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Credit: Renata Sedmakova | Shutterstock
Saturday 8 August
Today we celebrate
Founder of the Order of Preachers (1170-1221) PriestSaint Dominic
His life:
+ Dominic de Guzmán was born in Calaruega, Spain. After studying the theology and the arts, he became an Augustinian Canon.
+ Dominic successfully worked to combat heresy in France and became a successful preacher.
+ In order to provide for the education of children, he founded a community of nuns in Prouille, which later became the motherhouse of all communities of contemplative Dominican nuns.
+ In 1214, Dominic gathered together men who could assist him in his mission of preaching. The rule for this new community—the Order of Preachers—was approved in 1216.
+ Dominic died in Bologna, Italy, in 1221, and at his canonization in 1234, Pope Gregory IX called him a “man of the Gospel in the footsteps of the Redeemer.”
+ Saint Dominic is honored as the patron of the Dominican Republic and of astronomers. Today, the Dominican Family consists of the First Order of priests and brothers, the Second Order of contemplative nuns, and the Third Order, including both Dominican Sisters of numerous congregations around the world and lay women and men who have dedicated themselves to Saint Dominic’s spirituality and legacy.
For prayer and reflection:
This is the steward, faithful and prudent,
whom the Lord set over his household
to give them their allowance of food at the proper time.—Communion Antiphon for the Memorial of St. Dominic
Spiritual bonus:
On this day, the Church also celebrates Saint Mary MacKillop. In 1866, she established the Sisters of St. Joseph of the Sacred Heart, committing herself and her sisters to educating poor children in remote areas of Australia and beyond. Saint Mary died in 1909 and was canonized in 2010, becoming the first native-born Australian saint.
Prayer
May Saint Dominic come to the help of your Church
by his merits and teaching, O Lord,
and may he, who was an outstanding preacher of your truth,
be a devoted intercessor on our behalf.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
God, for ever and ever. Amen.
(from The Roman Missal)
Saint profiles prepared by Father Silas Henderson, S.D.S.
Meditation of the Day
A Dominican Blessing
May God the Father bless us,
May God the Son heal us,
May the Holy Spirit enlighten us
and give us eyes to see with,
ears to hear with,
and hands to do the work of God with,
feet to walk with,
and a mouth to preach the word of salvation with,
and the angel of peace to watch over us
and lead us at last,
by our Lord’s gift, to the kingdom. Amen.
From Early Dominicans: Selected Writings (CWS). Copyright © 1982 by The Missionary Society of St. Paul the Apostle in the State of New York. Paulist Press, Inc., Mahwah, NJ. Reprinted by permission of Paulist Press, Inc. www.paulistpress.com
Prayers of the day
Saint Dominic
Prayer for the Morning
Let us praise the Lord
for the zeal of his faithful servants!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!
HymnMeter: 87 87 87
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
Praise, My Soul, the King of Heaven
Dominic, the Lord’s own champion,
Charged to spread the Gospel flame,
Sent to men the Word to publish
And his mysteries to proclaim;
With the grace of God within you,
Like a hero lord you came.
Stainless as a burnished chalice,
Shining as a fiery brand,
Dominic, you came to help us
And to do your Lord’s command,
With the grace of God within you
And the Gospel in your hand.
Psalm 11941-48
Behold, my servant whom I have chosen,/ my beloved in whom I delight;/ I shall place my spirit upon him,/ and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. (Mt 12:18)
Saint Dominic took delight in God’s Word of truth and preached it with zeal in the face of heresy and division. His Order of Preachers has continued his work of proclamation, nourished by prayer and study from his day to our own.
Lord, let your love come upon me,
the saving help of your promise.
And I shall answer those who taunt me
for I trust in your word.
Do not take the word of truth from my mouth
for I trust in your decrees.
I shall always keep your law
for ever and ever.
I shall walk in the path of freedom
for I seek your precepts.
I will speak of your will before kings
and not be abashed.
Your commands have been my delight;
these I have loved.
I will worship your commands and love them
and ponder your will.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God Malachi 2:6-7
True doctrine was in his mouth,/ and no dishonesty was found upon his lips;/ He walked with me in integrity and in uprightness,/ and turned many away from evil./ For the lips of the priest are to keep knowledge,/ and instruction is to be sought from his mouth,/ because he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
I have come to set the earth on fire,
and how I wish it were already blazing!
Canticle of Zechariah(Text, back cover B)
He commissioned us to preach to the people and testify that he is the one appointed by God as judge of the living and the dead. (Acts 10:42)
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel;
he has come to his people and set them free.
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
Through his holy prophets he promised of old
that he would save us from our enemies,
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the hands of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
You, my child, shall be called the prophet
of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his way,
to give his people knowledge of salvation
by the forgiveness of their sins.
In the tender compassion of our God
the dawn from on high shall break upon us,
to shine on those who dwell in darkness
and the shadow of death,
and to guide our feet into the way of peace.
Glory to the Father…
Intercessions
Through the intercession of Saint Dominic we pray:
Let your love come upon your people, O Lord.
You have called eloquent preachers to proclaim the truth of our salvation:
– animate them with zeal for your Word.
You have instructed your people by your Word:
– open our hearts to receive the seed of the Gospel in faith.
You have called men and women to follow in the footsteps of Saint Dominic:
– grant them wisdom and fidelity to your gift in service to the Church.
Personal intentions
Our Father….
O Lord our God, you sent Saint Dominic to preach the Good News in truth and in love. Send eloquent preachers into your world today to continue the work of evangelization with his fidelity and zeal, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer for the Evening
God is in the stillness of the heart:
come, let us adore him!
Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be for ever. Amen. Alleluia!
HymnMeter: CMD
This hymn can be sung to the tune used for
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
O God of love, grant us your peace,
Within each restless mind.
May all our inner turmoil cease,
God, show us how to find
Your quiet rest, your still, small voice,
Your light upon life’s way,
To walk with you our humble choice,
God, give us grace to pray.
O God of life, grant us your peace,
Both where we work and live.
Our ties of fellowship increase,
God, teach us how to give
A helping hand, a listening ear,
A message we may share.
So day by day and year by year,
God, give us grace to care!
Psalm 46
After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound. When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave. (1 Kgs 19:12b-13a)
Although throughout the Old Testament God speaks from the storm wind, earthquake, and fire, he speaks to Elijah instead in a “tiny whispering sound.” Elijah, often a silent man himself, recognizes the voice that speaks in near-silence. Let us be prepared to hear the voice of God not only in dramatic crises but in the quiet of our everyday lives.
God is for us a refuge and strength,
a helper close at hand, in time of distress:
so we shall not fear though the earth should rock,
though the mountains fall into the depths of the sea,
even though its waters rage and foam,
even though the mountains be shaken by its waves.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
The waters of a river give joy to God’s city,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within, it cannot be shaken;
God will help it at the dawning of the day.
Nations are in tumult, kingdoms are shaken:
he lifts his voice, the earth shrinks away.
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Come, consider the works of the Lord,
the redoubtable deeds he has done on the earth.
He puts an end to wars over all the earth;
the bow he breaks, the spear he snaps.
He burns the shields with fire.
“Be still and know that I am God,
supreme among the nations, supreme on the earth!”
The Lord of hosts is with us:
the God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Glory to the Father….
Word of God Deuteronomy 28:2-6
When you hearken to the voice of the Lord, your God, all these blessings will come upon you and overwhelm you: “May you be blessed in the city, and blessed in the country!
By waiting and by calm you shall be saved,
in quiet and in trust your strength lies.
Canticle of Mary(Text, back cover A)
At once [Jesus] spoke to them, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.” (Mt 14:27)
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.
He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.
He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.
He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.
He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.
He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he has remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.
Glory to the Father…
Intercessions
In peace, let us pray:
Speak to us, O Lord!
In the midst of our activities:
In the silence of our prayer:
In the depths of our hearts:
Personal intentions
Our Father….
May the Lord guard our going and coming/ both now and for ever. Amen. (cf. Ps 121:8)
Marian Antiphon (page 9 or 10)
Antiphon commemorating
the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Th
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae;
vita, dulcedo, et spes nostra, salve.
Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Evae.
Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes
in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra,
illos tuos misericordes oculos
ad nos converte.
Et Iesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui,
nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
Hail, holy Queen, mother of mercy,
our life, our sweetness, and our hope.
To you do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To you do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, O most gracious advocate,
your eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of your womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
