A (soul) winning formula

"Do everything in love." 1 Corinthians 16.14

Among medieval hagiographers, Jordan was unusual in that he wrote about Dominic less as a saint to be revered and more as an example to be emulated - in his humility, poverty and compassion. His follow-up encyclical served as a visitation-in-writing to the monasteries under his authority and in it he was scathing about their short-comings - but not in order to condemn, rather for the purposes of exhortation and encouragement. Taking inspiration from Dominic and, before him, the desert fathers and ultimately, of course, the Lord Jesus himself, Jordan prescribes caritas as the antidote to spiritual lethargy and doctrinal error.

As that quality of love which emanates from God, through the Holy Spirit, and perfectly expressed in the life of Jesus, caritas cannot but enflame our love for God and fellow humans. It awakens the believer and motivates him/ her towards faith and care. It is the secret behind the Dominican commitment to evangelical preaching. After all, what could be more loving than to correct heresy and bring people to Jesus, in order to save souls?