Jesus is King David’s just shoot. He comes to make the earth brim with justice. How he wishes that we get the name “Lord-Our-Justice.”
Monsieur Jean Gicquel, —he means well, though he picks the wrong time—, cannot but brim with zeal to help Monsieur Vincent. The former wants the latter to die in peace, to place his spirit in the Father’s hands.
Hence, suggested to the dying are ongoing quick prayers that he starts to repeat at first. But before long, he says, “Enough,” though he gets to say for the last time, “Jesus.” This sigh of “Jesus” makes clear that “Enough” does not all mean despair. Rather, it shows hope, willing, complete and trusting surrender of the one who has faith.
So, he seems to agree, then, with the leaves. They believe that to let go is love, faith, grace, God.
That is why, though he has breathed his last, the saint does brim still with love, faith, grace, God. His face, beautiful and majestic even in death, shows this. And he has died on his chair by the fireplace, fully dressed.
Hence, it goes to show that he has been ready to die. And to do besides the things God shows and asks him to do (SV.EN:82).
That is to say, St. Vincent has not only been ready for eighteen years (Abelly:257). Better than this, he has also lived serving the poor to follow Jesus Christ (SV.EN:384). This one gave his body up and shed his blood. Like him, the saint has been in God’s arms and has truly renounced himself. And such life, such death.
To brim with justice and love that are not separable
All committed Christians, yes, live and die like Jesus. So, they accept humbly, with faith, hope and love, that human life and this world have an end.
And they do not give up due to the fear that the signs in the heavens and the earth strike in many hearts. They know by faith that the end that these signs bode makes way for a new life.
Nor do they weaken in the face of the sufferings that faith brings. For they believe that for them to brim with love for God means to have all things work for their good. But it is not that they rely on their strength. They admit that they stumble time and again. For they are prone to evil; they are dust (Gen 8, 21; Ps 103, 15).
Hence, they give credit to God for their successes (SV.EN VII:305). Salvation comes from him. He leads his own to the tomorrow that will brim with justice, peace and love. They do not cringe, then; they lift up their heads.
Lord Jesus, grant that we brim with justice and love. Thus, we who are weak, yet strong due to your grace (2 Cor 12, 9), will be ready for your coming.
28 November 2021
First Sunday of Advent (C)
Jer 33, 14-16; 1 Thes 3, 12 – 4, 2; Lk 21, 25-28. 34-36
Writes Fr. David F. O’Connor, S.T., of the death of son of St. Vincent (https://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=vhj):
“On the morning of November 23, 1933, he [Fr. Thomas Augustine Judge,C.M.] awoke, smiled and blessed the day as was his custom. Early in the afternoon he took a little something to eat and blessed his medicine. Now a mere shell of a man and completely worn out by his years of uninterrupted missionary labors and poor health, he asked to rest. Several minutes afterwards, at 3:00 in the afternoon, without pain or struggle, he peacefully died as a priest raised his hand in absolution. He was sixty-five years old.”
He too lived and died serving the poor to follow Jesus Christ. The apple does fall from the tree.
I mean, “The apple does not fall far from the tree.”