Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas

Scripture Readings: 2 Sam 6:12-15, 17-19;  Mk 3:31-35     

No doubt you’re familiar with famous quotations from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas. Like these two: “Beware the person of one book.” And, “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.”   

But here are two quotations that aren’t so familiar: “Sorrow can be lessened by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.”  Also: “A wise and virtuous person will take time for relaxation from work by playful words and deeds.”  I think St. Thomas Aquinas would have enjoyed a good movie.

He also has some words of admonition for us. He writes, How is it that billions of stars live in such harmony – when most of us can barely go one minute without declaring war in our minds with someone we know?”  And this one: “We cannot live without joy; so when we are deprived of true spiritual joys we become addicted to carnal pleasures.”  He was addicted to lots good food. I wonder if he ever enjoyed ice cream.

My favorite quotation comes from his homily on the feast of Corpus Christi. Thomas writes, “God became man that man might become God,” that is, sharers in God’s divine nature. There’s nothing greater than that relationship!

                          

 

Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas

[Scripture Readings: Heb. 10:11-18; Mk 4:1-20]

You are probably familiar with some quotations from the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas, like this one: “Beware the man of a single book.” Or, this: “To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.” But here's a quotation from Aquinas you probably never heard: “Sorrow can be lessened by good sleep, a bath and a glass of wine.” (Today he might have added watching a good movie!) Or, this one: “To be a happy person in this life one needs friends.”

I think many of us remember his reply to the Lord's question, “You have spoken well of me Thomas, what will have in return?” when he said, “Nothing else, Lord, but you.”

My favorite quotation comes from his homily on the feast of Corpus Christi. He writes, “God became man that man might become God.” Actually, that's his favorite quotation from a sermon of St. Athanasius on the Incarnation where he writes, “God's only Son, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature and became man to make us divine.” And that's the favorite quotation of St. Athanasius from the Second Letter of St. Peter who writes, “God has given us his precious and very great promises … that you may become sharers in the divine nature.” We are born with a human nature, but in Baptism we are reborn as human persons sharing in God's divine nature. What can be greater than this, “God became man that we might become God”? This is the Word of God revealing the mystery of the kingdom of heaven.