 by Brother Steve Milan
What a year! My mother died in June after a battle with cancer. My six year old BFF was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in January. On Ash Wednesday seventeen students lost their lives in Parkland, Florida. There were hurricanes in Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico. - Terrorism at home and throughout the world - Hate in Charlottesville, NC and in so many hearts. The list of our personal, national and global tragedies is long and daunting. Where is the hope? The hope resides in people uniting together to give voice to the power of love. Hope is present in the young and old standing together for the sanctity of life. Hope is evident in the outpouring of love through prayer, donations and direct service. Hope lives in the actions of a six year old who has emerged as a stronger, more resilient person. Hope lives in the heart of a family that believes in the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. Today we not only celebrate the hope-filled, new life that took place two thousand years ago. Nor do we just celebrate the resurrection that awaits us at the end of our earthly journey. We also celebrate the daily resurrections that occur around us and within us - resurrections that give us hope and demonstrate the potential for even greater life. But all forms of resurrection are not merely meant to be celebrated. They are meant to lead us to action - to spread love and hope - to give new life to others - to build God’s kingdom. We are not just to proclaim Christ’s death and to profess his resurrection but we are to live his resurrection until he comes again. What resurrection has taken place within you as the result of your Lenten practices? How can this resurrection lead you to become your best self? In what ways can this resurrection help you to build God’s kingdom? Brother Steve Milan is a part of the formation team at the Marist Brothers Novitiate at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.
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 by Brother Kenneth Hogan
Of course, it’s all about Jesus. On Good Friday when the Passion and Death of Jesus confront me as on no other day, can I, for a few moments, keep the focus on Jesus? Can I take a few deep breaths? Can I slow down? Can I rest in the image I have of Jesus on the cross on Good Friday? Can I simply be still? Can I just be with Him? Can I simply look at Him? I need to say nothing; let Him speak and touch my heart. I don’t even have to pray. I just need to be present…to Him. Jesus is there, on the cross and I simply need to behold Him as did His mother, His disciple, and the other holy women. I want to be present to the sorrow, the heartbreak, the emptiness. Just be in the silence…listen in the silence. Then I can look at his words, his last words; say them if I need to. What is happening? What touches me in the depths of who I am? What stirs within me? Click on each set of words for the scripture reference...Look at each set of words. Don’t say them, don’t say anything. Just look. Breathe in… breathe out, Do it again… simply, breathe in… breathe out… again and… again. “Forgive them… " “Today you will be with me in paradise…" “Behold your son… Behold your mother...." “My God… why have you forsaken me? ..." “I thirst...." “It is Finished..." “Father… I commend my spirit." Silence… Stillness… Alone… with Him… Is this the end? Brother Kenneth Hogan is currently a part of the formation team at the Marist Brothers Novitiate at Marist College in Pougkeepsie, NY Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.  by Brother Michael Flanigan
In today’s Gospel, Jesus washed the feet of his apostles, and then asked them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?” They didn’t really get it, but what he was showing them was that if you are a leader, you are a servant. Leading IS serving. Even in our political world, which is not religious, we call elected officials “civil servants”. Can we recognize and accept Jesus’ call to emulate him and be a servant? At Marist College, I run the weekly community service program. Each week, about 300 – 350 students go out to be “of service” in the local community. I have heard many of our students say that they can’t believe it when kids in elementary schools (which we serve at) remember their names. Why do they remember? Because they give of themselves to others, and that makes a difference. The mystery of these Holy Days is that Jesus has made a difference in our lives, and we are called to make a difference in the lives of others. The resurrection of Jesus happens every day during the year when we do what he asks us to do: make people important, love them, serve them. Let’s pray that we wash other’s feet… in our compliments to the people we meet, in our interest in them, in our concern for them, in our love for them. Be the resurrected Jesus… be a sister and brother to everyone you meet. Happy Easter! Brother Michael Flanigan is a campus minister at Marist College. Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.  Am I getting it? Do I hear? by Brother Frank Kelly
In every course I teach, I have a student or two who just don’t get it. It’s said, but somehow not heard. They usually end up in academic trouble and sometimes academic death. Like Judas, they are dead men (and women) walking not seeming to realize that their actions will have life altering consequences. Again and again, Jesus explains to his disciples what kind of Prophet- Messiah he was to be for Israel but Judas didn’t get it. Perhaps, hoping that by forcing Jesus into a showdown with the Jewish Authorities, he would rise up and lead a revolution against Roman occupation. Our Gospel passage reminds us to ask ourselves on a regular basis – Am I getting it? Am I hearing God’s voice correctly? We are cautioned that any blindness or deafness on our part could result in our making choices that could, at worst, result in spiritual death. In these dark days of Holy Week, we will walk with and listen to Jesus with heightened awareness. Paying close attention to his calling us to live not as dead people walking, but rather as people awake, hopeful and anticipating Easter joy! Brother Frank Kelly is the director of Campus Ministry and a professor at Marist College Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.  by Fr. John Ulrich, SM
Today's reflection is based on Matthew 23:1-12 (found here) While teaching as a Marist I once had the experience of being asked by a Mom and Dad to speak to their son. The young man had been caught stealing from a local Drug Store. The store manager knew the young man’s Dad and rather than calling the police, he called the Dad. I was asked to spend some time with the boy helping him understand his wrongdoing and how fortunate he was not to have the police involved. The young man was pretty contrite and I suggested that he write to the store manager, express his regret and his gratitude for not involving the police. I spoke with the boy’s Dad and it was agreed that I would preview the letter before it was sent. Two days later the young man reported to me what had happened at home. He talked with his Dad about what he would say in his letter, got a nice piece of stationary but could not locate a pen. His Dad was agitated and asked what had happened to all the pens he brought home from work. A bit of a disagreement resulted because the boy asked his Dad if bringing the pens home from work was stealing. Fortunately I was not involved in the final episode and I’m confident that the Dad never found out that his son had filled me in on the last chapter of the story. It's so easy to hold others to standards that we don’t live by ourselves. Learning to practice what we preach is a life long journey. It’s important to have people in our lives who we trust and who are not afraid to challenge us when there is some inconsistency between what we say and what we do. Are my expectations of others realistic? Do I have someone in my life who challenges me to practice what I preach? How do I react when I am challenged to have greater consistency between word and deed? Fr. John Ulrich, SM, is currently ministering at Marist College as campus minister. Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.  by Brittany Hampton
Exactly one month ago, we began our Lenten journey. We are now more than halfway to reaching the holiest day of the year, Easter Sunday! In today’s first reading The Lord says, “In a time of favor I answer you, on the day of salvation I help you.” Is it not then our duty to show our gratefulness? The Lord is constantly there for us every step of the way, listening to us and loving us unconditionally. He doesn’t take any days off and responds to our every need. Find time today to thank the Lord for where you are today and for His guidance through every step of the way. He says, “To those in darkness: come out!” Maybe it’s been a while since you last had a conversation with the Lord. Take some to think about the sacrifices you set out to make or the Lenten goals you set out to achieve at the beginning of this journey. Have you been able to keep with these and sacrifices and goals, or have you faced some challenges along the way? Maybe you started off this Lent saying, “I’m going to pray every single day.” Maybe the stresses of life kicked in, and you weren’t able to commit to this. Do not beat yourself up; our Lord is forgiving. Take time today to have that conversation. It could be the first one, or maybe the one hundred millionth one, but He wants to hear from you. Tell Him about your joys, your sorrows, your struggles, and your accomplishments. It can be as simple as a five-minute check-in or as elaborate as a deep meditation. Either way, God is waiting to listen with open ears. In the gospel, Jesus says, “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” We are all called to carry out the Lord’s work. What can you do today or for the rest of this Lenten season that shows you are carrying out His will? Is there something you need to improve? Reflect on this during your prayer with Him today. Brittany Hampton is a student at Marist College, currently spending spring break with the Marist College Global Outreach team and Marist Young Adults on a collaborative ministry experience in Merida, Mexico. Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page.  by Fr. Kevin Duggan, SM
Whenever I go out to lunch with my sister and her granddaughter, my great niece is given a coloring book by the hostess and a couple of crayons. I remind my great niece, in those moments, it’s best to color inside the lines. If she does so, even though it’s not always easy, the picture will be nicer and look more real. Sometimes my advice is taken and sometimes ‘not so much. The reality is even we adults know that it’s not always easy to stay inside the lines! The hand slips, we get frustrated with the boundaries, or we decide that we like the openness of the space outside the lines. So, we venture outside the boundaries and the picture gets messy, sometimes very messy! Wednesday’s readings (found here) remind us that God wants us to stay inside the lines. We hear Moses talk about “statutes and decrees,” and we hear Jesus talk about “the law and the prophets.” These biblical catch phrases tell me that there are lines and boundaries in our relationships with God and our brothers and sisters. These boundaries and lines, while not always easy to stay inside of, are very effective in making life’s picture clearer and more beautiful. Jesus isn’t talking about a mindless obedience to the law. Rather, he is talking about living life in faith, hope and love. All the lines and boundaries, “laws and statutes,” have to do with living in right relationship with God, others, and all of creation. Amazingly, when we do so, it doesn’t feel restrictive. It feels freeing and brings a deep sense of inner peace. As we journey into Lent, we are asked to think about whether or not we are ‘coloring inside God’s lines.’ If we discover that this is not always to case (as most of us fully realize), we ask for forgiveness, and the grace to get back inside the lines. In reality, it’s only inside God’s lines that you and I are going to find REAL peace. Fr. Kevin Duggan, SM is a Marist Father currently at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY. Want to go deeper with this reflection? Check out our Going Deeper page. |
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