EUGENE DE MAZENOD WAS ONE OF THOSE APOSTLES WHO PREPARED MODERN TIMES, OUR TIMES

From the homily of Pope John Paul 2 at the canonization ceremony of Eugene de Mazenod on the First Sunday of Advent, 3 December 1995:

PRAYER OF EUGENE DE MAZENOD

You, you alone will be the sole object to which will tend all my affections and my every action. To please you, act for your glory, will be my daily task, the task of every moment of my life. I wish to live only for you, I wish to love you alone and all else in you and through you. I despise riches, I trample honours under foot; you are my all, replacing all else. My God, my love and my all: Deus meus et omnia.

Notes made during the retreat in preparation for priestly ordination, December 1-21, E.O. XIV n.95

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1 Response to EUGENE DE MAZENOD WAS ONE OF THOSE APOSTLES WHO PREPARED MODERN TIMES, OUR TIMES

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Oblate Associate says:

    I feel as if the universe has shifted this morning as I sit and read over and over again the words of Pope John Paul II in his homily at Eugene’s, St. Eugene de Mazenod’s canonization Mass. “We have before us forever a second coming of the Son of Man, of Christ. […] Eugene de Mazenod… a man of Advent, a man of Coming. […] he dedicated his whole life to preparing it. […] Eugene de Mazenod was one of those apostles who prepared modern times, our times.

    “Alter Christus”. To think that until just very recently I had never heard that of that idea or term and yet here we have it described and realized in our Founder, our teacher, our friend and companion…

    I find myself stopping to catch my breath; of wanting to laugh and to cry in the same moment. This is what Jesus, our crucified Saviour has done for us, this is what the Church has opened up for us – and not just for some Saints, not just the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, not just priests, and not just for members of the Mazenodian Family… For all and every one of us who make up the family of God.

    I feel like a deer in the night; caught in the headlights of a great and oncoming vehicle… “We must lead mankind to act like human beings… then like Christians… and finally we must help them to become saints.”

    All of our secret desires, hopes and promises and Eugene shedding his light on all of this. It is all possible, it is all held out to us. Big and small. Intensely communal and personal all in the same breath. Shockingly wondrous.

    Dear Saint Eugene, our man of Advent who gave your whole life to living this out, sharing with all of us then, now and still to come. “I wish to live only for you, I wish to love you alone and all else in you and through you.”

    “Come, let me show you who you are in the eyes of God”.

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