Forty years of darkness

Group 1 
Seung Yong Yi, Joseph Pampackal and Jim Heuser

November 17, 2009

Bond of Perfection, chapter 4

(1) What strikes us from the reading?

Once more, the prolonged – 40 years – darkness that Jane experienced, and that she lived through with such apparent fidelity is amazing to us.  She seemed to make real in her life the reflection of Francis at the close of his Treatise on the Love of God:  “Mount Calvary is the mountain of lovers … Love and death are so mingled in Our Savior’s Passion that we cannot have one in our heart without the other.” (as quoted on p. 161)

The sequence of letters between Francis and Jane when she was on retreat in May 1616 … through which they achieved a remarkable and loving detachment from each other and a closer attachment to God, is very interesting.  Wendy Wright comments that he “who had fueled and increased her love of God was now the only barrier between her and the total surrender that she sought to achieve.” (p. 171)

(2) How does this reading present something new?

Wendy indicates, “In the seventeenth century, the image of the perfect follower of Christ was that of a lover.” (p. 161)  That image does not seem to readily predominate today … and yet it is quite evocative and fruitful, and perhaps might be more reclaimed and emphasized.

Wendy makes the comment on page 162 that “[p]erfect love of God implied a growing independence from the necessity for human support.”  This line gave rise to some discussion among us … with diverse understandings and views!

“ … one must look to God as the one against whom the offense was committed, rather than to oneself as the one committing it.” (Francis to Jane, p. 174)  This is profound advice, so accurately directed to Jane’s anxiety about the baptism of her grandchild, and so effective in helping her move on.  It is applicable to all of us as well whenever we engage in an examen.

At their final encounter in Lyon, it was surprising that, while Jane had a profound desire to speak of matters of conscience, Francis directs her to instead speak of matters relating to the Visitation Congregation … and subsequently, due to Francis’ death, she can only make her review of conscience before his dead body in Annecy.

(3) What was confirming for us in the reading?

“This evening affirm that you have renounced all the virtues, desiring them only in the measure that God gives them to you and not wanting to be concerned to acquire them except to the extent that his goodness will use you in this way according to his will.” (Francis to Jane, p. 170)  This confirms for us that, while the Christian life involves a daily striving to practice the virtues of Jesus Christ, we need be oriented not to self-perfection but rather to the living of virtues that will make us useful to others in the plan of God.

Perfection in the sense of sanctity is not achieved quickly … but rather the outcome of a long, protracted struggle.  Jane’s life bears witness to that.  And Wendy indicates that Jane knew this to be the reality of Francis as well: “[she] understood the motives behind his actions and the heroic struggle that lay behind his manifestation of sanctity.” (p. 195)

Submitted by Jim Heuser