The Relevance of St Thomas Aquinas for Our Day

I am really struck by what Pope John XXII said about St Thomas Aquinas just before his canonization which took place on 18 July 1323: His life was saintly and his doctrine could only be miraculous … because he enlightened the church more than all the other doctors. By the use of his works a man could profit more in one year than if he studies the doctrine of others for his whole life.

Animated by such powerful words, which came directly from the mouth of this second and longest-reigning Avignon Pope (from 7 August 1316 till his death on 4 December 1334), I would love to see how our brother and friend St Thomas Aquinas is still relevant in this confused world we are living in. As I delved deeper to some of his countless reflections and life teachings, I am in a position to happily say that this genius and pure man of God has alot to instruct us on life and how we should live it fruitfully.

Thomas was not a prisoner of his own fears. On the contrary, he saw life as a golden opportunity to flourish in God. He wrote: If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever. This reflection is so true because we were called to sail in the open seas and not to be comforted in the heaven of a seaport. Thomas had his feet on earth. He knew perfectly well that when God’s grace is absent the reign of darkness takes over. There isn’t such a thing as the middle ground. He said: Man cannot live without joy; therefore when he is deprived of true spiritual joys it is necessary that he become addicted to carnal pleasures. How true is the adjective addicted which Thomas is rightly using. For instance, how many people are addicted to pornography simply because they experience a great spiritual void due to the choices or situations they make in life. Where God is not the devil takes over.

St Thomas Aquinas is an excellent example of how to live the first of the spiritual works of mercy, namely to instruct the ignorant. He wrote: Better to illuminate than merely to shine, to deliver to others contemplated truths than merely to contemplate. We can also refer to Thomas Aquinas as a great master of how to handle our sentiments. It is very interesting how he defines temperance. He said: Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion. But when passion is under control there comes the wonder for life. The more we wonder at things the more we grow in their knowledge. He said: Wonder is the desire for knowledge.

In his inspiring teaching Thomas teaches us the great truth that good in itself exists without evil but the latter is highly dependent on the good. He said: Good can exist without evil, whereas evil cannot exist without good. Aquinas is Christocentric in his thought. For him Christ is the way one should lead his life. He said: If, then, you are looking for the way by which you should go, take Christ, because He Himself is the way. Christ gives us the courage to withstand whatever situation we have to face so as to keep combatting till the end. Thomas defined for us what courage is all about. The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them.

Thomas had the right and, I would say, the universal vision of humanity. He said: By nature all men are equal in liberty, but not in other endowments. In his teaching, Thomas even dares of counseling us of how to live in harmony with each other as a society. He said: How can we live in harmony? First we need to know we are all madly in love with the same God. This is so cute of Thomas! He is saying or putting the intriguing proviso that if we want to live as one family or society we are to fall in love with the same God. Hence, if by God we mean God is one thing but if by God we mean money or pleasure it is another thing. That is why Jesus’ words are so important within this context when he admonishes us: No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.You cannot serve God and mammon (Luke 16:13).

This great Dominican saint has also a very beautiful way of viewing love. He said: Love is a binding force, by which another is joined to me and cherished by myself. Thomas had a high regard for the faculty of reason in us, human beings. His high esteem stems from his impressive confidence he had in reason. He said: Most men seem to live according to sense rather than reason. Another insight which personally struck me is when Thomas talks about morality. He viewed it as connected with friendship rather than just a matter of justice. He said: Moral science is better occupied when treating of friendship than of justice. As a great believer Thomas saw God as the cause of all things. He said: The knowledge of God is the cause of things. For the knowledge of God is to all creatures what the knowledge of the artificer is to things made by his art.

A final insight I got from St Thomas Aquinas is that bearing with patience wrongs committed to oneself is virtue but to be silent in front of the wrongs done to others is sinful. He said: To bear with patience wrongs done to oneself is a mark of perfection, but to bear with patience wrongs done to someone else is a mark of imperfection and even of actual sin. Is this not the mark of true love of the Gospel which gives its life to those it really loves and cherishes?

Let us pray with Thomas Aquinas so that the Lord help us live the message He is giving us through this saint: 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. Amen.