"Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God..." Luke 1:28-30
As a young girl hearing this message from the angel, Mary was troubled and afraid. Yet, she answered positively to God's call to service and trusted in His will. We can assume that most of us have not been visited by an angel in this dramatic way but God still calls us to service in other ways. How do we respond?
More than 300 people across the Diocese of Richmond and more than 100,000 across the United States have answered God's call to strengthen their faith lives through service to those most in need by becoming members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul. These Vincentians perform home visits to help those struggling financially, spiritually and in other ways. These Vincentians work at our food pantries to provide this basic necessity to those we serve. Vincentians may volunteer at our thrift store to help raise funds and provide housewares to people in need. Our Vincentians may deliver furniture and mattresses across the Diocese of Richmond for families who go without.
Yet there are so many people that we cannot serve because we need more people to answer the call to service. We need people to consider either joining existing St Vincent de Paul Conferences or start new ones. The Society of St Vincent de Paul teaches you everything you need to know and will provide an experience unlike any other.
In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock at night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood near them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And so the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the City Of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." Luke 2:8-11
Again, there is the phrase "Do not be afraid." This or a version of this is the most common phrase found in the Bible. Whether it was Mary, the teenager who would be the mother of God or lowly shepherds in a field, God shared the same message. He shares this message with us today. Whether as Vincentians serving those in need or to those struggling in poverty, God reminds us that He has a loving plan for us and we just need to trust in Him and follow-but we often make that challenging.
Maybe we fear that we don't have the time to participate in a ministry. Maybe we fear that it's just too overwhelming to take on poverty. Like Mary, we need to accept God's call and happily serve Him regardless of the commitment required.
For those struggling in poverty, their fears are more centered on how to provide food tomorrow and what will happen if the car breaks down because they cannot afford to fix it. Like the shepherds, it is hard for them to accept that God would come to them and be there for them.
Yet for the unsure volunteer and the person living in poverty, God says, "Be not afraid." I am here for you. As Vincentians, we look to not only bring Jesus to our friends in need but we are called to see the face of Jesus in those we serve.
So this Christmas season, put aside any fears or concerns you may have and consider getting engaged with Society of St Vincent de Paul. May your heart be open to God's call to service and to help those in need.
Serviens in spe,
Dan Kearns
Executive Director
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul-Richmond
We often think of Christmas as the time of giving and receiving gifts. Some of our fondest memories is when we received that toy we wanted as a child or maybe that family you helped as an adult. Wisemen from the East got in on the gift giving early on as did that little drummer boy (ok-that may be a stretch). As we celebrate the Christmas season, gifts have always played a large part in this story. But as Vincentians, we give and accept gifts in a different way.
Let's start with the gift of caring. Vincentians provide this with every home visit they make to a family in crisis. Vincentians share this gift with every phone call they make to check in on the single mom who is unsure if someone cares about her. Possibly the most important gift of caring that a Vincentian provides to our friends in need is the gift of prayer. For many of those we serve have lost hope-and through a simple prayer, a Vincentian can help restore that hope in a person.
The obvious gift that so many Vincentians provide is financial. Without our donors, the Society could not help the more than 3,000 individuals we assisted last year. The generosity of our Vincentians and all our donors is staggering and continues to grow.
Unlike so many of us, Vincentians don't focus their giving during the Christmas season. Vincentians give throughout the year, whenever the need arises. Vincentians give the gift of their time. Whether it's the home visit for the family in need who cannot pay their rent or the time spent helping set up and plan the largest Friends of the Poor Walk in the US last year, Vincentians across the Diocese give of their time willingly throughout the year.
So during this Christmas season as you give and receive gifts, know the gift that Vincentians give and receive all year through. It is the gift of a Savior, born in a manger, who came in to the world as a simple infant and would change it forever. That child is who Vincentians get to see in the face of every friend in need we serve. That is the greatest gift of all.
To all our Vincentians, supporters and colleagues across the Diocese of Richmond, may you have blessed and Merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year.
Serviens in spe,
Dan Kearns
Executive Director
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul-Richmond
All of us can probably remember the look on the face of a loved one that has changed your life in one way or another. But recently, I had a different experience. It was not the face of someone I knew but rather a complete stranger. It wasn't a smile or a frown but rather just a glance from someone I had never met and will most likely never meet again.
Our family had just witnessed some of God's greatest creations during our vacation to the American West. The Rocky Mountains, Arches and the Grand Canyon were awe inspiring.
As our trip ended in Las Vegas, we walked down Las Vegas Boulevard one afternoon and saw all of the billion dollar resorts and casinos. But what truly stuck with me was the face of another of God's creations. No-this wasn't a billion dollar property or a wonder of the world. It was a homeless person lying in an old blanket in front of one of the lavish resorts. The woman appeared to be asleep with all her belongings in two bags. As we were walking near her, I was thinking how does this happen? And just then, she opened her eyes just a bit and looked right at me. She didn't ask for money. She was barely awake. But she looked right at me. I wondered what was she thinking. She was just laying there watching the world go by-hoping to live or maybe hoping to die. A young woman who maybe lost a job, struggled with mental illness, addiction or something else. But she was someone's daughter, a sister or maybe a mother. But there she was. And I thought, what can we do?
Is there some new program that can serve the homeless better or maybe help prevent someone from becoming homeless? The Society works every day through their home visits in an effort to keep people housed. What we can do here in Virginia? First-we could have more parishes join our efforts to serve our friends in need. Second-the Society will increase our advocacy efforts to help locate and create more affordable housing for people across the Diocese of Richmond.
But here is what I ask of each of you. Remember that one face, maybe someone you encountered in a home visit or somebody you saw on the side of the road asking for help. Keep that one face in your memory and commit to helping those in need. Let that face be your driver to help make a difference for someone who is struggling.
As Vincentians, we are called to see the face of Christ in those we serve. So, that one face I asked you to commit to memory is also the face of Christ. For me, the face of that homeless woman in Las Vegas watching life pass her by is the one face I will remember as I try to do better in serving our brothers and sisters across our Diocese.
And now I ask you, with that one face etched into your memory, to help the work of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.
Serviens in spe,
Dan Kearns
Executive Director
Society of Saint Vincent de Paul-Richmond
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