Called to be Marist begins
with the love of a God
who can and could do everything himself,
yet acts as if he needs us¬
drawing us into
the plans of his heart
¬his loving mercy
from age to age.
Called to be Marist means
a "gracious choice",
an open door to Mary's house,
a standing invitation
to belong to her family-
¬to bear her name
and breathe her spirit-
to learn her ways.
Mary's ways always lead to Jesus,
for she who cradled and cared for him
from Bethlehem to Calvary,
follows him still in everything he does
for his Church on earth.
Mary, the first disciple, the one who listened –
calls us to build a "disciple" church
which listens to and acts upon his Word.
We try to imitate our Mother's ways
of prayerfulness and love,
endeavouring to think and judge,
to feel and act as she did¬-
never condescending, always gentle,
accepting people as they are
¬"Among them", as she was at Cana
and in the Church of Pentecost.
Our call, therefore, is to be
"anonymous apostles"-
passing on the Word of God in such a way,
that we ourselves are soon forgotten-¬
but, through us,
Mary's touch of Mercy
reaches our bewildered world,
and Christ is born again in our midst. |
