The Church celebrates the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) today. As a student of theology, I should learn more about the life and works of this Angelicus Doctor.
Like many famous people, St. Aquinas was ahead of his time and his contributions were recognized only posthumously. In his time, the Church was still debating over the application of Aristolelian philosophy to explain the Revelation of God. There were disputations in universities. One particular view was Averroism, a radical brand of Aristolelianism. St. Aquinas was fighting a battle on two fronts. On one hand, he had to persuade the Fransicans to give up the tradition of St. Augustine who employed neo-Platonism to explain revelation. He wanted them to join him in using Aristotle's philosophy. On the other hand, St. Aquinas had to combat Averroism. He won. In 1879, Leo XIII issued an Encyclical "Aeterni Patris" to confirm St. Aquinas' status. In 1999, the late Pope John Paul II wrote
"... Saint Thomas is an authentic model for all who seek the truth. In his thinking, the demands of reason and the power of faith found the most elevated synthesis ever attainted by human though, for he could defend the radical newness introduced by Revelation without ever demeaning the venture proper to reason." (Fides et Ratio 78)
St. Aquinas, pray for us theology students. Amen.
Like many famous people, St. Aquinas was ahead of his time and his contributions were recognized only posthumously. In his time, the Church was still debating over the application of Aristolelian philosophy to explain the Revelation of God. There were disputations in universities. One particular view was Averroism, a radical brand of Aristolelianism. St. Aquinas was fighting a battle on two fronts. On one hand, he had to persuade the Fransicans to give up the tradition of St. Augustine who employed neo-Platonism to explain revelation. He wanted them to join him in using Aristotle's philosophy. On the other hand, St. Aquinas had to combat Averroism. He won. In 1879, Leo XIII issued an Encyclical "Aeterni Patris" to confirm St. Aquinas' status. In 1999, the late Pope John Paul II wrote
"... Saint Thomas is an authentic model for all who seek the truth. In his thinking, the demands of reason and the power of faith found the most elevated synthesis ever attainted by human though, for he could defend the radical newness introduced by Revelation without ever demeaning the venture proper to reason." (Fides et Ratio 78)
St. Aquinas, pray for us theology students. Amen.
Let me return to the response of King David after hearing the Nathan Oracle.
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?" (2 Samuel 7:18)
King David must be praying to the Lord. Yet, he was sitting! He was comfortably sitting and praying to God. How I envy King David! Thinking over what had transpired before, his singing and dancing in ecstasy before the Lord, my envy is turned to admiration. How I wish I could commit my life totally without reservation to serve God!
And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord GOD; thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O Lord GOD!
And what more can David say to thee? For thou knowest thy servant, O Lord GOD! (2 Samuel 7:19-20)
Somehow, God had directly revealed the future of his kingdom to David. David had no more to say, but to sing praises to God.
Therefore thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
What other nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before his people a nation and its gods? (2 Samuel 7:22-23)
It was not just his personal praises, David had Israel the nation, in mind. His life was to build up a strong Israel Empire, a nation of priests to serve the Lord.
Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and said, "Who am I, O Lord GOD, and what is my house, that thou hast brought me thus far?" (2 Samuel 7:18)
King David must be praying to the Lord. Yet, he was sitting! He was comfortably sitting and praying to God. How I envy King David! Thinking over what had transpired before, his singing and dancing in ecstasy before the Lord, my envy is turned to admiration. How I wish I could commit my life totally without reservation to serve God!
And yet this was a small thing in thy eyes, O Lord GOD; thou hast spoken also of thy servant's house for a great while to come, and hast shown me future generations, O Lord GOD!
And what more can David say to thee? For thou knowest thy servant, O Lord GOD! (2 Samuel 7:19-20)
Somehow, God had directly revealed the future of his kingdom to David. David had no more to say, but to sing praises to God.
Therefore thou art great, O LORD God; for there is none like thee, and there is no God besides thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
What other nation on earth is like thy people Israel, whom God went to redeem to be his people, making himself a name, and doing for them great and terrible things, by driving out before his people a nation and its gods? (2 Samuel 7:22-23)
It was not just his personal praises, David had Israel the nation, in mind. His life was to build up a strong Israel Empire, a nation of priests to serve the Lord.
Dear Lord, I pray that my life be a song of praises to You. May the works I do be praises to Your glory as well. Amen.
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