Thought for the Day – 4 May – Friday of the Fifth Week of Eastertide and the Memorial of Bl Jean-Martin Moyë (1730-1793)
The heart of Jean-Martin Moye, a parish priest in Northeast France, was touched by the poverty and spiritual hunger of villagers living in Lorraine’s countryside. He was particularly moved by the lack of educational opportunities for women as well as the absence of faith formation in the region.
On 14 January 1762, Father Moye sent a group of women to these abandoned places to teach and to carry out the works of mercy. This was the beginning of the Congregation of Divine Providence.
Marguerite LeComte and three other women went to these isolated hamlets to educate and evangelise. The women travelled without provisions; their only security was an abiding faith in God. Village residents called the four “Sisters of Divine Providence” because they saw in the women the face of God – a tender God who is present at the very centre of creation and in the most ordinary and mundane events of life.
Fr Moye saw Emmanuel – God-with-us, the face of Love and wasted no time or effort in spreading love everywhere, regardless of all opposition and persecution. This is what love is!
Blessed Jean-Martin, pray for us!
Act of Abandonment to Divine Providence
Providence of my God,
I adore You in all Your designs.
I place my destiny in Your hands,
confiding to You all that I have,
all that I am and all that I am to become –
my body and my soul,
my health and reputation,
my life, my death
and my eternal salvation.
As I rely entirely upon You
and expect all from Your goodness,
I will not give myself up to any useless anxiety.
I confide to You the success of all my undertakings
and in all difficulties I will have recourse to You
as a never-failing source of help.
I know that You will either preserve me
from the evils I dread,
or turn them to my good and Your glory.
Peaceful and contented in all,
I will allow Your Providence to govern my life
without worry or over eagerness.
Holy, wise, generous and loving Providence!
I thank you for the tender care,
You have taken of me up to this moment.
I humbly and earnestly entreat You
to continue the same for me;
direct all that I do, guide me in your ways,
govern me at every moment of my life
and bring me into the fullness of being.
that You have destined for me from all eternity.
May I please You and give You glory forever.
Amen
Blessed Jean-Martin Moye (1730-1793)
AnaStpaul 