Word to the Wise
Friday, August 8, 2008 - Holy Father Dominic
[Nahum 2:1,3; 3:1-3,6-7 and Matthew 16:24-28]See, upon the mountains there advances the bearer of good news, announcing peace! (Nahum) Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come afer me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." (Matthew)
Today the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) around the world celebrates its patronal feast day. St. Dominic was a remarkable man by the standards of any age. But in his own time, he stood out for a number of reasons. He founded a religious order that is based on democratic principles of government! The word, "democracy," was not known in his day and age. All government would have been of a personal or monarchical type, especially in the church! Dominican friars have been governed under a system of elected leadership for fixed terms on the local, regional and international levels since the very foundation of the Order in 1216! This unique governmental structure was one of the things that first attracted me to the Order of Preachers when I was a college student. However, most folks don't know much about the way the Dominicans are governed. What they may know is that they have heard a Dominican preach. The governmental structure and all other features of Dominican life exist for one purpose: to foster the preaching of the gospel. This preaching is to be accompanied by a simple lifestyle that in itself preaches before a Dominican opens his mouth. The early friars had to beg for their daily bread (hence the term, "mendicants") and, in many ways we still do. Others may have met Dominicans in academic settings. From the very beginning of the Order, Dominic dispersed the young friars to the major universities to receive the best training available in philosophy and theology. It may not be a Dominican friar that some folks have met! It could be a cloistered Dominican nun, a Dominican sister who works in the apostolate, or a member of the Dominican laity! We are a world-wide family! The words from Nahum speak to our preaching charism! The words from Matthew speak to our itinerant following of Christ. St. Dominic was known to carry a copy of the Gospel of Matthew with him, along with the epistles of St. Paul. Please pray today, August 8th, for Dominican preachers around the world and especially for this Dominican preacher! AMEN
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