Fr. Manny Ginete, CM, outgoing liaison of the Congregation of the Mission to the Vincentian Family, has written the following reflection entitled “To be a Vincentian”…

TO BE VINCENTIAN

To be Vincentian is to follow Christ,

• to continue his work,
• to continue his style of life,
• to accept his plans,
• to live according to his spirit as expressed in the Beatitudes.

To be Vincentian is to share Jesus’ cause

• the construction of the kingdom
• the liberation of all women and men
• the great utopia of God
  • where men and women can live as brother and sisters
  • where all people can live with dignity and justice and peace.

To be Vincentian is to be part of the Vincentian Family,

• a community of love
• a community that is united in proclaiming the Good News to the poor
• a community that is united in serving those persons who are most poor.

To be Vincentian is to bring to life the path of Jesus

• to live anew the process of Jesus
• to maintain Jesus’ options
• to sow with Jesus the seeds of his Kingdom
• to build active and prayerful communities
• to give witness to the Word
• to live his commandment of love.

To be Vincentian is to live from the perspective of our charism

• to be animated by the Holy Spirit
• to have our hearts filled with the Spirit of God
• to say “yes” with Mary to the things that the Father asks of us
• to have the strength of the Spirit so that we can respond to the plans of God for our lives.
• To be Vincentian is to live in the Spirit of the Lord
• to hope for that which seems impossible
• to realize that for God nothing is impossible
• to unite our hands and efforts in creating a better life for all people
• to begin, like Jesus, with the those who are viewed as least and unimportant

To be Vincentian is discern the signs of the times

• to discern the signs of God in our own time
• to discern with clarity
• to be courageous in our discernment
• to announce and denounce all that is opposed to the Kingdom of God.

To be Vincentian implies accepting conflict and risk in order to follow Jesus

• to mature during the time of crisis
• to grow in sincere fidelity
• to live anew the passion of Jesus
• to embrace the cross
• to be men and women of integrity in our words and actions
• to live with simplicity
• to allow ourselves to be freed from power and consumerism
• to allow ourselves to be freed in order to grow in faith
• to allow ourselves to be freed in order to hope and build
• to allow ourselves to be freed in order to love and free others.

Editors note:  How well did you do?