ST EUGENE: PILGRIM OF HOPE WITH A FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS MISSIONARY FAMILY

(Eugene’s ninth “road sign” for the pilgrim)

 

St Eugene de Mazenod communicated his zeal for the salvation of souls to his missionary family and sent them into difficult mission situations, where others did not want to go.

In doing so, he always accompanied them with a father’s love and prayer-filled protection.  The sentiments he expresses to Brother Charles, on the occasion of his oblation, are his ongoing sentiments today for every member of his extended charismatic family when we make a commitment in whatever form our state of life permits.

Now you are consecrated to God for life and beyond by your oblation; and I must add in all humility but with great consolation, that thereby I have become your father. I do not know you personally; but since the affection that unites me with my children is essentially supernatural, it is enough for me to know that the Saviour Jesus Christ, our common Master, has received your vows, has adopted you and has marked you with the seal that makes us what we are, so that we are united in the most intimate bonds of charity and that I am bound to you forever as you are to me.

Letter to Brother Charles Baret, at Notre Dame de L’Osier, 18 August 1843

WORD OF GOD

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.  Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he[ is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is.

I John 3: 1-2

PRAYER

God our Father,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
you called St. Eugene de Mazenod
to gather a missionary family
to announce the Gospel
especially among the poor and most abandoned.

May we ourselves be encouraged by his fatherly love and prayers for us,
and receive through his intercession
the particular graces we ask for as pilgrims of hope.

This entry was posted in WRITINGS. Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to ST EUGENE: PILGRIM OF HOPE WITH A FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS MISSIONARY FAMILY

  1. Eleanor Rabnett, Lay Oblate says:

    I think of the last day of a retreat, a sending out, a repeated call to leave from the mountain top and return to the world; wrapped in a mantle of love, courage and some wisdom so as to begin to recognise how “we will be like him… see him as he is.” Imagine what it might be like to always see him as he is, on the cross and resurrected in glory – in each of the people we meet along the way.

    Today is our last day of our novena – which is not yet over, but where I am reminded of how we must prepare to step back into daily life.

    It is in love that we are sent to where others do not want to go and it is in recognition of that love that we say yes, making and renewing our oblation which in itself is born out of the love that is first given to us.

    This is how Eugene and each one of us who are his sons and daughters are able to love, to make our oblation, allowing it to become our ‘modus operandi’.

    A familial way of loving – even those who we have not yet met or know personally – a love that binds us together since it and we are rooted in the love that is the heart of Jesus. This is the model that Eugene chose to live and that he invites us to follow as we journey with him.

    We come down the mountain singing praise and thanksgiving.

    We come down the mountain as brothers and sisters in this Mazenodian Oblate Family.

    We come down as pilgrims of hope, renewed, refreshed and refilled with passion born out of love.

    We are sent and go out, alone and together, sons and daughters of Eugene, walking with him as pilgrims of hope.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *