Vincent – spirituality and love

J. F. Gazziello, CM writes that for Vincent  the true meaning of the religion of Jesus Christ: God is love and wants us to go to him through love (CCD:I:81). In formulating this “creed” that reveals the true face of God, Vincent was influenced by the words of Saint John: Let us love one another … for God is love (1John 4:7-8)

In Vincent’s experience we see that he had a very clear understanding of the human person and this guided his thinking and action. We see this revealed in the fact that he not only did not exclude the poor from salvation but gave them a preferential position. What separates Vincent from others of his era is the intimate relationship that he saw between Christ-Church-poor. Vincent believed in God’s love and in the fact that God shared this love with all people. His efforts at Christian renewal opened people to God’s love for them, a love which showed them how to love God and how to love their sisters and brothers. God loves the poor, consequently, He loves those who love the poor … the Little Company of the Mission strives to devote itself ardently to serve persons who are poor, the well-beloved of God … Come then and let us devote ourselves with renewed love to serve persons who are poor, and even to seek out those who are the poorest and most abandoned (CCD:XI:349).

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