Our missionary vocation was born when Eugene encountered the personal love of God for him when he looked at the Cross. He spent the rest of his life leading others to this same liberating experience. Henri Tempier was invited to discern his vocation to join him while at the foot of the Cross. The distinctive sign of the Missionary was the Cross permanently worn around his neck.
We can thus understand why the parish missions were very clearly and openly conducted under the sign of the Cross. It was Eugene and his missionaries who had arrived in the village to invite all the villagers to come to their same liberating experience through the mission.
The pastor will approach the superior of the mission and present to him the crucifix which he has carried in his hands up to that point. The crucifix will be large enough so that it can be seen from afar.
The superior of the mission, having received the cross from the pastor’s hands, will kiss it with respect will let the other missionaries kiss it as they make a profound bow.
He will then bless the crowd by making the sign of the cross in four directions over the assembly.
1818 Rule Chapter Two §2
The mission began under the sign of the Cross, every activity during the 3 to 6 following weeks was conducted in reference to the Cross, and the final act of the mission was the erection of a Mission Cross in a prominent place in the village as a permanent reminder.
I just read an essay about our self-absorbed culture. It strikes me that the radicality of the self-giving of the Crucified One – which was the heart of Eugene’s spirituality – remains the needed antidote. The challenge is to do what Eugene did: bring others face to face with The Cross, and allow the One it bears to touch each heart as He did Eugene himself. We have a Mystery here; and a big challenge!
Living at the foot of the cross – not alone but with Mary Our Mother, allows us to look up and then see the world through the eyes of Jesus.