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One of the many attributes of St. Vincent de Paul was his love of the poor and needy. He saw in every woman and man he met the image of God. The congregation he founded has this work of charity as one of its principal ministries. Vincent loved God’s people and God, too, loves His people. Today let’s reflect on that simple fact as found in the response to today’s Psalm: “The Lord takes delight in his people.” The author of the book of Genesis records that God made woman and man in His own image. St. Irenaeus noted “That the glory of God is a man/woman fully alive!” The Jesuit poet Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote: And again: And … “Let Him Easter in us…” As the Psalmist wrote: “Let them sing praises to Him with timbrel and harp, for God loves his people.” And “God, You made me in my mother’s womb.” And “I have called You by name, You are mine.” Or again: “No where does God come so close to man as in man.” “The Lord takes delight in his people.” Let that be the focus of this reflection. Why and how and when does God take delight in you? What is it about you that God loves? What do you do that makes God laugh? What do you do that makes God pleased and proud that God crafted you? (Or makes God displeased and unhappy with God’s creation?) Where, when and how do you find God in others? Do they find God in You? What things in my life make me more loving towards God and others? Thus allowing the Lord to take delight in you! When and where do you take delight in God? In what time, place or circumstance is God most present to you? Most open to you delighting in God’s presence? The grace desired in today’s prayer is to experience deeply the love that God has for you and you delighting in that love and the source of that love. |