Father Magy, who accompanied Eugene in his vocational discernment, had written him some encouraging letters – of which Eugene wrote:
I regret that the other letters of this holy religious, truly filled with the Spirit of God, very experienced in the direction of souls have been lost. They were very enlightening and filled with wise direction. The person to whom I confided them burned them through carelessness.
Eugene’s note at the bottom of a copy of three extracts from Father Magy’s letters (Oblate General Archives in Rome)
Father Magy’s convinced and convincing conclusion to Eugene’s discernment process was:
In view of the convergence of so many circumstances, debates and further research serve no purpose; your vocation is as clear as the midday sun on the most beautiful of days…
A vocation, discerned through the eyes of the Savior, to be the Savior’s co-operator lived as a priest.
The second extract shows something of the struggle that Eugene was having with his mother, who was opposed to the idea of his wanting to be a priest.
I would have considered it rash on my part, if on my own initiative, I had undertaken to induce you to take on the sacred ministry, and to take you away from a distinguished family whose only hope and consolation you are. But the Sovereign Master who holds the primary right over the first-born took it upon himself to inspire you with this thought and to lay upon you, like he laid on Abraham, such a painful sacrifice.
Augustin Magy to Eugene, 1807 – 1808
An invitation to us, in our own Mazenodian spirituality today, to reflect on ourselves and the daily unfolding of our baptismal vocation through the eyes of the Savior.
“Everyone has his own specific vocation or mission in life; everyone must carry out a concrete assignment that demands fulfillment. Therein he cannot be replaced, nor can his life be repeated, thus, everyone’s task is unique as his specific opportunity to implement it.” Viktor E. Frankl
I feel as if this morning I am being enveloped, embraced and held in an exquisite tenderness which I am quite unable to adequately describe.
I sit here feeling as if I have been given an exquisite gift which is wrapped in tenderness. Imagine what it would be like to hear someone speak of your vocation, speak of how God calls you and what he calls you to be being described in the terms that Augustin Magey used with Eugene; “your vocation is as clear as the midday sun on the most beautiful of days.” Seen through the eyes of our Crucified Savior – to be most evident.
I have to admit that certainly with Eugene it has been evident and leading up to this but only perhaps because I have come to love him so dearly. I think of the members of our Parish Council that I sat with around the table last night. Being given the opportunity to sit and listen to each of them say who they were – I have to admit that I saw them each in a bit of a new light. Before the business of the evening began seeing who they were through eyes of love. What an incredible grace and what a joy to behold. Even while I did not always agree with all of them I was able to see them through eyes of love and that was a priceless gift to both receive and to give.
I wonder what I look like, what others see when they look at me. As they come to know me how do they see me? Is it with eyes of love, is it through eyes of love?
Frank has said “An invitation to us, in our own Mazenodian spirituality today, to reflect on ourselves and the daily unfolding of our baptismal vocation through the eyes of the Savior.” The unfolding of our baptismal vocation, seen through the eyes of God. There is wonder here. I was baptised shortly after I was born – that early on God was calling me? “Eleanor, I love you, I have called you by name…” I have been growing into it my whole life!
To be able to look and reflect on my life through the eyes of my most precious Lord and to recognize myself in him who created me. This is my daily bread.