Vincent de Paul

“Go to the poor.  You will find God.” (St. Vincent de Paul)

Today the church celebrates the life and witness of St. Vincent de Paul.

Vincent de Paul was a person born poor who tried to escape poverty by entering the priesthood in his teenage years.  He won the favor of some of the more elite French families and slowly climbed the social ladder where he remained for some time – enjoying life with the in-crowd as a chaplain and tutor.  One day, however, when he was summoned to hear the confession of a dying peasant, he had a moment of transformation. It was during this encounter that he realized the seriousness of his vocation and dedicated himself henceforth to the service of those most in need.

To do this, he used the influence of the circles that he moved in to fund hospitals and orphanages, homes for people with mental illness and to even buy the freedom of people held captive.  What was unique about Vincent, however, was that he was accepted by the poor as one of their own and yet maintained relationships with those who held forms of wealth and power. His dedication was to those most in need, yet he invited everyone into the work of social uplift – making a specific call upon those who had more than they needed.

Furthermore, he encouraged those who followed him to take instruction from the poor.  He was always careful to remind those engaging in social works to make sure that they actually were assisting the poor and not just making the helper feel good.

The life of Vincent offers much for us to reflect upon.

First off, he invites us to reflect deeply on the seriousness of our own vocation – whatever that might be. Perhaps we might ask, “To what are we giving our energy these days?  Who benefits most from our work, time and resources? Are we contributing to something that changes life for those most in need?”

Secondly, we might think more deeply about what it would mean to take instruction from the poor.  He invites us to reflect our relationship to those on the margins and to ask, “How might this relationship change where we go, what we think about or what we prioritize?” In essence, it invites reflection related to whom we hold ourselves accountable.

Finally, Vincent de Paul urges to examine whatever acts of charity and solidarity we’re engaged in and ask if they are truly serving the needs of the people (and not just our need to feel good). We can really only do this if we are in partnership with people and are open to their mutual influence on our lives.

The life and work of St. Vincent de Paul urge us, in his own words, to use the “the work of our bodies…and the sweat of our brows” towards “effective love” for one another.  This is not some pie-in-the-sky love.  This is a love that does justice.  A love that makes others visible.  A love that attends to people’s bodies, souls and spirits.  And a love that changes the world around us.

(Adapted from content found in All Saints: Daily Reflections on Saints, Prophets and Witnesses for Our Time by Robert Ellsberg. Crossroad Publishing, 2001)