MY SINS MADE ME ESSENTIALLY INCAPABLE OF BEING THE INSTRUMENT OF ALL THE MIRACLES THE LORD IS WORKING

As Eugene prayed dedicating the new Oblate mission at the shrine of Our Lady of Lumières, he became profoundly aware of God’s goodness and mercy in working wonders through the Oblates, despite his sinfulness and unworthiness to be God’s instrument.

We were calling down his blessings on ourselves and our Congregation that we were representing with all the more fervour because we were few in number,
and for myself, there was joined to all these thoughts a profound feeling of my unworthiness, convinced as I was to the depth of my soul that my sins made me essentially incapable of being the instrument of all the miracles the Lord is working for our men and through them, from the feeble beginnings of our small family up to the present.

Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 2 June 1837, EO XVIII

A consoling thought in the midst of the brokenness, imperfection and sinfulness of so many leaders and members of the Church today: the Church is the Body of Christ, and He never abandons those He calls into the Kingdom of God.

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2 Responses to MY SINS MADE ME ESSENTIALLY INCAPABLE OF BEING THE INSTRUMENT OF ALL THE MIRACLES THE LORD IS WORKING

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    Sitting with Eugene this morning – not the most comfortable place to be. It can be so easy to gloss over my own brokenness and sins and focus on those who are in charge, those others who should know better – them – others…

    I look at how I seem to be able to recognize it so easily in another and yet I am blind to my own brokenness and sin. It dawns on me that I recognize it only because I see myself in the other. No better. No worse. In the words Francis – “who am I to judge?” How easy it is to forget my own sin and dwell on another’s.

    I return to what Frank has written; all of the members of the Church, the Body of Christ – I find myself right there in the middle of them. We are all human, we are all broken and we all sin and yet God loves and forgives every single one of us. And the fact that I am called “into the Kingdom of God”… I am not used to thinking of myself as being connected to that and yet I am reminded of the words that I pray “…our life in all its dimensions is a prayer that, in us and through us, God’s kingdom come.”

    It is never just “black and white” and so I can rejoice in God’s tender mercy in the same breath as I cry out for it. I am reminded of the image portrayed in the story of the Prodigal Son [Daughter]; the father running out to greet me, lifting me into an embrace, not letting go as we walk back into his house. The rejoicing that come from deep within me knowing that I am forgiven and loved without measure, in full.

    Use me Lord for whatever you will!

  2. Peg Hanafin says:

    What a beautiful reading of compassion for the sinner and an acknowledgement of how weak us humans are. I am glad Fr Eugene’s saintliness and humility has been since been confirmed. May he look after all those who belong to the wider Oblate family and I offer him my sincere thanks for blesssings received

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