IDENTITY: FIRST CHRISTIAN, THEN OBLATE AND THEN PRIEST

Each year all the Oblates gathered for 8 days of community retreat. In 1826 it was held in Marseille from October 24 and concluded with the renewal of vows on November 1. Part of the retreat consisted in each participant examining his life and behavior over the previous year so as to make resolutions for a better quality of life in the coming year. Eugene was methodical in his approach to this:

My examination has to cover
1. My general duties as a Christian;
2. My duties as a simple religious;
3. My duties as superior, both in my own regard and towards the subjects who are under my obedience;
4. My duties as priest;
5. My duties as Vicar General of the diocese.

Examination of conscience, October 1826, EO XV n 157

It is interesting to see the order in which he lists his various areas of identity: firstly as a baptized Christian, then his expression of his baptism as a religious, then as the one responsible for his Oblate community, then as a priest and, finally, as Vicar general of Marseille. The order of importance for his identity was firstly Christian, then Oblate and then priest.

Eugene’s reflection is relevant to each of us as well: in what order of importance would we classify the various “identities” in our lives, and how are we living each one?

 

“Spiritual identity means we are not what we do or what people say about us. And we are not what we have. We are the beloved daughters and sons of God.”   Henri Nouwen

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1 Response to IDENTITY: FIRST CHRISTIAN, THEN OBLATE AND THEN PRIEST

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    Coming here this morning I can only reflect on the how God speaks to us, holds us and guides us. Not quite a retreat but a coming together to look at who we are, where we come from, where we are and where we want to go, how we move together. I found myself at first feeling empty with nothing to give – even as I was being filled. Receiving the grace and taking advantage of the opportunity to discover and learn more about ones who I love already and yet discovering new reasons to say why I love them – not new for them and their being, but for me to perceive – as if a veil has been lifted from my eyes and a mist parted from around my heart. And slowly, very slowly I begin to understand a little why Eugene said some of the things he did. Some of those small ‘aha’ moments where for but a brief pin point in the fabric of time we recognize that there is a that part of our beings that knows and is of God in the most intimate of ways. I found that I did not know how hungry I was until I began to be fed.

    My identity beginning and ending with God, with Jesus, hands down the most basic part of me, with the rest being how I live that out, a description of who I am, the clothing I wear – as an Oblate Associate and member of my parish and all in and between those. There are no dividing lines as one seems to flow from another and be a part of the other. Today will be more work and I am sure more new and fresh insights and experiences with my beloved brothers and sisters, the work will be hard but not anything I will have to do on my own and then we will stop to take time to join in a celebration of the Eucharist and each other. It’s all about who we are and the ongoing joy and sorrow of uncovering of that.

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