from the Heart

August 8, 2013

The feast day of St. Dominic de Guzman

Preacher of Grace

St. Dominic de Guzman

Today, we are celebrating the feast day of St. Dominic de Guzman, the founder of the Order of Preachers. One of the titles given to St. Dominic de Guzman is “preacher of grace”. He is not preacher of the doomsday, not a preacher of criticism, not even a preacher of complaint, but he is a preacher of grace. Why grace then? Quoting Mary Catherine Hilkert, preaching is an art of naming grace. Again, it is not naming sin, failure nor flaw. Preachers of grace are to bring into light how grace of God works in every person, often in ordinary routine of their lives.

One of the crucial episode in the life of St. Dominic is that he encountered the group of heretics, the Albigensians, in the southern France. One of the notable features of their teachings is that the created material world is evil since they come from the evil god, while the spiritual entities like our soul are the only good in cosmos. Thus, as a moral consequence, they would inflict any kind harsh measure toward the body to ‘set free’ their souls. Then, suicide is justified and even becomes the highest expression of faith. Their stand was contrary to the teaching of Jesus and the Church: the world, both its spiritual and material aspect, was graciously created and taken care of by God. Moreover, God saw them as very good and not evil (Gen 1:31)!

We do not have any historical evident of St. Dominic’s preaching in Southern France, but we could assert that he preached defending the integrity and goodness of creations. To achieve this, he needed to name the grace. He unearthed how God has cared and touched His people, a very truth that was easily taken for granted. Then, he established a group of friends who would help him preaching this grace in more effective and efficient ways. In 1216, Pope Honorius III approved the foundation of the Order of Preachers, and therefore, marked the beginning of community that would significantly contribute to the bittersweet Church history in the next 800 years and more. We were sweet when we name grace in the Church and world, but we were bitter when we fail to announce grace among us.

We, whether members of Dominican Order or not, are called to follow the happy trait of St. Dominic as a preacher of grace. In today’s world that is beset by staggering number of suffering and evil, being pessimistic and even nihilistic are tantalizing. Two millions children languished last year out of hunger. Numberless women fall victim to human-trafficking and prostitution. And, enormous people live in slum even in countries that claim they possess the durable and emerging economic. Surrounded by these depressing conditions, we are tempted to become neo-Albigensians, people who lose hope in the goodness of creations.

This is our task to name grace in this disfigured reality of suffering. God is even there in darkest moments of humanity as he was there nailed on the cross in the words of great Dominican theologian, Edward Schillebeeckx, “In speaking the word of faith of the community, even or perhaps especially in the midst of suffering, persecution, or the experienced absence of God, the preacher names the creative presence of God”.  Choose our stand then: be bitter complainer or grace-filled preacher!

St. Dominic, preacher of grace, pray for us.

Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP

Vocation and Profession

What would be the different between vocation and profession? I stumble across this question when I ask my friend, “Why do you want to be a medical doctor?” She replies, “Actually to be an accountant is my first option, not really a doctor.” Her answer does not surprise since she is not the first doctor who brings up that to me. Yet, I know that my follow-up question would be significantly more crucial, “You know that it is not your first option, and you need to sacrifice many things to become a doctor, but why do you still struggle to stay put being a doctor?” Her answer excites me. “I feel an inner peace and joy every time a patient sincerely says thanks. I know that all my efforts and labors to help them recover have been fruitful one.” After she says her last piece, I immediately shift the topic of conversation to avoid the same questions bounce back to me!

My spiritual director, echoing the insight of Fr. Timothy Radcliffe, OP, says that it is fine to enter for the wrong reason, but we need to have a right reason to stay. We may become a doctor, a teacher, and even a brother for a wrong reason, but it does not matter since it does not define who we are. What matters is that we stay put for a right reason. This reason empowers and emboldens us to hurdle even those extremely difficult situations and still we find a little piece of happiness in this midst of tribulation. This reason is what we call vocation.

Unlike profession, vocation knows no time limit. A mother cannot say that she would be a mother every weekday from 8 AM to 5 PM only! Or in an emergency situation, a doctor cannot say, “Oh look for another doctor. I am having weekend off! Or, a priest cannot simply become a priest only every weekend yet play with girls every weekday! Vocation is life-long commitment and precisely it defines who we are.

Unlike profession, vocation knows no career. Well, a husband cannot expect that he would be the majority stock holder and earn billions from his marriage. Definitely there are certain ranks and academic positions one can attain, but most of the teachers especially in the Philippine and Indonesian context, will remain simple and ordinary teachers throughout their lives. I myself cannot determine that after 20 years, I would grab the rectorship of Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas! Most likely, I would turn to be simple brother for the entire of my life. Vocation is sacrifice and it precisely defines who we are.

If vocation does not give anything good, but why do people stand their ground to their chosen vocation? It is simply because vocation brings us something that even the best profession could not offer. It is to discover that after all the struggles and disfigured realities we have to endure, our life is not a waste at all, but it has been a meaningful and fruitful one. In the world of education, the greatest reward a teacher can earn is not bulk of money or brand-new BMW, but to see his students succeed in life and even surpass him.

Vocation is not about earning wealth, glory or power, it is about profound fulfillment of helping people grow and flourish. It is a joy of serving and loving others. This is why St. Therese of Lisieux says that her vocation is to love. Every one of us is called to love no matter profession we have.

 Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP