Eugene, writing in the third person, as the “Director”, for the official Diary of the Youth Congregation spoke about the importance of his baptism anniversary on 2 August.
The Reverend Director reminded the congregants that the next day would be his birthday, but that this commemoration had no value in his eyes. What is infinitely more precious for him is the anniversary of his baptism which took place on August 2, 1782. He begged all the congregants to help him thank God for so great a grace, for which he declared he can never be grateful enough and asked them to join their prayers with his, which stand in need of this support if he is to summon up the hope of seeing them accepted by God.
Diary of the Aix Christian Youth Congregation, 31 July 1814, O.W. XVI,
The next Diary entry refers to this event:
A number of congregants thought they could find no better way of following the Director’s wishes than by coming and assisting and uniting themselves with the Holy Mass he offered this morning in the chapel of the Congregation.
On this anniversary of Eugene’s baptism, I look at the contrast in how some of us commemorate our birthdays and baptisms. It has only been in the 2nd half of my life that I truly celebrate my birthday and my baptism (celebrating being a giving thanks to God for having given me life and consecrating me as his own).
It is not so much a hope that God will accept us, as it is a belief and trust (which is the true gift). It happened in an instant more than forty years ago – that transformation within my being that Verghese speaks of.
This morning has been a time of remembrance and celebration; of giving thanks to God for life, for belonging and I find myself singing Schutte’s “Though the Mountains May Fall” – a promise of our life to come.
We celebrate with Eugene.