Jordan of Saxony, A Man of the Gospel

Jordan of Saxony was a man of the Gospel. He preached the Good News so profoundly that he moved hearts to renounce everything for the treasure of heaven.

Born in 1190 in a small village called Dassel, in what we now know as modern-day Germany, little is known about his early years. However, it is clear that he was influenced by the Church's renewal in Europe and by the religious zeal spreading throughout the land. Deeply moved by the Dominican Order, he became a close friend of St. Dominic and joined the Order of Preachers. Jordan flourished in the Order of Preachers and possessed a natural gift for leadership. When St. Dominic died, Jordan took up the heavy cross of his brother Dominic. This period in the Order was a crossroads, as its members sought to remain steadfast to the commitments that St. Dominic had championed and passed on.

Jordan embraced the constitutions and rules that governed the Order, helping to establish greater internal stability by codifying its practices. He did all this for the sake of furthering the preaching of the Good News. Above all, he cared for the salvation of souls, particularly those of the friars. He earnestly desired that his friars be well-trained both intellectually and spiritually so they could more effectively spread the fire of God's word throughout the world. Jordan was known to travel widely and preach, urging men to answer God's call and follow Christ. He was an ardent man of prayer who embodied the Savior’s compassion and delivered grace-filled sermons to souls. 

We, too, like Jordan, are called to embody the love that Christ has for every person. Most of us will likely never lead a religious order, but we can prepare ourselves to be joyful witnesses of Christ to the world, just as Jordan was. This is achieved, first and foremost, by learning who Christ is through the Scriptures and by spending time in prayer. You can only give what you have. If we do not possess a full knowledge of, or a deep relationship with, Christ, then we will never be able to give a truly joyful witness to the Good News of God's saving mercy through His Son, Jesus Christ.