Novena to St. Thomas Aquinas

Day 8

10 min

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.

Novena to St. Thomas Aquinas

Opening prayer:

O ineffable Creator, who gave to St. Thomas Aquinas a burning love of truth, send forth Your light into our minds and Your love into our hearts. By his prayers grant us to seek, to find, and to rest in You, the Truth that never fails. Amen.

Read the meditation and offer the intention of the day.

Day 8: All is straw

Near the end of his life, after a profound experience at Mass, Thomas laid down his pen and would write no more, saying that all he had written seemed to him like straw beside what had been revealed to him of God. The greatest of theologians fell silent before the living God. He teaches us that no thought, however lofty, can contain the One we are made to behold face to face.

O Saint Thomas Aquinas, who counted all your learning as straw before the vision of God, raise my heart above the things that pass. Let me prize no earthly wisdom or treasure more than the sight of God Himself, and fill me with longing for that vision in which all else falls silent. Amen.

Today's intention:

For longing for the vision of God above all things.

Pray one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one Glory Be.

Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

Pater noster, qui es in cælis,

sanctificétur nomen tuum.

Advéniat regnum tuum.

Fiat volúntas tua, sicut in cælo et in terra.

Panem nostrum quotidiánum da nobis hódie,

et dimítte nobis débita nostra,

sicut et nos dimíttimus debitóribus nostris.

Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem,

sed líbera nos a malo.

Amen.

Hail Mary

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed art thou amongst women,

and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God,

pray for us sinners,

now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

Ave María, grátia plena, Dóminus tecum.

Benedícta tu in muliéribus,

et benedíctus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.

Sancta María, Mater Dei,

ora pro nobis peccatóribus,

nunc et in hora mortis nostræ.

Amen.

Glory Be

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be,

world without end.

Amen.

Glória Patri, et Fílio, et Spirítui Sancto.

Sicut erat in princípio, et nunc, et semper,

et in sǽcula sæculórum.

Amen.

Closing prayer:

O Angelic Doctor, who adored the hidden God in the Blessed Sacrament and counted all learning as straw before His glory, obtain for us a humble and ardent faith. May we love truth for God's sake and adore Him with all our heart. Amen.

Sign of the Cross

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

In nómine Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti. Amen.