The Saint who loved the Cross and its Glory

All of us are aware of the fact that during the period in which our holy founder lived, more importance was given to corporal penances. The Catholic Church at that time witnessed the proliferation of external mortifications which led to strict and stifling self-discipline, renunciation of even the simple ordinary needs and comforts of life such as sleep deprivations, fasts, and other self-inflicted Mortifications as essential aspects in striving to live a life of asceticism. But more often, this was observed to be in negative terms throughout monastic history. It is against this scenario, our blessed founder felt the need to highlight the importance of love as the essential aspect of living one’s religious commitment in a meaningful and joyful manner, rather than merely focusing on suffering or external reparation for its own sake. St. Eymard was perceptive enough to see the profound link between love and the Cross. For him, it was the
Cross that was more important, not just suffering for the sake of suffering. It had to be accepted as part of God’s will for us. Our Holy founder was able to see the positive side of the Cross which is the glory of love. This is poignantly revealed in the following stanza of a hymn which we sing so often while reflecting on the Cross of Christ:
O Cross, Thou art the Fountain Of love and of liberty: Shine down upon the millions Who search for the light of truth. According to St. Eymard, the cross highlights the beauty of love because it enables the human spirit to rise to such an extent where one is able to taste the love of God.

After having experienced the love of God more deeply, our founder was ready to face any kind and any amount of personal sufferings and nothing would ever be too great or a burden for him. This gave him the impetus to accept every kind of suffering in his life, namely, physical suffering, rejection by others, insults and injuries even from those who were close to him, difficulties regarding vocations, financial issues and other setbacks. Our founder’s main desire was to transcend and to grow amidst life’s crosses and to attain the highest level of communion with God, by contemplating and encountering daily, the Eucharistic Lord, Jesus who gave himself to us generously. It is worth recalling that, when St. Eymard began our congregation, all he had with him was a knife, spoons and a sum of a few francs. Yet our loving founder possessed an interior Joy which enabled him to face the trials and the challenges of his times with serene calmness. That is why, he has said, “The Cross is love’s struggle and its glory.” He was able to see the glory of love in his crosses right from his childhood until his death. He faced them in a spirit of cheerful endurance. In fact our blessed founder was very grateful to those crosses and asked even for more. In his sufferings or in his crosses he had an immeasurable resilience to face them joyfully and would say:
“Live one day at a time… In fact there is an important rule for holiness which is steadfast, true and always fruitful. It is God’s will for us in our sufferings and trials in life. In the will of God, ever present and personal, we discover the ‘grace of moment’ which leads us to holiness. When this moment passes so also the grace passes away.” So dear friends, as sons of Fr Eymard, let us accept all our crosses, trials and suffering during this period of formation and also later in life, as special moments of grace. This will help us to walk cheerfully in the footsteps of our dear holy Founder who has inspired and guided us in order to be united intimately with the Eucharistic Lord

Bro. Asiri Saparamadu, SSS