Last week we discussed the concept of uselessness. This is something work looking into deeper, especially from the spiritual point of view. If we think positively then our life problems are perceived as being the training we need to be able to achieve God’s plan for us. If we think negatively then we see them as being the problems that are really the shortcomings that keep us anchored to the ground and unable to achieve anything worthwhile.
Partly
to combat this, the Church daily puts before us different saints who have
proved that through their example we can aspire to a higher level of
relationship with God. Often enough we
look at them though as very special people who have managed to achieve much,
not like us poor, ordinary humans, destined to achieve little. And therefore,
imitating them is perceived as a difficult – if not impossible – task.
This
viewpoint emphasises the fact that we can feel inferior, useless, inappropriate
before God. We look at our smallness
before Him and allow that to control us.
Rather we should be looking at it all from the other viewpoint…with how
much we have been graced with being able to achieve.
Talking
of saints and uselessness must obviously bring us into contact with St. John
Vianney, a Frenchman (1786-1859), he is more popularly known as the Cure
d’Ars, i.e. the parish priest of Ars.
Born near Lyon practically on the outbreak of the French revolution, his
early life was lived in the shadow of the reign of terror in Paris which was
exiling or murdering the Catholic clergy and religious. Yet in all this turmoil he found his calling
to become a priest and though not a bright student (to say the least!) he
managed to be ordained in 1815 aged 29.
Vianney (left) is unfortunately generally considered to have been a really stupid person
academically and no one really expected him to complete his studies
successfully to the priesthood. The
story goes that after somehow passing his exams he had to face an oral
interview with his bishop and senior Church officials. He was the last student of a long day of
interviews and the board was tired.
Realising it was Vianney they decided to overlook him knowing well that
he could offer very little. You can say
that he got in through the back door…because God will make a way when there
seems to be no way, as the popular song goes!
Anyway,
after Vianney was ordained the bishops decided to send him to Ars, a rather
rebellious town where he would be of no use and do no damage either because of
their strong anti-religious/clerical feelings.
Vianney’s first approach was to try and frighten the people
(unsuccessfully) with his preaching, but later in life he overcame his
preoccupation with damnation and was
able to manifest the sweetness of mercy and a simplicity that was nurtured by
his constant practice of prayer. He
remained in the town for over 42 years because the people eventually loved him
so much they wouldn’t let him go. He
literally wore himself out in serving the faithful and especially in being
constantly available for confessions, sometimes up to 12 hours a day.
This
dedicated parish priest successfully overcame the religious indifference of the
people of Ars. He was also constantly
occupied with the religious education of his parishioners, instructing them in
plain language that they could understand.
They often commented that no other priest had ever preached as he did. In 1843 he even received the medal of
France’s distinguished Legion of Honour but he sold it to give the money to the
poor. In the end he died peacefully, of
exhaustion, at the age of 74! This was
the guy who everyone thought was a hopeless case. Everyone believed it….except
Vianney himself and God.
Uselessness
therefore is a state of the mind. If we believe it then it will rule our
life. If we don’t, then it is merely a
moment we are passing through and tomorrow it will remain a shadow of a memory…because
we’ll be applying ourselves to something positive.
