Memorial of Saint Dominic, Priest

“As they were proceeding on their journey someone said to him, “I will follow you wherever you go.”” (Luke 9:57.)

Saint Cyril of Alexandria comments on this verse from the Gospel proclaimed at Mass today:

“A certain man came near to Christ the Savior of us all, saying, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Christ rejected the man, saying that the foxes have holes, and the birds of heaven a place to lodge in; but he had no place to lay his head. It is easy for anyone that will examine such matters accurately to perceive that in the first place there was great ignorance in his manner of coming near. Second, it was full of excessive presumptuousness. His wish was not simply to follow Christ, as so many others of the Jewish multitude did, but rather to thrust himself into apostolic honors. This was the following that he was seeking, being self-called. The blessed Paul writes that no one takes the honor to himself unless he is called of God, as Aaron also was.1 Aaron did not enter the priesthood through himself, but on the contrary, God called him. We find none of the holy apostles promoted himself to the office of apostle but rather received the honor from Christ. He said, “Come after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men.” This man, as I said, boldly took upon himself honorable gifts, and, although no one called him, thrust himself into what was above his rank.” (Commentary on Luke, 57.)

Collect

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.

Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen

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