Three and a half years after the foundation of the Missionaries of Provence they lived a moment of great joy and satisfaction in the priestly ordination of the first member of the Youth Congregation to become one of them. In January 1816 the Missionaries came into existence as a group of men who were already priests. Hundreds of young people had come into close contact with this group of charismatic and energetic missionaries. Some found the group and what it stood for so attractive that they wished to become
Missionaries themselves. The first member of Eugene’s Youth Congregation to respond to this vocation was Hippolyte Courtès.
On July 31 [1820]… the Youth Congregation gave God’s Church the most precious gift that it could make her, in giving her a priest according to the heart of God, one highly suitable to accomplish all the lofty destiny of a faithful minister, everything, in a word, that one must be to please God, to edify and be of service to people.
Diary of the Youth Congregation, 17 June 1821, O.W. XVI
[ed. The Founder had forgotten to enter this in the Diary
at the appropriate time, and included it later]
A moment of great joy for the Missionaries and for Eugene in particular as he saw his ministry among the young people taking fruit. He presents a succinct summary of the type of priest that the Missionaries aimed to be:
to be pleasing to God,
to lead an exemplary lifestyle
and to be of service to people.
It was the same joy that Jesus must have experienced in the Gospel when the young man answered the question as to which was the greatest commandment:
‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’
“You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” Luke 10:27-28
Hippolyte Courtès also answered correctly – with the oblation of his life to God expressed in priestly service to the most abandoned.
“Love is seen in what it does.” Gladys Aylward
This morning I find incredible avenues to walk down and become a part of as I read this. It is like a little like walking down a lane on the way to some place and stopping often to look at particular tree or flower, listen to the wind in the trees or smile at the beauty of the cloud formations overhead. None of it is new and yet you see it in a new way for some reason this one particular time. You are not really distracted, but there is so much to be aware of, to see and to ponder over, to thank God for.
“… gave God’s Church the most precious gift that it could make her, in giving her a priest according to the heart of God …” This reference to the Church as a her which is certainly not new and yet it reminded me of the phrase ‘Holy Mother Church’, of being a part of that ‘her’, of the waiting bridesmaids from scriptures, of being spouse of God.
I then thought of a few young men I know who are studying to become priests. Each unique and incredibly special and so very loved. One in particular who is able to express his love of what his journey is all about and my joy that comes from being able to see that witness to love. The response to love back that flows from that witnessing and the sheer joy and gratitude to be a part of it (because in love we are all connected, all one in a way) – all gift.
“Love is seen in what it does.” That calls forth a small soft ‘oh’ that seems to be more of a whispered breath than a word. And once I am over saying an excited “yes” to the statement, a myriad of images pass of us opening and growing to love, of the bursting forth of a new life. It transforms (not like magic with the waving of a wand and poof there is something entirely different there), the transformation is the emerging of what was always there but just hidden.
Just like those flowers in the lane and the sound of the wind in the trees.
I believe, with everything that I am I believe that God created every single one of us as he would have us be so that we could be loved, no conditions, none less than another, each of us a child of God. God’s love is not dependent on what country we are born in, the colour of our skin, the religion that we might practice, the colour of our eyes, our sexuality, our gender, the colour of our hair, the language we speak….. The list is endless. The only requirement: “…to be pleasing to God, to lead an exemplary lifestyle and to be of service to people.” “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “….with the oblation of his life to God expressed in priestly service to the most abandoned.”
Over the centuries we (humanity) have tried to capture and limit God’s love with sets of rules and conditions. It has been done on small scales and and on huge ones. Even in our enlightened and current times with and by the educated, knowledgeable and sophisticated peoples such as we are. It was done by the Nazi’s upon the Jews, on the educated and professionals by theKhmer Rouge, on girls, women and non-Muslims by extremist factions with the Islamic religion. And now in Russia upon the GLBT members of their society. It is just wrong.
As Francis said “who am I to judge”. Today is the beginning of Pride Week here in Ottawa and it will culminate next Sunday in a short parade downtown to the City Hall. I have never before joined a march or a parade of any sort. Too dangerous – I might be painted with the same brush as those I march with. What if someone were to see me? But the passing of the laws against gays and lesbians in Russia finally helped to crack open my heart. Watching the news I kept thinking its just not right and wonder who will be targeted next. So I signed up to march next Sunday, right after Mass. I will march because I believe we have each of us been created in love by the same one loving God. All we really want is to be loved and to love in return. We are no different. It’s interesting, when I signed up to walk with a group from my church I was greeted with joy and welcome. No one said anything to me about having to walk separate from them because I am heterosexual, nor did they tell me that I would have to walk a certain way or wear a specific piece of clothing. I was simply greeted with huge smiles and and a whole lot of welcome.
How do I love? How do I live out the incredible gift of life that has been given to me? How do I share a love that encompasses all of creation?