Eugene was so totally convinced of the magnificence of the Oblate vocation and of the obligation to remain faithful to the vows that had been pronounced by the Oblates, that he could not understand how anyone could go back on their word. His harsh reactions when this happened were based on the words of Jesus: “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). Each time that it happened he saw it as a repetition of the dire consequences of the actions of Judas Iscariot – it was a betrayal of Jesus, and a self-condemnation by the person concerned.
When shall we eradicate the seed of Ischariotism amongst us, dear friend, what horror to see repeated unceasingly the most revolting betrayals! It would seem that such monsters should be more rare.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 22 June 1825, EO VI n 184
Our Rule of life points out the ideal for us:
“Jesus “always loved those who were his own in the world,” and to the very end “he showed how perfect his love was” (Jn 13: 1). His Spirit inspires all Christians to constancy in their love. The same Spirit develops in us a close attachment to the Congregation. Our perseverance is thus a sign of Christ’s fidelity to the Father.” CC&RR, Constitution 29
“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” Marie Curie
There is almost a harshness in some of the wording written here today, first of all in Luke’s gospel and then in Eugene’s writing to Henri Tempier. I find myself feeling for the poor man or men who felt they had to leave the congregation for whatever reason.
I recently received a call from one of my brothers, who like me is an alcoholic and addicted to drugs. I was able, through the grace of God, to quit drinking and drugging 34 years ago this past week, while my brother is still suffering, unable to ‘let go and let God’ as they say in AA. He has tried so many times over the past 30 plus years and cannot seem to persevere with it. When he called me I could barely understand him, so slurred were his words. I felt angry with him and he scared me. Angry because he refused to let go and quit the drugs and the alcohol (a sure death when there was life being offered) and scared because I could again be like him in just a heartbeat.
In a time when all of society around us seems to be telling us it is okay to just quit something when it becomes really difficult – perseverance seems to be archaic and ridiculous at best. There have been so many times in the past 34 years that I wanted to give up, to turn my back on forgiveness.
I look at Eugene – an all or nothing type of man. I remember his words about ‘no smoldering wicks’. I wonder if it wasn’t that he loved the men who came to join his community so much that it simply hurt incredibly if they decided they could not stay. I believe we are called, as David said yesterday, to love all of the ‘poor’ including those we want to exclude – be they people who have left our communities, or people like my brother who seem unable to join us. It takes great courage to believe that we are gifted for a particular thing and then even greater courage and perseverance to try to attain that as Marie Curie said.