(Intro) We celebrate the memorial of St Dominic, one who faithfully proclaimed the gospel. We will be questioned this morning about our faith so let’s take a moment to acknowledge our sins of unbelief.
(After the gospel) As I read Buttler’s Lives of the Saints about Dominic, I found myself struck by his telling us that “Dominic, founder of the Order of Preachers, or Black Friars, left no writings.” Also we are told he was born in 1170 “not far from the Benedictine abbey of St Dominic of Silos after whom he may have been named.” With a close friend and bishop Diego, he visited Citeaux, Diego wanting the Cistercians to make a foundation in his diocese.
One sees in the life of St Dominic a “lifelong passion to convert non-Christians.” Clearly, he felt the pain of Jesus when he was confronted with a lack of faith among his first disciples when they could not cure the lunatic son of the father who brought him to them.
I must admit of finding myself pained along with the disciples as Jesus tells them, “O faithless and perverse generation, how long will I be with you.” Working in the infirmary, I see constant need for healing. And it does not take long for any of us to see the great need for healing in our world of today. So let us bring our concern, our pain to our loving Lord whom we celebrate in this Eucharist.
Hab 1:12-2:4; Matt 17:14-20