In the case of priests and even deacons, the situation is different. May God bless their zeal and reward their charity! They are at their post. I never cease to pray and to have others pray for their safety, but I envy them a lot and I don’t insult them by feeling sorry for them.
How happy they are to be able to sacrifice themselves for their brothers whom they are sanctifying, saving, placing in glory, at the price of their lives, like our Divine Master who died for the salvation of people! How admirable they are! But also, how fortunate, these dear martyrs of love! What a beautiful page in the history of our Congregation!
Letter to Bruno Guigues, 1 August 1835, EO VIII n 529
What a beautiful Oblate page indeed – a page whuch has been repeated over and over in our service of the most abandoned until our day!
Martyrs of Love!
I read this and think of the many Oblates who have been and who are ‘Martyrs of Love’ for they have truly offered their entire lives in response to the invitation to become Cooperators of the Saviour. And as I reflect on them I find myself looking at even more who while they do not necessarily meet epidemics give their lives , die to themselves for no other reason than that they love greatly.
It seems to me that we were taught, or perhaps we simply picked up the idea that unless we did ‘great magnificent acts of love’ (that were noticed) we did not ‘really love’ as we should. And – we were not to speak of the good we did, because it was not worthy enough. How hard it is to undo that early programming of our minds and thoughts. It is not boastfulness to look and speak the truth, we are simply giving thanks and praise to our Creator who made us who we are.
I am privileged and honoured to be on a retreat with the likes of Rosella and Hugo, with Donna and Ann, Gabrielle and Tom – each and all of them called by God to love and share themselves in such a beautiful way. I am sure that not one of them is telling themselves that they are sacrificing themselves for anyone else and yet it is what they do.
This morning is an invitation to look at how I can be a ‘martyr to love’ in the small and ordinary of my life, to speak of and share the good things that God does in me and then helps me to turn into love. Lord give me the grace so that today I too may become a ‘martyr to love’.