Br. Louis Bethea, O.P., on the Inconvenience of the Cross

"Throughout our lives, we encounter situations that require sacrifice. They demand that we make a difficult decision or strive through difficulties for a higher good. For many people, that might look like a decision between two jobs or a choice to move away from family to pursue a career opportunity. For the athlete, it is the choice to push himself to the limit of what his body can endure for the chance at athletic victory, and for the musician it means hours of fatiguing practice with the hope of winning an audition.

"What applies to pursuing a prestigious orchestra job, career opportunity, or athletic victory also applies to the life of the religious. For instance, when someone enters the Order of Preachers, he sacrifices his life in the world for one purpose: to 'behave as gospel men, following in the footsteps of the Savior, speaking to God or of God, among [ourselves] or with [our] neighbors' (Fundamental Constitution, II). Just as Saints Peter and Andrew gave up their lives as fishermen and Matthew gave up his as a tax collector, so the novice gives up his life for the sake of following Christ's calling. This self-sacrifice intensifies when the Dominican makes his solemn profession: giving his very will, his financial independence, and his purity to God until death."

In a recent commentary, Brother Louis Mary Bethea, O.P., reflected on the religious vocation of Saint Margaret of Hungary (daughter of King Béla IV of Hungary).

To access Br. Louis' complete reflection, please visit:

Dominicana: The Inconvenience of the Cross (18 JAN 21)