Working for Others’ Salvation Facilitates Salvation of Oneself
Oh, it is impossible that he who cooperates in the salvation of others would lose his own soul. (OOCC, IV, p. 133)
St. Vincent Pallotti believed that working for the salvation of one’s neighbor is, indeed, a guarantee for one’s own salvation. A person who is interested in the salvation of his neighbor and works earnestly for it, wants to accomplish God’s plan for his neighbor. Thus, he is fully open to the will of God. His openness to the will of God is not only in the aspect of the salvation of his neighbor, but also in every aspect of his life in the world. Hence, the person who works for the salvation of his neighbor as per the plan of God, cannot ignore what God wants him to accomplish with his life. In other words, his total openness to the will of God in every aspect of his life makes him take interest in his own salvation. According to St. Vincent, God never denies salvation to a person who has worked in his vineyard for the eternal salvation of his neighbor. He says that if God rewards a person who has done material charity towards others, more is the reward for the one who has done spiritual charity of working for the salvation of his neighbor. Just as material charity frees us from sin, the spiritual arms of desiring and working for a neighbor’s salvation frees a person from all blocks to eternal salvation, bringing him eternal reward. Thus, for St. Vincent, it is nearly impossible to think of a person who is working for the salvation of his neighbor ignoring his own salvation and thereby denying God’s plan for him. Since the grace of God is with such a person, he will definitely be saved.
Do I realize the importance of working for the salvation of my neighbor? Do I consider working for the salvation of my neighbor guarantees my own salvation? Do I believe that working for the salvation of my neighbor opens me fully for the grace of God?
As each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Pet 4:10)