Saint Thomas Aquinas

In today’s gospel, Jesus uses the mustard seed to explain the way faith grows. The mustard seed has the potential to blossom into a mustard tree in which birds of the air comes to rest. Faith grows in patience, silently, and in a humble way.

Today we celebrate a man of great faith and humility. We celebrate the memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Aquinas was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, Catholic priest and Doctor of the Church (Angelic Doctor) He was an immensely influential philosopher, theologian, and jurist in the era of scholasticism. His works have been studied by scores of ordained, professed and lay ecclesial ministers over the years as part of the prescribed formation program for leadership in the Church.

Aquinas’ teachings and writings were more of a scholarly manner, but he also shared some common- sense advice regarding the virtues of prudence, wisdom and humility. For example, he lays out four simple steps for growing in wisdom: to “listen willingly, seek diligently, respond prudently, and meditate attentively.” He suggests that if we follow this pattern of living it can make us wiser, smarter, and holier.

He explains this pattern further with these words; “One should practice the virtue of prudence in knowing when to speak and when to keep quiet. In other words, shut your mouth if you don’t know what you are talking about!  It is a wise person who knows when to practice the virtues of prudence and wisdom.  It is the humble person to admit that they do not know the answer to the question being put forward.” (paraphrased)

It seems to me that this is good advice for all of us who try to live a decent Christian life.
It is easier to be imprudent and run off at the mouth giving answers to questions that haven’t been asked.  It is easier to blow off the advice of a wiser person than ourselves and think we have a better way.  It is easier to hang onto our pride rather than to admit humbly that we were wrong and ask forgiveness.

We are given strength for the journey with these words found in Wisdom:
“I prayed, and prudence was given me; I pleaded, and the spirit of Wisdom came to me.”

And in The Gospel of Matthew:
“Whoever exalts themselves will be humbled and whoever humbles themselves will be exalted.”

In today’s first reading, we see an idle king David who started carrying out evil acts while the battle was still going on in the land. His idleness brought him to temptation and the temptation led him to sins that later became his long suffering and that of his family. ( Thomas Aquinas was known for the great virtue of chastity…)

In faith, let us recommit ourselves daily to practice the virtues of prudence, wisdom and humility!  Saint Thomas Aquinas, pray for us!

Joseph Osho.