Eugene, as Missionary Oblate and as bishop, was never happier than when he was bringing the consolation of the Savior to those who were the most abandoned. He wnoted in his diary:<\/p>\n
October 17: Among the other duties of today, Confirmation to a young child in danger of death. I had to climb to the fifth floor; but how a bishop feels compensated in his spiritual paternity when he is surrounded by a crowd of these good people who belong to the poorer classes and who are edified to see their pastor come close to them to console the most abandoned of his flock in their suffering.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
In the days before electricity and elevators, the poorer people of the city of Marseilles lived on the top floors of buildings. Hence the following detail as Eugene climbed up dark staircases:<\/p>\n
The residents of each floor put a light on their doorstep for these occasions and they kneel to receive my blessing.<\/strong>
\nThe room of the sick child was decorated like an Altar of Repose on Holy Thursday and was filled with charitable neighbours who had come to be present at the ceremony. On this occasion the child was very well disposed. He sighed a moment after my arrival and his joy at seeing me was very moving. He received the sacrament of Confirmation with admirable sentiments.<\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\nEugene de Mazenod\u2019s Diary, 17 October 1838, EO XIX<\/em><\/p>\n
Each day Jesus comes to my home in prayer, in Scripture and through the lives of others: how do I “decorate” my life to receive Him?<\/p>\n
“Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, \u201cDo you see this woman? When I entered your house, you did not give me water for my feet, but she has bathed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but she has not ceased kissing my feet since the time I entered. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she anointed my feet with ointment. So I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven; hence, she has shown great love.”<\/em> (Luke 7: 44-47)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Eugene, as Missionary Oblate and as bishop, was never happier than when he was bringing the consolation of the Savior to those who were the most abandoned. He wnoted in his diary: October 17: Among the other duties of today, … Continue reading