Memorial of Saint
Dominic Guzman, priest
(Numbers 12:1-13; Matthew 14:22-36)
The Chicago archdiocese used to be the largest in the
United States. Churches were found in
almost every neighborhood, and the faithful packed them on Sundays. It is a different story today. Many parishes lack a resident pastor, and whole
pews go empty during Sunday mass. The Church
there, as in many dioceses in North America and Europe, is experiencing
crisis. The situation is anticipated in
today’s gospel.
The boatful of disciples being tossed about by the waves represents
the Church after Jesus’ resurrection. It
is suffering persecution and rejection by the Jews in Israel. Mission activity is more successful but not
necessarily easier. Preachers like St.
Paul undergo supreme hardship in preaching the gospel in faraway places. The reading shows Jesus coming to the aid of
his Church. He saves his head disciple
from drowning and brings peace to the threatening elements.
St. Dominic lived in another time of pastoral
challenge. Catholics of southern France in
the twelfth and thirteenth centuries were abandoning the church because of the
bad example of some of the clergy. At
the same time they were accepting an old heresy called Manicheanism which held
that all material things are bad and all spiritual things are good. Dominic took up the challenge. He put his faith in the Lord of the gospels, preached
the goodness of all creation, and lived simply and joyfully. His efforts, assisted by the same Lord,
gradually won back many of those who had fallen-away.
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