Today, as we commemorate Saint Dominic, let us reflect not only on his life and the Order he founded—the Order of Preachers, commonly known as the Dominicans—but also on how his mission intertwines with the fraternal spirit of the Franciscan Order and the readings we have heard today. This is a very special feast also given the nature of the purpose of this website—to preach through a Franciscan perspective, so let us please also keep this website in prayer today so that God may be glorified through it and the Gospel may be preached throughout the entire world.
In our first reading from Jeremiah, we hear the promise of a new covenant. God desires an intimate relationship with His people, one where His law is internalized and inscribed on their hearts. This transformation speaks to a deep understanding and a living faith that goes beyond mere external observance of the law. It is about knowing God personally and living in a way that reflects that knowledge.
Saint Dominic, in his zeal for the salvation of souls, recognized this need for a profound engagement with God. He understood that knowledge of God must lead to an authentic witness of faith—faith that is lived out in community and mission. Just as God sought to write His law in the hearts of His people, Dominic embarked on a path of education and preaching, aiming to instill the truth of the Gospel in the hearts of the faithful. His Order, which was officially approved in 1216, was dedicated to combating the heresies of his time through study, preaching, and a life of prayer—hence the name "Order of Preachers."
In our second reading from the Gospel of Matthew, we find Jesus asking His disciples a pivotal question: "Who do you say that I am?" This question strikes at the heart of our faith, prompting personal reflection on the identity of Christ. Peter boldly proclaims Jesus as the Messiah, and in this moment, we see the beginning of the Church that Christ founded on this individual, Peter and his statement of faith. Simon’s name change is significant. (“Kepha” which is where “Peter” comes from, means “rock” – a title reserved up until then for God alone, and yet Jesus confers it on Peter who is to be his representative in his physical absence). Later, Jesus's rebuke of Peter who wants him to bypass his immanent passion in Jerusalem, reminds us that merely knowing who Jesus actually was and is, will not be sufficient so as to fully grasp the depth of His mission, including His suffering and death. It is a starting point, a huge starting point, a heavenly and divine blessing and grace, to be sure, but it needs to lead to a relationship with him. God wants us to love him, as he has loved us first, and not to merely know about him.
Saint Dominic's vision and mission were rooted in the same understanding that Jesus reveals to Peter. He recognized that to truly know Christ was to embrace the cross, the humility, and the self-sacrifice associated with it. This is mirrored in the life of Saint Francis, whose own commitment to poverty and simplicity embodies the heart of the Gospel. While the Dominicans focused on preaching the Word, the Franciscans illustrated that word through their radical commitment to living in a way that reflects God's love, especially for the poor and marginalized.
Both saints, in their unique charisms, remind us that the new covenant—written on our hearts—demands a response. It challenges us to thrive beyond the confines of our limited understanding and human expectations, as Christ instructed Peter. For both Dominic and Francis, the call to preach and live the Gospel is not just an act of instruction; it is an embodiment of the very truth they sought to share. Their Orders complement each other, as they inspire the Church to both articulate and practice faith in action.
As members of the Church, we are invited into this covenant relationship with God. We are encouraged to live in a way that reflects His laws inscribed within us. Today, let us echo the sentiments of Saint Dominic, who, through his life of prayer and
preaching, strives to spread the Good News. Let us remember to be witnesses of our faith, allowing the grace of God to write His love on our hearts, so that we too can bring His message to the world, just as both Saints Dominic and Francis did.
May the legacy of these two great saints inspire us to deepen our relationship with God and fervently commit to the mission of sharing His love with all people, living as God's people who truly know Him and embody that knowledge through our words and actions.
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