One Minute Reflection – 28 January – The Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor angelicus (Angelic Doctor) and Doctor communis (Common Doctor)

One Minute Reflection – 28 January – The Memorial of St Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) Doctor angelicus (Angelic Doctor) and Doctor communis (Common Doctor)

“This is my commandment:  love one another, as I have loved you. No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends.”…John 15:12-13

REFLECTION – “If you seek the example of love:  “Greater love than this no man has, than to lay down his life for his friends.”   Such a man was Christ on the cross.   And if He gave His life for us, then it should not be difficult to bear whatever hardships arise for His sake.   If you seek patience, you will find no better example than the cross.   Christ endured much on the cross and did so patiently, because “when he suffered he did not threaten;  he was led like a sheep to the slaughter and he did not open his mouth.”   If you seek an example of obedience, follow Him who became obedient to the Father even unto death.   “For just as by the disobedience of one man,” namely, Adam, “many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one man, many were made righteous.”   If you seek an example of despising earthly things, follow Him who is “the King of kings and the Lord of lords, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”   Upon the cross He was stripped, mocked, spat upon, struck, crowned with thorns and given only vinegar and gall to drink.   Do not be attached, therefore, to clothing and riches, because “they divided my garments among themselves.”   Nor to honours, for He experienced harsh words and scourgings.   Nor to greatness of rank, for “weaving a crown of thorns they placed it on my head.”   Nor to anything delightful, for “in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.” – from the writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas

PRAYER – Lord, our God, since it was by your gift that St Thomas became so great a saint and theologian, give us grace to understand his teaching and follow his way of life.   May his great love for Jesus Crucified and His pure adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, be our guide to follow in Your Son’s footsteps and take up our cross and follow Him.   Grant that by the prayers of St Thomas, we may grow in love and sanctity, amen.