In the midst of all his concerns, Eugene celebrated the feast of the Assumption. It was a day which was to leave a permanent impression on the history of our Mazenodian family – and so it is important to explore what happened. Achille Rey, who knew Eugene well, wrote in his biography:
August 15 1822 witnessed a feast in the Church of the mission of Aix. Fr. de Mazenod blessed, in the presence of a large gathering of his youth congregants and of other pious faithful, a statue of the Most Holy Virgin, under the title of the Immaculate Conception. It is to this same statue that he came for long and frequent prayers: it has become one of the most precious souvenirs of the origins of the family.
Rey I, p. 280
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In the review, Missions O.M.I., of 1908, p. 279, we find the following description: “Her head, crowned with twelve stars, is lifted toward heaven in an attitude of prayer. She wears a golden veil, the same colour as her long robe and her mantle. She is portrayed as the Immaculate Conception with one foot standing on the crescent moon and the other upon a serpent she is crushing. Her right hand is resting on her heart while her other hand is open, spreading graces on her children who are praying to her.” |
In a July 15, 1889 report from the Oblate house in Aix, Father Prosper Monnet described the internal chapel of the Mission church at Aix with the altar of the vows and the “antique Virgin which formerly smiled upon our venerated Founder and today still stands on her rich marble pedestal…” (Missions O.M.I., 27, (1889), p. 285).
Yvon Beaudoin, “Oblate Madonna” in Historical Dictionary, Volume 1
And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel. Genesis 3:15
A great sign appeared in the sky, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. Book of Revelation12:1
“The Virgin received Salvation so that she may give it back to the centuries.” Peter Chrysologus
I have struggled with this today, walked away and come back again. I received from God the gift of a devotion to Mary many years ago and I say gift because it was not something I pursued but it came to me over the years, growing and becoming more and more a part of me – a gift.
I struggle with this ‘image’ of Our Lady, with the gold and with her standing on the crescent moon – no matter the explanations or stories about how and why with Eugene it is simply not one I identify with or pray to – in fact I find that I much prefer prayer with an icon.
But I did see her, Our Lady, yesterday, briefly – in the eyes of a woman I met here and in a very old ‘statue’ on a building where her face was tortured somehow – less than serene. And even as I write this I find myself flying and speaking to another image – that of my own mother. My own mother who is long dead and with whom I did not experience a lot of love and nurturing – there seemed to be simply too much struggle and pain. And as I see this image I find myself telling her that I do love her and there is forgiveness going and coming both ways. My love for her has not diminished but rather it has grown because of or with my love and devotion to Our Lady.
May Our Lady stay with me today and may it be through her eyes that I look out and greet all the new people I shall meet today.