St Dominic and Our Lady - Novena to St Dominic Day 8
Mother of MercyOne of the oldest prayers to the Virgin Mary is the ancient antiphon titled in Latin Sub Tuum Praesidium. By soom accounts this prayer dates to the third century. The
beautiful words, first written in Greek, present the Blessed Mother as one who intercedes for us. We turn to her, asking for her prayers, and she shows forth the graces of her Son:
We fly to thy protection,
O Holy Mother of God;
Do not despise our petitions
in our necessities,
but deliver us always
From all dangers,
O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.
The Order of Preachers adopted this powerful motif, Cistercian in origin, expressing a love for the Virgin of Mercy, who gathers her children under her mantle. The Virgin Mary is for us a mercy, a shield,
a shelter.
According to Sister Cecilia of the monastery of Saint Sixtus (a cloistered nun who know St Dominic), one night while Dominic was at prayer, he had a vision of heaven. As he gazed at rank upon rank of
the heavenly host before the Lord, he did not see a single member of his own Order of Preachers. Distraught, he turned to Our Lord, who beckoned him to approach the Virgin Mary. “At this the Blessed Virgin drew back
her mantle, and opening it wide before St Dominic, it seemed to enclose nearly the whole of the heavenly country, so vast was it, and beneath it he saw a host of his brethren. Casting himself down, St Dominic returned hearty
thanks to Christ and his holy mother.” As the story goes, when the vision faded, Dominic rang the bell for matins, prayed with the brethren, and then, calling them to the chapter room, he preached a sermon exhorting
them to love and revere the Virgin Mary.
In imitation of St Dominic, not simply every Dominican but every follower of Christ should turn with confidence to the Blessed Mother. From her will pour forth a flood of heavenly grace, enough to quench
the thirsty souls of this world. Guided by her intercession, we can continue courageously along the pilrimmage of this life, hoping to find ourselves, one day, rejoicing among the saints at her feet.
(Taken from the Book: "Saint Dominic's Way of Life - A path to Knowing and Loving God" by Patrick Mary Briscoe, OP and Jacob Bertrand Janczyk, OP; pgs. 119-120)
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