"He was loved by God and by men.""He was loved by God and by men."
To please God and man at the same time seems to be a difficult matter, for to study to please God means exposing oneself to a volley of indignation from worldlings, who understand nothing of the things of God. Nevertheless Saint Vincent had the double advantage of being loved by God and by men. He Who bestows every Light had showered upon him His most precious gifts. A spotless life, sublime piety, steadfast faith, consummate prudence, heroic patience, victory over the most cruel maladies, undaunted courage amidst the rigours of a holy penance, a humility which was the enemy of all ambition, an admirable facility in pardoning injuries, indefatigable zeal for the salvation of souls which nothing could overthrow or dishearten - here is an outline sketch of Saint Vincent. Or rather we should add to these qualities his lovable frankness, his ingenuous simplicity, which was always combined in him with the spirit of wisdom, his modesty, accompanied by an air of holy joy, his tender compassion towards the poor, his incessant and ever watchful solicitude to bring back to all Religious their first fervour, and to the Clergy its former splendour. That is typical of Saint Vincent: "Dilectus Deo et hominibus."
Being destined to remedy great evils, he lived at a time when heresy and civil wars had enveloped the whole of France in horror and desolation. People had thrown off the yoke of Religion and royal authority was no longer respected. The princes themselves, who should have put a check on the licentiousness of the crowd, gave them the example of rebellion. The Provinces, which were divided into different factions, took up arms one against another. Wherever Calvinism was uppermost, there one saw churches ruined, altars overthrown, Priests in flight or strangled, our most august Mysteries profaned and trodden under foot, the holy Sacrifice of the Altar abolished.
Great was the sorrow of Saint Vincent on finding that men no longer spoke the truth, and on seeing most of the pastors stagnating in culpable indolence, just as the people were sunk in profound ignorance. Saint Vincent could not remain an idle spectator of so many evils. No, he determined to expend all the ardour of his soul in rousing the zeal of the pastors, in enlightening the people and in restoring discipline. Dilectus Deo.
The first means he employed was Missions. Animated with the Apostolic spirit, he sowed the good seed of the Gospel wherever Providence directed him, under the authority of the pastors. Success crowned his works. He was able to revive the flame of zeal in the clergy; and where he could not achieve it he supplemented it by his own efforts, or those of the worthy evangelical workers whom he had gathered round him. To render his ministry all the more fruitful he added thereto all the good offices of Christian charity, as if he were responsible for all the good that was not done, and guilty of all the evil that was committed. One thing struck him especially: it was the sad state in which the country people were living; how their pastors sometimes left them wallowing in ignorance and disorder. He felt fired with zeal for these poor people, and believed he was sent expressly by God to teach them the Gospel, and he taught them with all the more joy, when he found in them most simple faith and a most submissive mind.
With this end in view, at the price of incredible fatigues, he went the round of the market towns, villages, down to the most distant hamlets and the most inaccessible spots. He penetrated everywhere in search of souls, those souls that are worthless in the eyes of men, but most precious in the eyes of Jesus Christ. He taught them the Mysteries of our holy Religion, the rules of Christian morality, and brought these prodigal children back to their Father's House: "Dilectus Deo et hominibus."
Living in Paris, absorbed by occupations of the highest importance, he never lost sight of his friends, the poor. His tenderness for them seemed to be inborn within him, and became daily more active and more ingenious in discovering and comforting their miseries. There is no work of charity for which he did not find means of support through his untiring devotion. The old men bent under the weight of years, the orphans, the foundlings, the condemned galley slaves, whole provinces reduced to the most horrible misery by enemies from without, and civil discords from within - they all found in Saint Vincent a father and a liberator. For some he preserved life, to others he gave freedom; to these a Christian education, to those a helpful Retreat. Through his care magnificent hospitals were built in Paris, to serve as refuges for the unhappy outcasts who were encumbering the streets of that city. No misery could have escaped the charity of this man of God; and that nothing might be wanting in the heroism of these great works, he joined material care of the body with his solicitude for souls: "Dilectus Deo et hominibus."
Hence Saint Vincent was one of those men of mercy whose works will live for ever in the annals of Holy Church. It was he whom kings, princes, ministers, bishops, magistrates, nobility and people regarded as the saint of their century. He was indeed the Model of pastors, the Father of the outcasts, the Support of bishops, the Counsellor of kings, the Reformer of the clergy, the Defender of the Church, the Soul of all great things that were done during his life for the Glory of God. In spite of the poverty he professed so religiously, in twenty years he distributed incalculable alms. His zeal knew no other limits than the confines of the whole habitable world. Without leaving Paris he put in motion France, Great Britain, Italy and Poland. After having sufficed for all the needs of the inhabitants in the cold Hebrides, he brought new fire, by his burning zeal, into the hot climates, and strove to sanctify the slave of Algiers and the native of Madagascar. His virtue gathered trophies on the continents; at a time when the multitude of sinners seemed to threaten religion with total ruin, he knew how to support it, to the confusion of those who made so many efforts against it.
The Houses of his Congregation, which were opened as so many shelters of religion, not only gave it new strength through his priests, but also were the cause of new and steady conquests. Christians who through worldly business, and especially their own passions, had closed their eyes to the glory of their heavenly origin, found here in Saint Vincent and his spiritual sons, enlightened guides, charitable physicians, who taught them to esteem less the decrepit things of this world and to value those of Heaven at their true worth. Those also who brought with them to these holy Retreats the treasure of a pure heart, and came with the design of reaching the heights of Christian perfection, found in Saint Vincent an admirable example of every virtue. Such were the fruits of the ten-days' Retreats which Saint Vincent established in his Houses. Sheltered by solitude and silence and aided by spiritual conferences, prayer and holy readings, devotion was revived and ever increased in vigour: "Dilectus Deo et hominibus!"
But the principal care of the holy priest was the reform of the clergy, as being the source of faith and devotion to be transmitted to the people. Saint Vincent therefore, by command of the Bishops, took the charge of preparing the candidates for the holy Ministry. For this end he spared neither trouble nor fatigue; instructions, prayers, everything was set working to prepare the aspirants to ascend the Altar with the purity of mind and profound reverence due to these holy functions. God deigned to place him in a position in which he could do still more - that is, prepare good Bishops for the Church in France. Being called by the Queen-Mother, Anne of Austria, to the Council of Conscience, he helped greatly to get apostolic men chosen for the highest dignities of the Church; and we may say that the clergy of France are indebted to him for the splendour with which they shone at that time, and for long afterwards.
What shall we say about the Conferences on Holy Scripture, ecclesiastical discipline, and the direction of pastors which Saint Vincent instituted? What shall we say of the considerable number of Seminaries, for which he provided Houses and revenues, for which he drew up regulations, and bequeathed to them the inestimable treasure of wise Directors? "Dilectus Deo et hominibus!"
His charitable solicitude embraced everything; health of body as well as the salvation of souls. One saw him humbling himself to render the lowest services to the poor; and also exhorting the dying with that sweet, insinuating, persuasive eloquence which, being animated by the breath of charity, usually meets with its reward in success even here below. These establishments, which serve as a refuge for outcasts, are due to the labours of Saint Vincent and his priests. Later on they were multiplied, thanks to the generosity of the people, the zeal of the ministers, of State, and the tender piety of the pastors. In our day they still continue to multiply under the name of "Hospices of Charity."
One can find these charitable establishments in Italy, in France and all through Europe, where an innumerable multitude of poor abandoned people find a refuge for their spiritual and temporal misery. Without mentioning any other towns, Turin alone possesses two Asylums for sick children, a House for foundlings, a Refuge for beggars; many Refuges of charity for adults, either sick or in good health. Finally, in our days it is given us to see the glorious triumph of the gigantic work called "The Little House of Divine Providence, under the protection of Saint Vincent de Paul," in which human misery under every form finds a refuge and comfort. Such are the fruits of the seed sown by Saint Vincent de Paul, that great man so dear to God and to men: "Dilectus Deo et hominibus."
In admiring his holy works let us try, my Brothers, to imitate his virtues, and we shall be sure to gain the affection of men. But, what is far more important for us, we shall be cherished by God, Who will know how to recompense richly each one of our good actions, pouring down His blessings on us while on earth, to make us worthy to share one day in the glory which the Blessed, together with Saint Vincent de Paul, are now enjoying for ever and ever. Amen!
Practice - Let us do good whilst there is time, during life; if in labouring for the Glory of God we meet with fatigues or tribulations, no matter of what kind, let us say with Saint Paul: "What I suffer is only for a moment; but the prize, the recompense which God will give me in Heaven, will last for all eternity."
- text taken from Virtue and Christian Refinement According to the Spirit of Saint Vincent de Paul, by Saint John Bosco