In forming the Youth Congregation, Eugene’s aim was to help the young people to achieve a personal relationship with God, and to receive God’s gift of being set free in Jesus Christ – and consequently to lead other young people to their same experience.
It was the aim of every group with which Eugene worked throughout his life as a priest, religious, founder and bishop.
Art 1. The Congregation was established primarily to help the youth to achieve salvation. Despite all the obstacles that are continually encountered from the power of evil, the world and the malicious inclinations of our frail nature, all those who become members will do so with a firm commitment to work with all their strength at the great work of their sanctification.
Art. 2. With zeal they will use all the means that God has provided within the Congregation, so that each of the members can easily achieve this objective to which all people are called.
Statuts, Chapitre XII
Today, all the members of the Mazenodian Family in every part the world continue to be called into the same dynamic:
“While recognizing our own need for conversion, we bear witness to God’s holiness and justice. We announce the liberating presence of Jesus Christ and the new world born in his resurrection.” Constitution 9 of the Oblate Rule of Life
I feel this morning like this invitation to liberation isalso an invitation to gratitude. I keep thinking of Eugene’s statement; “We must lead men to act like human beings first of all, and then like Christians. And, finally we must help them to become saints.” This is what he did, with the youth, and then when all he met, through Christ our Savior, always through Christ. This then is my story to. I remember when I first heard these lines, because it was like something being set free for it gave words to my life and my secret yearings. Inside I cried out in joy a huge “yes” and like a bird suddenly set free and flying I started to run, not after it as much as with it. That freedom that only comes from and with God, with the touch of our Savior, that liberation which had been blossoming and testing it’s wings was starting to soar. So many tears, not from sorrow but from sheer gratitude and the joy that comes once the binds start to loosen.
“While recognizing our own need for conversion, we bear witness to God’s holiness and justice. We announce the liberating presence of Jesus Christ and the new world born in his resurrection.” Constitution 9 of the Oblate Rule of Life” This morning, feeling once again the invitation to liberation, with others, but more importantly for others. I feel myself planted firmly in the midst of these two lines – not a whistful longing, not a sort of “wanna be”, but planted firmly in the midst of, to walk with, along side of, among in all the ways that my state in life allows. Feeling free, liberated and not only wanting to share that with other, to some how preach that to others, to preach the good news to the poor.
That ‘fully alive’ that I am slowly becoming – liberation. So Eugene, the tears this morning are full of gratitude – and joy. I have been renewed and nourished and now as I am sent out, I go with great joy to preach. (Never thought I’d be saying that out loud.)