(On May 24, the Dominican family celebrates the Memorial of the Translation of Our Holy Father. This Feast commemorates the day – May 24, 1233 – when the remains of our Father and Founder Dominic, and due to the great devotion of the people for him, were transferred from an ordinary tomb to a marble sepulcher in the Church of Saint Nicholas in Bologna. Due to the fact that August 8, which celebrates the Solemnity of St. Dominic, falls within summer in many places and therefore the majority of the brothers are on vacation, many Dominican communities celebrate the day of our Father on May 24. Our St. Dominic’s Priory is among these communities. To honor our dear Father, we offer here the powerful and always relevant sermon of the great Dominican preacher Savonarola)
 Behold a great priest! During his lifetime he repaired the house of God and in his days he reinforced the temple. This text refers to Blessed Dominic whose feast we celebrate today and who together with Blessed Francis renewed the Church that was falling into ruin. Behold a great priest. [Brothers,] note the words and mark the mysteries. There are many priests yet few priests. Alas, though some priests are good, not all are great. A priest ought to enlighten the people, for a priest’s task is to preach. Therefore, how can there be a priest who does not know how to enlighten? And what of him who is not enlightened? What of him who is evil!
 Blessed Dominic was holy and learned in doctrine. But someone may say: “I learn thoroughly that I may preach in a holy manner.” Today, because the office of preaching is an office held in great honor, our priests all desire to preach and they study sermon books and other subjects to edify all the people by their speaking. I may accomplish some good in the Church. But what follows? During his lifetime he repaired the house of God, that is, during the temporal course of his life. The life of a sinner is not a life but a death. Say therefore, “during his holy life,” that is, through his life and good example.
Beseech, beseech the Lord to send good and holy priests who will repair the house, that is, the whole Church which is on the verge of a great fall. And in his days he reinforced the temple and he made the foundation of the temple firm. The foundation of this temple is the state of perfection of some who are in the clerical state, that is, religious. Now a bishop ought to be perfect because he is in a perfect state of life. However, religious are in the state of perfection insofar as they take vows and oblige themselves to those things which lead to the perfection of life. We of the Order of Preachers are also numbered among the religious. How perfect the preachers should be you may learn from these words of scripture: The walls of the temple are lofty. [Brothers,] should we not in any art consider the name of the art and be ashamed, if the one who practices that art not live up to its name; for example, if a soldier be timid, if he should flee the battle. Therefore take heed of the name you bear.
 
 He attained glory in his dealings with the people. It is said of Blessed Dominic that in his relations with others he always showed a joyful and gracious spirit, hence all loved him with great affection. He desired to place his religious houses in the cities and to have contact with people so that he might be of profit to all. Hence he spent the day with his neighbor and the night he gave to God. He preached that love which enlarges the heart and makes all things easy. Broad indeed is your command; I run in the way of your commands, for you have given me freedom of heart. When someone asked him where one might find such beautiful expositions of doctrine he replied, “In the book of charity.”
 And you, [O brothers,] you desire to learn the scriptures, you desire to preach. Hold to charity and she will teach you. Hold to charity and you will understand charity. Since Blessed Dominic was totally given to charity toward his neighbor that by prayer, preaching and example he might draw his neighbor to eternal life, to this end he offered himself as an oblation to God in an odor of sweetness. Therefore the text continues: like fire and incense in the censer, that is, of the Holy Spirit and of charity toward neighbor and of tribulations, all of which ascended in the presence of God as a most sweet odor. And finally he became total charity and wisdom, and totally equipped with all virtues.
FR ALEJANDRO SALCEDO OP