(A homily preached to a group of retired Vincentians gathered for daily Eucharist in their Philadelphia Infirmary)

Both Isaiah and John the Baptist lay out a vivid Advent scenario – every valley filled in, mountains made low, winding roads straightened out, rough streets all smoothed out. It suggests some vast road-construction site in its months-long operation of moving giant rocks and hauling massive mounds of earth. Its aim is to make it easier “to get from here to there,” to give people a better and smoother way to arrive at their destination.

The scene calls up a picture of what all of you Vincentian priests and brothers have done throughout your lives. In a thousand different ways, you’ve worked to help people “get from here to there,” – “here” meaning the places from which they have started out, and “there” pointing to where it is that Our Lord has been leading them.

Each one of you could tell memorable stories of helping people to move past obstacles, walk straighter paths, and see more clearly what matters — all of these done in the light of the Gospel, all creating avenues for The Lord’s presence to shine through.

I ask you to look back at these ministry experiences through the lens of two phrases Paul uses in the opening chapter of his letter to the Philippians (1:4-6,8-11)

The first refers to the part you’ve played over the years in helping the Good News come more alive.  Paul’s words of gratitude for this: “With joy, I pray for you always, in my every prayer, because of your partnership for the Gospel.”

It’s this missionary from all those centuries ago praying in thanks for the efforts all of you here have made to proclaim Jesus’ Kingdom. He voices appreciation for your labors to bring the healing of the gospel to those you’ve helped, counseled, inspired, taught, and preached to — all done as Paul says, in “your partnership for the Gospel.”

The second is what he predicts about the future of these evangelizing efforts. His words: “I am confident that the one who began good works in you will continue to complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” Paul insists there’s every reason to trust that the good you’ve done (and are doing) in your life of service will continue into God’s future.

Summing up. Your helping people “to get from here to there” in their efforts to follow the Lord deserves not only of Paul’s praise, but also carries the assurance of Jesus’ Father that the service you’ve given through the years will bear fruit, and that your efforts to proclaim the Gospel will come to fullness in God’s own time.