Saint Dominic and Setting the World on Fire

Tina Mayeux highlights five contributions of Saint Dominic and how they can assist us in our pursuit of holiness.

Our family belongs to the parish of Saint Dominic Catholic Church and our three children have attended the school by the same name, which has inspired for us a devotion to the great preacher and founder of the Dominican Order. Today, August 8, we celebrate the feast day of this holy saint. Saint Dominic was zealous for the Faith and a staunch defender against heresies. Although he was born into the Spanish nobility, he led an austere life, refusing to eat meat and sleep on a bed, opting instead to embrace poverty for the sake of the Gospel.

What lessons can we learn and incorporate into our family lives from a Catholic monk who lived 800 years ago? It may seem that we have little in common with Saint Dominic; however, this amazing saint can teach us much about holy living, even in our own modern domestic churches.

Saint Dominic’s name is said to mean “the Lord’s dog,” or Domini canis in Latin, after a dream in which his saintly mother is said to have envisioned a dog with a torch in its mouth leaping from her womb and “setting the world on fire.” Whether this legend is true is not certain; however, it is a fact that Dominic did, in time, stir the world into flame with his preaching of the Faith. His life is a testimony to the power of a soul who strives to serve Christ and allow Him to work in and through his life.

Along with his zealous preaching and holy example, Saint Dominic is also known for his staunch defense against heresies, particularly the Albigensian heresy, which taught that all material things, and the body itself, are intrinsically evil. Thanks to his devoted preaching, many in Southern France were converted from this dangerous heresy back to the true Faith.

Saint Dominic is a powerful intercessor for us today, as we face many challenges and dangers to our personal faith and to the dignity of our families. We can imitate his virtue and examine his life, including the contributions which he made to the Catholic Faith, which we can incorporate into our own spiritual exercises.

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Prayer and penance

When we observe the political and social climate today, we see division and materialism. While much of the rest of the world engages in strife and discord and encourages us to acquire more and more material possessions, Saint Dominic advises us, “Arm yourself with prayer, rather than a sword; wear humility rather than fine clothes.” He reminds us that the path to peace is prayer, and that clothes and possessions are only temporary and cannot provide us with true joy and satisfaction.

Rule of Life

As in most religious orders, when Saint Dominic petitioned Pope Innocent III in 1213 for permission to establish the Dominican Order, a rule of life, the Rule of Saint Augustine, was implemented. Family life, too, can benefit from a “rule” or way of life. For example, in addition to Sunday Mass, a family may commit to the weekly or even daily recitation of the Rosary. When our children were very young, a loosely constructed rule of life helped to provide structure and order to our sometimes-chaotic family life.

Promotion of the truth of the Gospel

Pope Innocent III sent Dominic, along with his bishop Diego de Acebo, to Southern France to defend the Faith and convert the Albigensian heretics. In the debates, many times he was threatened with violence; however, this never deterred the saint from his mission to travel throughout the region and preach the gospel. Similarly, today we have an opportunity to defend our Faith charitably but firmly against an onslaught of untruth which is being sold to us and our children through the media, television, movies, and the internet. Though most of us are not called to travel and preach as Saint Dominic did, we can be a beacon of Christ’s light to those around us searching for hope and truth.

Devotion to the poor

Saint Dominic inspires us to seek out those in need and take action to help provide for them. When a famine in 1191 left many destitute and homeless, he responded by selling off all that he owned to feed those who were starving. His love for the poor is a touching example to us of how we today can make small sacrifices for those less fortunate.

The Rosary

One of the most important contributions of Saint Dominic is his promotion of the Holy Rosary. A legend states that in 1214, during a vision of the Blessed Virgin, he received the Rosary from her, and she instructed him to pray it every day and teach others to do so as well. From then on, the Rosary gained popularity, and devotion to it spread. Praying the Rosary as Saint Dominic did has been a true source of grace and peace in my own life and in the lives of all who faithfully practice this devotion.

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Saint Dominic's life is a testimony to the power of a soul who strives to serve Christ and allow Him to work in and through his life. #CatholicMom

Through Saint Dominic’s example and intercession, let us strive to serve God and others and remain faithful in defending our Faith against all evil so that we, too, can set the world on fire with love.

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