After that brief recapping of the life of St Eugene, I resume the ongoing reflections on his letters in chronological order. This means that there is no specific order in the themes dealt with. I remind you that if you are looking for a specific theme, you can use the search engine on the homepage of the site www.eugenedemazenod.net
Eugene had sent two new candidates to Hippolyte Courtès in Aix to join the Missionaries.
I am happy to have sent the two of whom you speak and am pleased that you like them.
One of these was Jean Hermitte, from Marseilles, who would make his mark as a preacher throughout his missionary life.
Eugene saw this steady trickle of vocations as a “fair wind” that kept the Oblates moving, but underlined the need for regular prayers for Oblate vocations.
A fair wind is enough to be able to sail; one must have patience, confidence in God and in prayer.
Do not forget this last item. Each Oblate should offer for this intention a communion per week, asking Our Lord earnestly, immediately after communion, that he send us men suitable for his work.
Letter to Hippolyte Courtès, 9 November, EO VI n 157
Our Rule of Life continues to stress the same idea:
Jesus never ceases to call people to follow him and to proclaim the Kingdom. Some are drawn to answer that call through the joy and generosity of our lives.
We must lose no opportunity to let people see how urgent are the needs of the Church and the world and come to know the way in which our Congregation responds to those needs.
We will also pray and have others pray that the Lord send labourers into his harvest.
CC&RR, Constitution 52
This morning I have been reflecting on the word “vocation” and what that means – in the dictionaries, with the church, with the understanding of the people around me, within my heart. What is my vocation? Is it simply to fade back into the woodwork so to speak and be a good person – I don’t think so. I think of what God seems to be calling me to and yet here at home it does not seem to be possible. I am not filled with rancour or anger at this seeming injustice but there is some hurt. I tell myself that God would not call upon someone “like” me who is barely educated and is pretty ordinary when it comes to talent and abilities and I look at some at some of the people he has called on throughout the ages who took on the world and the church. Taking on the church – taking on some who make up the church. The doors seem to sometimes tower over me, infinitely tall and closed – not even a crack of an opening. Our cries, can they be heard, will they be heard?
I cannot walk away. Is that a part of vocation, of having a call. Would God call me to something that truly seems impossible? It is a struggle for sure. Am not sure why but it seems the more I love them [both the church and the Oblates] the more I struggle. This morning again I struggle with the limitations and boxes of having to be either religious or lay and why not both. Eugene went such a long way in this respect and I wonder if part of the mission might not be to continue that struggle in a real way.
And it is only as I finish this that I remember that God chose Mary, an ordinary woman, and Joseph, a good man, a carpenter, from Bethlehem, etc etc. God chose over the centuries great leaders and great teachers and some pretty ordinary everyday persons. So why not me or you? In the midst of all this struggle and searching there is within me the joy that is God, there are the deep hidden embers of a fire waiting to burst into flame again. There is a truth that seeks to be in the light and so I continue on in that.
Frank speaks of being drawn to answer that call [of vocation] through the joy and generosity of our lives. There seems to be many forms of injustice in this world and as we eliminate some we find ways to create others. There is within me a poverty, I who have been given so much find myself amidst and a member of the poor. And yet I walk in joy.
Bonjour. I am in Aix with Marie staying at the Oblat centre. Frs. Joe, Benoit and Flavio are here. We attended the 7 AM mass and walked in the steps of St Eugene afterwards. Aix est absolument incroyable et le fait que St Eugene est ne ici et a fonde l’OMI est une chose magnifique pour moi.
I want to thank both Eleanor for supporting our trip here with information and Frank for kindling the desire to know more about St Eugene and to come here.
Both Marie and I were thinking of Frs Jack and Roy and their charisms as we attended the mass.
Chose importante, j’ai appri sur le Chemin de Sainte Jacques la semaine passe que j’adore tout le monde et ils m’adorent. Grace a Dieu et au Seigneur pour votre amor pour nous tous.
David – mon amour et les prières pour vous et Marie. Je vous en gardant dans mes pensées et mes prières. Que Dieu vous bénisse et je suis impatient d’entendre de vos voyages lorsque vous rentrerez chez vous.
Je peut comprendre plus que je peut dire ou ecrire – mais DITTO Dave!