Santuario de San Vicente de Paúl

[The following is a summary of the homily of Bishop Antonio Tobias, the bishop of the Diocese of Novaliches at the Mass for St. Vincent de Paul’s feast in the Santuario. The gospel for this feast is taken from Luke 16: 19-31 – the parable of Lazarus and the rich man. Since I was concelebrating, I had no time to translate to the Asian students the homily of the celebrant as I did during the Novena Masses. I am just summarizing the Bishop’s homily here. Since the Santuario was flooded due to the typhoon “Pedring”, the Mass was celebrated in the small chapel of SVS. Mmany people who were outside – some under the rain in their umbrellas, some waded through water, some in corridors and had no view of the altar – could not also hear his homily. This is also for them to read. Please pass.]

1.       The poor person in the Gospel has a name, Lazarus. The rich man has none; he was just described as “a rich man”. This is the total opposite of how the world considers the poor. Powerful events and persons have names; they are well known. For example, this strong powerful typhoon “Pedring” has a name; typhoons always have names. But their victims – the poor — have no names. The rich people are also known for their names. The poor ones just suffer and die without us knowing their names. I think St. Luke really intends that in this Gospel, the poor man has a name in order to counteract what the world usually thinks and does. And here St. Luke and St. Vincent is one: that the poor person needs to be recognized for his personal dignity, for his unique importance, for his individual name.

2.      The rich man did not care about others. He was just concerned of himself.  The dog is better. He gives attention to the poor man, even if it means just licking his wounds. This stance in front of poverty, in front of someone in need, has strong repercussion in one’s destiny so much so that in the afterlife, the callous rich was sent to fires of Hades and the poor man Lazarus found himself in the bosom of Abraham and the angels. There was a large gulf that separated them. No matter how much the rich man begged for a drop of water to quench his thirst, it was impossible because the large gulf separating them in this life is as wide as that which separated them in the afterlife. Each one though found himself on the opposite end just like when they were on earth. They exchanged places though. This should make us think and shudder. The way we take care of the poor in this life spells how we will be in the life to come. St. Vincent’s life reminds us about this.

3.       But even in the other life, the rich man has not really learned. Even as he was suffering in Hades, he was still thinking of himself, of his family and how they can be saved. He begs Abraham to send Lazarus to help save his family, to remind them. But Abraham said no. There are so many things in life that reminds them of their duty. The Jews have the Torah. It is already written them to care for the poor, to welcome the stranger, to help the captives, to show mercy to the widows, etc. Thus, the rich man could not claim that there was no one who reminded him. He must have already known. So, there was no reason for him to act the way he did. This is a challenge to all. Today, there are many people who are suffering – from the rain, from the typhoons, from the flood. What are we doing?  How do we celebrate St. Vincent’s feast in the midst of this suffering humanity?

4.      There is one last thing I am still asking: Why is St. Vincent called “de Paul”? I do not know that. I am still studying about this. I will ask our Vincentian brothers why. So, I will tell it to you next time…

Most Rev. Bishop Antonio Tobias, D.D.
Diocese of Novaliches
September 27, 2011

Summarized by:
Fr. Daniel Franklin Pilario, C.M.