ST.THOMAS AQUINAS STILL RELEVANT

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274), philosopher, humanist, theologian, saint and mystic continues to be very important and significant for theology today and in particular for the Dominicans for whom he is essential part of their tradition. The Angelic Doctor continues to be relevant also for the whole Church, which made him Doctor of the Church and Patron of Catholic Schools.

The outstanding Dominican of the 13^th century is still – as Vatican II calls him – a special master (OT, 16) and guide (GE, 10). Pope Paul VI calls St. Thomas apostle of truth; Blessed Pope John Paul II, outstanding philosopher, and Pope Benedict XVI, an outstanding model for theologians (Paul VI, Lumen Ecclesiae, 10; John Paul II, Fides et Ratio, 44; Benedict XVI, Address: June 2, 2010).The Angelic Doctor is “light for the Church and the whole world” (See Sapientia Christiana, art. 71, footnote 23, and art. 80 footnote 26; Canon Law, 252, # 3).  The great theologians of our times highly recommend to all students of philosophy and theology the Universal Doctor Brother Thomas Aquinas, including Rahner, Chenu, Congar, Schillebeeckx, Gustavo Gutierrez and Clodovis Boff.

Certainly, Brother Thomas is not “the exclusive doctor” of the Church: there are 33 more doctors of the Church, including three women. As Dominicans, we study St. Thomas not just to repeat him but to re-create him in our time. Our brother Dominican Yves Congar says:

St. Thomas is a master of thought, a model of loyalty and intellectual honesty, a man of dialogue, the symbol of open-mindedness, the genius of reality. We should remain faithful to his spirit… St Thomas is proposed as a master (by Vatican II). This does not mean simply repetition and the exclusion of other theologians. Rather it means that we study under his guidance; we follow his spirit

Is Thomas Aquinas still relevant? Not long ago, I asked our students in Macau a question to be answered in writing: If St. Thomas would live in our time, what would he do? One student answers: “Many young Europeans would be inspired by him and entered the Dominican Order.”  Another student responded: “He would be simply like one of us.” I do not think, another says, “St. Thomas would be a Dominican today, because we do not have the spirit of Dominic that St. Thomas had.” One of the most repeated answers – differently formulated – is: “I think he would surely use internet or laptop to communicate with his friends. He would be a prominent professor. He would enjoy community life. He would go where the Provincial asked him, but I do not think he would like spicy food… I don’t know whether he would drink beer and wine or not, but he would drink something for certain.”

The majority of the student theologians refer to the Summa Theologiae or Summa Theologica. These are some of their answers: “I think he would not write the Summa Theologica today.” “I believe he would still write the Summa Theologiae but the context of it would not be exactly the same as we have it now. He would surely pay more attention to current problems, such as global warming, ecumenism and relativism.” “On one hand, he would develop some parts of the Summa; on the other, he would remove some parts of it; he would develop more his treatise on abortion, contraception, capital punishment, euthanasia.” “It is almost impossible for St. Thomas to write the Summa today; he would write something, but not the Summa.”

A week ago I read the news that the translation of the Summa in Japanese had just been finished: 45 volumes, 20 of them – including the last ones – by philosopher Ryosuke Inagaki who, when asked if the work was difficult, says: “It was not hard. Thomas’ writing is like a piece of Bach, with a rhythm that makes it easy to approach.” Some time ago, Inagaki himself published a pocket edition of the Summa entitled My Way of Life. Why this title? He answers: “This title really brings out the defining feature of the Summa Theologica. St. Thomas wanted to write a roadmap for people who really and truly seek happiness.”(See ucanews 1/8/2013) It is still useful – let me add – to begin the treatise of moral theology after Thomas with questions on happiness or beatitude and, therefore, on the meaning of life, which continues to be a very poignant question in our time.

Is St. Thomas still relevant today? Two other interesting answers from my students: “St. Thomas Aquinas is still alive today; he is present within you and me.” “Inspired by his creativity and faithfulness to truth, love, justice and peace, we all can be St. Thomas of the 21^st Century.”

St. Thomas, who according to Chesterton produced “books enough to sink a ship or to stock a library” (St. Thomas Aquinas The ‘Dumb Ox’, 1956), is still relevant today. However, his writings will not be fully meaningful to us unless we re-encounter in faith the God who inspired St. Thomas (S. Pinckaers). We Dominicans with so many others who love him are obliged to show Thomas’ relevance today. Thomas, the Doctor of the Eucharist continues teaching us many permanent significant points on God, Christ the human person, happiness, virtue, grace, love. We are asked to make those points significant for our times, in a world permeated by globalization, technology, relativism, and materialism.

Let me mention here three simple relevant texts for our journey: on life, truth, and love. On life: “Prius vita quam doctrina” or first life, then doctrine. (I strongly think that Thomas would also be today against the death penalty!). On truth: “Every truth, regardless of who said it, comes from the Holy Spirit” (I-II, 109, 1 ad 1). On love: “All things issue from charity as from a principle, and all things are ordered towards charity as to an end” (In Jn. XV, 2) Love is always the value and the virtue of life. It is, as Thomas says, the form of all virtues.

Let me add a final point! St. Thomas faced the relevant questions of his time in his famous Quaestiones Disputatae (disputed questions), such as questions on evil, truth, virtue, religious life, etc. Today we have to follow Thomas’ practice: to face the relevant topics of the day. We have to answer the questions people ask, questions on fundamentalism, dialogue, morality in democracy, the absence of God, new evangelization, etc.

Someone has said that the two main qualities that distinguish Thomas’ writings are clarity and brevity. We should all – teachers, preachers, leaders, politicians – strive for clarity and brevity in a world overcrowded with words, lies and blurred truths; but still a hopeful world. We all strive to practice what we teach or ask others to do. “Let Christ, our teacher, instruct us that, on the feast of St. Thomas, we may learn your truth and practice it in love.”

      (F. Gomez, Macau, January 28, 2013)