Jesus tells a parable to “the chief priests” about the “Kingdom of God,” symbolized as a vineyard. Two sons are asked to “work in the vineyard.” One says “Yes,” but does not work. Jesus likens that son to the priests. The other says “No,” but does work. Jesus likens that son who has a change of heart to converted sinners. Jesus concludes his parable by telling the priests, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you.” The priests reject that something is being asked of them and reject its communal significance.
Like the priests of the Gospel, Vincent DePaul (1581-1660) was also a priest who would not hear that Jesus was asking something of him, nor its communal significance. Vincent was only attuned to what he wanted. He wanted out of the poverty and subservience into which he was born. He wanted comfort and status. He used the priesthood to get it. Upon entering seminary Vincent aligned himself with the wealthy conserving class and heeded their values. They acted as patrons to priests who in turn blessed their cruel rule. Like the priests in the Gospel, Vincent used the façade of personal piety. He thus matched the first son in Jesus’ parable, saying a superficial “Yes” to Jesus but not doing what Jesus asked, working for the Community of God in the world. Vincent shunned such work. It meant being attuned to people whose poverty asked that he his cohorts change – stop conserving the system that made them poor. Influenced by the conserving class’ values, Vincent treated poor people with contempt, including his own father. Until one day, when visiting a rich patron’s farm and something was suddenly asked of Vincent. He was asked to hear a dying peasant’s confession. Vincent heard in the poor old man’s voice all to which he had not been attuned; integrity, faith, community, conscience. In that experience, Vincent accepted something deeper was being asked of him; to change, radically so. Vincent became the second son in Jesus’ parable. He had originally said ‘No,’ to Jesus’ call. Now, he was converting, away from a façade of personal piety among the conserving class touting heaven and toward real discipleship among people in Jesus’ Community active in the world. Vincent spent the rest of his years living in communion with poor people, loving them, and acting for their social benefit by building hospitals, orphanages, and schools. How am I spending my years, as the first or second son? It is not because of his personally pious priestly days, but for his socially challenging commoner ways that Vincent de Paul is beloved as a Saint for our world with his feast day celebrated today, September 27.
“What has become of the Communion of Saints? Their lives bespeak an unfinished agenda that is now in our hands; their memory is a challenge to action; their companionship points the way.” (Friends of God and Prophets – Elizabeth Johnson CSJ)
Prayer: Spirit of Conversion, change my heart, inspire my action.
Question: How am I hearing the request to convert from conformity to rulers and do the real work of growing a people’s community?
September 27, 2020 Gospel Matthew 21:28-32 Twenty Sixth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Our democracy is so corrupted by self serving power hungry people. I chose to stand with the poor at the Women’s March yesterday in order to feed and give health care to those much less fortunate then I. We must continue to give light to those who are blinded by racism who also have nothing and yet will follow those who promote white supremacy and thus inequality. As always, from the womb to the tomb, not just from the womb.