Homily: Sept 27 2016 - St. Vincent de Paul - Freed from slavery for service

St. Vincent was the son of a poor, but pious farmer in southwestern France in 1581. Even though it meant a great sacrifice for his family, his father, knowing of the boy’s intellectual gifts and believing him to have a vocation to the priesthood, payed for his studies and encouraged his vocation. Vincent was ordained at the incredibly young age of 20. He was a genius and mastered his philosophical and theological training. Though, his motives for ordination were not entirely pure. It is said that he had ambitions to secure a wealthy benefice, so he could help his family out of poverty.

So, as a charming young priest, Vincent made many wealthy friends, he became chaplain to a queen moved through the comfortable and luxurious aristocratic spheres of society. But while he was on his way down to Marseilles to pick up some old widow’s inheritance, he was captured by Turkish pirates and brought to Africa as a slave for two years.

That was the beginning of his conversion. He could have, like Job in the first reading “opened his mouth and cursed” the day of his birth. But his heart began to open, his faith began to awaken. He saw the miserable condition of the slaves.

Some time later, he was accused of stealing 400 crowns by an acquaintance. 400 crowns was an enormous amount of money back then. And Vincent could have used his genius intellectual gifts to prove his innocence. But he simply said, “God knows the truth. I didn’t steal it. If God can free me from captivity, God can free me from this.” Six months went by, and the acquaintance had denounced Vincent as a crook. But after six months, the real thief came forward, and everyone was edified by Vincent’s trust in God’s providence.

The final turning point in his priesthood was when he was hearing the deathbed confession of a poor peasant. His heart seemed to burst for the crying spiritual needs of the poor.  A wealthy friend helped Vincent draw together a group of missionaries who came to be known as the Congregation of the Mission, known later as the Vincentians.

Over time, Vincent established many confraternities of charity for the spiritual and physical relief of the poor and sick.  Out of these groups grew the Vincentian nuns or Daughters of Charity who have served in our own diocese for many years. 

Pope Leo XIII named him patron of all charitable societies.  This includes of course, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul founded in 1833, almost 200 years after his death, which was founded by his admirer and devotee, Frederic Ozanam.

Vincent’s spirituality can be summarized in his saying: “It is not sufficient for me to love God if I do not love my neighbor…I belong to God and to the poor.”    His heart truly belonged to God and the poor—and after 350 years, the relic of his heart is still found to be incorrupt.

May we learn to love others like St. Vincent, and recognized that our souls were purchased out of slavery of sin by the blood of Christ, so that our lives may be given wholeheartedly to the service of the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls.