Proper readings for the Memorial of St. Thomas Aquinas
Biographical information about St. Thomas Aquinas
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| "Scene from the Life of St Thomas Aquinas” (detail) by Filippino Lippi, 1489-91 |
and evidence of things not seen.
Because of it the ancients were well attested.
that he was to receive as an inheritance;
he went out, not knowing where he was to go.
By faith he sojourned in the promised land as in a foreign country,
dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs of the same promise;
for he was looking forward to the city with foundations,
whose architect and maker is God.
By faith he received power to generate,
even though he was past the normal age
- and Sarah herself was sterile -
for he thought that the one who had made the promise was trustworthy.
So it was that there came forth from one man,
himself as good as dead,
descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky
and as countless as the sands on the seashore.
They did not receive what had been promised
but saw it and greeted it from afar
and acknowledged themselves to be strangers and aliens on earth,
for those who speak thus show that they are seeking a homeland.
If they had been thinking of the land from which they had come,
they would have had opportunity to return.
But now they desire a better homeland, a heavenly one.
Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God,
for he has prepared a city for them.
By faith Abraham, when put to the test, offered up Isaac,
and he who had received the promises was ready to offer his only son,
of whom it was said,
Through Isaac descendants shall bear your name.
He reasoned that God was able to raise even from the dead,
and he received Isaac back as a symbol.
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Commentary on Heb 11:1-2, 8-19
The beginning of this reading gives us a classic definition of faith: “Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen.” We note that this definition describes what faith does rather than giving a pure theological description. “Through faith God guarantees the blessings to be hoped for from him, providing evidence in the gift of faith that what he promises will eventually come to pass. [4] ” Looking at the translation above, it is instructive to consider the same verse as translated in the Jerusalem Bible: “Only faith can guarantee the blessings that we hope for, or prove the existence of the realities that at present remain unseen.” That eloquent statement is followed by describing, a few verses later, Abraham’s response to faith, and the Lord’s reward, incomplete before Christ and completed by him.
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Responsorial Psalm: Luke 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
He has raised up for us a mighty savior,
born of the house of his servant David.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of
Through his holy prophets he promised of old.
that he would save us from our sins
from the hands of all who hate us.
He promised to show mercy to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of
This was the oath he swore to our father Abraham:
to set us free from the bonds of our enemies,
free to worship him without fear,
holy and righteous in his sight
all the days of our life.
R. Blessed be the Lord the God of
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Commentary on Lk 1:69-70, 71-72, 73-75
These strophes are the opening lines of the great Canticle of Zechariah sung to the newborn St. John the Baptist by his father at the occasion of his naming. He reminds the infant St. John that God is faithful to his promises and proclaims the Savior’s mission of salvation, a promise to Abraham, as a fulfillment of that promise. These introductory verses serve as a profession of faith in God and the Messiah of whom St. John will be the forerunner. Zechariah sings of the salvation first promised to Abraham, now to be fulfilled in Jesus.
CCC: Lk 1:73 706
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Gospel: Mark 4:35-41
“Let us cross to the other side.”
Leaving the crowd, they took Jesus with them in the boat just as he was.
And other boats were with him.
A violent squall came up and waves were breaking over the boat,
so that it was already filling up.
Jesus was in the stern, asleep on a cushion.
They woke him and said to him,
“Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?”
He woke up,
rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Quiet! Be still!”
The wind ceased and there was great calm.
Then he asked them, “Why are you terrified?
Do you not yet have faith?”
They were filled with great awe and said to one another,
“Who then is this whom even wind and sea obey?”
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Commentary on Mk 4:35-41
In this passage, Jesus embarks in what is probably a fishing boat with his disciples. A storm comes up and the disciples are afraid. Jesus, with a word (“Quiet! Be still!"), silences the storm and waters, demonstrating the authority of the Messiah over the elements of the created world. The implication of his next statement ("Do you not yet have faith?”) is that, if the disciples had a mature faith, they could have done the same. The disciples are awed by his power but do not yet have faith to understand its source. This incident gives insight into the gift of Christ's peace to those who have faith in the face of adversity.
Reflection:
It brings us to the realization that fear for our physical selves, while natural, should be the least of our worries. We only have these shells of human form for a short while in the eyes of God (Psalm 91:4), but we look forward to an eternity with God the Father in his Heavenly Kingdom.
This miracle performed by Jesus does more than demonstrate his authority over God’s creation. It reminds us that our faith in the Lord must put us in a spiritual place where we can reach out through faith for the salvation of our souls. If we could not do that, we should indeed be terrified.
Putting our faith totally in the hands of Jesus is, however, a hard thing to do. But we have that ability, that gift within us. In baptism we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit, in confirmation that gift is sealed, and in the Eucharist, we receive the Sacred Body and Blood of the Lord who saves us. Those gifts combine in a massive infusion of grace to point the way. They are our compass in the storm of life. If the Lord wishes and we have faith, he can calm that storm as well, and we need not be afraid.
I am reminded of a non-biblical reading from the divine office by Diadochus of Photice. In his treatise on Spiritual Perfection, he reflects upon how we can more clearly see if our faith has given us tranquility to look at our situation clearly. He uses this analogy: “Therefore, we must maintain great stillness of mind, even in the midst of our struggles. We shall then be able to distinguish between the different types of thoughts that come to us: those that are good, those sent by God, we will treasure in our memory; those that are evil and inspired by the devil we will reject. A comparison with the sea may help us. A tranquil sea allows the fisherman to gaze right to its depths. No fish can hide there and escape his sight. The stormy sea, however, becomes murky when it is agitated by the winds. The very depths that it revealed in its placidness, the sea now hides. The skills of the fisherman are useless.”
We pray today for the gift of faith, that the Lord may give each of us the strength to calm the stormy waters of our emotions so that we might see more clearly and act justly.
Pax
[1] The picture is "Scene from the Life of St Thomas Aquinas” (detail) by Filippino Lippi, 1489-91.
[2] S.S. Commemoratio
[3] The readings are taken from the New American Bible with the exception of the Psalm and its response which were developed by the International Committee for English in Liturgy (ICEL). This republication is not authorized by USCCB and is for private use only.
[4] NAB footnote on Hebrews 11:1-40.
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