Readings
First Reading: Nm 11:25-29
Second Reading: Jas 5:1-6
Gospel: Mk 9:38-43, 45, 47-48
Celebrating with the Spirit of St. Vincent de Paul
is a special day as we celebrate the feast of our parish’s patron, St. Vincent de Paul, while also marking the 26th Sunday in Ordinary Time. You may have noticed that I didn’t use the readings specifically for St. Vincent’s feast day, and I have a reason for that. As I prepared, the Gospel readings for this Sunday struck me as being perfectly aligned with the spirit of St. Vincent and his mission.
In today’s Gospel, we hear about a man who was casting out demons in Jesus’ name, though he wasn’t part of the group of disciples. John, one of the disciples, wanted to stop him, feeling that this miraculous power belonged exclusively to their group. But Jesus, much like Moses in the first reading, made it clear that God’s Spirit is not limited. This Spirit, the very source of freedom and healing, is given freely by God to those who have faith.
This message speaks to our human tendency to cling to exclusivity, to believe that only certain people can receive God’s gifts. But the truth is, anyone with faith can participate in God’s work. Faith comes through hearing and encountering Christ, and the man in today’s Gospel had faith because he had experienced Jesus—whether through his words, his miracles, or his presence.
Jesus further emphasizes the gravity of our actions when He warns us about leading “the little ones” astray. In this case, the “little ones” are those who announce the Good News, just like St. Vincent de Paul did throughout his life. Creating obstacles for those who are sent by God to preach the Gospel can have devastating consequences, and Jesus uses strong imagery to remind us of this.
The warning about sin in today’s Gospel is stark. Jesus tells us that it is better to lose a part of ourselves than to allow sin to lead us to destruction. He speaks of Gehenna, a place outside Jerusalem where waste and the bodies of criminals were burned, to vividly illustrate the fate of those who let sin take root. Jesus isn’t trying to scare us, but rather to help us understand the seriousness of sin and its destructive power.
But here’s the Good News: there is a way out of Gehenna. We don’t have to carry the weight of sin and death because Jesus Christ, out of love, has willingly taken that burden upon Himself. He descended into the depths so that we don’t have to. This love that Christ has for us should inspire us to share the Good News with others, just as St. Vincent de Paul did.
St. Vincent was a man of action, dedicated to reforming the clergy and serving the poor. His work laid the foundation for the St. Vincent de Paul Society, which continues to care for the homeless and those in need. And yet, Vincent himself understood that the most important thing we can give people is not material help, but hope. In his words, “Our vocation is to go not just to one parish, not just to one diocese, but all over the world, to set people’s hearts on fire with the love of God.”
More than anything else, people need hope. Hope gives meaning to our lives and helps us face the crosses and challenges that come our way. This is why we celebrate today—not just because of the feast or the community gathering, but because someone, Jesus Christ, gave His life for us so that we no longer need to fear Gehenna.
As we honor St. Vincent de Paul, let us remember that his mission is our mission. We are called to announce the Good News, to spread hope, and to share the love of Christ with the world.
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