Lasallian Reflections

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash Applying ourselves to the presence of God is a most useful practice; be faithful to it.  –  St. John Baptist de La Salle[1] There has been a lot of press over David Brook’s new book, The Second Mountain. In one section, he talks about how “grace” is, or becomes, a part of our lives. Grace, he says, is not the result of a rational … Read More

The remembrance of God’s presence will be a great advantage in helping you and in inspiring you to do all your actions well.  –  St. John Baptist de La Salle[1] Like De La Salle himself, we keep coming back to that central, shimmering, pregnant insight about remembering God’s presence in all that we see, do, and pursue. Christ dwells in the midst of the daily tasks, encounters, decisions, and experiences … Read More

All you need and all God wants of you is that you remain in his presence.  –  St. John Baptist de La Salle – [1]   The quotation above is from one of the few letters that we have from the thousands that De La Salle wrote.  While it is only one sentence out of a long letter – and the letter’s tone is definitely 17th century French spirituality – … Read More

I do not like to make the first move in any endeavor. … I leave it to Divine Providence to make the first move and then I am satisfied. When it is clear that I am acting only under the direction of Providence, I have nothing to reproach myself with. When I make the first move, it is only I myself who am active,  so I don’t expect to see … Read More

Be convinced that, provided you are willing, you can do more with the help of God’s grace than you imagine.”  –  St. John Baptist de La Salle – Why is it that this particular educational vision and approach–what we call Lasallian education–has stood the test of time, going strong 340 years down the line. What is it about this unique educational movement that has allowed it, has driven it, to … Read More

The more you act with simplicity in regard to what is to be observed, the more the practice of it will become easy for you. –  St. John Baptist de La Salle [1]   For those of you who have been to Disneyland – and not just for a quickie visit, but for that multiday, multipass, parkhopper sort of visit – you will relate to my recent experience of its … Read More

You have to suffer a constant martyrdom that is no less violent for the spirit than Saint Bartholomew’s was for his body. You must, so to speak, tear off your own skin, which Saint Paul calls the old man, in order to be clothed with the Spirit of Jesus Christ, which is, according to the same Apostle, the new man. Let this, then, be your effort throughout your life, so … Read More

  It is entirely contrary to decorum to grow overexcited when you play. Still, you should not play in a careless manner nor lose deliberately as a way of flattering your opponent. This would make the person with whom you are playing think that you care little about contributing to his enjoyment in a well-played match.  –  St. John Baptist de La Salle – Rules of Christian Decorum and Civility: … Read More

  People living in the world think very little about God and have little concern about their salvation. Their sole occupation is usually with their temporal affairs and the needs of the body. It would seem that most have nothing to hope for or to fear beyond this present life. (St. John Baptist de La Salle – Meditation 58.3) At the end of each calendar year, billions of people around … Read More

Luc Olivier Merson (French, 1846-1920) Rest on the Flight into Egypt – Museum of Fine Arts, Boston Have you ever been in a place where it is so quiet that the absence of sound begets a unique richness and palpable substance? The anticipated “nothing” turns inside out, and a very much kind of “something” emerges. What comes to mind is my nighttime visit to a mountaintop near Sonoma, CA, where … Read More