In trying to help the confused Bourrelier to return to a state of peace and good balance, Eugene reminds him that thru his oblation he has made himself a part of something bigger than himself:
Remind yourself that we no longer belong to ourselves,
we all belong to the Society to which we have pledged ourselves,
we belong to the Rule which must control us,
we can only belong to God through it, outside everything is a sin for us.
Surely if anyone ought to congratulate himself on belonging to the Missionaries, it is clearly you, my dear friend, who more than anyone needs the help of your brothers. How then did you not perceive at first sight the trap which the demon was laying for you by persuading yourself that you could lead a much more regular life without being subject to a Rule and without submission to the will of a superior? This idea would be the most absurd folly if it came into anyone’s mind.
Eugene suffers with this young man and pleads:
I exhort you then, I abjure you, I fall at your feet in the name of Jesus Christ whose minister you are and whom you betray, do penance and learn what it is to be a priest, what a religious man ought to be. Remind yourself what has been said to you on this subject and which you have no doubt forgotten. Your salvation is at stake and my responsibility is compromised before God, before the Church and before men. Write me quickly to let me know about your position, to let me know of your return to the sentiments which ought constantly to animate you.
Letter to Hilarion Bourrelier, 27 August 1821, EO VI n 71
“I swell with pride when I can face the whole world and say, “I belong to Him. The mighty God of this universe is my heavenly Father. I’m His by adoption. I’m a joint-heir with His wonderful Son’ In that moment when you’re prone to be depressed, when you find yourself in the spirit of bondage, look up. just pause and remember to whom you belong.” Kathryn Kuhlman
Oh my gosh – wording is everything, and too maybe is the lens that we, or at least I see and process through. This morning I read this and find myself almost embraced in the tenderness and truth of Eugene’s words. “remind youself that we no longer belong to ourselves…”. We – I – belong to something so much greater than ourselves, to God first and formost and then to our community, our family – to each other.
“…who more than anyone needs the help of your brothers.” I am still amazed at the changes in my life – ongoing – as I live as an Oblate Associate, as a member of the Mazenodian Family. Alone I could not do it, and yet with everyone in this great family I find myself becoming more alive every day than I would ever have dreamed possible. My God, poor Bourrelier, how could he withstand such a letter which, at least this part embraced him in tender love? For a moment I find myself wondering how this all turned out for him, just waiting for the next installment. Not what you might have intended Frank but what can I say?
Kathryn Kuhlman’s quote is so chalk full that I could spend the entire day just going back to pieces of it to reflect on. “I belong to Him.” “The might God of this universe is my heavenly Father.” “I’m His by adoption.” “I’m a joint-heir with…” and “look up, just pause and remember to whom you belong.” Another moment aside as I start to wonder like David, where you Frank, find all of these quotes, and then find myself not really worrying about it all, for you have them and readily share them with all of us.
Today throughout my day I will take the time, off and on, to just be at the foot of the cross. I want to look up, allow myself to pause and just sit in the joy of knowing who I belong to.
On these posts with regard to Hilarion, I must say that I think Eugene’s words are somewhat harsh. He is very blunt when it comes the young man’s abilities and inabilities to live alone. He clearly loves the man, but it makes me wonder if he is also concerned about his own failings or his own ego if the man leaves the community. Perhaps I need a little more enlightenment??
I agree with you, Sue. And we are never told what it is Hilarion wants to do. There is no suggestion he wants to leave the priesthood, just the order. We don’t know what possibly wonderful things he may have had in mind.