A parable of Vincentian Simplicity
Vincent must be smiling! Fr. Dennis Holtschneider writes in his blog from WYD with Vincentian Youth…10:30 a.m. Saturday. The young people are given masks to wear on the back of their heads (click on graphic to enlarge), and instructed to leave them on all day. While it reminds a few of us older participants of a Fellini film, it begins a theme of the day’s reflection, namely the ways in which we protect ourselves with false fronts. Speakers throughout the morning will ask the students to reflect on the ways they do not open their true selves to others – and to their God – in simplicity. Later at mass, during the penetential rites, some students will symbolically remove their masks as we chant “Lord, have mercy.” I expect they will have the students remove their masks completely later this afternoon, after they take part in the sacrament of reconciliation. Visit Fr. Holtschnieder’s blog
Simplicity (The Gospel according to Vincent de Paul)
This is the virtue St. Vincent loved most. “It is my gospel,” he says. Listen to how St. Vincent describes simplicity: “Jesus, the Lord, expects us to have the simplicity of a dove. This means giving a straightforward opinion about things in the way we honestly see them, without needless reservations. It also means doing things without any double-dealing or manipulation, our intention being focused solely on God. Each of us, then, should take care to behave always in this spirit of simplicity, remembering that God likes to deal with the simple, and that he conceals the secrets of heaven from the wise and prudent of this world and reveals them to little ones. But while Christ recommends the simplicity of a dove he tells us to have the prudence of a serpent as well. What he means is that we should speak and behave with discretion. We ought, therefore, to keep quiet about matters which should not be made known, especially if they are unsuitable or unlawful … In actual practice this virtue is about choosing the right way to do things.” (CR 11, 4-5.)
(Taken from “Five Vincentian Virtues” resource on VinFormation.)
Tags: Madrid, simplicity, Vincentian, World Youth Day, Youth
Merci, gracias, thank you for your continuing coverage of WYD Madrid! From afar we follow this critical event ……. and those we serve and with whom we serve can only benefit as we grow stronger as Vincentian family! Many thanks for keeping us in the Vincentian spirit loop of following our young. Great for those of us who work with vincentian young adults.2 Comments
Merci, gracias, thank you for your continuing coverage of WYD Madrid! From afar we follow this critical event ……. and those we serve and with whom we serve can only benefit as we grow stronger as Vincentian family!
Many thanks for keeping us in the Vincentian spirit loop of following our young. Great for those of us who work with vincentian young adults.