Feast of St. Dominic and a lesson in the power of prayer

Happy feast! I’m sure you already know a little about St. Dominic, the Order of Preachers he founded, and perhaps some of his life story as a hammer of heretics. But there is a little hidden gem of wisdom that needs to be pointed out to some, especially now.

St. Dominic was born to fight the Albigensian heresy. The Albingensians were really, really messed up HERE. St. Dominic eventually decided on structuring his order in a different way; there would be no monastery, rather the friars would be itinerant mendicants, literally fighting heresy in the streets. But he also knew that the ground tactics would never work without a hidden spiritual army. 

So Dominic, fully ten years prior to establishing the Order of Preachers, first established a cloister of sisters. Prayer warriors. Anytime you are tempted to think that prayer is “the least we can do,” remember this. We can do nothing without prayer. Our best plans/designs/corporeal actions are in vain, without prayer. How was Dominic so wise as to know this ahead of time? The Blessed Virgin bestowing the Rosary upon him probably didn’t hurt.

I have written many times on the importance/necessity of prayer. Not only contemplatives in cloisters, but in your own life. Last Saturday, 1 August, was the Feast of St. Peter in Chains (pre-1955 calendar). A fairly, ahem, relevant feast given the current incarceration of Pope Benedict XVI, wouldn’t you say? Here is the Lesson from the Mass proper.

Did you catch that?

“Peter therefore was kept in prison, but prayer was made without ceasing from the Church unto God for him.”

For anyone out there whining about the situation in Rome, but claiming “there’s nothing we can do,” show them this. The people prayed, and God sent an angel to bust Peter out. This isn’t a fairy tale.

Pray with joyful hope; Second Glorious Mystery. Pray with trust in Mary’s intercession; Fifth Glorious Mystery.

Prayer works.

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