LET’S BE PATIENT AND WAIT UNTIL THE GOOD GOD GIVES THE ORDER
Father Telmon was a missionary fireball whose enthusiasm knew no limits. We will come across many examples of this in later entries. His enthusiasm was not always practical, however, as this entry in Eugene’a diary shows.
Letter from Father Telmon who urges me to accept the proposal made by the bishop of Toronto to establish ourselves in his city. “Through this diocese, we would find ourselves in charge of missions to the indigenous. We would have the most vast field for the zeal of those who would have worked there and most promising for building up the morale of the novices of Europe. The Jesuits will be going there.”
What is to be done, my good Father Telmon, in order to be adequate for all the work, it would be necessary to be as numerous as these Fathers. The time has not yet come. Let’s be patient and wait until the good God gives the order.
Eugene de Mazenod’s Diary, 9 December 1842, EO XXI
Good advice for our daily lives and concerns.
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Eugene recognized it was not a competition and that it was not up to the Oblates alone. Wait until God wills it, until God calls us to it.
Today we recognize how the Oblates did carry the Church across this land and up through the north. I think of the many Oblates I know who wanted to be sent to foreign missions, who specifically requested that once their studies were through and who were denied that particular opportunity in order to stay to teach, to do administrative work, and to be pastors in small churches and parishes across this vast area of land. Their oblation being lived out to where and who they were sent and in their own ways evangelizing those to whom they were sent – and themselves.
This speaks loudly to Oblate Associates in their various states of life according to their milieu and cultures. We must be equally patient and respond to God’s orders to us and not just to our own wishes and dreams. It requires trust and patience, with our faith being like a small lantern that gives off only enough light so that we and are neighbours can see the ground our feet are walking on. We too “share in the charism in a spirit of communion and reciprocity amongst [ourselves] and with the Oblates”.
God speaks to us through all of creation; we wait, and we listen – alone and with others. And hopefully we might see the fruit of our labours in our children, our colleagues, our friends and each other.
It is in this way that we become living Gospels, in much the same was as did the first disciples, as Blessed Joseph Gerard, and the many saints and martyrs.
“Let’s be patient and wait until the good God gives the order.”
Not good with patience at times. I’m much more likely to pray “Dear God, grant me patience… and I want it now!”
The sentence also reminded me of Fr Bob Bedard, founder of the Companions of the Cross, telling of his efforts to build his parish without success, and finally understanding that he had left God out of his equation, and had to follow the saying to “let go and let God”.