1822 was a busy year for Eugene and the Missionaries, with sixteen weeks of intensive mission preaching (at Signes -beginning of January to mid-February, at Lorgues -February 17 to March 31, and at Barcelonnette -April 20 to May 20). Before the third mission he had gone to Laus to work with the formation community, and returned there after the mission to continue this work. Henri Tempier was concerned about his health and had obliged him, under obedience, to take greater care of himself. Eugene obeyed and was able to write:
I am well but I repeat that it is a miracle for which I give credit to obedience for it is certain that when I left, I was not in condition to take to the road… I rise only at six o’clock and I will continue to give myself this care recognized as necessary in order to make up for the loss of sleep during the preceding missions.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 29 April 1822, EO VI n 82
Despite the personal cost, the dedication and hard work of the Missionaries was showing results, as he wrote from Barcelonnette:
No one will ever be able to exaggerate the importance and effect of this mission: it is in my eyes and in those of our colleagues the most essential of those we have done.
We will be able to finish it only next year when, as we have announced, we will complete the entire valley; if the Bishop of Digne favours this idea, the good will be incalculable.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 20 May 1822, EO VI n 84
“The Church that does not evangelize will fossilize.” Oswald J. Smith
This morning I find myself focussing and reflecting on the word “obedience”, not because it is a one of the vows taken by the Oblates, but because it seems to often just jump out at me and I can find myself looking for ways to work around it or get past it. In truth I find myself smiling and gently laughing at myself.
Obedience requires trust. Trust that God will lead me where I need to be. Trust that God through others know more than I know and see past the blinders that I can be so adept at trying to hide behind. Trust that this Church that I so deeply love truly is God’s gift to me and is much more than just the parts that I struggle with. Trust that just as God works in some small ways through me, also works in those same ways through others around me.
I tell God daily, hourly, often, than that I give my all to him. What does that mean? How much do I trust God? Is it more than just a mere desire or feeling? Am I so busy ‘talking the talk’ that I miss more fully ‘walking the walk’?
Obedience, just another thing to be aware of and not so fearful of. I have not used the word ‘blind’ here because I don’t think thats what this is about (in other words I might be adding that word as part of my defenses) and I’m not walking into anything blindly. But it’s not something I need to spend my time and effort running from and who knows it just might free me up somehow. I look at Eugene and how it worked for him, the trust that he lived in obedience.
How shall I trust today? Whom shall I trust today? Lord let it be more than just words and nice feelings – they are a part of it, but let me more fully live it. Let me offer to you again, my all.