Above: Dominic preaching. Detail of the pulpit in St. Dominic's Church, Newcastle, UK. Photo by Father Lawrence Lew, O.P.
In today’s Gospel from Saint Luke we receive a general plan of teaching in the example of our Lord. First, before Jesus begins teaching the people, he spends the night in the solitude of prayer. Following his Master’s example, Saint Dominic also gave his nights to prayer and intercession for the people to whom he would preach, not least among whom we must count his own brethren.
Second, Jesus carefully chooses his associates, those whom he will instruct in the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom, and to whom he will give power to cast out demons and cure diseases. St. Dominic also chose his associates, his band of preachers, whom he would form and send out, so that the Gospel might be known in all corners of the world.
Finally, Jesus begins his instruction. St. Luke does not put Jesus on the mountain as Matthew does; instead, he has Jesus coming down to the crowds and speaking to them on a level stretch of ground. St. Dominic, realizing that the grand retinue common for ecclesiastical travel at the time was an obstacle to the reception of the Gospel, descended from his horse and travelled henceforth on foot, sometimes unshod.
We are all called upon to teach the Gospel in some way, and St. Luke gives us a perfect program to guide us: first and most important, we must pray; second, we must seek out other believers who can assist us and support us; third, we must consider the actual condition of our hearers and find the level ground from which to address them.
Saint Dominic, Teacher of Truth, pray for us!
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