THROUGH THE EYES OF THE SAVIOUR

Art. 2. It is to fulfill this duty for them that the Congregation will give all its members the most comprehensive instruction on all points of their religion either to teach them to know it well, or to provoke them to practice all the virtues it recommends.

Statuts, Chapitre XIV – Devoirs de la Congrégation envers les congréganistes

This identity had to be put into practice in all the events and relationships of their lives. Mirroring the social situation of the time, some of the members of the Youth Congregation came from homes where there were servants.

They will command very gently those who are subject to them. They must remember that the servants, however lowly they appear in the eyes of this world, are nevertheless called one day to share the immortal crown of glory – together with their masters – that has been acquired with the precious blood of the Saviour and Master they have in common.

Règlements et Statuts de la Congrégation de la Jeunesse, 1813, p. 24

Echoes of Eugene’s Good Friday experience and of his preaching in the Madeleine, taken up today in the Oblate Rule:

Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection (cf. Phil 3: 10).

Constitution 4

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4 Responses to THROUGH THE EYES OF THE SAVIOUR

  1. What one sees clearly is that we are not a society of the rich for the poor, but a society of the common people of the day for the common people of the day and it is how we live out our lives, our perspective that is radical. For we see the world through the eyes of the Crucified one. And for that to be, we must have experienced our own brokenness seeing it not as sin, but as a divinized wound.
    And yes, Eugene want to teach the young everything to protect them from the pain he experienced, but as we all know, that is impossible. The best we can do is journey with each other along the way

  2. John Mouck says:

    You said that perfectly, Jack.
    We learn from our brokenness and failures. It was a necessary part of our journey. Only then can we light the path for each other and together we shine a great light.

  3. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    By chance – I was looking for a mid-day prayer and something to reflect on and I pulled this up from a year ago. I do not know why I have been drawn to this today, but here I am. And I find myself reading it through different eyes from a year ago, and reflecting on the truth of it with a heart which has grown from a year ago.

    It was the title which drew me “Through the eyes of the Saviour”, those words alone “stop me in my tracks”, invite and draw me in each time I repeat or write them – a part of my heart’s desire. They bring invitation and what I can only call sweet and tender joy.

    But as I read further I truly see Eugene and the Oblates, and all who make up this Mazenodian Family – then and now, being called to serve, to love in what was/is. “Mirroring the social situation of the time…” The reality in those days – there was great injustice, there were servants, as in the time of Jesus there were slaves, as in this time there are many who live in countries where there is not the same freedom or even priniciples and rights that we have in other areas. Or even closer to home in this time there are rules and injustices that we might see within our own Church – they are a part of it all. We do not have to agree with how things are, but we do acknowledge the reality and speak to it even as we enter into it. We are invited and called to love, to serve, to preach and to share with other the good news, in everyway that we can – where ever people are at. I keep thinking of “the poor will be with us always” (I regret that I do not know book, chapter and verse of this from scripture). It is not an invitation to turn away, or give up, but rather the opposite to continue to love and serve, and become more a “part of”, inspite of and with.

    How glorious a call is that – to be called and then sent to serve those we see through the eyes of our Saviour.

  4. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    The bells rang out last night during the Vigil, at least the bells within my heart rang out and I’m sure those in heaven also as we celebrated the most glorious and holy days and events of all time. We sang, we hugged, we shared with one who was baptised into our faith. Good Friday, the cross and death into Easter Sunday, the resurrection and life.

    Yesterday during my studies of St. Eugene I happened on this posting. It was the title which drew me, “Through the eyes of the Savior”. I was drawn to it even though it was not specific to Easter. I came to the quotation from St. Paul: “Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection (cf. Phil 3: 10).” How perfect – to celebrate Easter, to celebrate through the eyes of our Savior, yes crucified on the cross, yes death, but also resurrected. Such glorious hope! My Saviour, forever with me on that cross, but now it is glorified. There is new life from that horrendous death, always the two. Never are we simply left bereft and without hope.

    Forever you are with us Lord as we mount and die our small deaths on that cross, never alone, never with out love, never without being lavished with life. I wonder what it was like for those you walked with on this earth in a totally physical historical way. How had you changed in appearance once resurrected? I can only try to imagine (and of course fail) what it was like to see you transformed. Having conquered death literally with love. The thoughts and images force me to my knees, not in fear and trembling but in awe and wonder, in gratitude that is impossible to capture in mere words. I am left with the desire only to give myself to you and to be allowed to gaze out through your eyes of perfect love, your eyes of most perfect mercy. My heart sings today reflected in the radiance that is You.

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