Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection (cf. Phil 3: 10).
CC&RR, Constitution 4
From his earliest preaching Eugene constantly invited the poor to understand the transforming invitation of the resurrection in their lives.
Come now and learn from us what you are in the eyes of faith.
Poor of Jesus Christ, afflicted, wretched, suffering, sick, covered with sores, etc., all you whom misery oppresses, my brothers, dear brothers, respected brothers, listen to me.
You are God’s children, the brothers of Jesus Christ, heirs to his eternal kingdom, chosen portion of his inheritance; you are, in the words of St. Peter, a holy nation, you are kings, you are priests, you are in some way gods, You are gods, children of the Most High.
So lift up your spirits, that your defeated souls may breathe, grovel no longer on the ground: You are gods, children of the Most High. (Ps. 81:6).
Lift yourselves towards heaven where your minds should be set, our citizenship is in heaven (Phil. 3:20), let your eyes see for once beneath the rags that cover you, there is within you an immortal soul made in the image of God whom it is destined to possess one day, a soul ransomed at the price of the blood of Jesus Christ, more precious in the eyes of God than all earth’s riches, than all the kingdoms of the earth, a soul of which he is more jealous than of the government of the entire universe.
Christians, know then your dignity, with St. Leo I will call you sharers in the divine nature,
Notes for the first instruction in the Church of the Madeleine, EO XV n. 114
Oh my goodness this hits home as I think of my brother. It is the invitation of the resurrection that carries me, us, my brother. Constitution 4 speaks to and with and for my heart as I read it through with eyes born of infinite love. I recognize his pain and his sense of being lost – totally lost and not being able to figure anything out. I was lifted out of that mire and yet Bill is down there. And I listen to Eugene’s voice speaking his thoughts as he prepared his notes for his homily in the Church of the Madeleine. They speak so loudly, solidly, consolingly to me and I repeat each one as if to convey them to my brother’s heart.
A friend note the other day about how it’s the life he chose as if that negates him, his personhood. I responded reminding her that I am Bill for I too was addicted for so very long. She made the observation that I had worked hard and so it was good but that he did nothing to help himself. I refused to let her speak and negate him because of his addiction, his illness. He is lost, no longer able to really see himself or those around him. He does not seem to have a sense of himself, only of the pain he is living in. My thoughts become quite fierce as I refuse to let him be wiped off the map of life.
I think for a moment of Jesus on the Cross and how he looked down on me and heard my cries and picked me up and carried me until I could learn to walk with my own feet. Perhaps my brother simply could not let go of one thing to grab the chance of another (love). I whisper these words “more precious in the eyes of God than all earth’s riches…” knowing he can’t hear me yet I whisper them over and over again as if to plant them in his heart.
These words from Constitution 4 are are consoling. It is Easter and so for a moment I run back into the Garden – to hear my Beloved say my name. So I can continue to love. This loving is a strange way of being and yet I cannot imagine any other.
“Through the eyes of our crucified Saviour we see the world which he redeemed with his blood, desiring that those in whom he continues to suffer will know also the power of his resurrection (cf. Phil 3: 10).” CC&RR, Constitution 4