Thought for the Day – 27 September – The Memorial of St Vincent de Paul (1581-1660)
Most remarkably, Vincent was by temperament a very irascible person—even his friends admitted it. He said that except for the grace of God he would have been “hard and repulsive, rough and cross.” But he became a tender and affectionate man, very sensitive to the needs of others. Pope Leo XIII made him the patron of all charitable societies. Outstanding among these, of course, is the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, founded in 1833 by his admirer Blessed Frédéric Ozanam.
St Vincent found himself deeply shocked by the religious state of the people around him and he found himself thrust into his life’s work.
Sometimes, something just has to be done and there is no-one else to do it. And God will provide the way, He will change that inner being – who perhaps is often “rough and cross” to do His work. All St Vincent did was relinquish himself totally in trust. He handed himself over, hauled up that cross and followed Him who leads.
The gaze of Christ rests upon us and your cross is lying at your feet – have you felt it, have you seen it?
St Vincent de Paul, pray for us!
AnaStpaul 