Ninth Day

St. Dominic's Sweetness and Patience


"By patience let us run to the fight proposed unto us" (Heb xii. 1)

It was St. Dominic's gentleness and sweetness which won many souls to God, when all his other powers seemed in vain.  On one occasion, a heretic maliciously led him through a thorny wood, where his feet were terribly lacerated.  He exhibited such patience and sweetness towards his persecutor that the miserable man, touched with remorse, fell at his feet and renounced his errors.

During all the years of his apostolate St. Dominic not only endured the sufferings of hunger and thirst, but he was ever pursued by relentless hatred and persecutions of wicked men and Satan himself.  Under all these trials he bore himself with invincible patience.  Like St. Paul, he would engage in combat only with the arms of patience and sweetness.  With these he conquered the demon, and won many triumphs among men.  Never did he yield to impatience; never did he allow natural repugnance to overcome him.  Under all circumstances, in health and sickness, in honor and persecution, he ever displayed the meekness of Jesus, for Whom he suffered all, that he might convert souls.  This noble warfare against his own nature St. Dominic maintained till the end of his life, generously bearing all the sufferings which it inflicted upon him.

Practice

We are followers of Jesus Christ.  Are we His imitators?  Do we learn of Him, because He is meek and humble of heart?  Do we strive, like St. Dominic, under the trials which come unto to us, to imitate our Blessed Lord's patience and sweetness?  Are we gentle only in prosperity?  Do we yield to our dislikes and repugnances?  Is every little trial sufficient to rob us of peace of soul?  Are we willing to endure any of our neighbor's failings?  Even in our zeal, are we guided by the spirit of gentleness, or do we allow ourselves to become harsh and bitter?  Let us remember that to bear and forbear, to suffer all from others, and to give others nothing to endure from us, will quickly establish in us in holy peace and gentleness.  Ask St. Dominic that his spirit may be yours.