlanta, Georgia held the weekend of June 3-4. I watched has many people waited on them for very long periods of time and not once did they get annoyed or frustrated. Why were they on line? To receive God’s mercy.  Hundreds in maze lines waited patiently to receive the sacrament of reconciliation after meeting Jesus in Adoration and Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament.  The theme of the Congress was in accord with the Jubilee Year of Mercy, “Be Merciful, Just as Your Father is Merciful”.  This theme and watching the intricacy of the lines for reconciliation move in the convention center helped to serve as a reminder that we must be patient to receive what God has for us. Whether it is to ensure safety for flying or to be given the grace of His mercy, having patience as we wait is a sign of our commitment and faith to let God work in our lives in His time.

   

     Br. Simon Song and I met ran the vocation booth offering opportunities for games, lively conversation, literature, and providing new souvenirs such as back packs and lanyards. Some of those who visited us came back as many as five times just to hang out. The family-like atmosphere created by the Eucharistic Congress made it that much easier for us to meet with and promote vocations. Many of those working in neighboring booths expressed their gratitude for all the effort and energy we shared with the youth.  

Seeking Vocations Through Our Lady

         Our faith teaches us that Mary, the Holy Mother, is always interceding for us, always guiding us to grow closer to God through the ways of her sacred son, Jesus. It is fitting when we pray, we ask the Blessed Mother to help guide those who are discerning to fully listen to and follow Gods call. Br. Sal Sammarco and I had the opportunity to do just that at a location quite appropriately named for Our Lady. We  drove to Ave Maria University from St. Philip Benizi Church in Belle Glade Florida to attend the annual Vocations Fest celebration on April 13.  This Catholic university located in sunny south Florida is a community-based school with an enrollment of 1,100 students. The admissions process brings in about 100 new students each year, but strives to maintain a more personal approach to higher education than many universities.

        The Vocation Fest helps to facilitate student intentionality in discerning a vocation to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, lay missions, or consecrated secular life.  Thirty religious and diocesan institutes attended the day to meet and greet students.  In addition, students from a local high school and some home-school students came to participate from the Ave Maria community. 

              By sharing an exhibit booth with the FMA vocation director, Sr. Theresa Lee, we kept the students engaged through conversation, carnival styled games, and faithful joy.

        Br. Sal’s friendly approach and creativity captivated audiences of all ages throughout the day.  It was enriching to witness how, like Don Bosco, he could strike up interest and conversations about life and faith through just a happy hello.    

         The Fest concluded with a barbecue, live music, testimonials, and brief talks by vocation directors and lay coordinators describing their founders, their charisms, and their ministries. For sure, the faith-based community of Ave Maria offered an environment that was essential to the promotion and nurturing of vocations.  Don Bosco once said, “Be devoted to Mary, most holy; frequently call on her. Never was it known that anyone who trustingly had recourse to her was not promptly heard.” This was feeling I left the campus of Ave Maria with has I prayed for an increase to vocations and the guidance in continuing to minister.

World Day of Vocations: Promoting a Shepherding Community

During the Jubilee of Mercy, Pope Francis has marked April 17 as the 53^rd World Day of Vocations.  The communal dimension of this day expresses how we as the Body of Christ respond to our particular vocation by promoting a shepherding community.  Each one of us is to serve God by caring for the world in all its needs.  Francis sees us on a con-vocational journey responding to the gift of our baptism.