His greatest love...

 

 

     "St Thomas Aquinas' greatest love was the Blessed Sacrament,

of which he was to be the world's greatest witness.  He would spend hours

at a time, day and night, before the altar in adoration and meditation.  

Here was his great school.  The Eucharistic Lord Himself was his Master. 

When he celebrated Mass, he was in raptures and often in tears.  After

saying his own Mass he would serve another - or at least hear one. 

 

    In December 1273, when he was forty-seven, he laid down his pen,

determined to study and write no more, so that he might give himself

to God entirely in meditation and prayer.  He was ordered by Pope

Gregory X to go to Lyons to assist at the General Council.  Taken ill on

the way, he was obliged to stop at the Cistercial Abbey of Fossa-Nouva. 

His first visit was to the Blessed Sacrament.  At Fossa-Nouva he lay

seriously ill for a month.  He made his general confession. 

 

    While Viaticum was being brought to him, he had himself taken from

the bed and laid upon ashes on the floor.  The tears came to his eyes as he beheld the Host in the hand of the priest.  He made his profession of faith:

"I firmly believe that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is present in

this august Sacrament.  I adore You, my God and my Redemption , the

Viaticum of my pilgrimage, for whose honor I have studied, labored,

preached and taught."

 

From Witnesses to the Eucharist, Fr Hugh F Blunt, LLD

    

 

 

 

St Thomas Aquinas

Italy ~ 1225-1274

Dominican monk

Theologian, philosopher, professor

Doctor of the Church

FEAST DAY - January 28

(Happy Feast Day, Spencer!)

 

 

 

 

 "The Eucharist is the sacrament of love:

it signifies love, it produces love." - St Thomas Aquinas

 

 

 

 

Ste Thomas Aquinas, ora pro nobis!