Dominic was born in Caleruega, Spain, August 8, 1170, making him a contemporary of Francis of Assisi. He was well educated, probably from a noble family. In 1194 he joined the Canons Regular, an order of priests. In 1215 he and six followers established the Order of Preachers, frequently called Dominicans after him. They sought to educate preachers. Johannes Tauler, who I mentioned last week, was a Dominican as was Thomas Aquinas.

Dominic believed effective preachers had to embody the message they shared. He told his fellow preachers: “. . . let us arm ourselves with devout prayers and set off showing signs of genuine humility and barefooted to combat Goliath.” Be what you preach.

A preacher should always tell the truth. But sometimes, maybe often, preachers say what’s true, but find they can’t live it themselves. Isn’t that hypocrisy? Not necessarily. It’s not hypocrisy but honesty to tell the truth and confess an inability to live by it. Consider Paul’s remark “For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do” (Romans 7:19). Paul knew what was right, but couldn’t do it.

Every Christian struggles with this. We are supposed to show with our lives what our faith in Christ means, but we don’t always do it. We have to be honest about it, to say this is what I should be like, but don’t always live this way. Lord, keep me in your grace. Like Dominic we need to tell people the good news, but with humility and honesty.

Read Romans 7:15-25 and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne