The rule and statues of the Society of Saint Vincent De Paul (Canada) identifies 4 key characteristics of the Vincentian spirit: spirit of charity, service and sharing, spirit of humility, spirit of truth and justice, spirit of warm acceptance and cordiality. I wish to meditate on these in the coming months.
Consequently, it is necessary to note that our Vincentian spirituality is rooted in our relationship with God, for God is the source and summit of our being.

God is not simply a supporter or helper in what we do while caring for the poor and the needy, He is the reason why we do these great works! He gives us the meaning of living for the ultimate good, He gives us the zeal to discomfort ourselves for the benefits of others, He gives us the wisdom to use the little we have to achieve greater results, and He fills us with joy and peace as we go about doing good in our broken world.

This means that without God, nothing would be possible. Hence, the need for us to reflect on how we relate with God, or better put “How do we give ourselves to God?” This is a question I have been asking myself a lot this past week: “How have I been making myself available to God? God has given everything to me; His spirit, His name, His life, His kingdom, His son, Himself! Do I give Him the best of myself or do I reserve the best of myself for something else?”

How we relate with God greatly influences the fruits we bear as Vincentians and individual Christians, for it is God who grants the growth to the seeds we plant and water (1 Corinthians 3.6). The more we grow in intimacy with God, the more we bear fruits that last and would outlive us. It could be quite helpful for us to constantly review how we give ourselves to God.