(Eugene’s eighth “road sign” for the pilgrim)

Eugene, like Jesus, had a sharp eye for discerning where the most abandoned were and then responding to the best of his ability.

“It seems to me that our duty is to rush to where there is the most urgent need”

Eugene’s letter to the Pastor of Barjols, 20 August 1818, EO XIII n 14

“They will have a compassionate charity for the misery of the poor and they will count themselves happy to be able to relieve, in their needs, these suffering members of J.C.”

Eugene de Mazenod’s Rule for the members of his Christian Youth Association  EO XV, n. 135

He described his missionary family as persons

“who are always ready to move quickly at all times and at the least sign to that place where obedience shows us that some good is to be done”

Eugene’s letter to the Archbishop of Aix, 16 December 1819, EO XIII n 27


THE WORD OF GOD

And let people learn to devote themselves to good works in order to meet urgent needs, so that they may not be unproductive.

Titus 3:14

“Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?”
Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them.” [“pauperibus evangelizantur” of the OMI crest)

Matthew 11:3-4


PRAYER

God our Father,
by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
you called St. Eugene de Mazenod
to gather a missionary family
to respond to the most urgent needs.

May we ourselves be your eyes to look with compassion on the world
and be your hands and hearts in responding.

May we receive through the intercession of Saint Eugene
the particular graces we ask for as pilgrims of hope.