THERE MUST BE A BEGINNING TO EVERYTHING
The Bishop of Ajaccio, Corsica, was unhappy that Eugene had sent 26 year-old Fr. Berne to be a professor of theology at the Major Seminary. Eugene wrote to reassure the young Oblate.
As for all the rest, don’t worry about it. There must be a beginning to everything, and when one has the solid basis of instruction that you do, the wisdom, modesty and reserve that no one will deny you, plus kindness and the other qualities that I know you have, we need not be uneasy about decisions we take, nor about assuming responsibility.
The proposal of the Bishop of Ajaccio is one of these incivilities we easily forgive a man whose education was not too brilliant. Before giving vent to his comment, it would have been better to get information about you as a person. I am obliged to tell him, even if you have to endure hearing it, that I wish he and all his equals would find men like you for directors of seminaries…
Give an answer, my dear son, to these presumptions of superficial men by being doubly faithful in your duties. Pray for me and receive my paternal blessing which I give you from a heart that overflows.
To Fr. Berne, at Ajaccio, 25 November 1849, EO X n 1027
REFLECTION
“Never despise small beginnings, and don’t belittle your own accomplishments. Remember them and use them as inspiration as you go on to the next thing.” (C. Guillebeau)
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Sleeping-in this morning was a good thing – only because when I finally got out of bed and checked the news there was a dawning reality that I myself am unable to change many of the looming realities of this world.
Eugene’s letter to Fr. Berne could well be a letter to each of us about how we might let go of how we believe we are being ill-treated and humbly focus on how we have been called by God to live and share with others.
Rather we are invited to consider all of the gifts that we have been given and share them with those we meet. We are invited to give thanks for all that we have received and how we are embraced and blessed by a heart that overflows.
In recognizing Eugene’s love for Fr. Berne, we begin to realize God’s love for each of us, no matter our role or state of life. It is not enough to acknowledge what we receive – we must go out and share that with others, even if those others be the ones who find us wanting and of little worth.