The heated feelings around the re-establishment of the Diocese of Marseille were also felt in Aix. A group of Aix priests, unhappy at the great popularity of the Mission church, were now accusing Eugene of being responsible for dividing the Archdiocese of Aix by pushing for the re-establishment of the diocese of Marseilles and consequently reducing the Aix Diocese. We need to bear in mind the ancient rivalry between the cities of Aix and Marseille, and that the city of Marseille (population 115 0000) was growing much faster than Aix (population 22 000).
In the priests’ harsh criticisms of the Archbishop of Aix and of Eugene for this move, Eugene counsels the Missionaries to not add fuel to the fire and cause further division. He advises them to focus on what a priest is truly all about, rather than being unkind:
Always treat with honor the reputation of these men, be considerate to them personally in deference to the priesthood with which they are invested… In no way provoke them but show a positive attitude everywhere.
Letter to Hippolyte Courtès, 5 May 1822, EO VI n 83
“But forgiveness is not an emotion… Forgiveness is an act of will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” Corrie Ten Boom
Eugene who was always so passionate about whatever he did must of held back on his feelings here. This is one of the places where we see him practicing what he preached.
I love the quote from Corrie Ten Boom for it is so true. Forgiveness is so much more than what we “feel”. Eugene must of been feeling dismayed, angry, hurt and more. Yet he counselled Hippolyte to “treat with honor the reputation of these men ….” not going into whatever they were feeling at the time. Forgiveness – something so much more than feelings or changing of the feelings. For me it is certainly a willful act – but in truth I cannot say a whole lot more. I do not know that “I” know how to truly forgive on my own. I can turn it (whatever ‘it’ is) all over to God and ask for forgiveness for others and for myself. I can ‘let it go’ and give it to God and make the decision to love again. But even then that love is something that does not come from “me, myself and I” but rather from God within, that divine part of myself that is God, what Richard Rohr calls the true self. Forgiveness – another of those things that is like real love, or perhaps a part of real love. I witnessed it yesterday as a person spoke of what had been done to his fellow countrymen as a part of a particular political regime and how it was good that the two peoples could now come together and talk.
Yesterday, as we talked, these new friends and I, we many times mentioned words like “… which is what Eugene said” or “… exactly what Eugene calls us to say/do”. Living out forgiveness – it doesn’t negate the feelings, or bury them, nor does it shade or color the truth, but rather it seems to allow us to live and love ‘inspite of’.
wise words for sure.
at this time in the United States there is the infamous election.
one thing for sure, the division in the church may be even greater than in
the country.
and so these words are important for me the hear and take to heart.
Change is always scary, and Eugene (and his missionaries) was the ignition of an explosion of change. Anger and resentment was inevitable.
You cannot will away memories but I know you can will away hurt, resentment, anger.
“Love your enemies?” “Love” has many connotations. In many situations I find it helpful to substitute the word “respect.”
Feelings come and go but the words we say seam to last forever.
I question a lot, but it is not to be negative. Rather it is to be certain I am on MY right path because what “is” (the path popularly / traditionally followed) is not necessarily the correct path for today or for me…
“You can’t do that. We have never done that.”
“You have to do it this way because this is how we have always done it.”
I have but one prayer
Help me walk the journey close to the bottom,
Where Jesus walked and where I’m needed.
Some look up and raise their eyes
To seek The Spirit.
I look down
Where flowers grow and children play
And people cry.
This is a very tall order indeed. I can read it, listen to it, but acting on it is very difficult right now. Especially now in this country, and yes certainly in our church. How do we treat the reputation with honor when we do not believe that there is any honor in what one says or how one acts. For if the reputation/words of the others (e.g. arch/bishops) gives a message of exclusiveness, hate and total dishonor of another, how can we we have a positive attitude toward them and their voice. (And no, a deference to their priesthood has not been earned.) It is not possible for me.
Thanks for your thought-provoking reactions. Keep in mind that those words were written 190 years ago in a totally different context where the Church was coming out of the destruction of the French Revolution and was still very fragile. Eugene was certainly not condoning the behavior of some of those priests – but he was saying to his Missionaires: ‘don’t make things worse for the already-too-confused people”.
The means to help them to do this was to get them to focus on something positive. It was the attitude of the two prisoners in the same cell – one saw bars and the other saw sky.