LAMBERT Jean (Father) - France

“Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord. They will rest from their labours, for their deeds follow them” (Rev 14:13).

Death, the “dies natalis”, is the day of our encounter with God. Saint Francis was right to call it: “Death - Our sister”.
Father Lambert was ready. He has always been a man, a faithful religious. Always a little original, discreet, loyal to duty, faithful to the life he had chosen. He was a man straight forward. He had a sense of duty. He has been faithful to the end.
Fr. Jean Lambert scj was born on 30 June, 1930 at Arcachon (close to Bordeaux), while his family, including nine brothers and sisters, were from the Ardennes (close to Belgium). He had completed his secondary education at the College of the Fathers of Betharram in Bazas, before entering the apostolic school of Betharram. After a year of novitiate, he made his first vows in Balarin on 29 September, 1948, and his perpetual profession in Floirac on 24 April, 1953. His priestly ordination was celebrated at Bordeaux Cathedral on 17 March, 1956.
After studying in Paris, Father Lambert taught scientific subjects at the college of Sidi-Bel-Abbès, in Algeria, from 1956 to 1962, then at the college of Our Lady of Bétharram from 1962 to 1973. As a conscientious teacher, he prepared his lessons with meticulous care. His former students remember it.
And with that, he was always close to his students, to his parishioners, to the poor.
He loved, for example, this home of retirement where we live. He was especially interested in the staffs who serve us, their families, and their concerns. He wanted to help them. He loved with his character, his limits, despite of his rather cold and reserved character.
In pastoral care, he always had the same delicacy, the same dedication. Always friendly, he didn’t want to hurt anyone. And if he could help, he was there. He was at the service of the monks of Montaut until the end.
But, the great discovery of Father Lambert’s life was the Bible - the Word of God. His stay at the Jerusalem Bible school marked him. And since then, everything about the Bible has interested him. The Word of God was the foundation of his spiritual life. It was the spring of his life. One of his greatest joys was having been a professor of Sacred Scripture at the major seminary of Bayonne. He naturally served as a guide to the most remarkable sites of the Holy Land, during refresher courses and several sessions for young religious organized by the Congregation. Many young Betharramites today have known him in this activity.
Fr. Lambert was a just man according to the expression of the Scripture. And until the end, with his deep gaze, he questioned, he cared, he loved.
Saint John wrote the words of Christ: “I am the Resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me will live”. Dear and faithful Father Lambert, you will be missed! Your fidelity, your righteousness, your love of truth and justice, your love of the poor, will remain.
And for all this, we say thank you and we give thanks to the Lord. Amen.

From the homily of Fr. Pierre Grech scj 

“Father Jean spoke little of himself,” says Fr. Bacho, Regional Vicar. “However, during the visit in the month of August, while being grateful for the care received at the hospital, he spoke to me about his joy that the in-charge asked him what was his secret to resist the treatment and to keep his serenity. The in-charge woman, who at first was very cold to him, had evolved after several deep conversations. He hadn’t given her long sermons, but she had been won over by his gentleness. Even on a hospital bed, the mission continued. To remain a witness of this Jesus, meek and humble of heart towards a person who is sometimes far away from the Church, is to continue the mission in discretion. And beyond that, suffering will allow us to be the master of ourselves. In the last days, he too has known how to be stripped of his judgment, which is part of this extreme annihilation of our human weakness from which we would all like to be exempted”.