Word to the Wise
Thursday, August 8, 2019 - Thursday in the 18th Week in Ordinary Time
[Num 20:1-13 and Matt 16:13-23]Jesus went into the region of Caesarea Philippi and he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter said in reply, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." [Matthew]
AUGUST 8, ST. DOMINIC DE GUZMAN, OP, founder of the Order of Preachers - The Dominicans
More than 800 years ago, St. Dominic gathered a small group of followers to preach against a heresy in southern France which became the Order of Preachers, popularly known as Dominicans. The official title of the order was given to us by Pope Honorius III. Since prior to that time, public preaching was usually done only by bishops and abbots, this new group was considered a radical departure from usual practice. But the preaching against the Albigensian heresy was being done by bishops and abbots who traveled in high style, whereas the heretical preachers were poor and lived austerely. They were experiencing great success. The bishops and abbots were failing. St. Dominic's idea was to live like those poor preachers and to preach the truth about Jesus. To this day, one of the principal mottoes of our Order is VERITAS - the TRUTH. We are priests, brothers, sisters, nuns and laity preaching all over the world.
The gospel scripture for today illustrates the problem that existed in Jesus' time, in St. Dominic's time and in our time as well. The question is: Who do people say the Son of Man is? The disciples indicated that responses to that question were all over the place. But Jesus wanted to know what the disciples themselves believed. Peter answered correctly: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Our job as the Order of Preachers is to preach the TRUTH about Jesus Christ against all false or misleading opinions of him. St. Paul's advice to Timothy describes our task completely: Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching. For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine but, following their own desires and insatiable curiosity, will accumulate teachers and will stop listening to the truth and will be diverted to myths. But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry."
All I can say as a Dominican to anyone is that I'm doing the best I can to do exactly that! AMEN