Regarding Eugene’s studies at the seminary, Lubowicki writes (http://www.omiworld.org/dictionary.asp?v=9&ID=1056&let=M&pag=4):
“We possess 1373 pages of Eugene’s class notes in his courses of Holy Scripture, Dogma, Moral Theology and Canon Law. The name of Mary appears in the treatise of the New Testament and in the one on sin. Among the one hundred and twenty-five pages dealing with the New Testament, about ten pages of notes are devoted to this subject. Mary is presented as being closely united to her Son. The virtues by which she is characterized are humility, a faith without the shadow of doubt and her attitude of meditating while keeping in her heart all that which she heard and saw with regard to her Son. In spite of his admiration for the Blessed Virgin, the professor characterized Mary and Joseph as “unknown individuals” and “poor”. (Explications ou Notes sur le Nouveau Testament, p. 4, 12 and 15. Ms.: Oblate General Archives, DM-III 2b)
In the treatise on sin, the professor posed the question as to whether Mary had been preserved from all sin. While letting his students know Louis Bailly’s opinion 25 that “the Blessed Virgin sinned […] in Adam,” the professor clearly explained that Mary “was never touched by original sin”. When Eugene was told that some men of genius like Saint Bernard and the Abbot Rupert opposed the Immaculate Conception, he observed:
“What conclusion must we draw from this? That they failed to grasp the sense of tradition and that they made a mistake”.
The future founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate certainly had his firm convictions! Today, we continue this conviction in our Rule of Life:
“Wherever our ministry takes us, we will strive to instil genuine devotion to the Immaculate Virgin who prefigures God’s final victory over all evil.”
CC&RR, Constitution 10
“So they hurried away and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in the manger. When they saw the child they repeated what they had been told about him, and everyone who heard it was astonished at what the shepherds had to say. As for Mary, she treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart.” Gospel of Luke 2:19-20.
On first reading this morning I found myself being filled with so many doubts, it was like an onslaught of them. One after another, they were alluring, there was some sort of invitation to enter into them, not in a healthy way. I almost started to play with it but in truth it scared me somehow. The what if’s. There was fear that maybe my faith simply was not strong enough since I was experiencing such thoughts. I was unable to simply banish them and pretend they didn’t exist because obviously they did – at least in my mind. There was even shame in all of it – that I would have such doubts after all that God has given me. An invitation to enter into a deep sense of unworthiness, but not a healthy unworthiness. I found myself having to make a decision and it was an effort to say no to the doubts and distractions. There was no logic in any of it, no knowledge and in truth no understanding of why such thoughts would assail me as they do. I questioned Our Lady, had she ever experienced such doubts, did she in any of her ‘pondering’ ever feel invited to enter a place of such darkness and death. In a small state of distress all that I could do was to repeat my small prayer of yesterday.
I don’t know if Mary ever experienced such doubts but I like to think that she knows what I am struggling with. The piece above says she had “a faith without the shadow of doubt”. I feel as if I have missed the mark this morning. Strangely unable to settle back into this reflection on Mary in my life. I am left feeling vulnerable and anything but strong. I believe that here I must stand, at least for now in this manner, a poverty to be sure. I am not there and so can only ask her to help me.
Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of heaven and earth, teach me how to allow the Heart of Jesus to rule and triumph in me and around me, as it has ruled and triumphed in you.
We all seam to have this burning desire to DO something, to accomplish something.
My perception of Mary is that she never actually did anything, except, spend her whole life in humility and complete acceptance of what God asked of her. That in itself was/is an unbelievable accomplishment. That, to me, is her crowning glory and what we should try to emulate.
I know we sometimes refer to Mary as Queen of Heaven and of Earth but in my mind, I don’t think she would be very fond of that title – not her style 🙂