But today? ?

This is the Marist sanctity of today, the work of the Spirit and our humble yes. The sanctity to which the Church calls us again with the beatification of the 47 Brothers martyrs of Spain. The fidelity of our Brothers, the fidelity of our martyrs places before us the challenge of realising what is said in the Letter to the Hebrews: « As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us. Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end ». Hb 12: 1-2.

We are today responsible for everything we have inherited from Marcellin. If the task appears difficult, because we are ageing, because the world of education is becoming more demanding and less attractive, because vocations seem to be drying up, Mary remains our Good Mother, the Ordinary Resource, who yesterday and today « has done all for us ». She opened the eyes and heart of Marcellin to the needs of the youth of his time. Now, the youth of today are in even greater need of educators. Mary is the Mother who not only consoles, but who especially knows how to bring to birth in us the disciple who can announce Jesus, her son, our Lord, to youth, joyfully and in the language of today.

Now our steps are turning towards the XXI General Chapter, with new hearts for a new world, and considering the graces that God bestowed on us with the canonization and its aftermath, considering the task accomplished in these last ten years, we can, all the Marist families, but render thanks :

Mary, we come to you as our Mother
to tell you how grateful we are to God
for having called us to be little brothers and sisters of Mary
and for having you, the first and perfect disciple of Jesus, as our model?

Accept our love, dear Mother,
as we ask that, by your example and by your intercession,
Christ may become the centre of our lives.
(Water from the Rock, 156).

Br. Giovanni Bigotto