Oblates of the Immaculate Mary. But this is a passport to heaven! How have we not thought of it sooner?
The entries of the past days have taken a look back at the place of Mary in the life of Eugene and in his ministry to help us to undefstand why he as able to exclaim, “How have we not thought of it sooner?”
Having made the request for a change of name in the petition he wrote to the Pope, he reflected on his lack of enthusiasm for the name “Oblates of Saint Charles”:
The Oblates of Mary! This name satisfies the heart and the ear. I must admit to you that I was quite surprised, when it was decided to take the name I had thought should be left aside, at being so unmoved, at feeling so little pleasure, I would almost say a kind of repugnance, at bearing the name of a saint who is my particular protector, for whom I have so much devotion.
And now I see the reason; we were inconsiderate in regard to our Mother, our Queen, she who protects us and who must obtain for us all graces whereof her divine Son has made her the dispenser.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 22 December 1825, EO VI n 213
REFLECTION
“When they entered the city they went to the upper room where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.” Acts 1:13-14
Upon first entering this space of reflection I found myself saying “O Clement, O Loving, O Sweet Virgin Mary” and was a little surprised for these are not words that I am in the habit of using except when I am with others. Oh…
Rereading today’s offering again I begin to be aware that I am not just listening to my own words, but to the words of others around me. Isn’t this why we enter into community, for we are not listening just to ourselves, but also to others around us allowing the Spirit to whisper her message to and through many.
I begin to think of the words from Isaiah 54:2 reminding us to expand the space of our tents (which I always translate into the word “hearts”). Words not meant only for Bishops and other Church hierarchical figures, but for each and everyone of us.
I think of a drawn image of two large spheres next to and overlapping each other creating a small new space that is shared with the other two. The space on the left is the realm of Divinity, while the space on the right is the realm of human beings. The space in the middle is it’s own which is beyond walls and boundaries. It is the space of Communion.
At first I had wondered why the words from Acts. But now it is clear and I rejoice with all who share this space today.