“What more sublime purpose than that of their Institute! Their founder is Jesus Christ, the very Son of God; their first fathers are the Apostles. They are called to be the Saviour’s co-workers, the co-redeemers of mankind” (Eugene de Mazenod 1818 Rule)
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“My call is to be a cooperator of the Savior and to assist those in my faith community who are dedicated to be and do the same.”
I take this to heart. I do not know if it was Eugene himself who said this, or Frank or someone else but is the key message that touches me this morning.
So often my own desire to stand out in a crowd, to do it “my way”, to do it all by myself because I secretly believe (or want to believe) that God has spoken only to me, leads me astray and so I might tend to listen to my own message rather than God’s. My own ego can be like the morning mists that quickly role in obscuring all that is out there and so I see only a few shapes around my residence.
Prayer and discernment can illuminate those mists, allowing me to see the bigger picture.
Fairly recently we got a new “Chief Pastor” (Archbishop) to lead our diocese. And during the Synodal Process taking place this past year he requested that we share what was lacking or what more we wanted to see in our parishes – yes to be able to send up our message to be incorporated into the messages going to Rome for the 2023 Synod of Bishops – but also so that he and those who worked with and for the diocese – how they could better serve us in the pews.
Carrying on the work of Jesus’s first disciples who he himself sent out. We are not doing the sending, but rather we are the ‘sent’. The words “Apostolic Community” come to mind.
Loving service and discipleship. I think of Mary, the Mother of God whose name we carry and her words “let it be done unto me according to your word”. Her ‘fiat’, her oblation… She is our model of how to say yes to loving service and discipleship.
I dare to repeat: “My call is to be a cooperator of the Saviour and to assist those in my faith community who are dedicated to be and do the same.” I need, I want to keep these words before me, to be a reminder of who I am called to be.