2ND TUESDAY

On the Charity of our Blessed Father towards his Neighbor

Transcript

And why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” Luke 1:43

Elizabeth was struck with awe at the charity our Blessed Mother showed her by bringing Christ to her while still in His Mother’s womb. Dominic lived always in imitation of Mary’s superabundant charity. Always filled with the Word of God, St. Dominic daily brought Christ to all he met.

It is said that Dominic always spoke with God or about God. His charity is based in his love of God above all things. This love, as a fountain, overflowed his heart and reached out to all, Christians and heretics, religious and laity. Dominic knew that he would have no love for his neighbor unless he first loved God. He gave his nights to God and his days in service to his neighbor, pouring out his life as an oblation of love.

Having spent his night in loving conversation with Our Lord, the morning found him ready to bring the love of God to all. To the lost sheep he preached the truth of the Gospel in charity, desiring all to know truth and so enjoy the love of God in heaven. Even when his enemies persecuted him, leading him barefoot through a thorny path, he responded with such charity that he drew their minds and hearts from error back to the truth of Christ.

St. Dominic’s charity, expansive as it was, began at home. He loved the brethren as his sons and treated them as such. When they lacked food, he prayed and angels came to feed the brethren; when they lacked courage, he sustained them by his prayers. He was truly the living rule of a superior in his charity: correcting the disorderly, comforting the dejected, supporting the weak and being patient with all. As a true and loving father, Dominic corrected his friars in charity, “for what son is there that his father does not chastise?” He never passed over what ought to be corrected in his sons, nor did he dwell upon these things after correction was given and received. He desired each friar to become a saint and knew that to do so we must come to know the truth about ourselves.

May we each follow in the footsteps of our Holy Father and take charity as the rule of our life. May we take as a motto: to preach the truth in charity, and charity in truth, for without charity truth will be lost in hardness.

Let us honor today the second joyful mystery of the Rosary, the Visitation, and let us ask, by the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Dominic, the grace of perfect charity towards our neighbor.