Doing the review of his life during his annual retreat, Eugene began by examining his duties as a Christian by highlighting the following areas:
The examination of my general duties as a Christian must extend to all the commandments of God and the Church, the capital sins, natural evil tendencies, dominant faults, the heart’s affections.
The annual retreats of the Oblates were usually according to the spirit and method of Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. We catch a glimpse of this approach in the way in which Eugene understands that it was not enough to identify what was wrong in his life, but that he had to discern the causes and origins so as to tackle the areas of change at their roots. Without understanding the root cause, it would be difficult to change.
In all these areas I must go a little beyond simply the present moment to lay bare the root of the vices and the source of all the spirit’s disorders.
Examination of conscience, October 1826, EO XV n 157
Together with Eugene, let us respond by enriching the present moment by prayerfully reflecting on the root causes of our behaviour.
“Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil.” Plato
“Together with Eugene, let us respond by enriching the present moment by prayerfully reflecting on the root causes of our behaviour.” I purposely chose this paraphrasing of Eugene’s words because although Eugene was examining his conscience for all that might be wrong in his life and the cause of that, I wanted to look at the root cause of even all that is right in my life. And because I am still on the mountain top that God brought me to yesterday afternoon and evening. Psalm 139 tells us “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” It is the ‘both and’, the fearfully and wonderfully made. Yesterday, with my brothers and sisters, with Oblates and Oblates Associates, with some of those who I love most dearly I made my commitment to the Oblates of OMI Lacombe Province and then received my cross I experienced most surely some of the most joyous moments of my life, and in the same moments knowing that the cross would most surely become at times unbearably heavy. But yesterday and even today are time for celebration and so I focus in on the joy which is still with me. The root cause when I look is not of me myself, for this is all beyond anything that I could manufacture or ever dream up. The root cause is God and God’s infinite tender mercy. Only that and the love and prayers of those around me could bring me to this mountain top where I sit with so many others, my brothers and sisters, Eugene himself and Jesus who is our all, my all. I will go now to show Jesus my cross, not because God needs to or cannot see it, but because I need to show it and because very soon I will descend from the mountain top but before I begin I must speak the joy and wonder, the gratitude that fills my heart. The root cause of this all is God and the life given to me.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord
And my spirit exalts in God my Savior
For He has looked with mercy on my lowliness
And my name will be forever exalted
For the mighty God has done great things for me
An His mercy will reach from age to age
And holy, holy, holy is His name
He has mercy in every generation
He has revealed His power and His glory
He has cast down the mighty in their arrogance
And has lifted up the meek and the lowly
He has come to help His servant Israel
He remembered His promise to our fathers
And holy, holy, holy is His name
And holy, holy, holy is His name