AFTER A MISSION YOU MUST FEEL THE NEED TO BE RECOLLECTED AND TO THINK A LITTLE OF YOURSELF

As proud as Eugene was of his young Missionaries and their zealous achievements, he also worried that they would burn themselves out because of their generosity.

After a mission, it is good to spend several days in a regular community.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Honorat, 9 February 1824, EO VI n. 130

You must not remain long in that place and must say in advance, very mildly but in a manner as to be understood, that on coming from a mission as tiring as the one that you have just preached, you need rest and recollection… After one and especially two missions, you must feel the need to be recollected and to think a little of yourself.
Adieu, my dear Father Marcou, I embrace you tenderly and recommend that you give the example of all the virtues to all those who have the happiness to dwell in that house (for which my heart longs, towards which my desires never cease to draw me). Do not forget me in your prayers during this beautiful week.

Letter to Jacques Marcou, 12 April 1824, EO VI n. 135

 

“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”    John Lubbock

This entry was posted in LETTERS and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to AFTER A MISSION YOU MUST FEEL THE NEED TO BE RECOLLECTED AND TO THINK A LITTLE OF YOURSELF

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    I am thinking this morning of the times that Jesus went “away” to pray, to allow himself to be nourished, to perhaps simply ‘be’. And I think of Eugene, sending out his young men on missions, always telling them to return to the house at the end of the mission to rest and to ‘refuel’ themselves.

    I am thinking of the amount of time we, or at least certainly I, can be drawn to ‘measuring’ what has been spent or discounting what has been given. How many times have we heard someone say “that so-and-so has certainly not been doing much because they have not seen him or her ‘doing’ anything”. Measuring, comparing, judging. Or how many times have we been complimented, thanked or noted for something and we replied with something like “I really didn’t do much”. Qualifying, measuring, counting. I wonder how many unspoken ‘enoughs’ there are hidden in there?

    And just for a quick moment I get totally sidetracked and think of Our Lady. From all accounts she did not “do” anything – that we know of. She was an ordinary young woman doing I imagine, what the young women of her time did. But she allowed herself to “be” used – by God. She simply said yes and allowed for it to happen [very deliberate those words]. Not sure how I got here but I have.

    I know that we all need time to rest and become refuelled. I remember early on in AA being reminded that I won’t do any good for anybody, specially myself if I get myself so busy running around and helping my friends to stay sober that I myself start to drink again. Then I will be of no use to anyone, especially myself.

  2. David Morgan says:

    Well, yesterday I had a ‘bad day”. I was in a hurry and got our camper van stuck in the laneway as I had been too lazy to clear that heavy snow that fell last week. I was embarrased, angry and swore. Making things worse as the tow truck winches me out of my predicament, the sewage drain pipe underneath gets ripped off its mooring necessitating a repair.

    After attending to 2 of my appointments and canceling 1, I decided to go away on myself. And have one of those French vanilla coffees from the corners store. Alas their machine was out of order!

    This morning I learned what it is also about. In Job 2:10, Job asks his wife ” We accept the good things in life as a gift from God. Then why should we refuse the bad things?”

    So…I can identify with what Eugene is saying today to take a break for yourself once and awhile. I rejoice for the good things God brings me and will try to better accept the bad things. I will take a break for myself everyday and thank God for both the good and bad things.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *