Readings from the Common of Pastors for the Memorial of Saint Vincent de Paul, Priest. These readings typically include:

• Ezekiel 34:1–11 – God condemns the shepherds who fail to care for the flock and promises to shepherd His people Himself.
• Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”
• Luke 10:1–9 – Jesus sends out the seventy-two, instructing them to bring peace, heal the sick, and proclaim the Kingdom of God.

Theme: “Shepherding with Compassion: The Legacy of Saint Vincent de Paul”

Today’s readings speak powerfully to the heart of pastoral ministry. In Ezekiel, God rebukes the shepherds who have neglected the flock—feeding themselves instead of the sheep, ignoring the weak, the sick, and the lost. It’s a sobering reminder that leadership in the Church is not about status or comfort, but about service and sacrifice.

Then we hear Psalm 23, the beloved declaration: “The Lord is my shepherd.” This is the kind of shepherd God promises to be—one who leads gently, restores souls, and walks with us through the darkest valleys.

And in the Gospel, Jesus sends out the seventy-two with a mission: to bring peace, heal the sick, and proclaim the Kingdom. He doesn’t send them with wealth or power. He sends them with vulnerability, trust, and the authority of love.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Saint Vincent de Paul: A Shepherd of the Poor

Saint Vincent de Paul embodied these readings with astonishing clarity. Born into modest means, he could have pursued a comfortable clerical life. Instead, he allowed his heart to be broken open by the suffering of the poor. He saw Christ in the hungry, the sick, the orphaned, and the imprisoned.

He founded the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity, not to build monuments, but to build mercy. He trained priests to be true shepherds—men of humility, compassion, and courage. He didn’t just preach the Gospel; he lived it in the streets, in hospitals, and in the homes of the forgotten.

🛠️ Real-Life Reflections

Let me share a story. A young priest named Father Miguel was assigned to a rural parish in Central America. The church had no roof, the people had no running water, and the nearest hospital was hours away. At first, he felt overwhelmed. But he remembered Saint Vincent’s words: “Go to the poor, and you will find God.”

So he began visiting homes, blessing crops, teaching children, and organizing health clinics. He didn’t fix everything—but he became a shepherd. And the people began to say, “Father Miguel walks with us.”

Or consider a woman named Linda, a retired nurse in Los Angeles. She volunteers weekly at a mobile clinic for the homeless. She says, “I don’t just check blood pressure—I listen. I pray. I remind people they matter.” That’s pastoral care. That’s Vincentian love.

🙏 Takeaway

Saint Vincent de Paul didn’t wait for perfect conditions. He responded to the call of Christ: “Go… heal… proclaim.” He challenged the Church to be a Church of the poor, for the poor.

So today, let’s ask ourselves:

• Who are the “lost sheep” in our lives?
• Where can we bring healing, peace, and presence?
• How can we shepherd with compassion—not just in words, but in action?

May we follow Saint Vincent’s example—not just admiring his legacy, but continuing it.