Top 16 Quotes By St. Vincent de Paul On Helping the Poor

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These quotes by St. Vincent de Paul are timely, because lately, I have been meditating on Christ’s love for the poor.

In Luke 6:20, our Lord says, “Blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.”

Our whole Catholic Tradition gives pride of place to the poor. Does that mean it is wrong to be wealthy? Of course not, but there is a reason why our Lord says, “a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 10:23).”

It is difficult to be wealthy because of our natural attachment to wealth and esteem.

All Catholics are called to spiritual poverty. Spiritual poverty:

“… describes a stance of utter dependence before God, not in any demeaning, servile sense, but in the sense of the Principle and Foundation: God is God, and we are creatures created to praise, love, and serve God. Before all else, we depend on God for our happiness and fulfillment. While we are grateful for our talents, abilities, wealth, and achievements, we are free enough to offer them to the service of God and others and to let go of them when they get in the way of that self-giving.”

Kevin O’Brien SJ

However, we are not only called to spiritual poverty.

As all Catholics are called to spiritual poverty, all are called to help the poor. Helping the poor with material needs is not an option, it is a requirement.

Now, this is only my opinion, but I believe that it is even better if we can interact in person with the poor through maybe visiting the sick, volunteering at a pantry or soup kitchen, working at pregnancy centers, educating the poor etc.

Working directly with the poor not only gives us a chance to practice charity, it also allows us to preach the gospel without using words.

Still not convinced? Check out these quotes by St. Vincent de Paul – Patron Saint of charities and lover of the poor!

Saint Vincent de Paul

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TOP 16 Quotes By St. Vincent de Paul On Helping the Poor

“Go to the poor: you will find God.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“The poor are your masters. You are the servant.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“We should strive to keep our hearts open to the sufferings and wretchedness of other people, and pray continually that God may grant us that spirit of compassion which is truly the spirit of God.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“You are the servant of the poor, always smiling and good-humored. They are your masters, terribly sensitive and exacting masters you will see. And the uglier and the dirtier they will be, the more unjust and insulting, the more love you must give them.”~St. Vincent de Paul
“The hour for mental prayer comes round; if you hear the poor calling for you, mortify yourselves and leave God for God, although you should do all in your power not to omit prayer because it is prayer that will keep you united to God, and as long as you are united to God you have nothing to fear.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“To prefer the service of the sick poor to all other corporal or spiritual exercises and to have no scruple about leaving all other things for that, provided it is urgent necessity, and not laziness, that inclines us to do so” ~ St. Vincent de Paul
“God be praised for granting you the grace of clothing Our Lord in His poor members, most of whom had nothing but rags to cover them and several children were as naked as the back of my hand” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“How happy the man of means who uses his wealth and his life for the greater glory of God, from whom he has received them. ~St. Vincent de Paul

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“I cannot tell you how much the poor have need of your living a long time. ~St. Vincent de Paul
We should groan under the burden of the poor and suffer with those who suffer, otherwise we’re not disciples of Jesus Christ ~St. Vincent de Paul
“God loves the poor, consequently, He loves those who love the poor; for when we truly love someone, we have an affection for his friends and for his servants.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“How fortunate we are to honor the poor family of Our Lord by the poverty and lowliness of our own.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“How consoled you will be at the hour of death for having consumed your life for the same reason for which Jesus Christ gave His life — for charity, for God, for the poor.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“I will always welcome joyfully any opportunity that comes my way to be of service to you.” ~St. Vincent de Paul
“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.” ~St. Vincent de Paul

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