The mission in the village of Ventabren, 10 miles from Aix, was the first of the 1824 parish missions and lasted from January 11 to February 8. Eugene was able to participate for the first ten days.
Tempier must have suggested that Eugene do some other task while he was there, and Eugene was irritated:
The proposal that I take on at Ventabren anything else but the mission is an idle thought. Have you forgotten what a mission is?
Letter to Henri Tempier, 10 January 1824, EO VI n. 124
I quote these two lines because they are so indicative of the emotive personality of Eugene. He was immediate in expressing his reactions. While he was generally warm, loving and expansive in his dealings with others, there was also the aspect of sharp reactions at times, like this caustic outburst: “Have you forgotten what a mission is?”
When this happened and he calmed down and realized that he had hurt the person he was distressed and went out of his way to make amends. Thereafter he forgot about the incident and carried on with life without harboring grudges.
“He that cannot forgive others breaks the bridge over which he must pass himself; for every man has need to be forgiven.” Thomas Fuller
I think one of the things I truly love about Eugene is his ’emotive’ personality. He was not what you would call placid. Strong feelings, strong emotions. He called Tempier’s suggestion no more than an “idle thought” and just in case that wasn’t enough he continued with his question “Have you forgotten what a mission is?” I wonder how long it took him to post the letter? I wonder how long after the letter had gone it took his anger to crumble? Then he would have felt so bad – that seems to be the way he was, he could strike out and then feel just awful about having been so human.
It speaks to me [of course]. I think the important thing was that he made amends afterwards – that to me is the key. To apologise [more than just the words], to ask for forgiveness and then let it go. Little things have a habit of building on themselves if left unchecked. It becomes a grudge after awhile and it grows into this monster that takes over and colours everything; and that simply destroys, the soul, the heart, the person. It would be the same for Tempier for sure, perhaps many times over. This is the nature of human love. So basic, so simple and sometimes so very difficult [vs easy].
I know with myself that there are a few people who really know how to push my buttons. It’s because I care, because I love them. And God has heard me ask, more than once for sure, “how many times do I have to forgive [that particular person]?” How many times do I ask God to forgive me? How often do I strike out? How often do I react, usually in hurt or fear. Do I remember that I too need to make amends before trying to move on and start again? It must be conscious, not just something I give “lip service” to. I really do have to laugh at myself – how many times has God had to forgive me -the count is still ongoing and will be endless.
I love the image that Thomas Fuller paints – a bridge either dissolving before our eyes or growing stronger and wider. What is our bridge, who is our bridge?