As we celebrate Founder’s Week at St. John’s each year, we have a Convocation at which we honor men and women who embrace the Vincentian charism as individuals and as members of organizations.  We hold them up as models for our University community and especially for our students.

For our Founder’s Week theme in this year we used the image of “hearts on fire.” This focus emerged from an encouragement of St. Vincent who wrote:

“Our vocation is  . . .  to set people’s hearts on fire, to do what the Son of God did. He came to set the world on fire in order to inflame it with His love.” [CCD XII:215]

Clearly, to set the hearts of others on fire, one’s own heart must be aflame.

For me, the most direct “hearts on fire” Bible verse emerges from Luke 24:32.  You remember that some disciples are on their way to Emmaus after the death of Jesus.  And, as they walk and talk, Jesus joins them, but they do not recognize him.  This Risen Lord has a profound effect upon them as they reflect on their experience afterwards: “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” Walking with Jesus and attending to the Scriptures with him sets one’s heart on fire.   

The persons and programs that we honor at the Convocation offer “hearts on fire” in different ways—from educating students, to ministering to an immigrant community; from attending to the needs of women and children, to supporting housing for the marginalized; from advocating for the poor of the world through the UN, to promoting justice within this country.

At the Convocation we recognize how these individuals and groups witness to the spirit of the Gospel and the intent of St. Vincent de Paul. With “hearts on fire,” each ministered in his or her own ways to a world that needs compassionate “doers” and not simply “sayers.” These people model and encourage action for all of us.  Their stories call us to rejoice in their devotion to justice and to consider how we can also be part of the solution.

When I am attentive to these good people, I am convinced that Vincent would recognize them as colleagues.  One of Vincent’s great gifts was keeping his eyes open to the virtues and capabilities of others.  This insight enabled him to encourage them to carry out so many of the ministries that were close to his heart—and they imbibed his spirit.  Lay women became Ladies of Charity; consecrated men formed the Congregation of the Mission; vowed women took up the humble role of servant as Daughters of Charity.

Like Jesus and Vincent and our honorees, we are urged to be on fire and to let our hearts call us to active service.  As the disciples on the road to Emmaus walked with Jesus and allowed him to set them ablaze, we pray that our walking with Vincent opens space for the Lord to be with us and to direct our compassionate response to the needs of our world.