The Real Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, March 7

The Real Feast Day of St. Thomas Aquinas, March 7

From Matins of the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, Confessor, Doctor of the Church
Online Source: www.breviary.net

Second Nocturn
Absolutio: Ipsíus píetas et misericórdia nos ádjuvet, qui cum Patre et Spíritu Sancto vivit et regnat in sæcula sæculórum.R.  Amen.	Absolution:  May his loving-kindness and mercy assist us.  Who, with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, liveth and reigneth, for ever and ever. R.  Amen.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 4: Deus Pater omnípotens sit nobis propítius et clemens. R.  Amen.	Benediction 4:  May God the Father Almighty shew us his mercy and pity. R.  Amen.
Lesson iv
Præclárum christiáni orbis decus et Ecclésiæ lumen, beatíssimus vir Thomas, Landúlpho cómite Aquináte et Theodóra Neapolitána, nobílibus paréntibus natus, futúræ in Deíparam devotiónis afféctum adhuc infántulus osténdit.  Nam chártulam ab eo invéntam, in qua salutátio Angélica scripta erat, frustra adniténte nutríce, compréssa manu válide retínuit, et a matre per vim abréptam, plorátu et gestu repétiit, ac mox rédditam deglutívit.  Quintum annum agens, mónachis sancti Benedícti Cassinátibus custodiéndus tráditur.  Inde Neápolim studiórum causa missus, jam adoléscens fratrum Prædicatórum órdinem suscépit.  Sed matre ac frátribus id indígne feréntibus, Lutétiam Parisiórum míttitur.  Quem fratres in itínere per vim raptum, in arcem castri sancti Joánnis perdúcunt : ubi várie exagitátus, ut sanctum propósitum mutáret, mulíerem étiam, quæ ad labefactándam ejus constántiam introdúcta fúerat, titióne fugávit.  Mox beátus júvenis, fléxis génibus ante signum crucis orans, ibíque somno corréptus, per quiétem sentíre visus est sibi ab Angelis constríngi lumbos ; quo ex témpore omni póstea libídinis sensu cáruit.  Soróribus, quæ ut eum a pio consílio removérent, in castrum vénerant, persuásit, ut, contémptis curis sæculáribus, ad exercitatiónem cæléstis vitæ se conférrent.	That splendid adornment of the Christian world and light of the Church, blessed Thomas Aquinas, was the son of Landulph, Earl of Aquino, and Theodora of Naples, his wife, being nobly descended on both sides, and even as an infant gave token of the love which he afterwards bore to the Mother of God.  He found a little bit of paper upon which was written the Angelic Salutation, and held it firm in his hand in spite of the efforts of his wet-nurse ; his mother took it away by force, but he cried and stretched out for it, and when she gave it back to him, he swallowed it.  When he was only four years old, he was given into the keeping of the Benedictine monks of Monte Cassino.  He was thence sent to Naples to study, and there, while very young, entered the Order of Friars Preachers.  This displeased his mother and brothers, and he left Naples for Paris.  When he was on his journey his brothers met him, and carried him by force to the castle of Monte San Giovanni, where they imprisoned him in the keep.  Here they used every means to break him of his intention, and at last brought a woman into his room to try to overcome his purity.  The youth drove her out with a fire-brand.  When he was alone he knelt down before the figure of the Cross, and there he fell asleep.  As he slept, it seemed to him that angels came and girded his loins : and from this time he never felt the least sexual inclination.  His sisters came to the castle to beseech him to give up his purpose of leaving the world, but he so worked on them by his godly exhortations, that both of them ever after set no value on earthly things, and busied themselves rather with heavenly.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
The Castle of Monte San Giovanni
R.  Honéstum fecit illum Dóminus, et custodívit eum ab inimícis, et a seductóribus tutávit illum : * Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.V.  Justum dedúxit Dóminus per vias rectas, et osténdit illi regnum Dei. R.  Et dedit illi claritátem ætérnam.	R.  The Lord multiplied the fruit of his labours and defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait. * And gave him perpetual glory. V.  The Lord guided the righteous in right paths, and shewed him the kingdom of God. R.  And gave him perpetual glory.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 5: Christus perpétuæ det nobis gáudia vitæ.R.  Amen.	Benediction 5: May Christ bestow upon us the joys of life eternal. R.  Amen.
Lesson v
Emíssus e castro per fenéstram, Neápolim redúcitur ; unde Romam, póstea Parísium a fratre  Joánne Theutónico, órdinis Prædicatórum generáli magístro, ductus, Albérto Magno doctóre, philosophíæ ac theologíæ óperam dedit.  Vigínti quinque annos natus, magíster est appellátus, publicéque philósophos ac theólogos summa cum laude est interpretátus.  Numquam se lectióni aut scriptióni dedit, nisi post oratiónem.  In difficultátibus locórum sacræ Scriptúræ, ad oratiónem jejúnium adhibébat.  Quin étiam sodáli suo fratri Regináldo dícere solébat, quidquid sciret non tam stúdio aut labóre suo peperísse, quam divínitus tráditum accepísse.  Neápoli cum ad imáginem Crucifíxi veheméntius oráret, hanc vocem audívit : Bene scripsísti de me, Thoma ; quam ergo mercédem accípies?  Cui ille : Non áliam, Dómine, nisi teípsum.  Collatiónes Patrum assídue pervolutábat ; et nullum fuit scriptórum genus, in quo non esset diligentíssime versátus.  Scripta ejus et multitúdine, et varietáte, et facilitáte explicándi res diffíciles ádeo excéllunt, ut ubérrima atque incorrúpta illíus doctrína, cum revelátis veritátibus mire conséntiens, aptíssima sit ad ómnium témporum erróres pervincéndos.	Being let down from a window, Thomas escaped out of the castle of Monte San Giovanni, and returned to Naples.  Thence he went first to Rome, and then to Paris, in company of Brother John the German, then Master-General of the Friars Preachers.  At Paris he studied Philosophy and Theology under Albert the Great Doctor.  At the age of twenty-five years he took the degree of Master, and gave public disquisitions on the Philosophers and Theologians with great distinction.  He never set himself to read or write till he had first prayed, and when he was about to take in hand a hard passage of the Holy Scriptures, he fasted also.  Hence he was wont to say to Brother Reginald his comrade, that whatever he knew, he had learnt, not to much from his own labour and study, as from the inspiration of God.  At Naples he was once kneeling in very earnest prayer before an image of Christ Crucified, when he head a voice which said : Thomas, thou hast written well of me.  What reward wilt thou that I give thee?  He answered : None other, Lord, but thyself.  He studied most carefully the works of the Fathers, and there was no kind of author in which he was not well read.  His own writings are so wonderful, both because of their number, their variety, and the clearness of his explanations of hard things, that his rich and pure teaching, marvellously consonant with revealed truth, is an admirable antidote for the errors of all times.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
R.  Amávit eum Dóminus, et ornávit eum : stolam glóriæ índuit eum, * Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.V.  Induit eum Dóminus lorícam fídei, et ornávit eum. R.  Et ad portas paradísi coronávit eum.	R.  The Lord loved him and adorned him; he clothed him with a robe of glory : * And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.V.  The Lord hath put on him the breast-plate of faith, and hath adorned him. R.  And crowned him at the gates of Paradise.
V.  Jube domne, (Dómine) benedícere.	V.  Vouchsafe, Reverend Father (O Lord), thy blessing.
Benedíctio 6: Ignem sui amóris accéndat Deus in córdibus nostris. R.  Amen.	Benediction 6: May God enkindle in our hearts the fire of his holy love. R.  Amen.
Lesson vi
A summo Pontífice Urbáno quarto Romam vocátus, ejus jussu ecclesiásticum lucubrávit Offícium in Córporis Christi solemnitáte celebrándum : oblátos vero honóres et Neapolitánum archiepiscopátum, étiam deferénte Cleménte quarto, recusávit.  A prædicatióne divíni verbi non desistébat ; quod cum fáceret per octávam Paschæ in basílica sancti Petri, mulíerem, quæ ejus fímbriam tetígerat, a fluxu sánguinis liberávit.  Missus a beáto Gregório décimo ad concílium Lugdunénse, in monastério Fossæ Novæ in morbum íncidit, ubi ægrótus Cántica canticórum explanávit.  Ibídem óbiit quinquagenárius, anno salútis millésimo ducentésimo septuagésimo quarto, Nonis Mártii.  Miráculis étiam mórtuus cláruit ; quibus probátis, a Joánne vigésimo secúndo in Sanctórum númerum relátus est, anno millésimo tercentésimo vigésimo tértio, transláto póstea ejus córpore Tolósam, ex mandáto beáti Urbáni quinti.  Cum sanctis angélicis spirítibus non minus innocéntia quam ingénio comparátus, Doctóris Angélici nomen jure est adéptus, eídem auctoritáte sancti Pii quinti confirmátum.  Leo autem décimus tértius, libentíssime excípiens postulatiónes et vota ómnium pene Sacrórum antístitum orbis cathólici, ad tot præcípue philosophicórum systématum a veritáte aberrántium luem propulsándam, ad increménta scientiárum et commúnem humáni géneris utilitátem, eum, ex sacrórum Rítuum Congregatiónis consúlto, per apostólicas lítteras cæléstem patrónum scholárum ómnium catholicárum declarávit et instítuit.	The Supreme Pontiff Urban IV sent for him to Rome, and at his command he composed the Church Office for the feast of Corpus Christi.  The Pope could not persuade him to accept any dignity.  Pope Clement IV also offered him the Archbishoprick of Naples, but he refused it.  He did not neglect the preaching of the Word of God.  Once while he was giving a course of sermons in the Basilica of St. Peter, during the Octave of Easter, a woman who had an issue of blood was healed by touching the hem of his garment.  He was sent by blessed Gregory X to the Council of Lyons, but fell sick on his way at the Abbey of Fossanova, and there during his illness he made an exposition of the Song of Songs.  There he died on the 7th day of March, in the year of salvation 1274, aged fifty years.  He was distinguished for miracles even after his death, and on proof of these Pope John XXII added his name to those of the Saints in the year 1323.  His body was afterwards carried to Toulouse by command of blessed Urban V.  He has been compared to an angel, both on account of his innocency and of his intellectual power, and has hence been deservedly termed the Angelic Doctor.  The use of which title as applied to him was approved by the authority of holy Pius V.  Leo XIII, cheerfully agreeing to the prayers and wishes of nearly all the bishops of the Catholic world, and in conformity with a vote of the Sacred Congregation of Rites, by his Apostolic letters declared and recognized Thomas Aquinas as the patron in heaven of all Catholic schools, as an antidote to the plague of so many false systems, especially of philosophy, for the increase of scientific knowledge, and for the common good of all mankind.
V.  Tu autem, Dómine, miserére nobis. R.  Deo grátias.	V.  But thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us. R.  Thanks be to God.
The Triumph of St. Thomas, in the Spanish Chapel of the Church of Santa María Novella, Florence, Italy
R.  Iste homo perfécit ómnia quæ locútus est ei Deus, et dixit ad eum : Ingrédere in réquiem meam : * Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus. V.  Iste est, qui contémpsit vitam mundi, et pervénit ad cæléstia regna. R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus. V.  Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto. R.  Quia te vidi justum coram me ex ómnibus géntibus.	R.  This is he which did according to all that God commanded him ; and God said unto him : Enter thou into my rest : * For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.V.  This is he which despised his life in this world, and is come unto an everlasting kingdom. R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.V.  Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. R.  For thee have I seen righteous before me among all people.
St. Thomas Aquinas confounds the heretics with his writings