YOUR WONDERFUL MISSION OF MAKING JESUS CHRIST KNOWN AND EXTENDING HIS KINGDOM AS YOU WALK IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE APOSTLES
Writing to the first four Oblate Missionaries in Jaffna, Eugene stressed what the foundation of their mission had to be.
Not being able to write to you individually, I address myself to all of you, my dear sons, who have been called by God to such a wonderful mission. Do honour to your ministry by practising all the religious virtues. Be faithful in observance of your holy Rule, live in the most perfect union, and conduct yourselves always in accord with obedience…
Do not allow yourselves to be weakened by the heat of the climate. God must be served everywhere with fervour. If I could believe that you would degenerate in that land which you are to soak with the sweat of your brows to recall some to their duties, and to bring the light to others who do not know the true God, I would declare you unworthy of your great vocation and I would regret having chosen you in preference to so many others for your wonderful mission of making Jesus Christ known and extending his kingdom as you walk in the footsteps of the Apostles.
But no, you will never cause me that pain. On the contrary, I will have only to congratulate myself on having entrusted to you the glory of God and the honour of our dear Congregation. So I bless you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit and place you under the motherly protection of Mary Immaculate.
Letter to Fr Etienne Semeria and the pioneer Oblates in Ceylon, 25 January 1848, EO IV (Ceylon) n 2
REFLECTION
Eugene’s mandate continues today in the Mazenodian Family’s wonderful mission of making Jesus Christ known and extending his kingdom as we walk in the footsteps of the Apostles
“By growing in unity of heart and mind, we bear witness before the world that Jesus lives in our midst and unites us in order to send us out to proclaim God’s reign.” (Constitutions and Rules, C37)
“Whoever wishes to become one of us must have an ardent desire for his own perfection, and be enflamed with love for our Lord Jesus Christ and his Church and a burning zeal for the salvation of souls.” (Eugene de Mazenod 1853)
This entry was posted in
WRITINGS. Bookmark the
permalink.
It sounds like it was rough going for those first Oblates in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) which was tropical and rather different from what they were used to experiencing in France. It must have been challenging with the weather, the different kinds of food and culture and on top of that have to deal with the ambitious Fr. Reinaud who was a former Oblate. It seems like the first Oblates who came and were sent to more remote and northerly areas of Canada. They had to let go of much that they knew and had experienced in the life and climate in parts of France.
I have a strong suspicion that all of the members of the Oblate/Mazenodian Family have experienced their own challenges as they try to let go of some of their ways of being, all in order to love and turn over our lives more fully to God and this particular way of being and living.
I remember being on an Oblate retreat some years ago. During one of my pre-dawn walks of praying, and talking with the Beloved that God was asking me to open our time together with the whole world – not just in prayer but my whole life. I was sad and fearful that God was asking for more than I could give and later in the day I talked with the priest who was giving the retreat. Remembering back I do not know how he managed to keep a straight face with that, but he did and he asked me what my scripture studies looked like…
The next day on my morning walk with Jesus I begrudgingly began to pray for all – that they might know and experience the love of God that was growing within me. I began to change some of the wording as I walked with Jesus, but who did not know Him in the way that I was growing into. I prayed for all who down through history and now do not know or experience the God’s love. I began to look and see all through the eyes of the crucified Saviour.
It was then that I began to think of the Eugene’s Rule of Life: to begin praying and reflecting on how they might look in my own life so that I might begin to reflect on the light being planted in my own heart them…