“The more I go on, the more I am confounded, astonished, ravished by our lofty destiny.” From the 1831 retreat of St. Eugene (163:XV in Oblate Writings)

I sat with this – most certainly this was Eugene speaking to and about his congregation, his sons, the Oblates. And yet I do not want to separate this from my life, from what God has invited me to live and partake in. This is not a one-time feeling or experience, but rather I am aware of it quite often and it can only grow as time passes, going deeper and deeper within so that it becomes an integral part of who I am. To buy into it, to let go of all else so as to make perfect room for this most awesome love in my life – How shall I do that? But God always gives as a way, a path, even signposts to follow. And I am reminded of what St. Eugene advised us of yesterday. A conscious, decision and way of being that occurs not just once but daily, hourly and perhaps with every breath. And in the midst of confusion and astonishment, consumed by a fire that at the same time lavishes limitless and unimaginable love and life within we find ourselves in varying degrees which might appear to be a little extreme, over the top and ‘above the norm’. We seem to exist and live by ‘going all the way’, not limiting to what is simply demanded, in the words of Eugene by giving our “all for God.”

Living above the norm – how each of us is called to live our lives, not just for religious and a select few, but for all of us; giving ourselves totally and utterly to God without limiting ourselves. It will not always look the same but I believe that it is most possible when we do this together, in cooperation with each other.

I seem quite unable to settle for anything less.