Saturday 3 August 2024
St Dominic
Jeremiah 26:11-16, 24. Lord, in your great love, answer me – Psalm 68(69):15-16, 30-31, 33-34. Matthew 14:1-12.
Arm yourself with prayer
Today is the feast of St Dominic (1170–1221), a figure to whom the Christian community owes a great deal. The order of preachers, which he founded, has always had a special gift for reminding people of the fundamentals of the Christian message. They began in a time of increasing urbanisation and dislocation. St Dominic knew we can all get easily lost. He stands in stark contrast to Herod, whom we encounter in today’s Gospel: a man obsessed with image, reputation and status. He is manipulated by people he wants to impress. Deep down, he is probably envious of John the Baptist, a figure of freedom and integrity. He is the kind of king who is so self-preoccupied that he cannot begin to grasp what the Kingdom of God might involve. It would turn all his beliefs on their head. St Dominic is remembered as saying, ‘Arm yourself with prayer rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes’.
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