Novena to St Dominic
Fifth Day: The Spirit of Prayer
True devotion was in his mouth and no dishonesty was found upon his lips; he walked with me in integrity and in uprightness and turned many away from evil. (Malachi 2:6)
As an unbridled tongue destroys a spirit of prayer, Dominic loved silence and retirement, that he might dwell with God. His intimate friend, William of Montserrat, said that “Dominic always kept the silence prescribed by the custom and rule of the Order, abstained from idle words and always spoke either of God or to God.”
Dominic considered custody of the senses important and fed his soul constantly with spiritual reading. His books were the Bible and Cassian’s Conferences of the Fathers of the Desert. The Holy Scriptures he always carried and ordered his spiritual children diligently and unceasingly to read them. At dinner one religious used to read aloud, that the souls of all might be fed on the Word of God.
If any man offends not in words, the same is a perfect man. (James 3:2)
Pray for us, blessed father, St. Dominic, That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
O most Holy Father St. Dominic,
who always showed yourself loving to all
and never despised, wounded or offended anyone,
obtain for me from our Saviour,
the grace to be severe only to myself
and my evil passions
and always gentle and loving toward my neighbour,
ever like him, pardoning all who injure or offend me.
We pray that we may learn
from our blessed St Dominic,
not to offend with words
neither in our thoughts or verbally
We ask too Holy St Dominic,
that our prayers and yours,
may draw back those
who have lapsed from the one, true faith
and for this our special intention …
(make your request)
Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen
AnaStpaul 