Novena to St. Dominic-Day Three
From the Office of Readings for Bl. Juana of Aza
Blessed Dominic, the leader and celebrated father of the Preachers, shone forth as a new star at the turn of the century. He arose from Spain, from the Kingdom of Castille, from a village in the diocese of Osma called Caleruega. It was truly appropriate in these latter times from the remotest parts of the earth, at the sunset of the century, that God should produce a light from the West, which would illumine with its rays the whole world, wrapped in shadows.
Therefore God, mindful of the future, willing to show to the church what sort of very blessed this man would be, wished to show this by some revelations. For his mother, before she had conceived him, saw in a dream that she was carrying a puppy in her womb, holding a flaming firebrand in its mouth. This dog, when it had come out of her womb, seemed to inflame the whole world. By this vision it was prefigured that a famous preacher would be born from her, who, with a torch of burning eloquence, would inflame most strongly the world’s love, long grown cold. The outcome of his life proved the truth of the dream. He was a miraculous opponent of sin, a fighter of heresies, and a most diligent encouragement to the faithful.
His father was a venerable man, rich among his people. His mother was distinguished, modest, prudent, truly compassionate to the poor and afflicted, and shining forth with the privilege of a good reputation among all of the women of that district.
Bl. Juana, mother of our Holy Father, Saint Dominic and Bl. Mannes
His mother was truly merciful, for during the period I have already mentioned, when she saw the torments of the afflicted, having already given much from her own resources, she ordered that a cask which had much wine in it, and which was quite well known in that area, should be given to the poor. When her husband returned and his villagers came out to him as he was approaching Caleruega, some of them congratulated him about the wine which had been given away to the poor.
And so when he came home, he asked his wife, with his villagers present, to bring wine for them from that particular cask. But she, fearing not a little confusion, went to the cellar where that cask was, and kneeling down prayed to God, saying: “Lord Jesus Christ, even though I am not worthy to be heard on account of my own merits, hear me on account of your servant, my son, whom I have delivered by your intercession.” The mother recognized the holiness of her son, and when she arose, full of faith, the cask was there and she found that it was filled with the best wine. When she had given thanks to the giver of all good gifts, she brought some of that wine to her husband and served it to the others generously. And everyone marveled.
Tomb of Bl. Juana of Aza
Pray for us, blessed father, St. Dominic,
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray, O zealous preacher of penance, Holy Father St. Dominic, whose ardent desire for the salvation of souls made you ever ready to endure the greatest labors and fatigues and even to give your life in order to win them to God, pray for us, that treading in the steps of Jesus Crucified, the Redeemer and Physician of souls, we may disregard all suffering and generously sacrifice ourselves for the needs of others. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
