On the twenty-second day of October this year, Pope Francis published his fourth encyclical, Dilexit Nos, dedicated to the human and divine love of the Heart of Jesus Christ. In this encyclical, Francis invites us to renew our devotion to the heart of Jesus so that we do not lose sight of the tenderness of faith, the joy of service and the enthusiasm of mission, so that humanity is not dispossessed of its heart, because the Heart of Jesus inspires us to love and sends us out to others. To introduce us to the centre of the sacred mystery of the heart of Jesus, Pope Francis takes up the great ideas of monastic spirituality and the Fathers of the Church, and evokes certain devotions and even more contemporary spiritualities.
At the very beginning of this fourth encyclical, the author mentions some key New Testament expressions about the love of the divine heart: “He has loved us” (Rom 8:37); “Nothing can separate us from his love” (Rom 8:39). Jesus said to his disciples: “I have loved you” (Jn 15.9.12), “I call you friends” (Jn 15.15); “He loved us first” (1 Jn 4.19). Thanks to Jesus, “we have recognised God’s love for us and have believed in it” (1 Jn 4:16).
“Dilexit nos” consists of 220 issues, rich in literary and doctrinal content, divided into the following five main chapters: The importance of the heart; Gestures and words of love; This is the heart he loved so much; Love that gives drink; Love for love’s sake.
In this encyclical, Francis mentions Saint Vincent de Paul by name in three different paragraphs or numbers. In the fourth chapter, “Love that gives drink”, he quotes the patron saint of charity in number 148, when he stresses the importance of the interior life. He also mentions the apostle of the poor in the fifth chapter, “Love for love’s sake”, in numbers 180 and 207, which present the heart of Jesus as a source of consolation and missionary energy.
Pope Francis takes up one of the aspects of Vincentian spirituality concerning the importance of the interior life. It is worth recalling that the interior life, which refers to a call to unite one’s heart with that of Christ, is a profound aspiration of all Vincentians. It is an invitation to live in accordance with the teachings of Jesus, adopting the dispositions of his heart, his love, his compassion and his humility. A Vincentian united to the heart of Jesus seeks to see the world through the eyes of Christ, with a particular focus on the poorest and most vulnerable. Quoting this giant of charity, Pope Francis says:
“Saint Vincent de Paul, for example, said that what God wants is the heart: ‘God asks mainly for the heart, the heart, and that’s the main thing. Why is it that someone who has no possessions deserves more than someone who has great possessions that he renounces? Because he who has nothing goes to it with more affection; and that is what God particularly wants…. ”. This implies agreeing to unite one’s heart to that of Christ: ”A girl who does everything she can to put her heart in a state to be united to that of Our Lord, […] what a blessing she should not hope for from God”. (DN 148). For a missionary as for a daughter of charity, union with Christ not only transforms personal life, but also has an impact on others, radiating peace, joy and love. Therefore, following the example of Jesus in serving others, especially those in need, allows us to manifest or translate the fruits of his heart into concrete actions.
Without directly using the word inhabitation, Francis underlines this theme of Christian theology when he refers to the permanent and active presence of God in the soul of the Christian, whether priest or lay person. Here again he evokes Saint Vincent de Paul: “Such was the disposition of the heart of a Vincent de Paul […] ‘When Our Lord dwells in the soul of a priest, He inclines it towards the poor’”. It is important to note that St Vincent’s self-giving was also fuelled by devotion to the Heart of Christ. Vincent used to exhort people to “take from the Heart of Our Lord some word of consolation for some poor sick person”. For this to be true, his heart had to have been transformed by the love and gentleness of the Heart of Christ. And St Vincent often repeated this conviction in his sermons and counsels, to the point of making it an important part of the Constitutions of his Congregation. All will study carefully the lesson that Jesus Christ taught us when he said: ‘Learn from me that I am meek and humble of heart’; considering that, as he himself assures us, by meekness one possesses the earth, because acting in this spirit, one wins the hearts of men, in order to convert them to God, to which the spirit of rigour impedes”. (DN 180).
This quote reflects a fundamental aspect of the priestly ministry and the mission of Vincentians in general: the call to serve the poorest and most marginalised. So when a priest is deeply connected to the love of Christ, that connection often manifests itself in increased compassion and dedication to those in need. The example of Christ’s heart, which showed special care for the poor and oppressed, inspires missionaries to follow this path. This translates into concrete actions of charity and social justice and support for the vulnerable. Divine presence and action, through inhabitation, allows for an intimate union with Christ, where the soul of the missionary, a Daughter of Charity or a lay Vincentian is in constant communication with Him, benefiting from His grace and love. Hence the need to allow oneself to be transformed by the gentleness and love of Christ’s heart in order to console the souls of the poor.
The heart of Christ is often described as an inexhaustible source of love, compassion and strength. For Vincentian missionaries, this image has a special meaning. Pope Francis mentions this particularity in the following terms: “The flames of love of the Heart of Christ are also prolonged in the missionary work of the Church, which proclaims the love of God manifested in Christ. Saint Vincent de Paul taught this well when he invited his disciples to ask the Lord for “this heart, this heart that makes us go everywhere, this heart of the Son of God, the heart of Our Lord, who disposes us to go as he would go […] and sends us as he sends [the Apostles] to carry his fire everywhere”. (DN 207).
By drawing on the love of Christ’s heart, Vincentians find an inner peace and joy that accompanies them in their mission. By connecting with the heart of Christ, missionaries find the compassion they need to understand and respond to the suffering of the poor. The heart of Christ remains a source of inspiration for Vincentian missionary action.
Father André NGOMBO, CM
