While Eugene is in Paris to regulate the business of the Missionaries, he has time to look back and reflect on the 18 months of the life of the Missionaries of Provence. From the context of what he writes it becomes clear that he is drafting the first Rule of life for the Missionaries (it would only be finalised a year later in November 1818). It is the Rule for a community, and it needed to express the foundational spirit already being lived by the group.<\/p>\n
His reflection touches the heart of community life: it must be born from a relationship with God. As one is in communion with all the manifestations of the Sacred in everyday life, so then is there the birth of a new reality.<\/p>\n
\nVenerable Paul of the Cross, founder of the Congregation of discalced Clerks of the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ, whose life I am presently reading, said \u201cle fondazioni devono essere parto della orazione\u201d <\/strong>[ed. prayer must give birth to foundations], which is to say that it is by prayer that foundations are laid.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
And thus with nothing he accomplished many things.<\/strong><\/h5>\n
If we knew how to pray better, we would have more courage<\/strong>.<\/h5>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\u00a0Letter to Henri Tempier, 12 August 1817, O.W. VI n. 20<\/em><\/p>\n
If we try to live as fully as possible in communion with the many ways in which God is present each day, then we will have courage to make a difference in our world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
While Eugene is in Paris to regulate the business of the Missionaries, he has time to look back and reflect on the 18 months of the life of the Missionaries of Provence. From the context of what he writes it … Continue reading