The collect prayed by the priest at Mass for today’s
optional memorial of the 7 holy founders of the Servite Order asks the Lord for
same “love which inspired the seven holy brothers to honor the Mother of God
with special devotion and to lead your people to you.” Servites, a 13th century mendicant order inspired by the first Dominican martyr, Saint Peter of Verona, are devoted to
the Our Lady of Sorrows and are to live a life of penance. Theirs, like what all Christians live, is a life
discipleship with Christ Crucified. The is the key to our salvation. And the
Servite founders remind us that following Christ necessarily means bearing the
cross.