05/03/2026
Late one night, while the Saint Dominic was absorbed in prayer and studying Sacred Scripture by candlelight, a demon appeared to distract and disturb him.
Suddenly, a noisy, grotesque monkey burst into his cell—jumping, screeching, banging on the floor, and doing everything possible to pull Dominic away from his sacred reading.
But St. Dominic remained completely calm and unafraid. With holy authority, he looked at the demon and commanded in the Name of Jesus Christ:
“Hold this candle and be still!”
The monkey had no choice but to obey. It stood there, forced to hold the burning candle steady while the saint continued his studies undisturbed.
As the hours passed, the candle burned lower and lower until the flame finally reached the demon’s fingers and began to scorch its paws. The monkey howled in pain, but it could not drop the candle or flee until St. Dominic finally dismissed it.
————————
This medieval legend (immortalized in beautiful paintings, including one by Pietro della Vecchia) carries a timeless message for every one of us:
The devil hates it when we pray, when we study God’s Word, when we seek holiness.
He will use every distraction — noise, temptations, worries, social media, laziness, or even “monkey business” — to pull us away from God.
But just like St. Dominic, we have the power and authority in Christ to command those distractions to serve a greater purpose… or to be gone.
St. Dominic teaches us:
✅ Stay focused on Christ.
✅ Use holy discipline.
✅ Turn every attack into an opportunity for deeper prayer.
✅ Never fear the enemy — he is already defeated.
Today, let’s ask St. Dominic to intercede for us:
That we may have the same courage, the same focus, and the same love for Scripture that he had.
St. Dominic, Pray for Us! Help us fight distractions and grow closer to Jesus every single day. Amen 🙏
