A gift – something given over freely, with good will and coming not from obligation but from good will and esteem. It raises the question: of all the gifts to receive, which would be the most valuable and precious?
Reflections
If I were John the Baptist…
In the back of my head, I have wondered why Jesus was baptized. After all, Jesus is the Son of God. He is sinless. There had to be something more.
Traditions, Customs, and Habits
Jesus makes all things new. Hence, he questions traditions and customs, most of all, those that veil his true face....
“It is So Difficult to Start from Scratch in Another Country”
"I was a stranger and you welcomed me": this is the motto that guides us Vincentians during this year in which we celebrate the 400th anniversary of the charism. The story that we are now introducing became viral only a month ago: a boy from a secondary school in the...
The Feast of the Holy Trinity: Come On In
“Come on In” (Ex 34, 2 Cor 13, John 3:16) The Feast of the Holy Trinity is an especially daunting one for the preacher. How even to touch on it, this Mystery of mysteries? A tentative step is by way of the imagination, and so I ask you to put yourself imaginatively...
See the Master, and you see the Father
Jesus alone makes us see the Father fully. We can see the Father fully, even here below, through his only Son. He is in the bosom of the Father there above. That is because the only Son has become flesh and dwelt among us in Jesus. He is the same as the one who is...
Step by Step – Prayer Rejuvenates Us
Step by Step – Prayer Rejuvenates Us - God Watches Over us - Land of the Living - John 16:20-23 Vincentian Day of Prayer and Fast Step by Step Almighty, eternal, just, and merciful God, grant us in our misery that we may do for your sake alone what we know you want us...
We Are Living the Times of the Holy Spirit • A Weekly Reflection with Louise
"Souls that are truly poor and desirous of serving God should place their trust in the coming of the Holy Spirit within them believing that, finding no resistance in them, He will give them the disposition necessary to accomplish the holy will of God which should be...
Reconnecting with Myself Through Vincent de Paul’s Footsteps #IamVincent
My Origins I was born and raised in Chicago, but grew up in a traditional Mexican Catholic household. By traditional I mean that my family and I would go to church every Sunday morning and have breakfast together afterwards. Another thing was that I was never allowed...
A Swish of Silk – St. Catherine Labouré
Context Catherine Laboure is, in my mind, the forgotten Vincentian figure. This saint lived in 19th century France. When Catherine was only 9 years old, her mother died. To help cope, young Catherine took a picture of the Blessed Virgin Mary off of her wall,...
A Vincentian View: Trinity and Community
A Vincentian View: Trinity and Community Vincent held out two great teachings of the Church for particular reverence by the members of the Congregation: the Incarnation and the Trinity. This past Sunday, we celebrated our triune God. The primary symbol for a life of...
Newness that Is Amazing and Shocking
Jesus embodies newness. This newness amazes and shocks. The newness that is Jesus shows up undoubtedly as he feeds about five thousand. Like sheep, they rest in green pastures. Due to the newness of the sign Jesus does, those who have eaten try to make him king. ...
