The Holy Spirit inspires certain groups and individuals to a deep understanding of one particular word or aspect of God, which then becomes the focus of their way of life and of their ministry. Religious Orders and Congregations and Ecclesial Movements usually become a living expression of their particular evangelical focus. When Eugene wrote to his community, during his time of convalescence, it is to this that he referred:
I wish you to change the end of our litanies; instead of saying Jesus sacerdos [ed. Jesus, priest], we must say Christe salvator [ed. Christ, saviour].
That is the aspect under which we ought to contemplate our divine Master.
Letter addressed to “our dear brothers, the missionaries at Aix”,
July 1816, O.W. VI n 12
This sentence is of vital importance to the understanding of the identity of the members of the Mazenodian family. The conversion experience of Eugene had brought him to the realization that Jesus Christ was Saviour in his personal life, and it was this aspect of God that would be the guiding focus of Eugene’s life and ministry. The Saviour would thus be the guiding focus of the Oblates, whom Eugene referred to as the “Saviour’s co-operators”.
I cannot forget Eugene’s Good Friday Experience which he would later speak of the time when “his eyes met mine”. Nor can I forget how Eugene invited Henri Tempier to stand at the foot of his crucifix before reading the rest of Eugene’s letter, and how as Frank invited us to look with the focus of vocation “through the eyes of the crucified Saviour”. (p=283 of Eugene de Mazenod speaks to us)
This morning’s reflection has led me to recall my own personal experiences of Jesus on the cross, of him who is my crucified Saviour. One of them seems to stand out from the others only because I am aware of my schedule for this morning (otherwise I would spend my day reviewing how God has touched me). I was sitting before a large (Oblate) cross and I was able to hold him in my arms as I kissed his wounds. When I looked up through the noise and smells he was back on the cross.
I was forever changed.
It was this connecting our hearts, when his heart met mine that concretized how I was forever to see Jesus on the Cross, to see through the eyes of our crucified Saviour which then altered how I see all others. My heart’s eyes seeing as one all who I meet; transforming me so to become one of the “Saviour’s co-operators”.