NOUVELLES DE LA VICE PROVINCE

«ON THE ROAD TO HOLINESS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JOHN EUDES»

With our baptism Jesus lives through us

We are called to be witnesses of God's holiness in this community of believers, the Churchof Jesus Christandin the world whichit is her mission toguide and sanctify.The founding moment of our vocation is our baptism which recreated usand whichgave us an identity badge for a new and eternal life.

Saint John Eudes admirably translated this reality that inspired his whole life and thathe wanted to communicate to his disciples: "At mybaptism, I received from you (Father)anew life,alldivine.Father, Iam your child, at every moment renewmewith your love!What dignity,what greatnessto be a Christian!" O.CII, p.168-173).When we decided to deepen our baptismal life by joining the Eudist family, itwas to better answer day by day Christ's call to be saints:"Ashe who called you isholy,be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,for it is written:“ Be holybecauseI amholy"(1 Peter1:15-16).The apostles and after them the early Christians who have faithfully followed the example of Jesus strived to put into practice the exhortation to become saints.

Extract from the Acts of the Apostles

"They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread, and to the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles.All who believed were together, and had all things in common; they would sell their property and possessions and divide them among all according to each one’s need.Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple area and to breaking bread in their homes. They ate their meals with exultation and sincerity of heart, praisingGod and enjoying favor with all the people.  And every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.(Acts. 2, 42-47).

Let us Thank the Lord

At the heart of this faith is love, which the Lord gave as example and which he made his principal commandment:« If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love».(Jn 15, 10).

Song of thanksgiving(suggested) :«I give you a new law to love one another as I have loved you».  (Reference: Alpec, 5  Action de grâces, music Rénald Hébert)

Let us meditate on this commandment of love in the words of Saint John Eudes

Christian life must be the continuation of the very holy life Jesus lived on earth.

«Not only is Jesus, Son of God and Son of man, King of men and of angels, our God, our Savior and our Sovereign Lord; he is also our Head and we are members of his body, as St. Paul puts it, bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh. It follows that we are united to him in the most intimate union possible, comparable to the link there is between members and their head.  Spiritually, we are united to him by faith and by the grace he gave us in holy Baptism.  Bodily we are united to him by the union of his most holy body with ours in the Blessed Eucharist.                                                                                    As a necessary consequence, just as the members are animated by the spirit of the head and live of the same life, we too must be animated by the spirit of the head and live of the same life, and we too must be animated by the spirit of Jesus, live of his life, walk in his ways, be clothed with his sentiments and inclinations, perform all our actions with the same dispositions and intentions with which he acted.  In a word, we must continue and fulfill the life, religion and devotion which he had on earth». O.C.1 p161-162

Let us meditate on this exhortation to live a holy life following Jesus, in words of today.

«We need to work together to highlight the sanctity of the world created by God, to show that the Spirit is at work there and that we are the dowels.

Our educational institutions, our families, our towns and cities where we ensure the growth of a happy youth and citizens involved in noble and sustainable causes; the factories and laboratories where we improve living conditions; our hospitals, clinics, homes for the elderly where we relieve disease, suffering, abandonment and loneliness;  the associations where we create favorable conditions for the establishment of peace, justice and happiness; our Christian communities where we work to reiterate the message of love and reconciliation inspired by our mad love for Christ, that is the soil in which we plant daily the seeds of holiness from which new models emerge now and will continue to emerge in the future.

We do it with our eyes and heart fixed on Christ of whom we are the active witnesses in everything we do. St. John Eudes expresses in his own way how we can, in all that we do, prolong the life of Christ and become role models for the men and women of today: "When I pray, I continue his prayer,(delete a space) when I work it is his life's work that continues, when I am in touch with others, he is there, when I eat or rest, in all my actions ... he is with me: (O.C 1, p161). (Extract from the conference given by Bishop Gerald C. Lacroix, Archbishop of Quebec and Primate of Canada, to the Eudist community in Quebec, November 13, 2012, p. 9).

Conclusion

In the Footsteps of St. John Eudes, we commit happily to the mission. The Lord calls us, let us not delay! It is in the fidelity to the call of the Lord, to serve our brothers and sisters, that we learn, day by day to fulfill our call to become "perfect as our Father is perfect" (Mt 5 48). Brothers and sisters let us imitate Christ. He is the ultimate model of holiness. In deep communion with him, we will be the saints that our world needs to stand up and find the path to hope and to life in abundance."(Conference of Bishop Gérald Lacroix C., p. 10)

Hail Mary

«Your heart is all welcoming, it is the abode of the Holy Spirit. Help usto let ourselves be set on fire by this Spirit of love so to give Christ to the world, today.»

(Extract O. C. VIII, p.429-431)

Note: some unofficial translations