What Grows in Dominic’s Garden?
November 7 is the Feast of All Dominican Saints. Once upon a time, Tommy went with his folks to Europe and saw all the magnificent cathedrals with their stained glass windows…he returned to his Sunday pre-school on All Saints Day. The teacher asked the little class what a “saint” was. Silence. Then Tommy’s hand shot up…”A saint is somebody the light comes through!” Not bad…out of the mouths of babes!
Dominicans grow in a particular atmosphere. That space shapes them. It includes a magnificent obsession with the Incarnate Word (in person and in scripture), a love affair with created reality in a sacramental sense, and a deliberate “we” consciousness or communal awareness. Below are some of the wildly beautiful and unique personages who have grown up in this garden…hope you catch the fragrance of a beautiful human being…
1. John of Cologne, hanged for your faith in 16th century Germany, pray for our faithfulness when we are ridiculed….
2. Agnes, builder of a convent for contemplatives at age 15, pray that we might reclaim our contemplative wonder and from it address the needs around us…
3. Albert, teacher of Thomas, lover of creation, pray for our renewed reverence for all the created world…
4. Martin, nothing was too menial a task for you. Teach us to role up our sleeves and pitch in whenever our help is needed…
5. Louis Bertrand, you worked in Columbia, South America. You knew the violence. Help us to turn our swords into plowshares in peace…
6. Vincent Ferrer, fiery preacher at the time of the plague, pray that we might speak the truth to power on behalf of those ravaged by disease and disability…
7. Thomas, your prayer fired your theology. Pray for us that our theological reflection might flow from a prayerful heart in deep relationship with the Incarnate Word…
8. Peter Martyr, first of the Dominicans to die for the faith, writing “I believe…” in your own blood as you died, pray for our courage when we are under threat from those who have no use for faith…
9. Margaret, princess of Hungary, you chose the humblest of tasks to be sure your royal blood would not make you arrogant among your sisters in community. Pray for us that we might be free from all arrogance in our theological and pastoral ministries…
10. Raymond of Pennafort, lawyer and counselor, pray for us that our use of law may always be to support rather than to burden…
11. Rose, beloved of Lima, you made of your father’s backyard toolshed a hermitage for prayer, and filled your parents’ spare room with the infirm poor. Waken in us a selfless love…
12. Hyacinth, you came to ask Dominic for preachers for Poland. He replied by saying, “…become one of us and I will send you.” When your church was attacked you rushed in to protect the Eucharist only to hear the voice of Mary pleading that her statue be carried to safety too. Teach us to handle with reverence all that is sacred, especially each other…
Holy ones…indeed the light shines through you…pray for us…that we might become lightsome too.