Today's Thoughts to Live by | St. Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor of the Church

by Cardinal Orlando Beltran Quevedo, O.M.I, Archbishop-Emeritus of Cotabato

Some Notes on St. Thomas Aquinas --

He is called the Angelic Doctor, "Doctor Angelicus," for his theological brilliance and clarity and for his purity of life. One of the Church's greatest theologians and philosophers, St. Thomas Aquinas is the Patron Saint of all Catholic educational institutions. He is celebrated for his synthesis of faith and reason, theology and phlosophy, Aristotelianism and Christianity. His five ways ("quinque viae") of proving the existence of God are well known.

Thomas was born ca. 1225 into a wealthy noble family in their castle of Roccasecca, near Aquino, in present day Lazio, Italy. He was the youngest of 4 sons and had 2 sisters. He came under the influence of the Dominicans when he was a student in Naples. At age 19, after his father died, Thomas decided to join the Dominican Order. His family opposed his decision. So, the Dominicans transferred him. But his brothers seized him on the way to Rome and took him back to their family. Still, he remained determined to join the Dominicans. His brothers tried to dissuade him by seducing him with a woman, but Thomas drove her away with a burning log. As he prayed, he fell into ecstasy and two angels told him that he would receive from Christ the grace of perfect chastity.

He became a student at the University of Paris under the great Dominican scholar, St, Albert the Great. Because he was quiet and reserved, his classmates called him the "Dumb Ox." But Albert predicted, "You call him the Dumb Ox, but in his teaching he will one day produce such a bellowing that it wiil be heard throughout the world."

When Albert went to teach in Cologne, Germany, Thomas followed him. In 1250, Thomas was ordained in Cologne. He instructed students on the Old Testament and wrote commentaries on Isaias, Jerome, and the Lamentations.

In early 1256, Thomas was appointed regent master in theology at Paris. During his tenure, he wrote numerous works: "Disputed Questions on Truth" and Commentaries on the works of the 6th century Roman philosopher, Boethius. He also began working on his "Summa contra Gentiles."

From 1252 to 1257, he lived and worked with St. Bonaventure. In 1257, both were awarded the degree of Doctor of Theology. Both also became personal advisors to St. Louis IX of France.

In 1259, Thomas completed his "Summa contra Gentiles." It was a treatise on the universal faith against the errors of pagans (Gentiles). He also produced the liturgy for the new Feast of Corpus Christi. Some of his hymns are still sung today, "Panis Angelicus," the "Pange Lingua," whose final verses are the "Tantum Ergo."

After Pope Clement IV appointed him as papal theologian in 1265 and while he was teaching at the Dominican Sabina "Studium Conventuale, " he began working on his most famous work, the "Summa Theologiae," a "Summary of Theology." In 1268, Thomas became regent master at the University of Paris. During this period, he finished the 2nd part of the "Summa Theologiae."

Thomas was a man of deep faith. With his love of God, he contemplated the truths of faith, and courageously introduced methods by which God became better known and understood. He was gifted with levitation and ecstasy. At one time the sacristan at the Dominican convent in Naples witnessed Thomas levitate in prayer with tears before the crucified Christ. Christ said to Thomas, "You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have for your labor?" Thomas responded, "Nothing but you, Lord."

In 1973, he had another mystical experience. While he was celebrating Mass, he experienced an unusually long ecstasy. After that experience of God, he stopped writing. When asked why, he said, "I cannot, because all that I have written seems like straw to me." As a result, the Summa Theologiae would remain uncompleted.

In 1274, Pope Gregory X invited him and St. Bonaventure to attend the 2nd Council of Lyon. But on the way to Lyon, Thomas became seriously ill, after his head was struck by a tree branch. He was quickly escorted to Monte Cassino. After a short rest, he resumed his journey, but fell ill again. The monks at the Cistercian Fossanova Abbey nursed him for several days. He received the last rites and died on March 7, 1274.

Numerous miracles attested to his sanctity. In 1323, Pope John XXII declared Thomas Aquinas a Saint. In 1567, Pope Pius V proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church. His remains are kept in the Church of St. Sernin in Toulouse, France.

Prayer -- O God, you made St. Thomas Aquinas outstanding in his zeal for holiness and his study of sacred doctrine. Grant us, we pray, that we understand what he taught and imitate what he accomplished, through Christ our Lord. Amen.