Gospel in Art: Feast of Saint Vincent de Paul

Saint Vincent de Paul Preaching to the Court of Louis XIII on Behalf of the Abandoned Children, by Paul Delaroche, 1823 © Yale University Art Gallery

Source: Christian Art

Gospel of 27 September 2024
Luke 9:18-22

One day when Jesus was praying alone in the presence of his disciples he put this question to them, 'Who do the crowds say I am?' And they answered, 'John the Baptist; others Elijah; and others say one of the ancient prophets come back to life.' 'But you,' he said 'who do you say I am?' It was Peter who spoke up. 'The Christ of God' he said. But he gave them strict orders not to tell anyone anything about this.

'The Son of Man' he said 'is destined to suffer grievously, to be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes and to be put to death, and to be raised up on the third day.'

Reflection on the painting

Today we celebrate the feast of Saint Vincent de Paul (1581-1660), founder of the Congregation of the Mission (Vincentians) and co-founder of the Daughters of Charity. Born in Gascony, France, he dedicated his life to serving the poor with extraordinary compassion, generosity, and humility, continuing his work until old age rendered him physically unable. In recognition of his immense contribution to charitable work, Pope Leo XIII declared him the patron saint of all works of charity. On this day, we also honour the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul (SVP), a charitable organisation founded in 1833 by French university students, led by the Blessed Frédéric Ozanam. Today, the Society operates in more than 150 countries across five continents, with 800,000 active members and over one million volunteers.

In 17th-century France, many children were abandoned because of poverty, disease, or illegitimacy, and they often faced a grim future of starvation, exploitation, or death. Moved by their plight, Vincent de Paul took action. He became an outspoken advocate for these children, recognising that their neglect was not just a private tragedy but a societal failure. Saint Vincent de Paul mobilised support for the poor, even addressing the royal court of King Louis XIII, as depicted in our painting.

He delivered a compelling sermon, urging the nobility to take responsibility for these vulnerable children. We see him depicted in our painting mid-flow of his sermon. He emphasised that our Christian duty is to care for the least among society, and he implored the wealthy and powerful to use their resources to help alleviate the suffering of these innocent lives. His words struck a chord, and as a result, he gained significant support, leading to the founding of the Hospice of the Foundlings, an institution dedicated to the care and protection of abandoned children.

LINKS

Gospel in Art: https://christian.art/
Today's Reflection: https://christian.art/daily-gospel-reading/luke-9-18-22-2024/