February 13th - Blessed Jordan of Saxony
The Order of Preachers celebrates the memorial of Blessed Jordan of Saxony
today, the Second Master of the Order and Successor to St Dominic. He is
also the patron of Dominican Vocations
When Bl Jordan was asked what Rule the Friars Preachers professed, he
answered: "The Rule of the Friars Preachers. And this is their Rule: to
live
virtuously, to learn, to teach." And if we were to ask what he meant by
living virtuously, we need only look to his life and example. As the
Benedictus antiphon from the Dominican Supplement sings: "He showed
himself
in all things to be a minister of God, in his labours, in vigils, in
fasting, chastity, knowledge, forbearence, and his unfeigned charity."
This
charity was evident in Bl Jordan through his care and concern for novices,
for the brethren and for the salvation of souls, but above all he had a
special care for the nuns of St Agnes in Bologna and Bl Diana of Andalo.
His
letters to her survive as a unique testament to the love between two
saints
which was perfected in their love for Christ and passion for the saving
Gospel of Truth.
The Dominicans Nuns of Summit (NJ) are reprinting the book 'To Heaven with
Diana!' by Gerald Vann, OP and these letters are contained within. If
you're
interested in this account of one of the great pairings in Christian
spiritual writing, do check out the sisters' blog on Jordan and Diana.
Of all these letters, one stands out for its ardour, longing and beauty.
It
is the last letter (which I reproduce in full below) that Bl Jordan wrote
to
Bl Diana in 1236 shortly before Diana's death and then Jordan's own death
on
13 February 1237 when he and two companion friars drowned after a ****p
from
the Holy Land - where he had been visiting the new Dominican priory in
Acre - was caught up in a storm at sea and wrecked on a beach. Jordan's
premature death was a tragedy for the Order but he had guided the Friars
Preachers in the spirit of St Dominic for fifteen years - and drawn over a
thousand novices to the Order - and we thank God for the gift of so worthy
a
successor to St Dominic! It has been said that "Jordan who, more than any
one man after St Dominic himself, created the spirit of the Order, gave to
it a joy and an informality in its daily life which are amongst its
greatest
treasures, for they enshrine and express a whole theology of religious
life."
The Vitae Fratrum records that at his death, "there shone each night great
lights from heaven over their unburied bodies as they lay upon the beach.
At
such a marvel the natives came in crowds, and those who witnessed the
miracle do further testify that an exceedingly sweet fragrance exhaled
from
the bodies of our three brethren, which for ten days clung to the hands of
the men who carried them to their graves. And the same perfume was
perceived
all round the spot where they were laid, until our brethren came in a ****p
and carried them away to Acre: and there the blessed father lies bestowing
benefits on many." Sadly the Priory at Acre was destroyed by the Turks and
the relics destroyed but there is no doubt that Blessed Jordan still
blesses
the Order from his place in heaven.
The Prior of Limoges attested to seeing a vision in which he "beheld
Master
Jordan emerge from the bosom of the deep, clad in the habit of the Order
and
looking happier and more majestic than ever he had seen him before. Then
with his eyes fixed on a crucifix which he held, his hands and feet apart
as
artists love to represent St Andrew the apostle, he speedily and
confidently
mounted heavenwards."
This same confidence in Christ's salvation and love for the Passion is
seen
throughout Jordan's letters; his valedictory letter to Diana gives us a
glimpse of this and is offered here in tribute to the blessed Master who
"spoke and preached the Lord Jesus and [for whom] the hand of the Lord was
with him" (Magnificat antiphon).
"To his dearest daughter Diana, at Bologna: Brother Jordan, useless
servant of the Order of Preachers: salvation and the continual friend****p
of
Jesus Christ.
Since, my dearest Sister, it is not possible, as we should both wish,
to
visit you with my bodily presence and to console myself in your company, I
yet find some refreshment and relief for my heart's desire when I can
visit
you by means of a letter, writing to let you know how things are with me,
as
I would like to know concerning you, for your progress and your joy are
sweet nourishment for my spirit. But you do not know with any certainty to
what ends of the earth it may fall to my lot to journey, and if you did
know, you would not find messengers who would bring me your letters. Yet
what we have written to each other, my beloved Sister, is a very small
thing; the ardent love with which we love each other in the Lord is in our
inmost hearts; and in this intimate affection of charity you speak with me
and I with you continually, things which no tongue can worthily express or
letter contain.
O Diana, the present condition of our life which we have to bear is
wretched, since in this life we cannot love each other without pain or
think
of one another without anxiety. For you are pained and troubled because it
is not granted to you to see me continually, and I suffer because [the joy
of ] your presence is too seldom granted to me. Who will lead us into the
Strong City, into the city of the Lord of Hosts which the Most High
himself
founded, where we shall suffer no more from longing either for him or for
one another? Here we are wounded daily and the very fibres of our being
wrenched asunder, and each day these very miseries of ours make us cry
out:
'Who will deliver us from the body of this death?' Yet we must patiently
bear with this life and, as far as our daily poverty will allow us, fix
our
mind solely on him who alone is able to deliver us from our necessities,
in
whom alone is rest found, and apart from whom, whatever we contemplate, we
shall find only tribulation and abundance of sorrow. Meanwhile, let us
accept with joy whatever share of sadness falls to our lot; for in the
same
measure that tribulations have been meted out to us will joy be measured
to
us, poured into us by the Son of God, Jesus Christ, to whom is honour,
glory, power and empire for ever and ever. Amen.
Pray for me, as I know you do. Greet the Prioress for me, and Galiana.
Greet our special friends outside the convent and very specially those who
are in the house with you, if they happen to come and see you, and
recommend
me to their prayers.
Farewell, beloved daughter, in Jesus Christ the Son of God."
Saint Quote:
"Good, better, best. Never let it rest. 'Til your good is better and your
better is best. "
-St. Jerome
Bible Quote:
"And the governor said, Why, what evil that man (Jesus) has done? But they
cried out more vociferously, shouting, let him die, let him die. And when
Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was
being
made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I
am
innocent of the blood of this just person; see ye to it. Then all the
people
answered, saying: His blood be on us, and on our children.(Matthew
27-23-26).
<><><><>
Sing, my tongue, the Savior's glory,
Of His Flesh the mystery sing;
Of the Blood, all price exceeding,
Shed by our immortal King,
Destined, for the world's redemption,
From a noble womb to spring.
Of a pure and spotless Virgin
Born for us on earth below,
He, as Man, with man conversing,
Stayed, the seeds of truth to sow;
Then He closed in solemn order
Wondrously His life of woe.
On the night of that last Supper
Seated with His chosen band,
He, the Paschal victim eating,
First fulfills the Law's command;
Then as Food to His apostles
Gives Himself with His own hand.
Word-made-Flesh, the bread of nature
By His word to Flesh He turns;
Wine into His Blood He changes:-
What though sense no change discerns?
Only he the heart in earnest,
Faith her lesson quickly learns.
Roman Breviary and Missal, Feast of Corpus Christi and Holy Thursday, Hymn
Pange lingua glorisi Cor****is mysterium. (Tr. Caswall) (St. Thomas
Aquinas,
13th cent.)
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