EACH ONE MUST MAKE THE MOST OF THE MEASURE OF TALENTS THE LORD HAS GIVEN HIM

Eugene’s advice regarding the formation of future Oblate missionaries in times of religious antagonism and persecution:

In a word, at all costs candidates, be they who they may, must be ready to do everything required for the completion of their studies and so prepare themselves for the service of the Church whose teachings are under attack from able opponents.
My concern is not to drag out the period of formation.
The essential is that nothing remain buried, that each one make the most of the measure of talents the Lord has given him; in a word, that a man is in a state of readiness to defend the truth and the sacred deposit of faith, not only with prayer, but by word and the pen if need be.

Letter to Jean Baptiste Mille, 6 June 1831, EO VIII n 393

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1 Response to EACH ONE MUST MAKE THE MOST OF THE MEASURE OF TALENTS THE LORD HAS GIVEN HIM

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    Last Sunday after Mass a friend and I decided to go for brunch and catch up on each other’s lives. I was describing to him the course I am taking, how it is such a wonderful challenges, how exciting and life giving it is, how it is calling me to reflect on my own life – all this while describing in a general way the contents so far. At one point my friend’s eyes filled with tears and he told me he was so happy to see me filled with such joy and life. And then he shared with me the things in his life that fill him with deep joy and wonder – his grandchildren and his singing every week in the church choir. He does very good works for others during the week, but the joy that he gets, especially from his singing – nothing can compare to that.

    There we were looking at how God seems still to be reforming us, reshaping us, not by smashing what we are but by building on what is already there, bringing that out into the light. He and I have known each other for more than 20 years and I don’t think we have ever shared with each other in such an open and honest fashion. What a gift it was Sunday morning to discover where the Lord is leading each of us. What a joy for us to recognize in the other the gifts that God has given to us.

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