Show Notes
In this fourth week of Lent, Case reflects on God’s call to obedience, humility, and loving the marginalized, drawing both from the words of Paul in the epistle to the Philippians and from the life of St. Vincent de Paul.
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Episode Transcript
Theme for Reflection: A Poem
In Lent’s embrace, a scholar’s quest unfolds.
In halls of learning where wisdom molds,
Education’s altar, sacred space,
a pilgrimage towards knowledge and grace.
Medicine, a healing balm, divine.
Lent’s journey through the wards does shine.
And stethoscope echoes, compassion grows.
A vow to mend what suffering bestows.
Engineering’s realm where dreams take form
in Lent’s reflection, innovations norm,
bridging gaps from concept to design.
A Lenten path where solutions align.
In these fields where minds and hands unite,
Lent whispers softly, seek the light.
for education, medicine, engineering’s art,
a Lenten journey to transform and impart.
Philippians 2: 12-15
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky.
Psalm 37: 19-34
In times of disaster they will not wither;
in days of famine they will enjoy plenty.
But the wicked will perish:
Though the Lord’s enemies are like the flowers of the field,
they will be consumed, they will go up in smoke.
The wicked borrow and do not repay,
but the righteous give generously;
those the Lord blesses will inherit the land,
but those he curses will be destroyed.
The Lord makes firm the steps
of the one who delights in him;
though he may stumble, he will not fall,
for the Lord upholds him with his hand.
I was young and now I am old,
yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken
or their children begging bread.
They are always generous and lend freely;
their children will be a blessing.
Turn from evil and do good;
then you will dwell in the land forever.
For the Lord loves the just
and will not forsake his faithful ones.
Wrongdoers will be completely destroyed;
the offspring of the wicked will perish.
The righteous will inherit the land
and dwell in it forever.
The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom,
and their tongues speak what is just.
The law of their God is in their hearts;
their feet do not slip.
The wicked lie in wait for the righteous,
intent on putting them to death;
but the Lord will not leave them in the power of the wicked
or let them be condemned when brought to trial.
Hope in the Lord
and keep his way.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we come before your throne of grace, we’re humbled. Humbled by your majesty, overwhelmed by your unfailing love. You are the creator of the universe, the Alpha and Omega, the one who holds all things together by the power of your word. And so Lord, we bow before you.
We acknowledge our dependency on you for every breath we take and every beat of our hearts.
Lord, we confess that too often we have fallen short of your glory. Forgive us for our disobedience, our selfishness, our lack of faith.
Help us to surrender our wills completely to yours, trusting in your perfect plan for our lives, grant us the courage to follow you wholeheartedly, even when the path is difficult or uncertain. Lord, we lift up to you those who are suffering and in need. We pray for the poor, the marginalized, the oppressed, just as St. Vincent de Paul did. Give us eyes to see them as you see them and hearts that are moved with compassion, to respond with love and generosity. Use us, also, Father as instruments of your peace and vessels of your grace in a broken and a hurting world.
Help us Lord to cultivate within us the same spirit of humility and unity that characterize the life of St. Vincent de Paul. Teach us to love one another as you have loved us, bearing with one another in patience and gentleness. May our relationships, Lord, may all of our relationships be marked by grace and forgiveness this we ask in your Son, our Savior’s name, Jesus. Amen.
A Reflection for the Public Square
In the epistle to the Philippians, we find an exhortation from the apostle Paul that resonates through the corridors of time, urging you and me, believers in Christ, to live lives that reflect the transformative power of the gospel. In Philippians 2, Paul presents a call to obedience, to diligence and integrity in our walk with Christ.
As we reflect on these verses, I’d like to lift up the life example of St. Vincent de Paul, for he had unwavering commitment to those around him. He was a 17th century French priest, and he served the marginalized, the poor, the vulnerable. His selfless devotion to them, inspired by his deep faith in Jesus, serves as a timeless reminder of the transformative impact when we are obedient to God’s call. The apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians echo the importance of obedience, not just in the presence of others, but also especially in their absence.
St. Vincent de Paul also demonstrated obedience to God’s call, and showed that it was not contingent upon recognition or accolades, but rather, it flowed from a heart that surrendered to the divine will. Now, Paul urges believers in this passage to work out their salvation. I find that an interesting phrase, to work it out, and to do so with fear and trembling. Well, it recognizes that it’s God who empowers and sustains us in this faith journey.
St. Vincent de Paul exemplified this reliance on God’s grace as he faced all sorts of immense challenges in his life. But ultimately, he trusted God to guide his steps and to continue to lean into the impoverished and the outcast. Finally, Paul exhorts the Philippians to refrain from grumbling and arguing—one of my hardest things to do—and emphasizes the importance of maintaining a spirit of unity and humility. Unity and humility marked St. Vincent de Paul’s life as well. And so, we see a great example of love and compassion in the name of Christ.
Luke 12: 13-31
Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
And he told them this parable: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’
“Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you—you of little faith! And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
