Prayer: O Beatissima

O Most Blessed and Sweet Virgin Mary
by St. Thomas Aquinas

O most blessed and most sweet virgin Mary, mother of God, filled with devotion, daughter of the most high King, mistress of Angels, mother of all believers, today I commend to thy tender heart all my deeds, my thoughts, my wishes, my desires, my speech, my activities, my whole life, and my final end. That through thy prayers they may be disposed towards good, according to the will of thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ; that thou may be to me, O my most holy lady, helper and consoler against the wickedness and snares of the ancient enemy and against all my enemies.

From thy beloved Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, graciously obtain for me the grace with which I will be able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and to always have a firm intention to sin no more. And I beg thee, my most holy Lady, to obtain for me true obedience and true humility of heart, that I may truly acknowledge that I am a wretched and frail sinner and powerless not only to do anything good, but also to resist the continual battles without the grace and help of my Creator and thy holy prayers. Obtain for me also, O my sweetest Lady, perpetual purity of mind and body so that I may serve thee and thy beloved Son in thy order with a pure heart and a chaste body. Obtain for me from Him a willing poverty with patience and tranquility of mind, so that I may sustain the labors of this same order and that I may work for the salvation of myself and others.

Obtain for me also, O sweetest of Ladies, true charity, with which I may love thy most holy Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, with all my heart: and after Him, thee, above all things; and my neighbor in God and on account of God. And so I may rejoice in my neighbour's good and sorrow in his evil, and hold no one in contempt, nor judge rashly, nor exalt myself in my heart over anyone. Make me, O Queen of Heaven, to fear thy Son and to equally love Him always in my heart; and of such benefits granted to me, not by my merits, but by those granted by His kindness, may I always give thanks. And of my sins, may I make a pure and sincere confession with true repentance that I may gain His mercy and grace. I pray, also, that at the end of my life, O gate of heaven, and advocate of sinners, that thou permitteth not thy unworthy servant to deviate from the holy Catholic faith; but by thy great devotion and mercy come to my aid and defend me from the evil spirits: and by the blessed and glorious passion of thy Son and through thy own intercession, received in hope, obtain through Him pardon from my sins. And as I die in His and thy love, guide me in the way of safety and salvation. Amen.

+++

O beatissima et dulcissima virgo Maria, mater Dei, omni pietate plenissima, summi regis filia, domina Angelorum, mater omnium credentium in sinum pietatis tuae commendo hodie et omnibus diebus vitae meae corpus meum et animam meam, omnesque actus meos, cogitationes, voluntates, desideria, locutiones, operationes, omnemque vitam, finemque meum: ut per tua suffragia disponantur in bonum, secundum voluntatem dilecti filii tui domini nostri Iesu Christi: ut sis mihi, o domina mea sanctissima, adiutrix et consolatrix contra insidias et laqueos hostis antiqui, et omnium inimicorum meorum.

A dilecto filio tuo domino nostro Iesu Christo mihi impetrare digneris gratiam cum qua potenter resistere valeam tentationibus mundi, carnis et Daemonis, ac semper habere firmum propositum ulterius non peccandi; sed in tuo et dilecti filii tui servitio perseverandi. Deprecor te etiam, domina mea sanctissima, ut impetres mihi veram obedientiam et veram cordis humilitatem, ut veraciter me agnoscam miserum ac fragilem peccatorem et impotentem non solum ad faciendum quodcumque opus bonum, sed etiam ad resistendum continuis impugnationibus, sine gratia et adiutorio creatoris mei, et sanctis precibus tuis. Impetra mihi etiam, o domina mea dulcissima, perpetuam mentis et corporis castitatem: ut puro corde et casto corpore, dilecto filio tuo et tibi in tuo ordine valeam deservire. Obtine mihi ab eo voluntariam paupertatem cum patientia et mentis tranquillitate, ut labores eiusdem ordinis valeam sustinere, et pro salute propria et proximorum valeam laborare.

Impetra mihi etiam, o dulcissima domina, caritatem veram, qua sacratissimum filium tuum dominum nostrum Iesum Christum toto corde diligam: et te post ipsum super omnia; et proximum in Deo et propter Deum. Sicque de bono eius gaudeam, de malo doleam, nullumque contemnam, neque temerarie iudicem, neque in corde meo alicui me praeponam. Fac etiam, o regina caeli, ut dulcissimi filii tui timorem pariter et amorem semper in corde meo habeam; et de tantis beneficiis mihi, non meis meritis, sed ipsius benignitate collatis, semper gratias agam: ac de peccatis meis puram et sinceram confessionem, et veram paenitentiam faciam, ut suam consequi merear misericordiam et gratiam. Oro etiam, ut in fine vitae meae, caeli porta et peccatorum advocata, me indignum servum tuum a sancta fide Catholica deviare non permittas; sed tua magna pietate et misericordia mihi succurras, et a malis spiritibus me defendas: ac benedicta filii tui gloriosa passione, etiam in tua propria intercessione spe accepta, veniam de peccatis meis ab eo mihi impetres, atque me, in tua et eius dilectione morientem, in viam salvationis et salutis dirigas. Amen.

Coronation of the Virgin, by Fra Angelico.

Tempera on panel, 1434-35; Musée du Louvre, Paris.

Christianity and Islam compared

"THIS wonderful conversion of the world to the Christian faith is the clearest witness of the signs given in the past; so that it is not necessary that they should be further repeated, since they appear most clearly in their effect. For it would be truly more wonderful than all signs if the world had been led by simple and humble men to believe such lofty truths, to accomplish such difficult actions, and to have such high hopes. Yet it is also a fact that, even in our own time, God does not cease to work miracles through His saints for the confirmation of the faith.

"On the other hand, those who founded sects committed to erroneous doctrines proceeded in a way that is opposite to this, The point is clear in the case of Muhammad. He seduced the people by promises of carnal pleasure to which the concupiscence of the flesh goads us. His teaching also contained precepts that were in conformity with his promises, and he gave free rein to carnal pleasure. In all this, as is not unexpected, he was obeyed by carnal men. As for proofs of the truth of his doctrine, he brought forward only such as could be grasped by the natural ability of anyone with a very modest wisdom. Indeed, the truths that he taught he mingled with many fables and with doctrines of the greatest falsity. He did not bring forth any signs produced in a supernatural way, which alone fittingly gives witness to divine inspiration; for a visible action that can be only divine reveals an invisibly inspired teacher of truth. On the contrary, Muhammad said that he was sent in the power of his arms—which are signs not lacking even to robbers and tyrants. What is more, no wise men, men trained in things divine and human, believed in him from the beginning, Those who believed in him were brutal men and desert wanderers, utterly ignorant of all divine teaching, through whose numbers Muhammad forced others to become his followers by the violence of his arms. Nor do divine pronouncements on the part of preceding prophets offer him any witness. On the contrary, he perverts almost all the testimonies of the Old and New Testaments by making them into fabrications of his own, as can be. seen by anyone who examines his law. It was, therefore, a shrewd decision on his part to forbid his followers to read the Old and New Testaments, lest these books convict him of falsity. It is thus clear that those who place any faith in his words believe foolishly."

~St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Contra Gentiles, Bk. I, Chap. 6.

• Amazon

Need help with the Summa Theologica?

The two online works listed below contain easy-to-read, chapter-by-chapter discussions of the Summa Theologica. Just bookmark these sites for online reference.
1.  A Companion to the Summa by Walter Farrell O.P.
another link:
A Companion to the Summa

2.  A Tour of the Summa by Paul J. Glenn

Also, these works can be found in print versions: A Companion to the Summa, generally found used and in 4 volumes, and A Tour of the Summa, in a single volume, both new and used.

• Amazon

Feser: "How very large her feet were"

"Anscombe and Geach relate a story according to which Aquinas once came upon “a holy nun who used to be levitated in ecstasy.” His reaction was to comment on how very large her feet were. “This made her come out of her ecstasy in indignation at his rudeness, whereupon he gently advised her to seek greater humility.” " 

~Edward Feser: Aquinas (A Beginner's Guide)

• Amazon

Prayer Before Writing or Preaching

"O ineffable Creator, who has wisely appointed nine choirs of angels, setting them above the heavens in marvelous order, who has wonderfully established the parts if the universe, who is the fountain of light and wisdom, the First Cause, shed upon the darkness of my mind the light of your love and remove from me the twofold darkness of sin and ignorance in which I was born. You who make eloquent the tongues of babes, instruct my tongue, pour the grace of your blessing upon my lips. Give keenness in understanding, retention in memory, facility in preaching and interpreting sublime realities, and a wide vocabulary as well. Inspire my beginning, direct my progress, bring all to an end, you who art true God and man, who livest and reignest one God, world without end. Amen."

~St. Thomas Aquinas 
(Translation from An Aquinas Reader, ed. Mary T. Clark)

St. Thomas Before the Cross, by Sassetta.

Panel, 1423; Pinacoteca, Vatican.

"The pursuit of wisdom"

“AMONG ALL human pursuits, the pursuit of wisdom is more perfect, more noble, more useful, and more full of joy.

“It is more perfect because, in so far as a man gives himself to the pursuit of wisdom, so far does he even now have some share in true beatitude. And so a wise man has said: “Blessed is the man that shall continue in wisdom” (Ecclus. 14:22).

“It is more noble because through this pursuit man especially approaches to a likeness to God Who “made all things in wisdom” (Ps. 103:24). And since likeness is the cause of love, the pursuit of wisdom especially joins man to God in friendship. That is whay it is said of wisdom that “she is an infinite treasure to men! Which they that use become the friends of God” (Wis. 7:14).

“It is more useful because through wisdom we arrive at the kingdom of immortality. For “the desire of wisdom bringeth to the everlasting kingdom” (Wis. 6:21).

“It is more full of joy because “her conversation hath no bitterness, nor her company any tediousness, but joy and gladness” (Wis. 7:16).

“And so, in the name of the divine Mercy, I have the confidence to embark upon the work of a wise man, even though this may surpass my powers, and I have set myself the task of making known, as far as my limited powers will allow, the truth that the Catholic faith professes, and of setting aside the errors that are opposed to it. To use the words of Hilary: “I am aware that I owe this to God as the chief duty of my life, that my every word and sense may speak of Him.” ”

~St. Thomas Aquinas: Summa Contra Gentiles, Bk. I, Chap. 2.

St. Thomas Aquinas, by Fra Angelico.

Tempera on wood, 1340-45; Collezione Vittorio Cini, Venice. 

Divisions of Speculative Knowledge

“… the speculative sciences are differentiated according to their degree of separation from matter and motion.

“Now, there are some objects of speculation that depend on matter for their being, for they can only exist in matter. And these are subdivided. Some depend on matter both for their being and for their being understood, as do those things whose definition contains sensible matter and which, as a consequence, cannot be understood without sensible matter. For example, it is necessary to include flesh and bones in the definition of man. It is things of these sort that physics or natural science studies. On the other hand, there are some things that, although dependent upon matter for their being, do not depend on it for their being understood, because sensible matter is not included in their definitions. This is the case with lines and numbers—the kinds of objects with which mathematics deals. There are still other objects of speculative knowledge that do not depend upon matter for their being because they can exist without matter; either they never exist in matter, as in the case of God and the angels, or they exist in matter in some instances and not in others, as in the case of substance, quality, potency, act, one and many, and the like. The science that treats of all these is theology or divine science, which is so called because its principal object is God. By another name it is called metaphysics; that is to say, beyond physics, because it ought to be learned by us after physics, for we have to proceed from sensible things to those that are non-sensible. It is also called first philosophy, inasmuch as all the other sciences, receiving their principles from it, come after it….”

~St. Thomas Aquinas: Commentary on Boethius’s De Trinitate, q. 5, a. 3, Reply.
(From An Aquinas Reader, ed. Mary T. Clark)

• Amazon