I HAVE INCURRED THESE INSULTS BY HAVING WISHED TO SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST

Posted on August 28, 2024 by franksantucci

The agreement made with the Bishop of Algiers was that the Oblates would live in community, minister to the abandoned Christian population and evangelize the Arab population. The Bishop, however, had gone against this agreement and did not want the chapel nor the missionary outreach to the Arab population. When Eugene wrote to him to remind him about this, the Bishop was angry.

Eugene recalled:

There is good reason to feel grieved when one sees a Bishop forget himself to that extent. I assure you that I am less hurt by the outrageous remarks he allowed himself to make against me than I am to see a man invested with this sacred ministry degrade himself to this degree. In the letter which angered him so much, I reminded him – it is true – of his own writings which constitute a veritable treatise, but I did it with the utmost politeness.

Letter to Fr. Jean Viala in Blida, Algeria, 5 April 1849, EO IV (Africa) n. 8

In his diary, Eugene noted:

Fr. Viala has not told me all the nasty things that this poor bishop has said about me whose only fault has been to have reminded him of his commitments and to have been much too polite in the few letters I have written to him. But it is good to be humiliated, even though it happens as a result of such outrages.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 2 April 1849, EO XXII

REFLECTION

The only reason for Eugene’s putting up with this situation was his missionary focus:

“Besides, I console myself with the thought that I have incurred these insults by having wished to spread the knowledge of Jesus Christ in a country to which many priests go only to acquire money.”  (Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 2 April 1849, EO XXII)

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1 Response to I HAVE INCURRED THESE INSULTS BY HAVING WISHED TO SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE OF JESUS CHRIST

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate Associate says:
    August 28, 2024 at 13:57

    Today I am reminded of Elijah once he reached Horeb: “But the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind, there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a quiet gentle sound.” (1 Kings 19:11-12)

    I think of some of the Bishops in the world today who shout the loudest and align themselves with the governments of their time and try to do God’s word by controlling and limiting others. And yet each of us is called and sent to share our/their experience of God; this while we all serve and care for all that we meet, according to our roles, cultures and milieu.

    We either believe God died for us or not. “Father help them for they know not what they are doing.” While being who we are created to be may mean we incur some sadness and sorrows, we continue to love and forgive – even ourselves. We live in the present, allowing God to be God, no matter our roles in life that God has bestowed upon each of us.

    Eugene was a man of his times even as he strode forward in life. Today he continues to treat us as sons and daughters, with immense love.

    Jesus continually went to the edges of life to meet and heal those who were the most abandoned. Today we are each reminded to ensure that we do not respond to God’s call to control any others, but rather to love passionately those we meet, walk with, and serve.

    Reply

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