Jesus tells a parable to “the chief priests” about the “Kingdom of God,” symbolized as a vineyard. Two sons are asked to “go out and work in the vineyard.” Jesus likens one of the sons, who says “Yes,” to the work, but then does not do it, to the priests. Jesus likens the other son, who says “No” but has a change of heart and does it, 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 its communal significance.
Vincent DePaul (1581-1660) was also a priest and also 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. Vincent used the rulers’ façade of personal piety like his predecessor priests from today’s Gospel used it. 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 those people whose very existence asked the conserving class to change, those they rendered 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. Vincent accepted something deeper was being asked of him; to change, radically so, for Vincent himself and for the world. Vincent became the second son of the parable, a convert, away from a façade of personal piety among rulers in the world to real work among people in Jesus’ Community 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. Which son in the parable are we and what is being asked of us? Can we hear the request to convert from conformity to rulers and grow a people’s community? 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: What is the real work we are doing among people?
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.