Monday, December 12, 2011

St Albert, peace, and Dominicans

The following quote is from "St Albert the Great" by Kevin Vost:

Albert was a consummate peacemaker among men because peace, like joy, is an effect that flows from charity, an infused virtue with which Albert was abundantly blessed. Peace is a concordance or harmony of desires among persons. When those persons’ desires are not fully just and their thoughts are not focused on good and honorable ends, peace will not last long. [Albert] knew well that true peace was only possible among good men, and that is why his greatest peacemaking efforts were performed not in the settlement of sundry disputes but through his teaching and preaching: by making men good .

This reflects a thought I have long harbored, and I think brings out what I believe to be the serious error espoused by those Dominicans who seek political solutions through political means, neglecting and even denigrating the preaching mission, which some have even called "useless" (in personal communications).

I will even offer this additional thought; the lack of peace the ends in war is the terminal symptom of the failure to preach; because of our fallen nature we will not fall far from the nature family tree (Cain) but will fall far from our adopted family tree (of Life).


St Albert well understood that men journeying together towards heaven live in a harmony not found amoung men journeying any other direction.

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