I weep for a brother so precious to our Society, to which he was so attached, but I do reproach myself for my tears in a way, as if I dared regret his happiness. He will be our protector beside God.
Eugene, the man and father of his Oblate family, expresses the sorrow that he experiences at the death of Jacques Marcou.
Let us be resigned. Our Father who is in heaven knows our needs, he will see to it; my heart nevertheless suffers much. I have not enough virtue to place myself wholly above nature, a nature quite raised up however, if it is not of a kind apart, in the love that I have for you, my dear children, whom I love so much in the Lord and who deserve it for many reasons.
Letter to Jean Baptiste Honorat, 21 August 1826, EO VII n 251
“I still miss those I loved who are no longer with me but I find I am grateful for having loved them. The gratitude has finally conquered the loss.” Rita Mae Brown
Jesus loved unashamedly. As did Eugene – for his poor, for his family, for the members of his society, his children as he called them. He gave his heart every bit as much to the world as he gave it all to God. I have in my mind this image of a man running towards – towards God, towards his community, towards the world, looking much the same as the statue of him at the General House in Rome, but more with both arms outstretched. Running to embrace, to gather in, to love, literally to his hearts content. And behind all of that a man so human and down-to-earth that sometimes I literally groan when I read what he as said or written himself. So very human.
Although Eugene died long before I was born there is a connection that lives in my heart. For that I am so very grateful. I think of some of the incredible people I have known who have died – these people who have touched me in some way and added to my life – some more than others. It seems much easier now to be grateful. It seems much easier now to miss those whom I have loved than it did when I was young. I have the joy now of remembering and of freely asking for intercession and prayers.
I am not a ‘graveyard’ type of person – I don’t usually frequent them. But I have a custom that began about 7 or 8 years ago; and that is when I visit a place that is Oblate I go to the graveyard and introduce myself to those Oblates who have gone before me. There is some kind of a connection there. I will try to read their names and then after sitting with them for awhile I will say goodbye and ask them to intercede for me, to pray for me. I am quite unable to give a logical explanation as to why I do this, I only share that I do it. I am grateful to them, for the lives they lived and for the love they gave. They have gone before me and because of Eugene and his spirit we are connected, there is love, and I know they hear my silent cry for prayers and help.