The other day I came across a little booklet called “Walking till the end of love” – a tribute to six Marist brothers who were killed during the Rwandan genocide, including Br Chris Mannion.
God’s timing is a perfect one and the story and words of Br Chris struck me particularly at a moment when I needed them. Here’s a bit of background.
Brothers Chris Mannion and Joseph Rushigajiki met death in the context of the Rwandan war in 1994. They were killed at Save, Rwanda, in the afternoon of the 1st July, 1994. Brother Chris had been sent on a mission by the Superior General with the aim of securing the Tutsi Brothers in Save.
Br Chris lived a full and enriching life that involved ten years in Cameroon, a love of sport and history, being elected to the Marist Brothers General Council, being a Novice Master and finally being killed by warring factions in Save during a battle to control that city.
The little booklet shares some of his thoughts written in the last two months of his life. Each one touched me deeply in a different way and I hope they do the same for you too…
“Detoxify yourself from the drug of certainty!”
“Yesterday, during meditation, for a brief while and for the first time in ages, I had a sense of the presence of Christ, of the Lord, here with me, speaking to me, inviting me to ‘remain in His love and keep His commandments.’ There was a strong sense of my need to respond to the call of conversion…I need and want to come closer to Jesus; otherwise this life is one of meaninglessness and of sterile protection from the world. To live life fully Jesus must be at the centre.”
“Take time to pray, to relax, to be really yourself. Warts, gifts and all. DON’T GET TO SERIOUS, Chris!”
“I am having glimpses, moments of happiness and contentment, in this unfolding present life. These eight years will be very rich no matter what happens. Doubts and regrets will always be with me in the midst of my joys and hopes. Lots in me that remains unresolved. Good! No matter what the future holds, I have had a life of great breadth, experience and richness.”
“I am feeling wonderfully alive and invigorated after a game of football this afternoon. I came back absolutely exhausted and quite dehydrated – yet feeling so vigorous and ALIVE. The pure physical joy of movement and of being able to run and jump and shoot. What a gift.”
“Dennis Potter died yesterday of cancer. His recent phrase, ‘the nowness of everything is absolutely wondrous,’ is so true. God is in the now. When I’m dead, the Lord will ask me: ‘And did you enjoy my creation, Chris?’ I want to be able to honestly answer YES – and to have LIVED fully before dying.”
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