Today, the Church celebrates the Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul (24 April 1581 - 27 September 1660), a French priest who dedicated his life to serving the poor. He was renowned for his compassion, humility and generosity. He is also the founder of the Congregation of the Mission: a society of apostolic life that includes both priests and brothers; and the Daughters of Charity of Saint Vincent de Paul, a Society of Apostolic Life for women.
The gospels tell us that at the sight of the crowds, Jesus' heart was moved with pity for them because they were troubled and abandoned (Mt 9:36). Here, Jesus shows us by his own reaction that his heart is not unlike our hearts. Jesus is moved by the presence of those who are in need, and so should we. This is the simple lesson that we learn from the example of Saint Vincent de Paul.
Let our prayer today be a request that the Lord might work within our hearts to make us aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters, and that we may be inspired by a deep and abiding concern for those in our world who are unable to find peace because they are troubled and feeling abandoned. Merely by asking for such a grace, we are already beginning to make a difference.
Have a great day.
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