"....tree of many branches"
(click picture for Marist
Family)
Mary
"Think as Mary, judge as Mary, feel and act as
Mary in all things"
Marists take Mary as their model. They endeavour to
"think, judge, feel and act " in a new way - the way of Mary. It
involves a deep personal relationship with Mary. In no way, though is Mary the
chief focus. Nor is emphasis put on any particular devotion or honour but
rather on living like Mary with her faith and attitudes. In this profound
way, Mary is made present today.
"Hidden and Unknown in the World"
Mary was present in the early church but her presence was a
quiet, unassuming one. She was most effective, yet she was not spoken
about. In the way that they work with people, Marists try not to draw
attention to themselves, but to support and encourage and to avoid anything that
would make it difficult for people to know Christ. To live in this manner is not to hide away from
life but rather to be fully engaged in it but in a simple, gentle, humble way.
Mary at Nazareth
"Nazareth" is a point of reference for Marists. It
is a place where Marists go in spirit and from there see things as Mary saw
them. Jeanne-Marie Chavoin reminds us that "Our Congregation was not
founded to imitate this or that Congregation but to have its own spirit, which
is a love of poverty, simplicity and love of work. The house of Nazareth must be
our model." At Nazareth, Mary is found among the poor and
humble. She shared their way of living and was attentive to the needs of
those around her.
- "Instruments of Divine Mercy"
Marists see Mary as a mother of mercy
who has a heart for humanity, especially those who suffer greatly, are lost or
excluded. Marist help to build a church which is seen, not in terms of
power, control and competitiveness, but in terms of community, compassion,
simplicity, mercy. All are welcomed, no one is excluded.
"Tasting God" and Trusting in
"God Alone"
From their own experience the first Marists believed that once
a person had "tasted God" everything else would fall into
place. As, like Mary, we meditate on God's word, contemplate Christ and
listen to Him, we learn to 'taste God' in prayer and become more closely united
with Him. Whatever a Marist is doing, he or she will be a prayerful person -
this does not mean reciting long prayers or spending hours on one's knees.
It rather means living in the presence of God, having a deep faith in the love
of God, and interceding for the world. Marists are particularly concerned
for those on the edges, the overlooked, the lost, those who seem far from
God. They try to point them to Christ in the gentle manner of Mary.
Top
of page
Previous Page
