The early Christians were not called Christians they were known as “the people of the way”. When we call ourselves “Marist” do we lose a sense of who we are? A noun or a name can be static. Something anchored to our memories. Rather could we say “we are people in the way of Mary”. So that the word “Marist” is seen more as a verb than was a noun. “In the way of Mary” is so much more active. It looks to the inspiration of the past through others who have come before us, to be active in the living moment as instruments who as John Claude Colin said “think as Mary”, “feel as Mary” and “act as Mary” did.
But, we need to be aware there have been Marists who have not always acted in the way of Mary. When we are weak. When our sin gets the better of us. When unresolved issues which lay deeply psychologically hidden which cause us to act in ways which are not becoming in the way of Mary. There is a wrestle sometimes inside of us which calls for the light and truth to be revealed. Are we willing to reveal the deeper reality? Are we willing to learn and be challenged in ways we would rather not?
As Jesus says in Gospel in Matthew 5 “'You have heard that it was said to your ancestors, You shall not kill; and whoever kills will be liable to judgment. But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment;”
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“'You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you, everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart”.
Jesus is calling us to go deeper.Sometimes anger and love are needed. They can be healthy dimensions of the human person. Such as when face with an injustice we get angry or the love attraction of young couples.
We must give ourselves time to ponder and reflect. After the Angel Gabriel’s invitation Mary pondered these things and held them in her heart.
But we are invited to discover who we are through the relationships we form. The people in our community. The people in our family. Our lovers. As Franciscan father Richard Rohr “it is often those who are closest to us who we struggle to love the most”.
But, we are called to move beyond our own vision. Beyond our communities vision. To Mary’s vision. But Mary’s vision was willing to allow God’s vision to enter her heart.
We are not statistic, when it comes to being Marist, but are ever searching and discovering Mary’s vision in “the way of Mary”. We can look to other Marists for inspiration. Such as our founders and those alive today. But Jesus did not say, “love your friends”. He said “love your enemies”. We must love those who are considered excluded. Those different from us. This is an all inclusive vision. And in that sense we can make the whole world Marist. We consider our brothers and sisters those who are rejected. This vision is still emerging. Jesus is crying out to be born again in our world today. In our world. In our time.
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