SVDP Contemplation

Apostolic reflection helps us grow in holiness by sharing, listening, and refracting God’s light together in community.

In home visits, over-recording steals presence: focus less on clipboards and cameras, more on listening, dignity, relationships.

To answer a call to volunteer is to do something. To answer a call to vocation is to be something. This distinction is at the heart of what it means to be a member of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.

When our personal efforts pay off with the results we’d hoped for, we naturally feel a sense of exhilaration, and even pride in our accomplishment. We pat ourselves on the back a little bit, hang a certificate on the wall, or put a trophy on a shelf. We tend to do the same thing collectively, too, when the group we are part of tallies up the results of our work.

To be a member of the Society of St Vincent de Paul is not merely to volunteer, because to volunteer is to do something. Vincentians are not called simply to do something, but rather to be something. That is the nature of a calling, or vocation.

Loving “for love alone” means embracing the Great Commandment: giving the neighbor our full heart, soul, mind, and strength. It is deep empathy, shared dignity, thoughtful understanding of poverty’s causes, and concrete action that brings presence, hope, and real support to those who suffer.

Friendship with those we serve requires mutual trust: it’s not enough to trust our neighbors—we must also earn their trust. Judging their choices undermines trust; seeking the good strengthens it. As St. Vincent teaches, trust in God and trust in our neighbors are inseparable. Only through authentic trust can truly fraternal relationships grow.

James Davis, a joyful and faithful Vincentian, touched countless lives despite years of suffering. A devoted family man and respected leader, he inspired others through his writing, workshops, and heartfelt presence. His friendship and legacy of love, service, and spiritual guidance continue to bless all who knew him.

Love for God has two forms: affective love (warm feelings, contemplation) and effective love (action and service). St. Vincent teaches that true love is proven by work done for others, especially the poor. As Aquinas said, to love is to will the good of another; thus, to love God is to do His will by serving those in need, uniting faith and works in love.