-
Recent Posts
- FOR THE REST, I DO MY BEST TO LEAVE IT TO GOD
- GOD ALONE KNOWS HOW TO REWARD WHAT WE HAVE DONE FOR HIM. SO, WE MUST DO EVERYTHING TO PLEASE HIM
- IT IS A CONSOLATION FOR ME TO BREATHE THE SAME AIR, TO OFFER THE HOLY SACRIFICE ON THE SAME ALTARS, TO BE ABLE TO PRAY AT HIS TOMB
- THERE IS NOT A CORNER OF ROME WHICH IS NOT A MONUMENT OF FAITH OR PIETY
- THE ROMAN MARTYRS ARE STILL THE OBJECT OF VENERATION OF PEOPLES
Recent Comments
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on FAITH-FOCUSED INVESTMENT GROUPS: A PRESENCE WHERE DECISIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE POOR ARE BEING MADE (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on VIVAT: A PRESENCE WHERE DECISIONS AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF THE POOR ARE BEING MADE (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on WE SHOW A VERY HUMAN FACE OF JESUS TO THE WORLD, ONE FULL OF COMPASSION AND SOLIDARITY (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on JUSTICE, PEACE AND THE INTEGRITY OF CREATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF EVANGELIZATION (Rule 9a)
- Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate on WALKING THE LINE BETWEEN PROPHETIC VISION AND SPIRITUAL SUSTENANCE (CONSTITUTION 9)
Archives
Meta
-
“A father’s communication with his many children… that is one of the most agreeable occupations of my life” 1857
For much of my life I did not have a sense of “being” enough and so my life was a never-ending effort of doing. Even after meeting Jesus and hearing him say my name I was unable to change. I sometimes wondered why God had made me this way, and at times I took inverted pride in being the way I was.
It took constant love and care to help me to be able to see myself and develop a sense of worth of myself. I am reminded of the Good Shepherd who never gave up on his sheep, and who repeatedly rounded them up, led them to nourishment and protected them. God truly being the shepherd and caring for the sheep.
I met St. Eugene de Mazenod, was introduced to him by several of his sons. I found myself heeding his invitation to stand at the foot of my crucifix to read and hear his letter. I began to recognise that I wanted to become human, Christian, and a saint. I listened to him even when I did not like what he had to say and as I got to know him, I began to love him, this most human of saints. I found myself walking with him and sharing in his charism, his spirit. This was/is foundational for me.
So, when he spoke, and when he speaks through his sons and daughters, I have learned to listen and take heed. I got tired of his constant reminders to have regularity in ourlives and now I find myself speaking about the same thing as way of ‘being’ from which the ‘doing’ flows. To take care of myself so that I am able to be who God created me to be; to take care of not just my heart and soul but this vessel which holds them.
We do not always realise that we need to take care of ourselves; as Eugene said, we are precious, not only to God but to each other. This is Eugene who is mother/father to all of us in this Mazenodian Family.