September 27
26th Sunday
in Ordinary Time
Saint Vincent de Paul
Today's Readings:
Ezekiel 18:25-28
Philippians 2:1-5 / Matthew 21:28-32
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| Original picture I took, enhanced by Google AI. |
Matthew
21:28-32
(Jesus’s Authority Questioned)
“What is your
opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and
work in the vineyard today.’ He said in reply, ‘I will not,’ but afterwards he
changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same
order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did his
father’s will?” They answered, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Amen, I say to
you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you.
When John came to you in the way of righteousness, you did not believe him; but
tax collectors and prostitutes did. Yet even when you saw that, you did not
later change your minds and believe him.
Reflection:
Today we remember
Saint Vincent de Paul, a French priest who spent his early years pursuing a
comfortable life and a respectable clerical career before a series of hard
experiences, including a period of captivity as a galley slave, which turned
his heart entirely toward the poor; this was his calling. He founded the
Congregation of the Mission and, with Louise de Marillac, known as the
Daughters of Charity. They organized what may be the most extensive system of
charitable works the Church has ever seen. Ezekiel's words today describe
exactly the opposite of Vincent's own life: when the wicked turns away from the
wickedness he has committed and does what is just and right, he shall save his
life. Vincent didn't begin his priesthood as a saint. He began it seeking
comfort and status, and then that all changed, decisively and permanently,
toward a life spent entirely giving to and taking care of others.
That turning is
exactly what Jesus describes in the parable today. A father asks two sons to
work in the vineyard; one says no but later changes his mind and goes, the
other says yes and never shows up. Jesus tells the chief priests plainly that
tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of them,
not because their sin didn't matter, but because their lives changed, while the
ones who looked righteous on paper never actually went to the vineyard at all.
Vincent de Paul is the parable's first son made flesh: a young man who said no
to his early ambitions, and then, once his heart fully turned to the Lord, he
spent the rest of his life making up for lost time in the vineyard of the poor.
Paul's words to the Philippians today describe the posture that turning
required: do nothing from selfish ambition, but in humility count others more
significant than yourselves, that’s a huge task, but with God inside your heart
and a part of your vision, it is possible. That's not the young Vincent seeking
a comfortable life; that's the Vincent who emerged after everything changed.
That should press
on wherever you've said yes with your words but never actually shown up in the
vineyard, the volunteering you meant to do, the person you meant to visit, the
turn you've been meaning to make but haven't yet. Vincent's early ambition
wasn't unusual; what was unusual was that he actually changed when the moment
for a new direction in his life came. What has already called you to change
that you've been putting off?
There's a shrine
in southeastern France called Our Lady of Happy Assembly, where a shepherdess
named Benoîte Rencurel saw the Blessed Virgin appear nearly daily for two
months, finally being told, “on this spot I wish a church built, a privileged
sanctuary, wherein many sinners will repent.” Vincent de Paul spent his whole
converted life building exactly that kind of sanctuary out of ordinary human
need, hospitals, foundling homes, missions to the rural poor, a happy assembly
gathered one changed life at a time. Whatever needed changes you're still
holding onto instead of the vineyard you were actually called to, Our Lady of
Happy Assembly is still asking for that same change Vincent finally made.
What has already
called you to change that you've been putting off, saying yes with your words
but never showing up? Vincent's whole sainthood came after he finally changed.
What would it take for you to actually walk into the vineyard today?
Rosary Man Jim 🌹
Freely given. Freely
shared.
