I AM HAPPY IN GOD’S PRESENCE

Sharing the spirit of his retreat with Father Tempier, Eugene gives us a glimpse of his usual relationship with God

It is enough for you to know that God in his goodness is helping me as usual, that is to say, he is revealing himself as he is, infinitely good, infinitely merciful, every time I approach him; that he is purifying my heart, illuminating my feeble understanding, stirring up my will and bringing it to perfection; that I am happy in his presence, whatever my feelings may be like when he communicates his divine Spirit to me.

Letter to Henri Tempier, 10 October 1832, EO VIII n 436

How wonderful it would be if each of us were able to say the same after our times of prayer and during the day. I am happy in God’s presence…

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1 Response to I AM HAPPY IN GOD’S PRESENCE

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    I look at Eugene and how God has painted him, covered him in and with love.

    God working within me – why do I fight him so? For me to ‘be’ in God’s presence (for he is always here for and to me) I need to let go of some of the armaments I wear – my cares and worries, my tiredness, anger and fears. It is not enough that I would try to put some of those just out of sight to be picked up later on – I need to disarm myself and nakedness can be scary.

    Sometimes there is the image of me running towards him – ‘here I am’ I breathe. It is not so much a matter of throwing myself at him but simply ‘being’ there. Consciousness fades. I am happy in God’s presence – there is rightness and strength and peace and a strange knowing – happiness.

    I think of the words from that poem “I like what I see”. It would seem that without my defences – worry and anger, tiredness and fear – there is nakedness that then allows God to adorn me. It is that which I want to wear during the day…

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