ORAISON: PRAYING WITH THE MAZENODIAN FAMILY IN JANUARY

“In the prolonged silent prayer we make each day, we let ourselves be molded by the Lord, and find in him the inspiration of our conduct” (OMI Rule of Life, 33). 

The practice of Oraison was an important part of St. Eugene’s daily prayer during which he entered into communion with the members of his missionary family. While they were all in France it was easy for them to gather in prayer at approximately the same time. When Oblate missionaries started to be sent to different continents it was no longer possible to pray at the same time, yet each day there was a time when they stopped and prayed in union with one another – even though not at the same time.

This is a practice that Eugene wanted the members of his religious family to maintain. This is why you are invited to take part in this practice of Oraison on Sunday, January 19, 2020, as we remember the anniversary of the founding of the Oblates (at that time known as the Missionaries of Provence) on January 25th.

The all-important first day of community life for the Missionaries was obviously a story often repeated in all its details. In his Memoires, Father Tempier, described it as: “This memorable day that I will never forget for as long as I live.” He narrates the story of the beginning of their religious family, and draws a conclusion linked with the vow of poverty and the call to simplicity.

Letter to Jean-Baptiste Mille and the novices and scholastics, 24 January 1831, EO VIII n. 383:

Tomorrow I celebrate the anniversary of the day, sixteen years ago, I left my mother’s house to go and set up house at the Mission. Father Tempier had taken possession of it some days before. Our lodging had none of the splendor of the mansion at Billens, and whatever deprivations you may be subject to, ours were greater still. My camp-bed was placed in the small passageway which leads to the library: it was then a large room used as a bedroom for Father Tempier and for one other whose name we no longer mention amongst us. It was also our community room. One lamp was all our lighting and, when it was time for bed, it was placed in the doorway to give light to all three of us.
The table that adorned our refectory was one plank laid alongside another, on top of two old barrels. We have never enjoyed the blessing of such poverty since the time we took the vow. Without question, it was a foreshadowing of the state of perfection that we now live so imperfectly. I highlight this wholly voluntary deprivation deliberately (it would have been easy to put a stop to it and to have everything that was needed brought from my mother’s house) so as to draw the lesson that God in his goodness was directing us even then, and really without us having yet given it a thought, towards the evangelical counsels which we were to profess later on. It is through experiencing them that we learnt their value.
I assure you we lost none of our merriment; on the contrary, as this new way of life was in quite striking contrast with that we had just left, we often found ourselves having a hearty laugh over it. I owed this tribute to the memory of our first day of common life. How happy I would be to live it now with you!

Some texts to aid us in our prayerful reflection:  

Acts 4:32-33:
The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great favor was accorded them all.

Matthew 28: 19-20:
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.

Article 3 of the OMI Constitutions and Rules applies to the whole Mazenodian Family:

The community of the Apostles with Jesus is the model of our life. Our Lord grouped the Twelve around him to be his companions and to be sent out as his messengers (cf.    Mk    3:14). The    call and the presence of the Lord among us today bind us together in charity and obedience to create anew in our own lives the Apostles’ unity with him and their common mission in his Spirit.

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1 Response to ORAISON: PRAYING WITH THE MAZENODIAN FAMILY IN JANUARY

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    This morning in preparing for our oraison, trying to situate myself and let God lead me, a single line from Eugene’s letter to Jean-Baptiste Mille and his novices and scholastics seemed to capture me and I returned to it several times. In fact I wrote it out and took it with me to my prayer corner just so that it would be near. Not my normal practice but something I felt inspire, impelled to do. That one line read: “Without question, it was a foreshadowing of the state of perfection that we now live so imperfectly.”

    In my own life that would read ‘that state of holiness’ that we now live so imperfectly. As I sat the noise from within me seemed to grow and I would ‘start’ over and over again. It seemed for a while that I would not be able to settle and just ‘be’ within the heart of my Beloved, But eventually the noise quietened. I was nowhere and I was everywhere. And when I once again became ‘aware’ – consciously aware and opening my eyes there beside me was that small piece of paper with Eugene’s words on it. My prayer, my oraison which was so imperfect was somehow still holy. And I gave thanks for the wonder of God.

    A little more peaceful now than I was earlier I look out my window – the snow continues to fall, softly, relentlessly it seems and it covers everything in light; there is a beautiful sense of wonder and peace as I watch it. Later I will walk to Church and experience that quiet wonder and peace that covers the land.

    God has given me an immense gift this morning. As I began, amidst the noise of my own heart. I sought and saw images of so many that I love around the world. Now I do not seek images but feel their presence within my heart. There is no yearning within me at this moment. I am simply filled with a deep peace that I will take with me as I walk in the snow.

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