THAT IS WHAT MY HEART IS LIKE, IT CANNOT FORGET ANYONE IT LOVES, LIVING OR DEAD

Another personal reflection from Eugene’s Roman Diary:

Today again I fulfilled what is prescribed to gain the jubilee indulgence for the holy souls in purgatory, according to the indult granted to this effect by the Supreme Pontiff. I visited the church of Saint Lawrence in Damaso and the designated altars. May God render profitable to the holy souls, especially the souls of my dear relatives, the suffrages I applied to them. My father, who died so saintly in my arms, my dear grandmother whom I so tenderly loved, my grandfathers, my great uncle, my aunt, who assuredly came to mind as they are always present with me at mass. I don’t know why I also mentioned my sister who died so young; but it is out of affection that my dear little niece Caroline also daily appears in this picture, since she certainly doesn’t need my prayers. But, that is what my heart is like, it cannot forget anyone it loves, living or dead.

Roman Diary, 15 December 1825, EO XVII

 

“If you look deeply into the palm of your hand, you will see your parents and all generations of your ancestors. All of them are alive in this moment. Each is present in your body. You are the continuation of each of these people.”    Thich Nhat Hanh

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2 Responses to THAT IS WHAT MY HEART IS LIKE, IT CANNOT FORGET ANYONE IT LOVES, LIVING OR DEAD

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    I don’t know what it is about the word ‘indulgence’ but I struggle greatly with it. Having to ‘earn’ something like God’s love, like salvation (for myself or any other for that matter), it simply is not doable, not possible for the likes of myself. Does that mean that my faith is not strong, or strong enough? I sure hope not. Is it just arrogance, like the arrogance of the Pharisee in Luke’s gospel? Is it the ‘sophisticated’ arrogance of the west in being above all of that? Perhaps a little of each. There is a certain grace to obedience and putting yourself in a specif place, but I do not think this is it. I shall never be able to earn what God has given me, to deserve the riches he lays out before me even were I to live my life a million times over.

    Indulgences or not, Eugene paints for us a wonderful image of his heart, of who he loves. “A man with a heart as big as the world” is how Eugene has been described. For he loved so many, so deeply. He gave himself over to this way of being and lived it out every day. So much so that here he was in Rome – very different from Aix or Marseilles or some small French village or town. The wonders of it, the beauty of it. Never one to be aimless he went and prayed for the souls of all those he loved, living and dead- simply and purely because he loved them so. He was more than touched by them, they were indeed each of them a part of himself.

    This was how he waited to receive approval for his congregation from the Pope.

  2. Jack Lau, OMI says:

    A great reading for the All Soul’s Day and the month of November.
    I will be using with the novitiate community as we gather around the
    “Altar/Table of Memory”.

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