At the Heart of the Thought of Saint Michael Garicoits: The Manifesto
In 1835, the first six priests of Betharram formed a community. But the Saint had been thinking about it for some time and knew very well what he wanted for himself and for those Providence would send him. He was in his forties, but, although older, he hadn't lost the enthusiasm of youth, the man who said, "Here I am."
Three years later, he wrote down the essence of his thought in a text that, due to its importance, would later be called the "Manifesto." It can be said that everything Michel Garicoïts wrote and taught afterward is merely a commentary on it.
«It has pleased God to make Himself loved, and while we were still his enemies, he loved us so much that he sent his only Son: He gave Him to us to be the magnet which draws us to divine love, to be the model which shows us the dynamic of love, and to be the means of attaining divine love: the Son of God became man.
At the moment He entered the world animated by the Spirit of God His Father, He gave Himself up to all God’s designs for Him; He took the place of all victims; He said: “Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired, but a body have you prepared for me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings you have taken no pleasure. Then I said: ‘Here I am, I have come to do your will, O my God.’”
Jesus began His life’s work by this great act which he never discontinued. From this moment onward he remained always in a state of sacrificial offering, annihilated before God. He did nothing on His own; His actions were always directed by the Spirit of God; His disposition was one of constant abandonment to the orders of God, to suffer and do whatever He wanted: “Exinanivit semetipsum, factus obediens usque ad mortem, mortem autem crucis”.
This is how God loves us: this is how Jesus Christ our Lord and creator became an indescribable attraction for our hearts, a perfect model and an all-powerful help. But we human beings are cold before God! Even among the priests there are very few who say as their divine Master did: “Here I am, Ita Pater!”.
At the sight of this marvellous spectacle, the priests of Betharram felt drawn to dedicate themselves to imitating Jesus, humble and obedient, and to working wholeheartedly to bring the same happiness to others, under the protection of Mary; she was always disposed to do what God wanted and was always submissive to what God did."
01.
FROM THE HEART OF THE FATHER
In this founding text, everything begins in the heart of this God who is Father, and who was pleased to be loved. Love prevented God from remaining alone. And he takes his first steps. And what steps! He sends us his Son, he gives him to us! It pleased God to be loved (Bossuet). God is love. God so loved the world that he gave us his only Son. He did not spare his own Son, but sacrificed him for all of us.
02.
THROUGH THE HEART OF THE SON
Now the Saint contemplates the Incarnate Word, who offers himself spontaneously and from the first instant to all the Father's will for the fulfillment of his great plan of love. He admires the depths and the extension of this Ecce Venio, which becomes his habitual state and will lead him to the supreme sacrifice.
03.
IN THE HEART OF ST. MICHAEL AND IN OURS
And here is the Saint's response to such love, to such an example. He offers himself in turn, and offers us with him: "This is how God has loved us"... It is the central phrase: "At the sight of this prodigious spectacle"... Here we are at last! Here we have both our ideal and our birth certificate.
We are men of God's will. This Betharramite dedication is recognized as something natural.
“It is about imitating the humble and obedient Jesus.”
Don’t take yourself too seriously: “Work hard and don’t show off at all.”
A spirit of simplicity, born of self-forgetfulness. A spirit of discretion… “without delay but without haste, without reserve but without dispersion, without retreat but without obstinacy.”