Blessed Jordan and St. Albert the Great

Day 9 (LAST): Blessed Jordan and St. Albert the Great

Among the hundreds of men who received the habit from Blessed Jordan of Saxony was St. Albert the Great, scientist, bishop, scholar, and teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas. While a student at Padua, he was considering entering the Order of Preachers, but was plagued by a fear that he would not persevere. One night he had a nightmare that seemed to confirm his fears. Gerard of Frachet recounts the story:

“One night [Albert] saw in his dreams that he had entered the Order and left after a short time. Waking up he rejoiced that he had not [yet] entered, saying in his heart: ‘Now I see that that would have happened which I feared would happen had I entered.’ Now that same day, while listening to a sermon of the Master Jordan, who, in speaking about the temptations of the devil, remarked how he subtly deceived the unwary, said: ‘There are those who propose to leave the world and enter the Order but are frightened off by the devil who suggests to them in their dreams that they will enter but not persevere…’ Then the young man, greatly wondering, approached him saying: ‘Master, who hath revealed my heart to thee?’ And he explained to him all his thoughts and dreams. Then the Master, having conceived a great and firm confidence in God comforted him against such temptations. Hearing these words, he was completely changed and, casting aside his fears, entered the Order. The brother himself frequently narrated this.”

This story reveals that even the “greats” struggled in discerning their vocations. Through the heavenly intercession of Blessed Jordan, may those called by the Lord to be Preachers cast aside their fears, hope confidently in God, and persevere in their holy vocation:

Blessed Jordan of Saxony, worthy successor of St. Dominic, in the early days of the Order, your example and zeal prompted many men and women to follow Christ in the white habit of Our Holy Father. As patron of Dominican vocations, continue to stimulate talented and devoted men and women to consecrate their lives to God. Through your intercession, lead to the Order of Preachers generous and sacrificing persons, willing to give themselves fervently to the apostolate of Truth. Help them to prepare themselves to be worthy of the grace of a Dominican vocation. Inspire their hearts to become learned of God, that with firm determination they might aspire to be “champions of the Faith and true lights of the world.”

Day 1 of the Novena (or Day 8)

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Image: Domenico e Alberto Mastroianni, Albert Confides his Doubts to Jordan