聖道明傳教修女會   聖文生省會Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic
Province of St. Vincent Ferrer

August 8,2026

"You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world... let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father." (Matthew 5:13-16)

Today the Church celebrates St. Dominic, a man consumed by one desire: the salvation of souls.

Salt does not exist for itself. It disappears into the food, giving flavor, preserving what would otherwise decay. This was Dominic's vision of preaching: not to be seen, not to build a name, but to disappear into the Word so that souls could taste the truth of Christ.

Light does not exist for itself either. It is lit precisely so others can see. Dominic lit lamp after lamp founding an Order whose whole purpose was contemplata aliis tradere, to hand on to others the fruit of contemplation. He would not let the light of Christ stay hidden in silence when souls were starving for truth.

He begged for the gift of tears for sinners. He walked barefoot across Europe. He founded a family of preachers because he could not bear that anyone should be lost for lack of hearing the Gospel.

We are called to the same two things: to be salt that flavors the world with truth, not blandness or silence and light that is set out, not hidden. Not for our own glory, but "that they may glorify your Father in heaven."

St. Dominic, you burned with love for souls. Obtain for us your zeal that we may never grow tasteless in faith or timid in truth, but preach Christ with our lives until every soul finds its way home. Amen. Veritas.