Opening Prayer Service
St.
Sebastian Church, Madison
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
O Salutaris
A few minutes of silent adoration
Introduction to the pilgrimage/the life of Fr. Rale
“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” - Luke 12:49-51
Imagine living in France in the
17th century. It is the center of civilization and culture. There is
good food, family, friends, a comfortable life. What more could you want?
Now imagine leaving it all
behind. You will never see your family or friends again. For weeks you will
sail on the open ocean, not knowing whether you will ever reach the other
shore. Then you will leave the French colony which is spartan enough as it is and
go into the wilderness guided by people you have never met who share none of
your language or customs.
Then you arrive at your
destination. You are the only one of the French among these native people.
They’re not sure whether to trust you or not; you either prove yourself to them
or they might decide your dangerous and either exile or kill you. Assuming your
survive that, then you have to survive the winter. The snow falls and the food soon
disappears. Your only tools for hunting are spears and arrows: the guns of the
Frenchman are not here. And perhaps, in the midst of this harsh and difficult
life, you wonder to yourself, why did you ever do this?
Welcome to the world of the
North American missionaries; welcome to the world of Fr. Sebastian Rale. Fr.
Rale preached here in Madison and Norridgewock. He founded a mission to the
Abenaki people by the name of Narantsouack. He gave his life to brining them
the good news of the gospel; to baptizing them, bringing them the sacrament, caring
for the sick, and catechizing their children. These are all good things, but what
could possibly drive a man to do such a thing under such harsh circumstances?
His whole life is back and France and he leaves it all. He knows he will never
return and he knows his chances of an early death are high.
So what drove to him to this? Duty?
Duty’s not enough. I would imagine that if you attempted to do something like
that out of pure duty, you would soon conclude that whoever told you to do this
was harsh and cruel and not worth obeying. Perhaps some neurosis could drive a
man to throw himself in the wilderness like this? For many moderns this is all
they can imagine, but when you read the letters of Fr. Rale, his mind is all
too clear.
What drove Fr. Rale to go into
the woods, preaching Christ to the natives? It was love: Christ’s love. Once
you have encountered the love of Christ, it is too intense to keep it to
yourself. It is a fire that burns within you and it cannot be contained. By its
very nature and intensity it has to spread and Fr. Rale experienced that. He
was called by Christ and driven by love to make this love known to those who
did not know it. That’s what drove him out here, in spite of all the obstacles
and all the risks. It was love.
You are about to spend the next
few hours following in the footsteps of this early Maine missionary. You will
have a chance to reflect on what he was driven to do out of love for Christ, how
the love of Christ sustained him in very difficult situations and how that love
burned brightly in the darkness.
But while you are retracing his
journey, remember that you are beginning a journey of your own. Christ is
calling you too: each and every one of you. He loves you with the same love
with which he loved Fr. Rale, with which He loved the Abenakis, with which He
loved the whole world. That love is powerful and just it ignited a flame in the
heart of Fr. Rale, so too it can ignite a flame in your own heart. He is
calling you too to make this love known to the far corners of the world. What
the particulars look like you may not yet know, but He is calling nevertheless.
So for the next few minutes, I
invite you to speak with Christ and prepare for this journey. He may have
things to tell you: resolve to keep your heart open. He may bring you places
you never expected: resolve to trust Him and follow Him. But for now, He is
there, pouring His love out onto you whether you realize it just yet or not. So
sit at His feet, place your head close to His heart and ask for the graces you
need as you prepare yourself for this journey.
For Reflection (20 minutes of silent adoration and
reflection)
Where in your families, in your neighborhoods, or in your
communities are people in need of love?
Have you been attentive to this longing for love around you? How
have you responded to it? How will you respond to it in the future?
How have you brought Christ’s light into these dark situations?
How will you do so going forward? Ask for Christ to give you His heart and
resolve to love with His love.
Prayer before the Blessed Sacrament
When you are ready, go kneel before the Blessed Sacrament, light a candle and address Our Lord:
Jesus,
light my heart ablaze with your love. Set on fire, may I radiate the warmth of your
love and the brightness of your Truth to the farthest corners of the world.
Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like yours!
St. Ignatius’s Prayer of Generosity
Teach me,
Lord, to be generous,
to serve
you as you deserve.
To give
and not to count the cost,
To fight
and not to heed the wound,
To toil
and not to seek for rest,
To labor
and to ask for no reward,
Save that
of knowing, that I do your will. Amen.
Benediction
Tantum Ergo
Divine Praises
Holy God We Praise Thy Name
Station 1
Going
Boldly Where Christ Calls
Near the
bridge between Madison and Anson
Lord Jesus Christ
-
Teach me
to serve You as You deserve.
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his brother
It once happened to me, in crossing the river St. Lawrence, that I
suddenly found myself surrounded by masses of ice of an enormous size; the
canoe was cracked by them. The two Savages who were piloting me immediately
cried out: “We are dead men; all is over; we must perish!” Notwithstanding,
they made an effort, and jumped upon one of those floating cakes of ice. I did
likewise; and, after having drawn the canoe out of the water, we carried it to
the very edge of the ice; and thus, by jumping from cake to cake we at last
came to the bank of the river, without any other inconvenience than being very
wet and benumbed with cold.
Reflection:
In a moment, you will have a chance to step out on that bridge and
look over the river. Imagine for a moment a river several times the width, in
the middle of winter, and imagine being in a sinking canoe in the half frozen
water. This was mild compared to other risks and dangers the missionaries
faced. Living off the wild, warding off starvation, enduring the wind and cold,
being exposed to the elements.
Christ called these men to preach in the wilderness and these
risks were part and parcel of that call. If they were to follow the call, that
had to accept that these dangers would be apart of it. They were called to a
great adventure, with all its rewards and all of its risks.
Christ is calling you too to a great adventure. What would you
risk to follow His call? The particulars of that adventure will vary, but the same
leap of faith is necessary: will you say yes to His call?
“Behold, I have given you the power ‘to tread upon serpents’ and scorpions and upon the full force of the enemy and nothing will harm you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice because the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice because your names are written in heaven.” – Luke 10:19-20
Faith of
our fathers, we will strive
To win all
nations unto thee;
And
through the truth that comes from God
Mankind
shall then indeed be free.
Faith of
our fathers! holy faith!
We will be
true to thee till death!
Station 2
The
Shepherd Amidst His Flock
201A and
Kennebec Street, Madison, ME
Lord Jesus Christ
-
Teach me
to toil and not to seek for rest.
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his nephew
After Mass, I Catechize the children and the young people; a great
number of older persons are present, and answer with docility to the questions
which I ask them. The remainder of the morning, until noon, is devoted to all
those who have anything to tell me. At that time, they come in crowds, to
reveal to me their griefs and anxieties, or to tell me the causes of complaint
which they have against their tribesmen, or to consult me about their marriages
or their other private affairs. I must instruct some, and console others;
reestablish peace in disunited families, and calm troubled consciences; and
correct a few others with reprimands, mingled with gentleness and charity, — in
fine, send them all away content, as far as I can…
In the midst of these continual occupations you can hardly believe
with what rapidity the days pass away. There has been a time when I scarcely
had leisure to recite my Office, or to take a little rest during the night.
Reflection:
When Fr. Rale arrived at Narantsouack, he got right to work. There
were souls needing saving and there was no time waste. The Abenaki people were
hungering for Christ and as hungry people are wont to do, they were constantly
knocking on the door of their father who was sent to feed them. His days were
filled to the brim with the care and guidance of these souls.
Notice how much generosity that required on Fr. Rale’s part. The
only time he carved out for himself away from his flock was to pray. Otherwise
he gave himself completely to the work Christ had given him. In our jobs, we
are used to being able to set our work aside after 5:00 and that is good. But
being a Christian isn’t a job: it’s who we are. Do we set limits to how much
work we will do for Christ or do we toil without seeking for rest, knowing this
is His work and our rest will be in Heaven?
After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way….Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’ – Luke 10:1-9
Faith of
our fathers, we will love
Both
friend and foe in all our strife,
And preach
thee, too, as love knows how
By kindly
words and virtuous life.
Faith of
our fathers! holy faith!
We will be
true to thee till death!
Station 3
Fr. Râle
Protects His Flock
Father Rasle
Road, Madison, ME (past the railroad tracks)
10 minute
walk
Lord Jesus Christ
-
Teach me
to witness fearlessly to the truth.
The English
sought permission from the Abenakis to build trading posts. This was agreeable
enough to them. Gradually the ‘trading posts’ became more numerous, came closer
and closer to the Abenaki village, and began looking increasingly like forts.
The English claimed the king of France had ceded the territory to them in the
Treaty of Utrecht. But that territory belonged to the Abenakis, not the king of
France. Tensions grew and soon hit a breaking point.
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his nephew
At about that time, a score or so of Savages entered one of the
English dwellings, either to trade, or to rest themselves. They had been there
only a short time when they saw the house suddenly invested by a force of
nearly 200 armed men. “We are dead men!” cried one of the Savages, “Let us sell
our lives dearly.”
They were already preparing to rush upon this force when the
English, perceiving their intention, and knowing also of what a Savage is
capable in his first outbursts of fury, endeavored to appease them. They
assured them that they had no evil design, and that they only came to invite a
few of them to repair to Boston, for the purpose of conferring with the
Governor about methods of maintaining the peace, and the good understanding
that ought to exist between the two Nations.
The Savages, a little too credulous, appointed four of their
tribesmen who went to Boston; but, when they arrived there, the conference with
which they had been beguiled ended by their being made prisoners.
Following the incident above, a meeting was held to negotiate for the release of the prisoners. Several hundred beaver skins were demanded for their release for a crime which (according to Fr. Rale) this tribe had nothing to do with. Even when the ransom was paid, the English acted in bad faith and refused to release the captives.
Kidnapping is bad enough. Extortion is worse. As a father cannot sit idly by while his children are mistreated, so too Fr. Rale could not keep quiet while his flock was attacked. Therefore, when a meeting was called to negotiate for the release of the prisoners, Fr. Rale acted as representative.
It would be to his detriment. From then on, the English accused him of inciting the natives to rebellion. Every conflict that broke out from then on, was blamed on him. Despite the consequences with the English, it was his duty as a pastor to defend his flock, and to bring these deeds from darkness into the light and he did not shrink from it.
Our world too is filled with evils. Sin likes to hide in darkness and anonymity, unchallenged and unacknowledged. Will you shine the light of truth into the darkness? Will you witness to God and His commandments, even if (like Fr. Rale) it puts a target on your back?
And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. But whoever lives the truth comes to the light, so that his works may be clearly seen as done in God. – John 3:19-21
Faith of
our fathers, living still
In spite
of dungeon, fire and sword,
O how our
hearts beat high with joy
Whene’er
we hear that glorious word!
Faith of
our fathers! holy faith!
We will be
true to thee till death!
Station 4
The Good
Shepherd versus the Hired Man
The
entrance to the park looking over the river
Lord Jesus Christ,
-
Teach me
to labor and to ask for no reward.
Seeing
that the Catholic faith kept the native Americans closely allied with the
French, the English did all they could to draw them away. Several times they
tried to persuade the Abenakis to send Fr. Rale back to Quebec (or hand them
over to their forces) and accept a Protestant minister. On one such occasion,
Fr. Rale records this response:
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his brother
“Your words astonish me,” responded the Deputy of the Savages,
“and I wonder at the proposition that you are making to me. When you were here
you saw me a long time before the French Governors did; neither those who
preceded you, nor your Ministers, ever spoke to me of prayer or of the Great
Spirit. They saw my furs, my beaver and elk-skins, and of those alone did they
think; it was those they sought with eagerness; I was not able to furnish them
enough, and when I brought many, then I was their great friend, and that was
all.
On the contrary, my canoe having one day been misguided, I lost my
way and wandered at random for a long time, until at last I landed near Quebec,
at a large village of the Algonquins, where the black Robes were teaching. I
had hardly landed when a black Robe came to see me. I was loaded with furs, but
the French black Robe did not deign even to look at them; he spoke to me first
of the Great Spirit, of Paradise, of Hell, and of Prayer, which is the only way
of reaching Heaven. I listened to him with pleasure, and I enjoyed his talks so
much that I remained a long time in that Village for the sake of hearing him.
In short, the Prayer pleased me, and I besought him to instruct
me; I asked for Baptism, and received it. Afterward I returned to my own
Country and I recounted what had happened to me; my people envied my happiness,
and wished to participate in it; accordingly, they set out to go to the Black
Robe, to ask him for Baptism. It was thus that the Frenchman treated me. If,
when you first saw me, you had spoken to me of Prayer, I would have had the
misfortune to pray as you do; for I was not capable of distinguishing whether
or not your prayer were right. Therefore, I tell you that I hold to the prayer
of the Frenchman; I accept it, and I shall keep it until the world shall burn
and come to an end.”
Reflection:
Notice the contrast between the English fur traders and the
missionary priests. The fur traders befriended the natives insofar as it was
profitable to them. Perhaps they loved the natives, but they loved the furs
more. By contrast, the missionaries gained no profit whatsoever from the
natives (and in fact, stood to lose everything from these ventures), but they
still chose to give their lives to them so that the natives could be happy and
get to Heaven.
True Christian love is not interested in profit or gain. Rather
than being concerned about what you get out of the relationship, you choose to
love and care for the other person even though you gain nothing from them. This
is how Jesus loved us: going to the cross for love of us though it was of no
benefit to Him. Do we love our neighbor this way? Loving them regardless of the
return? Do we love God this way? Choosing to love Him not because of the favors
He brings us but simply because He is worthy of our love?
“I am the good shepherd. A good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. A hired man, who is not a shepherd and whose sheep are not his own, sees a wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away, and the wolf catches and scatters them. This is because he works for pay and has no concern for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep."- John 10:11-15
Our
fathers, chained in prisons dark,
Were still
in heart and conscience free;
And blest
would be their children’s fate,
If they,
like them should die for thee:
Faith of
our fathers! holy faith!
We will be
true to thee till death!
Station 5
The
British Burn the Church
At the
first picnic table as you walk into the park
Lord Jesus Christ,
-
Teach me
to fight and not to heed the wounds
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his nephew
I had remained alone in the village with a small number of old men
and feeble folk, while the rest of the Savages were at the hunt. That time
appeared favorable to the enemy for surprising me; and, with this in view, they
sent out a detachment of two hundred men. Two young Abenakis, who were hunting
on the seashore, heard that the English had entered the river; they immediately
turned their steps to that quarter, so as to observe the movements of the
English. Having perceived them about ten leagues from the village, these
Savages outran them by crossing the country, that they might inform me, and
help the old men, women, and children to retire in haste. I had only time to
consume the hosts, to enclose in a small box the sacred vessels, and to escape
into the woods. Toward evening, the English reached the Village; and, not
having found me there, they came the next day to look for me I the very place
of our retreat.
They were within only a gunshot when we descried them; all that I
could do was to plunge with haste into the forest. But as I had no time to take
my snowshoes, and as, besides, I still experienced great weakness caused by a
fall, - in which, some years ago, my thigh and my leg were broken, - it was not
possible for me to run very far. The only resource that remained to me was to
hide behind a tree. They immediately searched the various paths worn by the
Savages when they go for wood, and came within eight steps of the tree that was
sheltering me, where naturally they must have perceived me, for the trees had
shed their leaves; nevertheless, as if they had been driven away by an
invisible hand, they suddenly retraced their steps, and again took the way to
the Village.
Thus it was by a special protection of God that I escaped from
their pursuit. They pillaged my church and my little house, thereby almost
reducing me to a death from starvation in the midst of the woods.
Reflection:
Fr. Rale went to this mission trusting that he was doing God’s work and that because of that, God would protect him and see the work through to its finish. But notice that the events did not unfold as Fr. Rale might have initially expected. If this was God’s work, he would expect the mission to flourish and the conflict with the British to subside. Instead, the conflict grows and the future of the mission is in question.
It could be tempting to despair, to think that God had abandoned
him, but God was still at work. In the midst of catastrophe as the village was
attacked, God defended the life of his servant by an apparent miracle. That the
attackers should have come so close while Fr. Rale was so poorly hidden and
still not see him could not be pure accident. This was God’s work, God had other plans, and despite apparent
catastrophe, Fr. Rale continued to put his trust in God.
How much do we trust God? Do we trust Him only when He makes
things work according to what we think is best? Or do we trust that even in the
dark times, He is still at work and still caring for us? He has plans for us
and nothing on the face of the earth can hinder them.
Some of the inhabitants of Jerusalem said, “Is he not the one they are trying to kill? And look, he is speaking openly and they say nothing to him.” … So they tried to arrest him, but no one laid a hand upon him, because his hour had not yet come. – John 7:25-30
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood, soul and divinity of
your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ
-
In
atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful passion
-
Have mercy
on us and on the whole world.
Station 6
Death
Alone Can Separate Me from Them
Last
picnic table before you enter the path through the woods
Lord Jesus Christ,
-
Teach me
to give and not to count the cost
From a letter from Fr. Rale to his nephew
My Neophytes moved by the danger to which I am exposed in their
Village, often urge me to retire for a little time to Quebec. But what will
become of the flock, if it be deprived of its Shepherd? Death alone can separate
me from them. They tell me, but to no purpose, that in case I fall into the
power of their enemy, the least that can happen to me will be to linger out the
rest of my days in wretched imprisonment; I shut their mouths with the words of
the Apostle, which divine goodness has deeply impressed upon my heart. I say to
them: “Do not be anxious about that which concerns me. I do not fear the
threats of those who hate me when I have not deserved their hatred; and I do
not consider my life more precious than myself, so that I may finish my course,
and the ministry of the word which has been entrusted to me by the Lord Jesus.”
Pray to Him, my dear nephew, that he may strengthen in me this feeling, which
comes only from his mercy, in order that I may live and die working unceasingly
for the salvation of these neglected souls, who were bought with his blood and
whom he has deigned to commit to my care.
Reflection:
“There is no greater love than to lay down your life for a
friend.” It is one thing to love others in good times, but what about when it
costs us? What do we do when love of another person demands a serious sacrifice
on our part?
Fr. Rale fell in love with his flock. That love became so strong that even as the conflict grew, even as it threatened his own life, nothing could make him abandon them. “Death alone can separate me from them.”
Will you dare to love with that depth of love? Will you dare to follow in love so deeply that you would go to the cross for another person as Jesus did for you?
Fr. Rale fell in love with his flock. That love became so strong that even as the conflict grew, even as it threatened his own life, nothing could make him abandon them. “Death alone can separate me from them.”
Will you dare to love with that depth of love? Will you dare to follow in love so deeply that you would go to the cross for another person as Jesus did for you?
Divine Mercy Chaplet
Eternal Father, I offer you the body, blood, soul and divinity of
your dearly beloved Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ
-
In
atonement for our sins and those of the whole world.
For the sake of His sorrowful passion
-
Have mercy
on us and on the whole world.
Holy God, Holy Mighty One, Holy Immortal One
-
Have mercy
on us and on the whole world.
Station 7
Fr. Râle
Dies at the Foot of the Cross
Follow the
sign out of the woods into the clearing at St. Sebastian Cemetery
Lord Jesus Christ,
-
Let my
only reward be the knowledge that I have done your will.
From a letter from Fr. De la Chasse to Members of the Society of
Jesus
October 29th, 1724
After many acts of hostility had been committed on both sides by
the two Nations, a little army of Englishmen and their Savage allies, numbering
eleven hundred men, unexpectedly came to attack the Village of Nanrantsouak.
The dense thickets with which that Village is surrounded helped them to conceal
their movements; and as, besides, it was not enclosed with palisades, the
Savages were taken by surprise, and became aware of the enemy’s approach only
by a volley from their muskets, which riddled all the cabins….
Father Rale, warned by the clamor and the tumult of the danger
which was menacing his Neophytes, promptly left his house and fearlessly
appeared before the enemy. He expected by his presence either to stop their first
efforts, or, at least, to draw their attention to himself alone, and at the
expense of his life to procure the safety of his flock.
As soon as they perceived the Missionary, a general shout was
raised which was followed by a storm of musket-shots that was poured upon him.
He dropped dead at the foot of a large cross that he had erected in the midst
of the Village, in order to announce the public profession that was made
therein of adoring a crucified God. Seven Savages who were around him, and were
exposing their lives to guard that of their father, were killed by his side.
“Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.”– John 12:24-26
Veneration of the Cross – Our Lord says that unless we are
willing to take up our cross and follow Him, we are not worthy to be called His
disciples. You have seen what the cross can look like for those who follow
Christ. You have also seen the abundant fruit it bears. Are you will to take up
the cross? I invite you to kiss the cross and in kissing the cross of Christ,
to choose to embrace your own crosses also for love of Him.
Be Thou My Vision – to be sung during the veneration of
the cross and the procession to the monument
Be Thou my
Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be
all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my
best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping,
Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my
Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever
with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my
great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me
dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my
battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my
Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my
soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou
me heavenward, O Power of my power.
Riches I
heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine
Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and
Thou only, first in my heart,
High King
of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King
of Heaven, my victory won,
May I
reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of
my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be
my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Station 8
The Burial
of Fr. Râle
At the
monument in St. Sebastian Cemetery
From a letter from Fr. De la Chasse to Members of the Society of
Jesus
The death of the Shepherd dismayed the flock; the Savages took
flight and crossed the river, part of them by fording, and part by swimming.
They were exposed to all the fury of their enemies, until the moment when they
retreated into the woods which are on the other side of the river. There they
were gathered, to the number of a hundred and fifty. From more than two
thousand gunshots that had been fired at them only thirty persons were killed,
including the women and children; and fourteen were wounded. The English did not
attempt to pursue the fugitives; they were content with pillaging and burning
the Village: they set fire to the Church, after a base profanation of the
sacred vessels and of the adorable Body of Jesus Christ.
The precipitate retreat of the enemy permitted the return of the
Nanrantosouakians to the Village. The very next day they visited the wreck of
their cabins, while the women, on their part, sought for roots and plants
suitable for treating the wounded. Their first care was to weep over the body
of their holy Missionary; they found it pierced by hundreds of bullets, the
scalp torn off, the skull broken by blows from a hatchet, the mouth and the
eyes filled with mud, the bones of the legs broken, and all the members
mutilated. This sort of inhumanity, practiced on a body deprived of feeling and
of life, can scarcely be attributed to anyone but to the Savage allies of the
English.
After these devout Christians had washed and kissed many ties the
honored remains of their father, they buried him in the very place were, the
night before, he had celebrated the holy Sacrifice of the Mass – that is, in
the place where the altar had stood before the burning of the Church.
Reflection:
Thus ended the life of this holy
priest. He was 67 years old. He had devoted thirty seven years of his life to
the Abenaki mission.
When we began this pilgrimage, I
proposed that the love of Christ is best symbolized by fire. It is fierce and
intense, so much so that it cannot help but spread. That all sounds nice, but here’s
the thing about fire: it consumes whatever it ignites. When a piece of wood
burns, the log goes up in smoke and ends as ash. When Jesus appeared to
Margaret Mary Alacoque, He showed her His heart burning with love and said,
“Behold the heart which has loved men so much, even to the point of consuming
itself!” His love was like that log. He loved so much that it consumed Him. He
loved us so much that He sacrificed Himself and in willing our good, He gave up
His own.
I
proposed to you that what drove Fr. Rale was the fire of Jesus’ love. Now
you’ve walked in the footsteps of Fr. Rale. You’ve seen the places where he ministered.
You’ve heard about the sacrifices he made. I propose to you that Fr. Rale loved
like Jesus. That fire of love consumed him and in time his interests
disappeared as love consumed him with concern for his flock. Fr. Rale loved
them so much that he would not abandon them in their time of need. He so burned
with love for them that it consumed him and he laid down his life for his
sheep.
In the end, the interests of Fr.
Rale no longer mattered. His comfort had long been discarded. His safety ceased
to be a concern. The only thing that mattered was welfare of the people he had
devoted his life to. There was no one else to bring them Jesus; there was no
one else to bring them Christ’s love and he loved them too much to abandon
them, even in the face of certain death.
Some would say this was a waste:
What good does martyrdom do? What good is a love that consumes the lover? Here’s the other thing about fire: it lights
up the darkness of the world. You see, Fr. Rale’s sacrifice was not for nothing.
He brought a joy to the native Americans that can only be found in Christ and
they knew it. Their lives changed. Cruel and superstitious practices ended, they
had a hope they never had before for life after death. They had a source of
healing in a harsh world and saw this in so many ways, even in miraculous
cures. And this is why they did everything they could to preserve and protect
the life of their priest: the love he showed them (namely the love Christ)
brought a light and warmth to their world that they had never known before.
These were the first seeds of
faith sown in the state of Maine: now it is your turn. Who will pick up the
torch? Who will answer the call? The world is as desperate to know the love of
Christ as it was in the time of Fr. Rale. Our culture is ignorant of Him and
hurting for it. A culture of the individual has left men and women alone and
abandoned. A culture of indulgence has led people into the chains of addiction.
A culture of license has led them to neglect their responsibilities and to fail
to live up to what they were truly made for. A culture of secularism has left
them not knowing where to turn
Our culture is cold and hungry
for love. Will you be His light? Will you let His love be kindled in your
heart? Will you set this cold world on fire with His love so its inhabitants
can step out of the darkness and be warmed by His rays?
This is your call. It is the
same call answered by Fr. Rale. It is the same call answered by the apostles. It
is the Christian vocation. Go forth and set the world on fire with His love!
When he broke open the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slaughtered because of the witness they bore to the word of God. They cried out in a loud voice, “How long will it be, holy and true master, before you sit in judgment and avenge our blood on the inhabitants of the earth?” Each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to be patient a little while longer until the number was filled of their fellow servants and brothers who were going to be killed as they had been. – Revelation 6:9-11
St. Ignatius’s Prayer of Generosity
Teach me,
Lord, to be generous,
to serve
you as you deserve.
To give
and not to count the cost,
To fight
and not to heed the wound,
To toil
and not to seek for rest,
To labor
and to ask for no reward,
Save that
of knowing, that I do your holy will. Amen.
Station 9
Eulogy for
Fr. Râle
From a letter from Fr. De la Chasse to Members of the Society of
Jesus
October 29th, 1724
Three years ago, by order of the Monsieur our Governor, I made a
tour of Acadia. In conversing with Father Rale, I represented to him that in
case war should be declared against the Savages, he would run a risk of his
life; that, as his Village was only fifteen leagues form the English forts, he
would be exposed to their first forays; that his preservation was necessary to
his flock; and that he must take measures for the safety of his life. “My
measures are taken,” he replied in a firm voice, “God has confided to me this
flock, and I shall follow its fate, only too happy to be sacrificed for it.” He
often repeated the same thing to his Neophytes, that he might strengthen their
constancy in the Faith. “We have realized but too well,” they said to me, “that
the dear Father spoke to us out of the abundance of his heart; we saw him face
death with a tranquil and serene countenance, and expose himself unassisted to
the fury of the enemy, - hindering their first attempts so that we might have
time to escape from the danger and preserve our lives.” …
No one doubts that he was sacrificed through hatred to his
ministry and to his zeal in establishing the true Faith in the hearts of the
Savages. This is the opinion of Monsieur de Bellemont, Superior of the Seminary
of Saint Sulpice at Montreal. When I asked from him the customary suffrages for
the deceased, because of our interchange of prayers, he replied to me, using
the well-known words of St. Augustine, that it was doing injustice to a Martyr
to pray for him…
May it please the Lord that his blood, shed for such a righteous
cause, may fertilize these unbelieving lands which have been so often watered
with the blood of the Gospel workers who have preceded us; that it may render
them fruitful in devout Christians, and that the zeal of Apostolic men yet to
come may be stimulated to gather the abundant harvest that is being presented
to them by so many peoples still buried in the shadow of death!
For the Beatification of Sebastian Râle
Eternal Father, grant that Sebastian Râle, martyr of the faith
among the Abenakis of Maine, will be raised to the altar of the blessed. Through his intercession, we pray that your
divine favor will be manifest among us so that we may return praise to your
eternal glory. We ask this through Our Lord Jesus Christ Your Son Who lives and
reigns with you and the Holy Spirit One God world without end.
-
Amen.
Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
-
Make our
hearts like yours!
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
-
Amen.
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