The Holy Life of St. Euphrasia and the
Message That Gives to the Society of
Today.
“You shall be holy to
me; for I the Lord am holy and I have separated you from the other peoples to
be mine.” Rev.20:26.
Introduction
A saint is God’s masterpiece. Saints bring greater glory of
God. The saints. Of flesh and blood as we are did suffered, fully responded to
the grace of their Christian calling. They are for the world lightening
conductors, mediators and models.
A call to Holiness:
“Holiness is within the reach of everyone”. (St. Francis Sales). Holiness is
the English derivative of the Hebrew word ‘qds’ and the greek word ‘Lagos’,
both meaning “to set apart”. “All Christians in any state or walk of life are
called to the fullness of life and to the perfection of love, and by this
holiness a more human manner of life is fostered also in early society”.-LG.40.
Every country, every epoch, every walk of life, every age group has had its
saint. It is the time, to have the first saint Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart.
Holiness was the first maxim that lead
saint Euphrasia , she willed for that and today she become the first saint of
the Congregation of the Mount Carmel.
1. The
Sprout of the seed of Vocation
“The seeds fell on the
good soil and brought forth grain some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty”
Mt.13:8. For St. Euphrasia, the good
soil was Eluvuthinkal house along with her parents Cherpukaran Antony&
Kunjethi and grandmother. Her mother Kunjethi
taught her well i.e., watered her with love of god, devotion and
virtues. Rose (baptism name of Euphrasia) offered her virginity at the age of nine
was clear evidence that her parents had nurtured in her all that need to live a
holy Christian life. She was a very pious and order, modest etc (from the
letter of Rev. Mother Anjes). Rosa longed earnestly to become a nun and to give
her life only to Jesus. On 10th January 1898 she received the religious habit
from Bishop John Menachery. She lived
her Christian call or the Religious call to holiness in the most exemplary
manner but in a hidden way.
2.
Everyday Mysticism
Saint Euphrasia found god in the midst of ordinary human experience. She
designed to become an ‘unknown saint’. She says in letter17, “god has called
me… not merely to lead a good life but to a most virtues life so as to become a
saint…” She was responding her call to holiness from her young age. She went on
war herself to acquire the virtues she loved most; obedience, humility, poverty
and holiness. She tried not to waste any occasion to practice a virtue. She was
specially favored with many mystical experiences. She had a close union with Jesus
her “Heavenly spouse” who gifted her wedding ring. Among the 74 found letters
she had written nine of them to mention about her mystical union with Jesus her
Heavenly spouse. Therefore St. Euphrasia was a saint who could find god
everyday and everywhere also in everyone.
3.
Sanctuary Lamp
In the Churches a lamp is lit before the sanctuary to significe the
presents of god. Saint Euphrasia was such a lamp who spent her time before the
Lord, who burnt for the love of god to desnel the pains from the suffering
brethren. Numerous sisters and people have said their testimony in the book
‘Daivadasi Euphrasiamma’ by sanjose. They have seen always this saintly mother
who sat in corns of the convent chapel with a moving Rosary in hand. She
responded to the invitation of the Lord “to be with him”(Mk.3:14)and “come to
me…”(Mt.11:28). Thus she chose the‘better part’ like Mary in the Gospel .She
heard the cry of the Lord “I thirst”. She shared the passion of the Lord – (letter64).
Letters 9, 10, 16,26,27,55, are saying about how Euphrasia was longing to share
the passion of the Lord. Although this holy Mother sat in a corner of the
Chapel, her prayers reached out to all corners of our Lord.
4. True
Daughter of the Church.
“Be children of the church! Be children
of the church”- St. Elizabeth Anne Saton!
As our Mother church is holy, she invites
all her children into holiness. Mother Euphrasia indeed heard this call and
responded faithfully; she truly kept the words of St.Teresa of Avila, as her guide
lines, ‘I am proud to be a Daughter of the Church”. She gave great respect to
the Bishops, priest and prayed for them.
The problems, schismo, threats that the church faced was a pain for her.
She did great mortifications, sacrifices and penance to save and protect the
church from all dangers and evils. “I am praying specially for the
schismaties”/ letter40. Also we have letters 22,40,41,42 concerns about the
church. Beside this she had great zeal for the salvation of souls.
4.1 Zeal for Souls
St. Euphrasia was a saint who
was a friend of the three churches. Church militant, church suffering and
church Triumphant. Euphrasia had never gone out to preach the gospel, but the
fragrance of her sanctity was known to all people around. And they came to her
for asking prayers… Mother Euphrasia welcomed all who came to her with a smile.
She assured the hope, suggested them to pray some small ejaculations, or Rosary
and she too did pray and did penance for their sake. Thus she gave consolation
to all sorts of people.
Mother Euphrasia was a
consolation for the souls in purgatory. “It is our duty as Christians to pray
for the souls in purgatory” (ccc1030). Many souls came to her asking her
prayers for them. She prayed did sacrifice and penance for them, and they ever
came in glory to thank her for the prayers. A number of letters speak about the
souls in purgatory.
5 .A Genuine Daughter of CMC
“Be holy and lead others to holiness”- Yes
the holy mother Euphrasia lived the Charism in a most faithful way. There is a
saying “If you key, the rules the rules will keep you”. So also it fulfilled in
this humble daughter of St. Chavara and Fr. Leopold. Because she was leading a
model life in community, Euphrasia was given in charge of the novices for nine
years. Her simplicity, humility charity and obedience were so impressive to
others and they give testimony that ‘how her life was a motivation and inspiration
indeed’. She fulfilled a desire of her founder St.Chavara, “the church in
Kerala has become barren because she doesn’t have any saints”. Truly she was an
answer for his pain.
6. Prayer Life
For St.Euphrasia prayer was her life and
her life was a prayer indeed. “Let the Holy Family reign in your hearts…” these
last wish of the Holy founder was a reality in the life of Euphrasia. She was
longing for the presence of god. She did everyone of her action to please god and
for the love of him. She did everything for Jesus, with Jesus her “Heavenly
Spouse”. All who have met her have seen and witnessed: A sister who spent all
her time in the chapel by praying the Rosary and looking at Jesus in the
Tabernacle and on the Cross.
6.1 Devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
The name ‘Sr. Euphrasia of the Sacred Heart
itself was an expression of her deep love to the Holy heart of Jesus. Euphrasia
began and ended her day by praying before the statue of the Sacred Heart which
she herself placed in the parlor when she was the superior of the house. She
often repeated this little prayer ‘To love you where from will I get a big
heart?”. “ My Holy Redeemer, whenever you are rejected in human hearts, come
and dwell in my heart”. Truly she was burnt with the love of Jesus.
6.2 Devotion to Mary
“Come to the foot of the alter, there
graces will pour upon all who ask for it”. There were told by Mother Mary when
she appeared to St.Catherine Laboure on 18th July 1830. And Mary
revealed there at first time that she is the Immaculate – “O Mary conceived
without sin pray for us who have recourse to you”. We see in mother Euphrasia
that she truly heard the voice of Mary she and she had special devotion to the
Immaculate Mary (letter29, pg.124). She had a special affection to Mary. She
called her as “My Mother:. Mother Mary was coming to her from the age of nine
onwards. Many times Mary has come closer to her many times in person. Mother
Mary even came a companion to pray the Rosary along with St.Euphrasia. She has
mentioned about 25 times in her letters. At one sitting praying the 153 beeds
was usual with this Blessed Nun.
7. Fiat-Obedience to the will of God.
Saint Euphrasia’s practice of humility,
obedience and surrendering to the will of god was great. She said “there is
great joy and contententment in my heart to do things under obedience”. Mother Euphrasia used to pray often “O my
god! Fulfill in me your holy will perfectly till death”. She could find the
will of god, from the long time that she spent time in prayer before the Lord.
Every day and at every moment Euphrasia found the will of God and found great
joy in doing this holy will. The best example is the Jubilee memento words from
Holy Euphrasia “Eternal Father, I offer you myself a holocaust to love in order
that your holy will and desire be perfectly fulfilled in all things”. When she
was faced with adversaries in her family she was not distressed but trusted in
Lord and reminded her brother “Even though we face of decrease in money but
never should decrease in virtue”. With a thirst to do god’s will of god and to
practice the virtue of humility. Mother Euphrasia was even ready to kiss the
feet of her novice. These examples prove that Mother Euphrasia possessed the
virtue of humility the mother of all virtues.
8. Attitude of Gratitude.
“Attitude of gratitude is the best
attitude”. One of the best attitudes of saint Euphrasia was that of gratitude.
She never forgot to say a word of thanks to all who did even little favor, she
had a beautiful expression, “Won’t forget even after death”- with a heart
touching smile. Children were flocking to her to do some small favors in order
to receive or to see her smiling face.
9. Charity without Frontiers.
‘There shouldn’t be even a single day that
lacks charitable deeds’. Yes the words
of the holy founder Kuriakose Elias Chavara had come true also in the life of
this holy man. Euphrasia touched the heart of all with a content word by her
acts she became “a Mother” for all. At her canonization Pope Benedict told
about this holy mother, that ‘she dedicated her life before the Lord in prayer
and shared it to others by a beautiful smile’… she was always close to those
who were sick in community and served them with much love. She was feeling so
much to the people who await her’ your charity will bring salvation to souls”.
M
y Life is My Message.
“Difficulties are sorrows, if accepted
out of love are transformed into a privileged way of holiness’. Pope Paul II. St. Euphrasia was a saint who
could smile even in the midst of accuts pain a suffering. Her joy was ‘leading a hidden life unknown to
others;’ Euphrasia did not become a saint on a sudden day but by the constant
efforts; of prayer & penance and doing sacrifices over seventy four long
years. In this holy mother, we have a
person who was born in our society just like anyone of us, and lived a humble
simple but a holy life. She was woman fully alive. She was an open Bible before
all she was a ‘theophany’- brought god near us. Looking from above her smiles
and say.
¨
Remember our call is a call to holiness.
¨
Love Jesus more than anything &more than anyone.
¨
Love Mary as the only Mother and pray the Rosary as much as possible.
¨
Have great love to the Eucharistic Jesus and His Sacred Heart.
¨
Say always thanks for any favor at least a smile.
Conclusion
“To every Indian that sanctity ‘the one
thing necessary’ is possible also in our own times”. The holy life of Mother
Euphrasia gives the message to our world today that “Holiness is within the
reach of everyone’. Euphrasia brought about in their life what others only
talked about. She “willed’ and she became.
We
do not have to look for models outside as though sanctity is outside our reach.
St. Euphrasia was an ‘angel’ among us as a CMC sister. Now she has become a
‘star’ to show us the way to inspire us and to imitate… There is an old
Peruvian proverb…
‘Pilgrim, Pilgrim,
Pilgrim.
There is no way, no way,
no way.
You make the way, you
make the way, you make the way
By walking, walking,
walking.”
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