The Dominic principle

John 7:16-18

           Yesterday I noted that my former spiritual director was a  Dominican Priest. The correct term would be "Order of Preachers", founded by Saint Dominic. Saint Dominic and the relatively new Pope have some things in common. They are not diocesan priests, they are 'order' priests and as such take seriously the rule to live a life of poverty. The Pope has made no secret of the fact that he is troubled by priests driving the latest model cars and living in opulence.  Very recently there was an article on the CNN website about the 'digs' of some Bishops and Arch Bishops. There is not even a pretense of poverty and the term "prince of the church' takes on added meaning. They live like royalty in almost every respect. This is not what Dominic preached. He felt that if the message of Christ was to be taken as sincere and be convincing, the preacher, the convincer if you will, would have to be on the same level as those being preached to. In other words, your average bloke.

             I know we are not supposed to judge a book by it's cover. I have relayed at least once on these pages the judgements I have made. In particular a typical 'guido' I met once with attendant gold chains and Trans Am.  This young man turned out to be far from what I suspected and in fact turned out to be a decent, faithful and generous man. He was a servant of the Lord, I was humbled.  Still, the judgements came easy and that is partially the point of Saint Dominic and perhaps the Pope as well.

            The message we carry in our actions and in our love can be easily dismissed if there is a competing message that what we seem to really be interested in is material wealth and 'things'.

          When we preach by our actions it is crucial they come across unencumbered by worldly trappings that obscure the true message of love, forgiveness and hope.  Perhaps that is unfair that we might be judged that way but right or wrong it seems as pertinent now as it did in the time of St. Dominic. 

Then Jesus answered them, ‘My teaching is not mine but his who sent me. Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own. Those who speak on their own seek their own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and there is nothing false in him.