Patron Saint of Bookshelves
Date: 2/7/2009
From:
curtjester 
I can haz books?
The picture comes from fr. Lawrence O.P.'s Flickr photstream (which includes the description).
In 1256, St. Thomas Aquinas was incepted as 'Master of the Sacred Page', the highest University post of the Middle Ages.
At his inaugural lecture, St Thomas preached on the vocation of the theologian. In his words: “The minds of teachers… are watered by the things that are above in the wisdom of God, and by their ministry the light of divine wisdom flows down into the minds of students.” This is a fundamental aspect of Aquinas’ thought: that all wisdom comes from God and is mediated through prayer. As such, he quotes James 1:5, “If people lack wisdom, they should beg for it from God and it will be given them.”
Underlying all this is a profound humility, the one quality most spoken of with regard to Thomas’ sanctity. Indeed, Thomas’ use of the term 'sacra doctrina' (divine teaching) is not mere piety. It points to the fact that “Only God is the Teacher in this 'sacra doctrina', just as only He is the [One who is] Taught.”
28 January is the feast of St Thomas Aquinas, and this statue of the saint is from the altar erected in his memory in St Dominic's priory church in London.
It should be fr Lawrence, actually (with a small f).
He's not a priest yet. :)
@ taiwanite: Thanks - fixed that typo.
Judging by the influx of books on my shelves, my _credit card_ is a patron of St. Thomas!