From 400th anniversary series by Fr. Rolando Gutiérrez, C.M.

1. LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY
REFLECTION
Rolando Gutiérrez, CM Vice-Province of Costa Rica invites us to reflect

2. A TIME TO
UNDERSTAND
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

3. LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND
Few words of Vincent de Paul are
as well-known as the words: love
is inventive to infinity. Their origin
is found is a series of motivations
that Vincent presented to a dying
missionary, and perhaps they are
some of Vincent’s most moving
words with regard to his
eschatological vision
(a vision expressed
from the perspective
of a theology of
mercy).

4. With regard to those words that are used so
frequently: What, in the context of the Vincentian
charism, do they really mean? Let us look at this
more closely:
Furthermore, since love is inventive to infinity,
after being affixed to the infamous stake of the
cross to win the hearts and souls of those by
whom he wishes to be loved — not to mention all
the other innumerable schemes he used for this
purpose during his time spent among us —
foreseeing that his absence could cause some
forgetfulness or cooling off in our hearts, He
wanted to avoid this danger by instituting the
most august sacrament, in which he is as truly
and substantially present as he is in heaven
above (CCD:XI:131).
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND

5. Those words are part of a message of
comfort, strength and hope
concerning Jesus’s ministry that was
revealed in his saving mission and
that is continued through the
sacramental action of the Church…
an action which the dying missionary
had participated in throughout his
life. In other words, we are dealing
with a reality that is rooted in God’s
salvific love, a reality that is
guaranteed by the person of Jesus
revealed the depths of that love
during his earthly ministry.
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND

6. For a spirituality with a tradition of
four centuries, Vincent’s invitation to
be inventive to infinity goes far
beyond the search for novel pastoral
methods. It could be said that that
this inventiveness unto infinity is in
reality the consequence of a series of
events rooted in a trinitarian
spirituality, lived from the perspective
of an incarnational Christology that
then results in a creative mission of
evangelizing the poor corporally and
spiritually (CCD:IX:50).
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND

7. According to Vincent, Jesus’ creativity is rooted in
his love and the best example of that divine
creativity is found in the sacrament of the
Eucharist.
The same could be said with regard to Vincent’s
creativity: the Confraternities, the two
congregations, the popular missions, the
missionary catechism, the little method, retreats
for the ordinands, the Tuesday conferences,
ministry in seminaries, conferences to the
Missionaries and the Daughters of Charity,
participation in the Council of Conscience,
intervention during the time of the Fronde Wars…
all of these are examples of Vincent’s creative
search for the best means of evangelization…
means that sprang from a creative heart rooted in
the saving mystery of the Trinity.
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO UNDERSTAND

8. A TIME TO
CONTEMPLATE
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

9. Today we are provided with an
opportunity to experience anew the
call to be inventive unto infinity,
understanding that no pastoral
project or service on behalf of the
poor will be truly Vincentian unless it
flows from the heart of God wherein
lies true love of those in need.
Are we able to place ourselves
among the hearts and souls of those
persons from whom Christ expects to
be loved? What images can we find
in our life that make us experience
ourselves as beneficiaries of Christ’s
mercy as well as messengers of that
same mercy?
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO CONTEMPLATE
Local family at C.M. International mission in Tunisia
Rural health care program in Tamil Nadu, Indiaphotos: Vincentian Solidarity Office on Facebook

10. A TIME TO
MEDITATE
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

11. Let us mediate upon and enter into
dialogue on the following questions:
1. Are we a community that is inventive to
infinity? What are we lacking in the area
of personal and community creativity?
2. Is our service on behalf of the poor
inventive or are we stuck in doing the
same things as always?
3. Are we in tune with the opportunities for
service that the Vincentian Family is
offering to us, for example, service
involving systemic change, service that
involves collaboration with the wider
Vincentian Family, the recently launched
project on behalf of homeless
individuals, and various other initiatives?
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY・ A TIME TO MEDITATE

12. A TIME TO
COMMIT
Jubilee Year on the
Occasion of the
400th Anniversary of
the Vincentian Charism

13. Let us focus on the call that we have received:
what does God expect of us? What do the poor
need from us? Today, just as four hundred years
ago, the infinitely inventive commitment that we
ought to embrace is one that is expressed in
specific concrete action and that reveals the
reality of the Kingdom of God as the sole focus in
our life and our ministry: “to seek first of all the
reign of God in ourselves and to procure it in
others! How far would a Company that lived this
teaching of advancing God’s glory more and
more further its own happiness! What good
reason would it not have to hope that everything
would turn to its advantage! If God were pleased
to grant us this grace, our happiness would be
incomparable.” (CCD:XII:151)
Let us commit ourselves to this creativity because
the fire of love burns in the heart of all Vincentians
and the Kingdom of God is their happiness. What
concrete commitment can we make?
LOVE IS INVENTIVE TO INFINITY ・ A TIME TO COMMIT

14. by Rolando Gutiérrez, CM Vice-Province of Costa Rica
Translated: Charles T. Plock, CM Eastern Province, USA
presentation by