Homily – Saturday of the Twenty-Fifth Week in Ordinary Time
By Fr. Williams Onyilo, CSSp
Memorial of Saints Vincent de Paul.
Readings: Zechariah 2:5-9,14-15, Luke 9:43-45.
Helping the poor and the needy has always been one of the foremost works by which the Church of Christ is known. In fact, it is a sine qua non for making heaven.
In Matthew 19:21, Jesus said to the rich young man who desired eternal life: “Go, sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have riches in heaven.” Similarly, Luke 12:32-33 tells us: “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the Kingdom. Sell your belongings and give the money to the poor.” Again, in Luke 16:19-25, the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, we see that the rich man was condemned not because of his wealth, but because he refused to help poor Lazarus.
Furthermore, when Zacchaeus declared to the Lord: “Listen, sir! I will give half of my belongings to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone, I will pay back four times as much,” Jesus responded: “Today salvation has come to this house” (Luke 19:8-9).
Today, we celebrate the memorial of a great saint-Saint Vincent de Paul-who understood deeply the secret of helping the poor. He dedicated his life to serving the needy, including prisoners and galley slaves, and went on to found a congregation of priests to continue this mission of charity. Other saints, such as St. Lawrence, St. Valentine, and Mother Teresa of Calcutta, also shone brightly in their service to the poor.
Let us also embrace this call to charity. By helping the poor, we prepare ourselves for eternal life. May the Lord grant us the grace to live out this mission of love and mercy, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
