BY THEIR CONSECRATION THEY GIVE THEMSELVES TO THE CHURCH WITHOUT RESERVATION

Posted on October 28, 2022 by franksantucci

“God never said that the journey would be easy, but God did say that the arrival would be worthwhile” (Max Lucado)

Eugene’s charge to the Oblate novice master refers to the spirit of oblation, not only for the vowed Oblates, but for every lay person who embraces the spirituality given to us by Saint Eugene.

Do not fear these beginnings, even if they are a bit painful. What is essential is that they fully grasp the spirit of our Institute, which includes all that is needed for the formation of a religious man.

Keep repeating to the novices that by their consecration they give themselves to the Church without reservation, that they completely die to the world, to their families and to themselves;

Letter to Father Santoni, Master of Novices at N.-D. de L’Osier, 16 March 1846, EO X n 892

Our lay members of the Mazenodian Family obviously are not asked to ” die to the world, to their families” – but through the world and through their families to give themselves to the Savior, and his body, the Church. Dying to ourselves is the foundation of discipleship, so that we can say with John the Baptist: “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30)

Today’s Oblate Constitutions and Rules put it this way:

Novitiate formation ends with a free and faith-filled commitment in the Oblate Congregation. The novice, having experienced the Father’s love in Jesus, dedicates his life to making that love visible. He entrusts his fidelity to the one whose Cross he shares, whose promises are his hope. (C59)

Many lay Oblates make “a free and faith-filled commitment” to God and the poor through the Mazenodian spirituality and way of life – “having experienced the Father’s love in Jesus, they dedicate their lives to making that love visible. They entrust their fidelity to the one whose Cross they share, whose promises are their hope.”

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One Response to BY THEIR CONSECRATION THEY GIVE THEMSELVES TO THE CHURCH WITHOUT RESERVATION

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate says:
    October 28, 2022 at 13:06

    I look at Frank’s final words and my heart sings. Then I open Jetté’s treatment of the Constitutions and Rules to quickly read his comments on Article 59. And I laugh to myself only because this has been my own experience, but which has not always been recognized by myself or some others. Still, one step after another… “did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). Bishop Robert Barron on speaking about this writes: “that story conveys a truth that runs sharply counter to our sensibilities: even the most powerful familial emotions must, in the end, give way to mission.”

    I remember my introduction to the group of former Oblates and their spouses, a couple of Oblates and some parish staff members whose spirituality (as I was told) was very similar to mine. The beginning of a life of intentional and ever deepening oblation, loving service and discipleship in a very specific way. And “through the world and through their families to give themselves to the Saviour, and his body, the Church”.

    I am able to state “having experienced the Fathers love in Jesus, I dedicate my life to making that love visible. I entrust my fidelity to the one whose Cross I share, whose promises are my hope.” My heart has found its home, in and with the Mazenodian Family.

    In my life since meeting Jesus, I have found myself jumping from “A” to “K” and then having to go back and figure out the meaning of “B, C, D… Each step a deepening of the other – although I was not always able to see that at the time.

    My experience has been a matter of the Beloved loving first and then everything else growing out from that. My heart which for so long was lost was found and gathered into the most tender of embraces and now I get to go out and help lead others into that experience of God themselves.

    “We must lead men and women to act like human beings, first of all, and then like Christians, and, finally, we must help them to become saints.” (The Preface) It is this that we do with each other and those to whom we are sent.

    Reply

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