The document discusses Vincent de Paul's understanding of divine providence and living in the arms of God. It summarizes that Vincent created a vast network of charity with limited resources by recognizing that the works were from God, not of his own doing. It encourages reflection on one's experience of God's providence in their vocation and how decisions are made in dependency on God rather than one's own plans. It suggests committing to developing trust and abandonment into God's arms.

1. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE
REFLECTION
Rolando Gutiérrez, CM Vice-Province of Costa Rica invites us to reflect

2. A TIME TO
UNDERSTAND
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

3. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Saint Vincent de Paul is recognized in
history as the great apostle who
organized the largest network of charity
during the seventeenth century … a truly
incredible work considering the limited
resources that were at his disposal and
even more so if we were to compare that
to the many technological resources that
are available to people in today’s world.
Vincent was able to create this network
of charity and as a result was able to
provide for the daily needs of thousands
of poor men and women in different
parts of the world (France, Italy, Poland,
Scotland, Ireland, Madagascar, Tunis and
Algeria).

4. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
We might pose the following question
about the life and the ministry of Vincent
de Paul: How did an individual, a peasant
in origin, not outstanding intellectually or
socially or politically … how was such a
person able to develop all those different
projects? Vincent provides us with the
answer when he speaks about the origins
of the Congregation of the Mission:
“Alas, my dear confreres, no one had ever
thought of that! We did not even know
what missions were, we were not thinking
of them at all and did not know what they
were all about, and that is how it can be
recognized that this is a work of
God.” (CCD:XI:162)

5. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Vincent expressed a similar idea
when he spoke about the origin of
the Daughters of Charity:
“Sisters, you should have such deep
devotion to Divine Providence and
such great love for and confidence in
it that if Providence itself had not
given you the beautiful name of
Daughters of Charity — which you
must never change — you should be
called Daughters of Providence, for it
is Providence that has brought you
into being.” (CCD:IX:62)

6. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Here we discover a key element with
regard to Vincentian spirituality,
namely, all our works belong to God
and originate in God, we are God’s
humble instruments … or to say this
in another way, we are children of
Divine Providence.

7. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
A Vincentian understanding of the mystery of
God
In light of the many sufferings that Jean
Barreau experienced during the time that he
served as consul of France in Algiers, Vincent
wrote to him and counseled him: “We cannot
better assure our eternal happiness than by
living and dying in the service of the poor, in
the arms of Providence, and with genuine
renouncement of ourselves in order to follow
Jesus Christ.” (CCD:III:384)
Such is the manner in which Vincentians
respond to their calling to clothe themselves
in the spirit of Christ, a calling that finds its
fulfillment in acts of renunciation that
ultimately enable them to abandon
themselves into the arms of Providence.

8. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Indeed, it is in the arms of Providence
that they come to a better
understanding that the plan is God’s
plan and not their plan and it is also in
the arms of Providence that the sons
and daughters of Saint Vincent have
their daily encounter with the Lord.
Photo: Society of St. Vincent de Paul of St. Louis, USA

9. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
A Vincentian manner of acting
In 1655 Vincent experienced some
difficult moments as he attempted to
have vows approved for the members
of the Congregation. After a failed
attempt, Vincent wrote to Étienne
Blatiron in Rome, a member of the
Congregation who was directing this
process: “…The works of God have their
moment; his Providence brings them
about at that time and neither sooner
nor later. The Son of God saw the loss of
souls; yet, he did not advance the hour
ordained for his coming. Let us wait
patiently but let us act, and, so to speak,
let us make haste slowly.” (CCD:V:340)

10. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Vincent’s absolute trust in divine providence
is a most appropriate element during this
time of the twenty-first century when the
members of the Vincentian Family might be
tempted to identify themselves with the
various works and projects that are carried
out on behalf of those who are poor, rather
than identify themselves as mystics of action.
The tendency toward activity, which
ultimately creates some very anxious groups
and/or individuals, is a reflection of a
spirituality that, in reality, is lacking in
everything that is Vincentian. Where there are
true Vincentians there is also trust in
providence and abandonment into the arms
of God who is the author of all our works and
the one to whom we commit ourselves …
trusting that God will indeed guide and direct
all our steps.
Photo: Prayer after a home visit / St. Louis Review

11. A TIME TO
CONTEMPLATE
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

12. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO CONTEMPLATE
Let us spend some time in reflection on
our own life:
‣ What has been my experience of
God’s providence?
‣ How was I initiated into the
Vincentian charism?
‣ How did I become a member of the
Vincentian Family?
‣ What role has God played in my
vocation?
‣ What are the signs that enable us to
know that our service is, as Vincent
stated, a work of God?

13. A TIME TO
MEDITATE
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

14. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO MEDITATE
Let us reflect on and share with one
another our thoughts on the following
questions:
‣ Is our understanding of happiness
related to service on behalf of the poor?
‣ How do we understand the words: to live
in the arms of divine providence?
‣ “… the works of God have their
moment…” What insight do those words
offer us as we reflect on our service on
behalf of those persons most in need?
How do we make decisions and how do
we carry out our various plans and
projects? Do we, in realty, live as though
we were dependent on divine
providence?

15. A TIME TO
COMMIT
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

16. IN THE ARMS OF PROVIDENCE ・ A TIME TO COMMIT
It would seem appropriate to make a
commitment in the area of trust and
abandonment:
‣ What attitude do we need to
develop in order to learn how to
entrust our plans and service to
divine providence?
‣ Do we feel called to make some act
of abandonment into the arms of
God?

17. by Rolando Gutiérrez, CM Vice-Province of Costa Rica
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM Eastern Province, USA
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