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Feast
Day: January 28
Also
known as
Doctor Angelicus; The Dumb Ox; The Universal Teacher; Doctor Communis; Great
Synthesizer
Memorial
28
January
Profile
Son of the Count
of Aquino, born in the family castle in Lombardy near Naples.
Educated by Benedictine
monks
@ Monte Cassino, and @ the University of Naples.
Secretly joined the medicant Dominican
friars in 1244.
His noble family kidnapped
and imprisoned
him for a year to keep him out of sight, and deprogram him, but he
rejoined his order in 1245.
Studied in Paris
from 1245-1248
under Saint Albert
the Great, then accompanied Albertus
to Cologne. Ordained
in 1250,
then returned to Paris
to teach.
Taught
theology
@ University of Paris.
Wrote defenses of the mendicant orders, commentaries on Aristotle and
Lombard's Sentences, and some bible-related works, usually by
dictating to secretaries.
Won his doctorate, and taught
in several Italian
cities. Recalled by king
and university
to Paris
in 1269,
then recalled to Naples
in 1272
where he was appointed regent of studies while working on the Summa
Theologica.
On 6
December 1273
he experienced a divine revelation which so enraptured him that he
abandoned the Summa saying it and his other writing were so much
straw in the wind compared to the reality of the divine glory. He died
four months later while en route to the Council of Lyons, overweight and
with his health broken by overwork.
His works have been seminal to the thinking of the Church ever since as
they systematized her great thoughts and teaching, and combined Greek
wisdom and scholarship methods with the truth of Christianity. Pope
Leo VIII commanded that his teachings be studied by all theology students.
Proclaimed Doctor
of the Church in 1567.
"Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you,
wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in
waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you." - Saint
Thomas Aquinas
Born
c.1225
@ Roccasecca, Aquino, Naples,
Italy
Died
7
March 1274 @ Fossanuova near Terracina of apparent natural causes;
relics @ Saint-Servin, Toulouse, France
Canonized
1323
Patronage
academics,
against storms,
against lightning,
apologists,
book sellers,
Catholic academies,
Catholic schools,
Catholic universities,
chastity,
colleges,
learning,
lightning,
pencil makers,
philosophers,
publishers,
scholars,
schools,
storms,
students,
theologians,
universities
Prayers
Devoutly I Adore
Thee (Adoro te devote),
Prayer of
Thanksgiving After Mass,
Prayer
re...
Sion Lift Thy
Voice and Sing,
Tantum Ergo
Sacramentum
Representation
chalice; monstrance; ox; star; sun; teacher
with pagan philosophers at his feet; teaching
Prayer
of the Church
Father of wisdom, You inspired Saint Thomas Aquinas with an ardent desire
for holiness and study of sacred doctrine. Help us, we pray, to
understand what he taught and to imitate what he lived. Amen.
_____________________________________________________
Readings
Charity is the form, mover, mother and root of all the virtues.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
We are like children, who stand in need of masters to enlighten us and
direct us; and God has provided for this, by appointing his angels to be
our teachers and guides.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
If you seek the example of love: "Greater love than this no man has,
than to lay down his life for his friends." Such a man was Christ on
the cross. And if he gave his life for us, then it should not be difficult
to bear whatever hardships arise for his sake.
If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross.
Christ endured much on the cross, and did so patiently, because "when
he suffered he did not threaten; he was led like a sheep to the slaughter
and he did not open his mouth."
If you seek an example of obedience, follow him who became obedient to the
Father even unto death. "For just as by the disobedience of one
man," namely, Adam, "many were made sinners, so by the obedience
of one man, many were made righteous."
If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow him who is
"the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the
treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Upon the cross he was stripped,
mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns, and given only vinegar and
gall to drink.
Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because "they
divided my garments among themselves." Nor to honors, for he
experienced harsh words and scourgings. Nor to greatness of rank, for
"weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head." Nor to
anything delightful, for "in my thirst they gave me vinegar to
drink."
from the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas
The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity,
assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Believing is an act of the intellect assenting to the divine truth by
command of the will moved by God through grace.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
Most loving Lord, grant me a steadfast heart which no unworthy desire may
drag downards; an unconquered hear which no hardship may wear out; an
upright heart which no worthless purpose may ensnare. Impart to me also, O
God, the understanding to know you, the diligence to seek you, a way of
life to please you, and a faithfulness that may embrace you, through Jesus
Christ, my Lord. Amen.
Saint Thomas Aquinas, from Something Of A Saint
Hence we must say that for the knowledge of any truth whatsoever man needs
divine help, that the intellect may be moved by God to its act. But he
does not need a new light added to his natural light, in order to know the
truth in all things, but only in some that surpasses his natural
knowledge.
Saint Thomas Aquinas
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