ALL THAT COMES TO ME FROM MY DEAR CHILDREN INTERESTS ME TO THE HIGHEST DEGREE
Continuing his fatherly letter to Fr. Henri Faraud, he asks for his news and establishes a tradition that he expected each Oblate in the foreign missions to follow faithfully: to write a letter to him every six months.
Why then, dear son, when Fr. Aubert writes to me, do you not add some lines to his letter or, better still, why not write directly and tell me about yourself and narrate what you have done for the glory of God? Twice a year, there being no means to correspond more frequently, is not difficult to manage and you would give me so much pleasure, so much benefit.
You know me little if you do not know how much I love you. Make up, dear child, for your past negligence by putting down your story for me since your departure for the missions until the day your letter is dated. For that you take a large sheet of paper and you write on all four pages and more if necessary or continue in a second letter from the place your story leaves off. There is no detail to which I am indifferent. All that comes to me from my dear children interests me to the highest degree. Give me this pleasure, my dear Fr. Faraud. I ask you this in return for the good I wish you, for the friendship and the paternal love I have for you.
Letter to Fr Henri Faraud in Canada, 10 May 1848, EO I n 95
REFLECTION
” Music has seven letters, writing has twenty-six notes” (Joseph Joubert)
Eugene certainly knew the music of corresponding with those he loved. His canonization indicated that the “music” continues today in our relationship with him.
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I love Eugene’s images that he sets before us in his writings; always of a man who loves his sons and daughters and so instructs us to put down our stories, using large sheets of papers… + two of them when necessary. Our stories describing what we “have done for the glory of God”.
This morning I rose just as dawn arrived. I came to my window to greet the day, noticing that the sun’s reflection in the windows of the buildings before me were like brilliant flames. Looking at the skies I saw the sun’s reflection… There was to the north a cloud that was almost circular with channels of clouds seeming to be formed and going out from that center and they were all different shades of pink…
Another morning tapestry of the glory of God. Tears fell from my eyes at such a lavish display of God’s glory set out before us. In those moments the universe was filled with wonder and awe.
Some create symphonies and others write and paint great works of art. Still others write books and a few create and walk through the tapestries of their lives, sharing the colours and images that are aroused from within themselves. It is these that Eugene seems to want to read about.
Dear Eugene: yesterday a dear friend was able to come out of her confusion and darkness. She came to Mass on her own in a taxi and returned home after Mass in the same manner. It was like she was hearing the music once again and responding with small steps as she experienced the music within her. I found myself grinning madly at God as I thanked our Beloved for such an ordinary gift that was actually extraordinary…
One small story to carry you over…