Historical Documentation - a validation of Marist Laity

MARIST LAITY
ST GABRIEL'S
BEXLEY

Meeting: 10 May 2007

Topic: Historical Documentation - a validation of Marist Laity

Presenter: Maria Baden

Prayer We are still living in the Easter season but coming closer to Christ's Ascension and the coming of his Spirit at Pentecost. Sometimes, our image of Jesus dying, rising and ascending to heaven is a bit like Voyager 1, the spaceship that never returned. We might imagine Jesus sending occasional signals from afar - like the Bet Midler song: "God is watching us from a distance." But the truth is that Jesus dwells within us. In next Sunday's Gospel, Jesus says to his disciples: "I am going away and I will come back and make my dwelling place in you."

The dying, rising and ascension of Jesus, doesn't end there, like a half-circle. It is a whole circle. He promised to be with us in his own Spirit. THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETED IN US!! He came back to stay. He did it for the first believers at Pentecost and he does it for us in Baptism. Jesus, through his Spirit is within us and around us. He is truly present, here in this room. He is going to speak. Listen carefully!

Which words are meant for you?
Which words strike you at the deepest level?

Gospel reading for the 6th Sunday of Easter

"Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love them and we will come to them and make our dwelling with them….I have said these things to you while still with you. But the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my own peace I give you, a peace the world cannot give. This is my gift to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me say: I am going away and I will come back to you.." John 14:23-28

Sit silently with Jesus, savouring the words which meant the most to you.

DOCUMENTS

In this presentation, we looked at nine key Marist documents that have a direct bearing on Marist Laity. Fr Jean-Claude Colin's ideas were really ahead of his time . He envisaged a Marist Family, the Society of Mary, which included a special branch just for lay people.

Following are the document questions the group were asked to consider. Each group looked at 3 documents and then we all came back to the larger group and shared our insights.