YOUR WEAK BODY OPERATES IN RESPONSE TO THE WILL OF YOUR ACTIVE SPIRIT

“When Father de Mazenod left for Marseilles in 1823, Father Courtès was appointed superior of the house in Aix, a post he held until his death… The only break in Father Courtès’ stay in Aix was the founding of the house in Limoges in November 1847. To get this community off to a good start, the Founder wanted a man in whom he had complete confidence, and so he chose Father Courtès as interim superior… On February 22, 1848, the General Council noted that Father Courtès was courageously and admirably fulfilling the duties entrusted to him in Limoges. He was definitely back at Aix in August 1848. Here he stayed until he died on June 3, 1863.” (https://www.omiworld.org/lemma/courtes-jean-joseph-hippolyte/)

When Courtès had finished in Limoges and returned to Aix, Eugene wrote a note of admiration and encouragement:

You are truly an admirable man, my dear Courtès. Your weak body operates in response to the will of your active spirit, and you make it do what you want. I cannot tell you how I rejoice seeing you get into action and showing what you are worth. I am all the happier that, everything considered, your health is better when you are active.

Letter to Hippolyte Courtès in Aix, 18 August 1848, EO X n 984

Eleven years earlier, Eugene had expressed similar sentiments:

Dear friend, convince yourself well that I would like to provide you with everything you could wish for at the cost of my own rest; that I feel your sufferings as if they were my own, that the day you will be satisfied, I will be overcome by joy; but my dear son, why do you consider yourself to be merely an ordinary member of the Congregation?

In my opinion, you are one of its pivotal points, you form part of the structure’s foundations, you are identified and united with the Head, and so you must expect to experience all the vicissitudes, to withstand all the shocks, to fight offensively and defensively according to the Institute’s need.

This is a kind of solidarity which you and an infinitely small number of others share with me.

Letter to Hippolyte Courtès, 5 March 1837, EO IX n 607

REFLECTION

Despite his poor health, Hippolyte Courtès was totally dedicated and determined to preach the Gospel and always be of assistance to the most abandoned in Aix.

“If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else.” ― Booker T. Washington