St. Thomas Aquinas was mocked by his classmates as the “dumb ox of Sicily”. He was a big man, like an ox, and was always dumb silent in class discussions. One time a tricky question was laid by the professor that no one can resolve. Here he presented a very clear treatise that the difficult problem appeared easy.

 

He earned the title “Angelic Doctor of the Church” from his greatest work, Summa Theologica. Under Question 73 in the supplement of the third part of Summa, he discussed the Signs that will precede judgment [day].

You may read it in the following link: Saint Thomas Aquinas on the Signs of the End Times – The American Catholic (the-american-catholic.com)

 

His discussion on the End Times will perk your intellect. But it was in St. Thomas’ daily devotion to the Lord, appearing in a vision, that’s worthy of imitation.

 

In 1273, Thomas was seen to be crying and levitating in prayer before an icon of the crucified Christ at the Dominican convent of Naples. During this prayer, Christ is said to have told him, “You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have for your labor?”, to which Thomas replied, “Nothing but you, Lord”.

It was not the brilliance of his mind, but the devotion in his heart that effectively led him to a vision of that Holy Presence.

 

After experiencing God face to face, he stopped writing. Summa Theologica was left unfinished. He said that all his writings are nothing compared to his experience in this Encounter.

We can tread the path of devotion of St. Thomas by saying, “Nothing but you, Lord,” in your prayer to God 3 times a day, with feeling of devotion and love of God in the heart.