St. Thomas of Aquinas had a vocation to plumb the heights and depths of scriptural "wisdom." He was graced by God with the ability to understand what he sought; to digest what he learned; to communicate to others what he appreciated. The first reading today from the Book of Wisdom describes what happened to Thomas who most certainly prayed for true wisdom! "I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me."
Thomas was born in 1226 and at a very early age was placed under the care of the Benedictines at Monte Casino. His teachers were surprised at the progress he made, for he surpassed all his fellow pupils in leaning as well as in the practice of virtue. When he became of age he chose to enter the Order of Preachers of Naples.
After making his profession at Naples, he studied at Cologne under St. Albert the Great – who nicknamed him the "dumb ox" because of his silent ways and huge size, but he was really a brilliant student. He went from Cologne to teach and study at Paris where he befriended and often dined with Louis, King of France, who later himself became a saint.
Thomas' crowning theological work (among a vast amount), of course, is his Summa Theologica – which was characterized by brilliance of thought and lucidity of language. This work remains unfinished as he fell ill and died at the Cistercian monastery of Fossa Nuova in 1274 before he could complete it!
Thomas was completely saturated with the study of Scripture. This is why his work is so vital and real – for Scripture is the very Word which is Christ the Truth! The one main idea that Thomas himself could come up with concerning his own work was: all of my study and all of my work is but a piece of straw compared with the real reality of God! We can know just a fraction of him! But this fraction makes all the difference in the world!
With St. Thomas Aquinas let us cry out today over and over again: LORD, TEACH ME YOUR STATUTES! Teach me your statues that I may have life, that I may love you, that I may love my brothers and sisters because of you! For if I don't do this: my knowledge of you is worthless!
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