During this Easter season there are a number of occasions when Jesus appears to his disciples after the resurrection. This past Sunday we heard of his appearance to the disciples when they are gathered in the Upper Room. He also appears to two followers on the road to Emmaus and shares a meal with them. And again at the Sea of Tiberias he appears to Peter and the others who are out fishing. These events remind us that after the Resurrection Jesus continues to be present in a visible way.
When we consider the work of Vincentians, we know that we too are a visible presence to the poor and the needy. The Society is more than a fund-raising organization or a food/clothing collection agency. It is very much a visible person-to-person outreach that sees in the poor the face of Christ. One of the drawbacks of the pandemic has been the limitation placed on the home visit, which is so central to the mission of the Society. We can make a phone call or connect virtually to others, but nothing quite compares to walking through a doorway into a person’s home and into his or her heart. When Jesus visited his disciples “in person,” they must have felt that immediate presence. They must have felt reassured that he would remain with them.
Another similar dimension of Vincentian life has been the limitations placed on conference meetings due to the pandemic. Friendship is one of the essential elements of the Vincentian vocation and our gathering in the presence of one another deepens that friendship. Missing that closeness reminds us how nurturing that simple presence can be. Jesus reminds us that when two or three are gathered in his name, he is present there.
The pathway to greater contact and greater presence is opening up as the number of those receiving the Covid vaccine rapidly expands. We can look forward to something resembling the pre-pandemic era. Now might be an opportune moment for each conference to consider how we make up for “lost time,” and there are several practical steps that can be undertaken:
• Taking time to reflect on the impact of the pandemic personally and communally during the period of prayer.
• Making contact with a Vincentian who has missed a number of meetings up to the present.
• Informing the parish at large the work of the conference over the past year during Covid.
• Planning for a more normal functioning of the conference and its activities.
Despite the dark days we have been through over the past year, if there is any reason for our hope it is based not only on a medical vaccine but on the victory of Jesus over sin and death. The presence of the Risen Lord to his disciples and our hope to extend our presence to those we serve reveals the Easter promise of new life now and the promise of eternal life to come.
