On 13 January 1823 Eugene’s 73 year-old uncle, Fortuné de Mazenod, was named Bishop of Marseille. It was a step that was to change the life of Eugene. This nomination was a cause of rejoicing among the Missionaries, as the biographer Rey explains:
The good canon, already vested in the cope, was preparing to officiate at Vespers at the Mission Church at Aix, when an envelope, bearing the stamp and seal of the Grande Aumonerie, was handed to him. Without opening it, he calmly slipped it into his pocket and serenely walked out to begin the Divine Office. “We already knew of this dispatch,” recalled Bishop Jeancard, “and naturally, we were all curious to learn its contents, but it was only after Vespers, followed by Father Courtes’ sermon and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, that the prelate broke the seal, and read the official notice of his nomination, his definitive call to the bishopric of Marseilles. . . . The Bishop-elect showed a slight emotion and then went directly to the foot of the altar without paying heed to our congratulations; there he prostrated himself before the Blessed Sacrament and remained thus for some time. For him and for all the Missionaries of Provence, it was the end of an uncertainty of the most worrisome kind.
Leflon 2, Chapter 5
See the entries above (22 to 29 August, 2011) regarding the initial nomination of Fortuné in 1817.
“If you look up into His face and say, “Yes, Lord, whatever it costs,” at that moment He’ll flood your Life with His presence and power.” Alan Redpath
I would imagine that Fortune, on reading the letter, most likely was filled with several emotions, fear being one of them. I have the feeling that Fortune was certainly thanking God as he prostrate himself there at the foot of the altar, and perhaps at the same time inwardly looking up at the cross and knowing that it would not be painless and without struggle. I have the feeling that he was certainly thanking God as he prostrate himself there at the foot of the altar, while at the same time inwardly looking up at the cross and knowing that it would not be painless and without struggle. The both. It has been my experience that when saying yes to God there is certainly joy, but also fear and perhaps even dread. The cross is not necessarily something ‘beautiful’ to see and be around. Dying to self, letting go and intentionally giving whatever it is to God is not painless and without some type of a struggle. Amazingly though we do it and move forward, sometimes running, other times dragging our feet, but move we do.
I wonder how Mary felt when the angel appeared to her? Did her face register the fear as well as the wonder of what was being asked of her? How much did she realise that her “yes”, her “fiat” would change her life, did she have an inkling of what would have to happen? She voiced her doubt, “…how can this be …” but she but she did not say no. She then took time to let it all “settle-in” before going to visit Elizabeth. Mary was very human and not above the normal struggle and doubts and pain that we live out. Did she spend some of that time asking God if he knew what he was doing? Did she struggle and wonder what Joseph was “really thinking”? And yet within her the joy was probably growing daily.
On reading the quote from Alan Redpath I first wondered what he meant about the word power – was he speaking of strength? One of the dictionaries gave the definition of power as “The ability to do something or act in a particular way, esp. as a faculty or quality.” Okay. For Fortune the power to be and live as the Bishop of Marseille, for Mary to become and live as the Mother of God. Interesting what God has brought out of the writings this week, but specially today on this eve of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In giving voice to all of this there is a small wee niggle of doubt and fear as to how this might be received, is my ‘theology’ correct. But still I find myself unable to do anything other than to share what God has given and to move forward even with uncertainty for there is the joy and strength that comes as I sing “my soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord and my spirit exalts in God my Saviour…”