The message of the Holy Curé. The message of the Holy Curé d’Ars for today, summarized in a few points…
Long moments in front of the tabernacle, true intimacy with God, total surrender to His will, a transfigured face… all these elements touched those who met him and revealed the depth of his prayer life and his union with God.
It was his great joy and the place of a true friendship with God:
"I love you, O my God, and my only desire is to love you until the last breath of my life.
A friendship that implies reciprocity, like two pieces of wax,” said M. Vianney, “that once melted together can no longer be separated or identified; so it is with our soul and God when we pray…
"He's here"
exclaimed the Holy Curé, looking at the tabernacle. Man of the Eucharist, celebrated and adored :
"There is nothing greater than the Eucharist".
Perhaps what touched him most was the realization that his God was there for us, present in the tabernacle:
"He's waiting for us!"
His awareness of God’s real presence in the Blessed Sacrament was perhaps one of his greatest graces and joys. Giving God to men and men to God, the Eucharistic sacrifice quickly became the focus of his days and his pastoral work.
This perhaps sums up best what the Holy Curé was all about during his 41 years at Ars. Haunted by his own salvation and that of others, especially those who came to him or for whom he was responsible.
As a priest,
"God will call him to account
he said. May we all taste the joy of knowing and loving God, of knowing that He loves us… this was Vianney’s tireless work.
From 1830 onwards, thousands of people came to Ars to confess to him, more than 100,000 in the last year of his life… Up to 17 hours a day, riveted in his confessional to reconcile people with God and with each other, the Curé d’Ars is a true martyr of the confessionalsaid John Paul II.
Caught up in God’s love, amazed by man’s vocation, he measured the folly of wanting to be separated from God. He wanted everyone to be free to taste God’s love.
"We don't know what the holy priest didn't do for society," says one of his biographers.
Seeing the Lord present in each of his brothers and sisters, he will never cease to help them, to soothe their suffering or wounds, to enable each of them to be free and happy.
Beatified in 1904, he was declared patron saint of priests in France by St. Pius X on April 12 that same year.
In 1929, four years after his canonization, Pope Pius XI declared him “patron saint of all priests throughout the world”.
Pope John Paul II said as much, reminding us on three occasions that “the Curé d’Ars remains for all countries an outstanding model, both of the fulfillment of the ministry and of the holiness of the minister”.
"Oh that the priest is something great!"
exclaimed Jean-Marie Vianney, because he can give God to men and men to God; he is the witness of the Father’s tenderness towards each person and the artisan of salvation. The Curé d’Ars, a big brother in the priesthood, to whom every priest in the world can come to entrust his ministry or his priestly life.
"I will show you the way to Heaven".
he replied to the little shepherd who showed him the way to Ars, that is, I’m going to help you become a saint.
"Where the saints go, God goes with them".
he would later add.
Ultimately, he invites everyone to let themselves be sanctified by God, to take the means of this union with God, here below and for eternity.
