Marist Spirituality - Personal Reflection

On 7th and 8th of March, 2009 the Marist Brothers in Tamilnadu, India gathered at the Carmelite Spirituality Centre for a two days workshop on Marist Spirituality. Br. Teofilo from Rome was the facilitator of the group. During these two days, all our reflections and sharing were based on our document ‘Water from the Rock.’ Br. Teofilo offered us profound insights on our spirituality through his power point presentations and inspiring talk. At the end of the workshop, we felt ourselves refreshed and renewed in our faith and in our vocation as Marists. We had our doubts clarified and our minds enlightened to continue our Marist journey with new hope for a new world.

What is Marist Spirituality? As it is said in ‘Water from the Rock,’ ‘the story of our spirituality is one of passion and compassion (Art. #1) and it is a story of men and women who find within a thirst that only God can quench (Art. #43).’ Yes, it is our desire for God’s kingdom that draws us closer to people in our communities and in our societies. And our thirst coming from within is one of God’s gift given to Marcellin and has been handed over to us by those whose thirst had already been quenched by God and had become ‘living water’ for others.

Here, I would like to underline the two words ‘Passion and Compassion’ which give us a clear picture of our Spirituality. These are two sides of the same coin. In his letter, St. James says that faith without action is dead. Passion without compassion for God’s people and compassion without passion for God bears no fruits. Every day Eucharist speaks of this attitude and reminds us that we are to be broken and shared for others. Therefore, every Brother and Lay Marist reaches out to those in need with passion and compassion inscribed on his / her heart and mind to become the Eucharist for others.

People today have different thirsts in their lives. Almost every man and woman searches for meaning in life or tries to make their lives meaningful. While some people thirst for justice, freedom and peace, some others search for God in the daily experiences of their lives. This testifies to the fact that God alone can quench our thirsts.

Through the very life of Jesus and his disciples, we learn that we are dependent on God each moment of our lives. Jesus as the most perfect model teaches us to drink water from the fountain of God and become the ‘living water’ for others. By drinking water from God’s fountain and inviting others to drink and becoming as the source of living water for others, we live our spirituality which is both Marial and Apostolic. Let us have our lives anchored in Jesus in order that we may be the branches of one vine which is God Himself.

By,
Br. Rajakumar. S

Life is ...

Life without difficulties is unthinkable. We as human beings are vulnerable to life and face many challenges as continue our journey of life. We, however, are not alone. There are countless number of people journeying with us. As our roads cross, we encounter more people and ew experiences that teach us something new about life and sometimes challenge our beliefs and convictions about life.

In our journey, the road we take and the people we engage say quite a lot about where we are heading to. Recently I came across a story. A student went to his Master and said, "Sir, I saw a lion running fast and chasing a deer. To my surprise, the deer, at the end, escaped from the lion. How is this possible?" The Master replied, "What you saw simply reveals what life is in the world. The lion though powerful and strong was not able to catch the deer because the lion was running for its food while the deer was running for its life!" Yes, what matters to us in life becomes the target of our life and all our energy flows towards it. Let us not give up and persevere in our struggle for what is just and true in life. Let us live our life to the fullest!

By,
Br. Rajakumar. S

My Journey at MAPAC

Life is a journey. I began the journey of my post-novitiate formation at MAPAC in June, 2006. While my journey continues, the time has come for me to say farewell to Brothers and friends here who have been part of my journey. I am grateful to the gift of life which God gave me and to everyone who has helped me to nurture and cherish that gift for the last two and half years.

Life unfolds its mysteries as we continue our journey. Life at MAPAC, for me, was indeed challenging and enriching as well. I had to let go certain fears and beliefs, assimilate some common but unique values from other cultures, accept the differences and diverse personalities of people, and have courage to walk into the unknown for my journey is most arduous and endless. The best I was able to give to life, the best the life has offered me.

However, life without difficulties is unthinkable. In my journey, I have experieneced both high ways and cross-roads. While the high way roads often left me exited, puzzled and curious about the future, the cross-roads kept me engaged in the battle of my daily life. I also experienced those experiences of Jesus' disciples on their way to Jerusalem and their way to Emmaus. But, every experience I reflected upon and every person I encountered have indeed made my journey more adventurous and incredible one in my life. Thanks!

Jesus is the core model of my journey. He had a wonderful journey on earth. His journey was really and truly life-giving for he himself is the LIFE. To be and become part of his journey, I have to do three things: "Believe in Him," Remain in His Love" and "Do what He would Do." First, I believe in Him because He has much greater hope and confidence in me than I do. Second, I remain in His love for He loves me for what and who I am. Third, I am called to do what He would do because that is what a disciple ought to do.

Finally, what and who I am today is the fruit of many hands. I am thankful to all of them for being companions on my journey. Life as a journey is difficult but not impossible for nothing is ever impossible for God. God is with us and within us to the end which is unknown and which remains mystery. May the love and grace of God be present and lead us to the light and the truth of God. May we make a difference in the world by promoting life and working for peace and justice. God bless us all. Thank you once again for your friendship and love.

By,
Br. Rajakumar. S, FMS

Our Journey to the heart...

Only by "knowing the heart of the stranger"
do I see behind the social screen
that makes from myself as a human being,
do I know myself as the "universal man."
Once I have discovered the stranger within myself,
I cannot hate the stranger outside of myself,
because he has ceased to be a stranger to me.
The command "love thy enemy" is implied already
in the Old Testament command:
"love the stranger."
If the stranger is the stranger within me,
the enemy is also the enemy within me;
he ceases to be the enemy, because he is I.

- Erich Fromm

Source:
Harnan, Nicholas. The Heart's Journey Home, A Quest for Wisdom, Indiana: Ave Maria Press, 1992, p 119

Don't be Surprised!

Jesus tells:

You call Me the Way but you do not follow Me.

You call Me the Light but you do not see Me.

You call Me the Teacher but you do not listen to Me.

You call Me the Lord but you do not serve Me.

You call Me the Truth but you do not believe Me.

Don’t be surprised if one day I don’t know you.