THE MISSIONARY AS A CHANNEL THRU WHICH GOD BRINGS LIFE

Referring of the parish mission that they were involved in from 14 January to 25 February 1821 in the town of Brignoles, Eugene spoke of the responsibility involved in the ministry:

it is no light matter to have the responsibility of a ministry like that laid on me: to announce the day of the Lord to a large number of people, a people who are abandoned,

The ministry is the continuation of that of Jesus himself: “he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor…. and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come” Luke 4: 18-19. Referring to himself as a canal thru which God acts, he does not want his personal weaknesses to get in the way of God’s work.

… to fear lest the lack of virtue, the personal infidelity of the minister be an obstacle, intercepting, so to speak, the flow of those precious graces of salvation, those life-giving waters which are meant to reach the faithful through his channel.
There is enough to be concerned about; and if it were not for the experience of God’s superabundant mercies and his compassion for the incapacity and weakness of those he sends, no doubt because he favors the people he wishes to save, there would be every reason to lose courage.

Letter to his mother, 16 January 1821, E.O. XIII n. 35

 Every member of the Mazenodian family can also define his or her daily mission in terms of being channels of living water to those around them.

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14

 

“Be holy and you will do wonders in the lives of everyone whose life you touch. Be united with God, and He will work miracles through you, and beyond your wildest dreams.”    Mother Teresa of Calcutta

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1 Response to THE MISSIONARY AS A CHANNEL THRU WHICH GOD BRINGS LIFE

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    “Every member of the Mazenodian family can also define his or her daily mission in terms of being channels of living water to those around them.” Isn’t it incredible how our God can work through us, inspite of us!

    Yesterday a group of us were preparing the table for upcoming Mass. I had a vision of how I wanted the table to look and be decorated (notice the “I”). One of the others said no, that it was too messy. Of course I felt stung and snapped back that they could do it and I moved off to do something else. Two seconds later I felt so bad that I had snapped, and the table – well it truly looked beautiful.

    It was a very small thing, and it was very human. But it pointed out to me how I need to be vigilent so to speak about who I am serving. It cannot be myself, or my idea of how something should be. But rather I do serve by setting things up that will allow others to share their beauty and goodness, allow God to work through rather than around!

    As I said it was a small thing, but those small things unchecked could become big and runaway like snowballs do. A phrase from the Madonna House Little Mandate comes to me; “..do little things exceedingly well for love of Me.” In this way might I ‘be a channel of living waters to those around me’.

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