Today’s Readings – Saint Thomas Aquinas

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Priest and Doctor (Memorial)

Thomas Aquinas was born in 1224 at his father Count Landulph’s castle of Roccasecca in the Kingdom of Sicily, in the present-day Regione Lazio. Through his mother, Theodora Countess of Theate, Aquinas was related to the Hohenstaufen dynasty of Holy Roman emperors. An uncle was abbot of the original Benedictine monastery at Monte Cassino and his family hoped that Thomas would follow in his footsteps.

It was while studying at the University of Naples that he came under the influence of the Dominicans, who, with the Franciscans, were introducing radical changes in church life.  His family were not happy with this development and actually imprisoned him in his parents’ castle for one year.  … Continue

Yesterday’s Readings – Thursday of week 3 of Ordinary Time - First Reading

Commentary on 2 Samuel 7:18-19, 24-29

A prayer of David.
David immediately responds to the word of God which has come to him through the prophet Nathan and which was the reading for yesterday. Today’s reading does not contain the whole prayer (vv.18-29).

It is a prayer of praise … Continue