Today the Church celebrates the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas, Doctor of the Church. Thomas was born in 1225 to minor nobility. His family intended that he become abbot of the prestigious Abbey of Monte Cassino in southern Italy. He was sent to the University of Naples for his theology studies. It was there that he encountered the Dominicans, a new mendicant order that preached the Gospel, lived in poverty, and begged for their food. Despite his family’s objections, Thomas left the Benedictines to become a Dominican.

Saint Thomas Aquinas is considered one of the greatest philosophers and theologians of all time. It is a great irony that his classmates, seeing that he was big and quiet, assumed he was stupid and gave him the nickname the Dumb Ox.

 

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of students, schools, and learning.  In honor of his feast day, share this Prayer before Study below with your students.

 

SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS PRAYER BEFORE STUDY

St. Thomas frequently recited this before he dictated, wrote, or preached.

 

Ineffable Creator Who, from the treasures of Your wisdom, have established three hierarchies of angels, have arrayed them in marvelous order above the fiery heavens, and have marshaled the regions of the universe with such artful skill,

 

You are proclaimed the true font of light and wisdom, and the primal origin raised high beyond all things. Pour forth a ray of Your brightness into the darkened places of my mind; disperse from my soul the twofold darkness into which I was born: sin and ignorance.

 

You make eloquent the tongues of infants. Refine my speech and pour forth upon my lips the goodness of Your blessing. Grant to me keenness of mind, capacity to remember, skill in learning, subtlety to interpret, and eloquence in speech. May You guide the beginning of my work, direct its progress, and bring it to completion. You Who are true God and true Man, Who live and reign, world without end. Amen

 

Resources from: Oriens – A pilgrimage through Advent and Christmas by Fr. Joel Sember; The Religion Teacher