August 8 2022 - St. Dominic - To contemplate and share the Truth

 

The Opening Prayer calls Dominic “an outstanding preacher of truth.” Truth. Veritas, in latin, is an important aspect of Dominican Life.

One of the mottos of the Dominicans is, “To contemplate the truth and to share with others the fruit of contemplation.”

The contemplation of truth for the Dominic occurs through prayer and study. 

Through prayer we encounter Jesus who said, I am the way, the Truth, and the life. Through prayer, a people who dwell in darkness encounter the light of God. Personal meditation, celebration of Mass, recitation of the liturgy of the hours, and the rosary, make up a significant part of the daily life of the Dominican, so the light of God can infuse their own souls and be shared with others.

Also, study. The Dominican life is also supported by study. The mention of “study” might conjure images of boring classrooms or abstract and impractical discussions. But study is also meant to bring our minds and hearts in contact with Truth. The study of theology, history, liturgy, the writings of the spiritual masters enriches us. St. Dominic knew that the habit of study was important for the preaching mission of his religious order—for study cultivates an attitude of discovery and the discipline—which all Christians need a bit more of, don’t we?

Christians must never stop learning and studying our faith, after all, we are perpetually disciples. Disciple means student. We are to never study studying the words of our Master, Christ the Teacher. Like a child who studies the faces of his parents, we are never to stop studying the face of Christ. There is always something to discover about our faith, for there is always something to discover about Our Lord. 

Pope Benedict XVI took up the topic of Truth in his second encyclical titled Caritas in Veritate, Charity in Truth.    

He writes: “Only in truth does charity shine forth, only in truth can charity be authentically lived… Without truth, charity degenerates into sentimentality.  Love becomes an empty shell, to be filled in an arbitrary way…The word “love” is abused and distorted, to the point where it comes to mean the opposite.  Truth frees charity from the constraints of emotionalism… Truth opens and unites our minds in the lógos of love”

Through study and prayer we seek the contemplation of the One who is Truth, that we may learn to truly love Him, and to love as He loves, to share the contemplation of the truth with others, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

 

That the pope, bishops, and clergy may be filled with constancy in teaching and living out the Gospel, and that our parish may bear witness with great confidence to our life-giving faith in word and deed.

That all Christians may seek to grow in truth and love through study and prayer. 

For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life, especially for the Dominican Orders. 

For the sick and afflicted, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, for those recovering from surgery, for victims of natural disaster, war, violence, and terrorism, for the mentally ill, those with addictions, and the imprisoned, for the comfort of the dying and the consolation of their families.

For all the souls in purgatory, for the deceased members of our families, friends, for deceased priests and religious, and for those who have fought and died for our freedom.

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Dominic, help us preach the truth of Christ always and everywhere. Through the same Christ Our Lord.

July 30 2019 - St. Peter Chyrsologus, doctor - Lord, teach me your statutes

St. Peter Chrysologus was bishop of Ravenna Italy in the mid-5th century who was, as our opening prayer stated, “an outstanding preacher” of God’s “Incarnate Word.” This doctor of the Church was given the title “Chrysologus” which means “golden speech”, for he was known for his short and elegant homilies of which 183 survive today some 15 centuries later. (A little longer than my daily homilies by the way, but of course, much more elegant)

In his sermons, he preached against the Pagan errors that were seeking to corrupt the Christian faith; he  urged his flock to receive Holy Communion frequently, helped them to apply the moral teachings of Christ to their daily lives, and urged a special care of the poor.

Chyrsologus considered learning as an obligation for everyone, to help develop the God-given intellectual faculties and to deepen one’s understanding of the faith.  Asking questions and deepening one’s knowledge of the faith is good, for neither ignorance nor anti-intellectualism is virtuous.

In the Psalm (119) today we plead to God, “Lord, teach me your statutes”. Well, in order to be taught, we must study. The Psalm then goes on to list the effects of learning God’s statutes.

Learning enables us to follow God’s commands. We can’t obey them if we don’t know them. Learning helps us treasure God’s promises. When we learn God’s promises we come to value them beyond the empty promises and errors of the world. When we learn God’s truth we are able to declare them. We can’t give what we don’t have. How can we preach God’s word, if we haven’t learned God’s word.

Chyrsologus’ attitude toward learning is likely what gave such substance to his sermons. Scripture study and the study of doctrine will always aid us in our own evangelizing mission. Learning and study will help us explain the faith more clearly, and make us more effective witnesses to the truth in a society and culture which relativizes truth and “showing increasing reluctance to acknowledge its existence (Caritas in Veritate, 2)”.

Through the intercession of St. Peter Chyrsologus may we, as we prayed in the opening prayer, “constantly ponder in our hearts the mysteries of salvation and faithfully express them in what we do” for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

- - - - - -
 
May the Church constantly be enriched through her study of God’s incarnate word and learning of God’s statutes and commands.

That all Bishops may preach and teach eloquently and faithfully the truth of Christ’s Gospel.

For the protection of young people from the corrupting influences of the world, for Christians families, and for the conversion of the faithless.

That the sick and suffering may find comfort in the promises of Christ and the consolation of the Spirit.

For the repose of the souls of our beloved dead, the souls in purgatory, deceased bishops, priests, and religious, those who fought and died for our freedom, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered.

Hear Our Prayers, O Lord, and through the intercession of St. Peter Chrysologus, free us from all that keeps us from the truth of Christ. Through the same Christ Our Lord.