LOVE AS THE PIVOT OF OUR EXISTENCE

“Among yourselves, charity, charity, charity.” This death-bed wish of Eugene for his Oblate family reflected his lifetime of insistence that “Charity is the pivot on which our whole existence turns.”

Some 50 years earlier, we see him insisting on the same spirit for the members of the Youth Congregation.

Art 22. Although the precept of loving others is aimed at everyone, we can and we must give preference to this virtue.
Art 23. The links that bind the members of the Congregation together place this order in the forefront of their consideration for each other.

Statuts, Chapitre XIII – Obligations spirituelles des congréganistes

Three things will last forever– faith, hope, and love– and the greatest of these is love.       I Corinthians 13:13

 

“Love one another, but make not a bond of love: Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.” Kahlil Gibran

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2 Responses to LOVE AS THE PIVOT OF OUR EXISTENCE

  1. John Mouck says:

    Confession….

    I love some people deeply and unconditionally. I find this is easy.

    Others I feel I am convincing myself I love them because it is the thing to do, right.
    This is how Eugene tells us (and indeed Jesus tells us) we are supposed to live our lives.
    But, if I am forcing myself to feel this way, is it real or is it a lie?

    And with yet others I wonder if I am displaying love because there may be some personal advantage for me.

    Charity and love do not always walk hand-in-hand in my little world.

    Loving is not always easy, for me at least – for it to be spontaneous and genuine is what I want.
    I don’t understand.
    I hope I am not the only one who struggles with this.
    I pray that if I am at least aware and trying, this is all that God is asking of me.

    John

  2. As I read this and then read John’s reply I am taken by the fact that we are not perfect and that our love is often filled with strings and hooks. Be that as it may, keeping these articles before me/us ought not bind me/us for that leads to guilt, but they can draw me/us slowly into a relationship that is goes beyond the ego/self to reflect the Divine Light of Charity and Mercy.
    And yes, Eugene spoke of Charity on his deathbed and spoke of it in his youth. All of which tells us that our passions are a part of us early on in our lives and chances are they will not change as we get older. So lets respect each others passion, build on them and together go deeper into this original gift from God.

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