---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic…"
description: "\"“Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice each night subjected himself to bloody disciplines. He did his best to keep these cruel lacer..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg"
---

#  Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice…

![“Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice each night subjected himself to bloody disciplines. He did his best to keep these cruel lacerations of his innocent body from being known; but, of course, it was impossible. Thus, for example, when he was sent by the Fathers to the farm at…” quote by J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg)

> ““Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice each night subjected himself to bloody disciplines. He did his best to keep these cruel lacerations of his innocent body from being known; but, of course, it was impossible. Thus, for example, when he was sent by the Fathers to the farm at Limatambo, he endeavored to practice these penances secretly in the confines of an olive grove. However, the Negroes who labored on the farm discovered the bloodsplattered trees and soil; wondering about it all, they soon had their curiosity satisfied when they detected Brother Martin in the midst of his severe penances. Instead of being shocked, they were deeply edified, and whenever they saw the servant of God directing his steps thither, they would say: 'There goes Brother Martin to sprinkle the olive trees with his blood.””

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Brother Martin practiced severe self‑discipline publicly, inspiring awe and devotion among observers, despite attempts at secrecy.

**In simple terms:** His hidden penances became known, moving on.

Key Takeaway

Recognize that personal sacrifice can inspire others even when concealed.

Themes

faith sacrifice inspiration secrecy community response

Mood

reflective reverent

Type

historical spiritual

When to use this quote

- monastic life
- religious outreach
- community gatherings
- spiritual mentorship

Key Concepts

mysticism public witness spiritual discipline

Questions to Reflect On

- What drives individuals to endure hidden suffering?
- How does public perception shape spiritual authority?

A Different Perspective

Secrecy may limit the intended humility of the act.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Servant of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/servant-of-god/)

## Related quotes

> [“Before taking the discipline for the first time, Brother Martin spent considerable time in prayer. Then he lashed himself with an iron chain armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/before-taking-the-discipline-for-the-first-time-brother-martin-spent/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [“One of the religious desired to see Martin very urgently and so came to his cell in search of him. Martin was apparently not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/one-of-the-religious-desired-to-see-martin-very-urgently-and-so-came/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [“Though we are confident that Blessed Martin had no serious sins with which to reproach himself, though his contemporaries assure us that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/though-we-are-confident-that-blessed-martin-had-no-serious-sins-with/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [Mother Dear, one day I'm going to turn this world upside down." --From My Brother Martin, by Christine King Farris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/mother-dear-one-day-i-m-going-to-turn-this-world-upside-down-from-my/)

[Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/)

> [My brother Martin is two years younger than me. There has never been any competition between us - clearly he was the good-looking one;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-kemp/my-brother-martin-is-two-years-younger-than-me-there-has-never-been/)

[Gary Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-kemp/)

> [If you are truly a servant of God, then you are to serve him as a master.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-truly-a-servant-of-god-then-you-are-to-serve-him-as-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I expect, if I am faithful with yourselves, that I shall see the time with yourselves that we shall know how to prepare to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/i-expect-if-i-am-faithful-with-yourselves-that-i-shall-see-the-time/)

[Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/)

> [I am for God, I am the lover of God, I am loved by God, I am the servant of God, I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/i-am-for-god-i-am-the-lover-of-god-i-am-loved-by-god-i-am-the-servant/)

[Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/)

> [Servant of God, well done; well hast thou fought The better fight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/servant-of-god-well-done-well-hast-thou-fought-the-better-fight/)

[John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/)

> [A Christian minister is a person who in a peculiar sense is not his own; he is the servant of God, and therefore ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-carey/a-christian-minister-is-a-person-who-in-a-peculiar-sense-is-not-his/)

[William Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-carey/)

> [I am in charity, my children, with all the servants of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caedmon/i-am-in-charity-my-children-with-all-the-servants-of-god/)

Caedmon

> [If my ruling disposition is self-interest, I perceive that everything that happens to me is always for or against my self-interest; if, on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/if-my-ruling-disposition-is-self-interest-i-perceive-that-everything/)

[Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/)

> [Father, write Your Word in our heart; make us men and women who understand Your truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/father-write-your-word-in-our-heart-make-us-men-and-women-who/)

[Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/)

> [God often hides His blessing in trouble or trial, which makes it all the sweeter when it comes our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/god-often-hides-his-blessing-in-trouble-or-trial-which-makes-it-all/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [Have the courage to go against the tide of current values that do not conform to the path of Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/have-the-courage-to-go-against-the-tide-of-current-values-that-do-not/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

## More by J.C. Kearns

> [“Martin delighted in performing the most menial of tasks. He swept the cloisters and sought out the most neglected places that he might rid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/martin-delighted-in-performing-the-most-menial-of-tasks-he-swept-the/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [“Before taking the discipline for the first time, Brother Martin spent considerable time in prayer. Then he lashed himself with an iron chain armed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/before-taking-the-discipline-for-the-first-time-brother-martin-spent/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [“One of the religious desired to see Martin very urgently and so came to his cell in search of him. Martin was apparently not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/one-of-the-religious-desired-to-see-martin-very-urgently-and-so-came/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

> [“Though we are confident that Blessed Martin had no serious sins with which to reproach himself, though his contemporaries assure us that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/though-we-are-confident-that-blessed-martin-had-no-serious-sins-with/)

[J.C. Kearns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

[Explore all 5 J.C. Kearns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/)

## More Discipline quotes

> [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [Grit and self-control are related, but they're not the same thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-duckworth/grit-and-self-control-are-related-but-they-re-not-the-same-thing/)

[Angela Duckworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-duckworth/)

> [“Peace requires a discipline more iron than war. - Easter, 1939 ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-j-turner/peace-requires-a-discipline-more-iron-than-war-easter-1939/)

W.J. Turner

> [You can't have the fruits without the roots. It's the principle of sequencing: Private Victories proceed Public Victories. Self-mastery and self-discipline are the foundation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-covey/you-can-t-have-the-fruits-without-the-roots-it-s-the-principle-of/)

[Stephen Covey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-covey/)

> [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/)

[Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/)

> [Exercise teaches you the pleasure of discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-fonda/exercise-teaches-you-the-pleasure-of-discipline/)

[Jane Fonda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-fonda/)

> [I'm always writing. I'm an obsessive. It's not because I'm a disciplined person. It's because I'm crazy about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-m-always-writing-i-m-an-obsessive-it-s-not-because-i-m-a/)

[Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/)

> [“I felt like praying or something, when I was in bed, but I couldn't do it. I can't always pray when I feel like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/i-felt-like-praying-or-something-when-i-was-in-bed-but-i-couldn-t-do/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [The undisciplined child enters into discipline by working in the company of others; not being told he is naughty.” “Discipline is, therefore, primarily a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-undisciplined-child-enters-into-discipline-by-working-in-the/)

[Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/)

> [“Proverbs from the East: The wind howls, but the mountain remains still. Even though I make no special attempt to observe the discipline of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/proverbs-from-the-east-the-wind-howls-but-the-mountain-remains-still/)

[Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/)

> [To behave creatively in art means behavior with skill; and skill comes from discipline, not derangement. The artist who knows the rules -and proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burne-hogarth/to-behave-creatively-in-art-means-behavior-with-skill-and-skill-comes/)

Burne Hogarth

> [Self-discipline is an act of cultivation. It require you to connect today's actions to tomorrow's results. There's a season for sowing a season for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-ryan-blair/self-discipline-is-an-act-of-cultivation-it-require-you-to-connect/)

[Gary Ryan Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-ryan-blair/)

> [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/)

[Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/)

> [Cheerfulness in most cheerful people is the rich and satisfying result of strenuous discipline.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-percy-whipple/cheerfulness-in-most-cheerful-people-is-the-rich-and-satisfying/)

[Edwin Percy Whipple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-percy-whipple/)

> [Stay in your seat come times of trouble. Its only people who jump off the roller coaster who get hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-harvey/stay-in-your-seat-come-times-of-trouble-its-only-people-who-jump-off/)

[Paul Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-harvey/)

[Browse all 5,597 Discipline quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice each night subjected himself to bloody disciplines. He did his best to keep these cruel lacerations of his innocent body from being known; but, of course, it was impossible. Thus, for example, when he was sent by the Fathers to the farm at Limatambo, he endeavored to practice these penances secretly in the confines of an olive grove. However, the Negroes who labored on the farm discovered the bloodsplattered trees and soil; wondering about it all, they soon had their curiosity satisfied when they detected Brother Martin in the midst of his severe penances. Instead of being shocked, they were deeply edified, and whenever they saw the servant of God directing his steps thither, they would say: 'There goes Brother Martin to sprinkle the olive trees with his blood.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "J.C. Kearns"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed-martin-thrice-each-night/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Discipline"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed-martin-thrice-each-night/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ce/j-c-kearns-60626_discipline_like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed_1602910.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic, Blessed Martin thrice each night subjected himself to bloody disciplines…” — J.C. Kearns",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "J.C. Kearns",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-kearns/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Like his Holy Father, St. Dominic,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed-martin-thrice-each-night/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-kearns/like-his-holy-father-st-dominic-blessed-martin-thrice-each-night/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
