Memorial of Saint Thomas Aquinas, priest and doctor of the Church

Today's Mass Readings

Today’s memorial celebrates Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican priest and doctor of the church. Thomas is best known for his prolific writing that brought deep clarity and understanding to many Church dogmas and doctrines. The readings for this memorial give us insight into the Lord and perhaps even a small glimpse into the mind of St. Thomas. The Book of Hebrews today describes the daily offerings given by priests as part of their ministry. A priests’ sacrifice does not take away sins. Only one sacrifice takes away sins and that is the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross, who died once and for all so that God would no longer remember our sins. This sacrifice of Jesus, the eternal priest, in the line of Melchizedek established a new and everlasting covenant. The covenant is testified to by the Holy Spirit who puts God’s laws in our hearts.

The Gospel of Mark today is loaded with allegorical insights. The overall parable suggests that although some of the seed sown by the Lord will be choked by weeds or die on rocky ground, the harvest will be plentiful. Thomas was no stranger to allegory and planted many insightful seeds that still bear fruit today. One of the most familiar teachings from him is found in the word, transubstantiation.

Toward the end of Thomas’ life, he was writing a book for which he might best be remembered entitled Summa Theologiae. This writing was never completed because he had a profound experience of God while celebrating Eucharist. Of this experience and his writing he said, “I cannot go on.... All that I have written seems to me like so much straw compared to what I have seen and what has been revealed to me.”

What seems clear from both the story of Thomas Aquinas and the reading today is that we need to allow the Holy Spirit to sow in our hearts the seed of God’s love. Let us take time today to remember that God’s law of love is written on our hearts. We have a great deal to do and accomplish, yet what is it that is the most important? Lord, help us today to take time to stop and reflect upon your will for us, so that we might more fully allow Jesus to take root in our hearts. Amen.

-Michael Montgomery