In February – March 1819 Eugene was one of the five Missionaries doing the parish mission at Eyguières. In this letter to the rest of the community in Aix we catch him in a moment of relaxation where he banters with them light-heartedly. The others were in church and he took a breather to write:
I write you during the High Mass. It is truly a rest for me, for I am happy when I take myself in spirit to be among a family as interesting as ours. Be persuaded that the greatest sacrifice I can offer to the Lord is to be forcefully separated for so long a time, but it is for his greater glory.
He is in a good mood and teases them because they have not written:
You are too lazy, my dear friends and beloved brothers. We are nearly at the end of the mission and I can say that I have received practically nothing from you for can I take into account the four lines that my dear brother Moreau wrote to me before ascending the altar? Meanwhile I know nothing of what you are doing or how you are.
He speaks of Aix as a “hospital” – but there are no indications of any of them being seriously ill – perhaps they had the winter colds associated with living in an enormous unheated convent. Then he describes how fatigued the five of them are because of the mission and uses his vivid imagination to portray themselves as soldiers returning from battle:
However it is understandable not to be at ease when this solicitude of mine bears on a hospital such as yours. If you are the sick ones of our company, we have all the appearance of convalescents. Our pale, drawn features, our cracked voices and our languid appearance give us quite a remarkable appearance. We pretty well resemble warriors returning from a long, hard battle who painfully drag along their weapons of victory and yet who retain the noble assurance that portends new success at the first onslaught of the enemy.
Letter to the community in Aix, 7 March 1819, O.W. VI n 41
A spirit of simplicity and joyfulness marks our communities. In sharing what we are and what we have with one another, we find acceptance and support. Each of us offers his friendship and places his God-given talents at the service of all. This enriches our spiritual life, our intellectual development and our apostolic activity.
CC&RR, Constitution 39
I love the imagry that Eugene uses of the warriors who are exhausted from the battle, but who are at the same time proud and triumphant to be returning home – having given their all and having done their jobs and being victorious in that. They will have tales to tell but the they return looking forward to being with their families, their loved ones, their communty again. It is a picture of the missionary who has been sent and who is returning for the support and love of his community.
The image arising from 39 of the Constitution is one that is saying – here’s how the other will be possible – this is how we’ll do it all – the beginning half of the equation.
God has always given me what I will need to in order to “be” for Him, to love and to serve. Always. It is that which I draw my strength from when it’s needed. As an Oblate Associate it is the family of Oblates, who I journey with and become more alive with, the Oblates are a huge part of the ongoing gifts from God that love and support me as I am beckonned and sent out to live the mission in my life. I am reminded of the song sung by Josh Groban – You Raise Me Up – who and what we find in each other.
Two comments – the first more trivial than the second.
At first I misunderstood “I write to you during the High Mass” – even though I would “understand it incorrectly” as well. When I was working in Latvia in the early 1990’s soon after reindependence from the Soviet Union, I would go to many of the large churches for concerts. During the Soviet era many churches were converted to concert halls with beautiful natural accoustics, pews turned “backward” to face the choir/organ loft; after reindependence the churches were reconsecrated, pews turned around but many concerts still were held for the masses hungry to hear the music of the soul. I would go to these concerts, sit in better lit areas and write letters to my parents or friends back in Canada. There was something about the space, the swirling notes, the calming of the inner heart that I found condusive to letter writing. Many people would consider that writing during a concert was innapropriate – and during(while attending) High Mass more so to the point of sacriligeous. And yet I can imagine writing during mass – perhaps not in “full active, conscious participation”, but feeling the calm of home.
Second. My association with Oblates is limited, but the quotation from CC&RR, Constitution 39, certainly exemplifies the few with whom I have been blessed to have made contact. You all know who you are. Blessings back at you!
Dear Anda,
What a great story! I am always awestruck when I find out tid-bits of people’s history.
I don’t think your writing to family and friends during concerts and particularly during mass is inappropriate at all. Quite the opposite, I think it is inspirational on your part. It speaks volumes about your and your relationship with Jesus.
To you, Jesus is an important part of your family – like your mother or your father. So being at mass is like a family gathering with all members present the only way you can manage to accomplish that. I’m pretty sure Jesus was sitting right beside you, smiling at you – never mind all those rehearsed and memorized words being spouted from the altar.
Similarly, it is only natural to want to share a fantastic concert with friends and family (Jesus included). They are as precious to you as the beautiful music. Each one (the music and the people) makes you think of the other. You found the perfect way to blend the two together.
I always love seeing you,
I miss our music days together,
John