Hello John,
The story of Saint Dominic is truly inspiring. He recognized the need for the Church to combat heresy and dedicated his life to preaching the Gospel and combating the Albigensian heresy. His commitment led to the establishment of the Order of Preachers, emphasizing the organic link between a life with God, study, prayer, and ministry to people. Dominic's ideal of passing on the fruits of contemplation continues to inspire many to this day. If you're inspired by the story of Saint Dominic and his dedication to spreading the word of God, please consider making a donation to Franciscan Media to support our mission of sharing the Good News and promoting the Catholic faith. Your contribution can help continue our inspiring work and reach even more people with messages of hope and faith. Donate today! |
With prayers and blessings, |
Saint of the Day for August 8: Dominic (August 8, 1170 ā August 6, 1221) Saint Dominicās Story If he hadnāt taken a trip with his bishop, Dominic would probably have remained within the structure of contemplative life; after the trip, he spent the rest of his life being a contemplative in active apostolic work. Born in old Castile, Spain, Dominic was trained for the priesthood by a priest-uncle, studied the arts and theology, and became a canon of the cathedral at Osma, where there was an attempt to revive the apostolic common life described in Acts of the Apostles. On a journey through France with his bishop, Dominic came face to face with the then virulent Albigensian heresy at Languedoc. The Albigensiansāor Cathari, āthe pure onesāāheld to two principlesāone good, one evilāin the world. All matter is evilāhence they denied the Incarnation and the sacraments. On the same principle, they abstained from procreation and took a minimum of food and drink. The inner circle led what some people regarded as a heroic life of purity and asceticism not shared by ordinary followers. Dominic sensed the need for the Church to combat this heresy, and was commissioned to be part of the preaching crusade against it. He saw immediately why the preaching crusade was not succeeding: the ordinary people admired and followed the ascetical heroes of the Albigenses. Understandably, they were not impressed by the Catholic preachers who traveled with horse and retinues, stayed at the best inns and had servants. Dominic therefore, with three Cistercians, began itinerant preaching according to the gospel ideal. He continued this work for 10 years, being successful with the ordinary people but not with the leaders. His fellow preachers gradually became a community, and in 1215 Dominic founded a religious house at Toulouse, the beginning of the Order of Preachers or Dominicans. Dominicās ideal, and that of his Order, was to organically link a life with God, study, and prayer in all forms, with a ministry of salvation to people by the word of God. His ideal: contemplata tradere: āto pass on the fruits of contemplationā or āto speak only of God or with God.ā Reflection The Dominican ideal, like that of all religious communities, is for the imitation, not merely the admiration, of the rest of the Church. The effective combining of contemplation and activity is the vocation of truck driver Smith as well as theologian Aquinas. Acquired contemplation is the tranquil abiding in the presence of God, and is an integral part of any full human life. It must be the wellspring of all Christian activity. Saint Dominic is the Patron Saint of: Astronomers
Dominican Republic
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Explore this timeless classic from Murray Bodo, OFM Song of the Sparrow: Four Seasons of Prayer |
Clareās Spiritual Genius To know God is to know the human person since the mystery of God is the human person. Clareās focus on the person of Jesus Christ was not simply devotional. In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ she saw the nobility of the human person. She perceived that when we come to live in God and allow God to live in us, Incarnation is renewed. Every act of the human person then becomes an act of God insofar as Godās love and the personās love become one in will and desire. The poverty of God, seen in the cross, is an invitation to enter into the great mystery of Godās love. Just as the cross signifies the drama of Godās involvement with us, so, too, we are called into the drama of transformation in Christ. Poverty is not only the starting point of relationship with God, but it is the deepening of poverty that enables the seeker to enter more deeply into the mystery of God. How one comes to this level of poverty that leads to transforming love is the genius of Clareās spiritual insight. āfrom the book Clare of Assisi: A Heart Full of Love
by Ilia Delio, OSF |
Discover this updated classic from Murray Bodo, OFM, Murray Bodoās heartfelt and honest reflections through the changing seasons of life help unlock the dynamism of prayer! Song of the Sparrow: Four Seasons of Prayer |
Walking Our Path Reflect Sometimes on the path weāre walking upon, it is easy to become haunted by regret, comparisons, or dreams yet to be attained. The contemplative must rise above lingering either/or judgments of oneself and trust in the non-dualistic path that has uniquely chosen them to walk upon it. Pray I dare to experience my life as it isā
not as I hoped it would be,
plagued by fear of regret;
not as theirs has unfolded,
taunted by crafted facades;
not as the dreams I drink,
spun out into drunken oblivion. Today I will trust the path aheadā
the one that calls me forth,
whether winter or spring,
whether day or night,
a consistency I must honor,
pulling me mysteriously forward
even when I feel Iām starting over. In a world that is not my own,
I will make our path my home. Act Whenever you begin to judge yourself through the lens of regret, comparisons, or unattained dreams, allow a phrase from this prayer to ruminate until the judgment gently passes. Today's Pause+Pray was written by Stephen Copeland. Learn more here! |
Day Four: St. Clare's Vision St. Clare never wanted to live a life in a silo separate from the brothers. Sister Margaret Carney explains Clareās unshakable determination. |
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