What can you offer a Dominican of the thirteenth century a young twenty-first century? It seems a question not easy to answer. Was Thomas Aquinas handsome, funny, a "crak? Eudaldo Forment, one of his most famous biographer, insists on its good looks: Thomas was a big man, strong and something seems fair. Reserved temperament, was not appropriate to talk a lot. For these reasons his fellow students nicknamed him "the Dumb Ox of Sicily." Was Italian, but his lifestyle is not allowed to be on the cutting edge fashion. However, it was one person, one young and one adult, intensely happy. His intelligence was immense. Had in mind a kind of intellectual atomic bomb and its doctrine that resembles a nuclear power that has illuminated the West and the world today.
His family was of high standing. Thomas to have the small, four years, he was the halls of his home-castle in Roccasecca repeating: "Quid est Deus?" Who is God? ... Much later, just before Thomas's death, which occurred when I was 49 years, the priest who attended the eminent and renowned scholar remarked laconically: "It was the confession of a child." Amar
truth was vitally Thomas Aquinas for the world is good and very good man, when you want. The universe is presented as a huge real game that thousands had to unravel mysteries and possibilities. He firmly believed that the truth makes freedom possible and for this reason, had no qualms about accepting the truth to come from who come. In his works he constantly quoted Aristotle, who was not Christian - XXV centuries ago is not affordable to be, at least explicitly, and other pagan authors, to the reluctance of some academic authorities of his time.
passionately researched the truth of reality with the same enthusiasm as gold diggers. He had a firm conviction that human reason was adequate to the truth of reality. At the same time realized that the world was much bigger than our intelligence. Believed and understood, as Chesterton would say after that all logic depends on a great mystery. Therefore, in addition to showing so notorious, methodical and logical existence of a transcendent first cause world through five brainy-fit test methods or masterfully reason and faith, philosophy and theology, with the help of God. As if it were a Romanesque arch envisioned that the verticality of man was completed and made sense with the dome of the sky, making the world a home.
unmasked thousands of errors with the pure reason, being extremely cavalier about the people who had sustained mistakes, with one exception: called a writer shirk his name, "stultissimus"-something and stupid, "to affirm that God-the supreme being and full in-now identified with the raw material-pure indeterminacy.
A torrent of illusion
His international academic reputation was known, to the point that the King St. Louis of France wanted to entertain Thomas, who had brilliant academic lessons taught at the University of Paris-with a dinner which brought together leading personalities of the time. Thomas, totally abstracted from the world around him at that meeting, continued in reasoning about an intellectual problem which was spinning with the same delight that a sweet tasting liqueur chocolates. Besides parafarnalia all court struck a powerful blow on the table, to the amazement of everyone at the table, except one. The French king, who knew him well, he ordered the point to bring pen and parchment for Thomas, who said with obvious satisfaction: "I have the case against the Manichean." It just realizes that evil can not exist by itself, can not have the same force as well, compared to what I said the Manichean sect. Evil in all its awesome together is just clutter. The good of the beings is a true apotheosis architecture, harmony and sense, the universe is like a huge barrel vault and apse open cruises to light. The evils are rust and significant gaps "tragic" in a glorious building, but they are nothing in themselves. The well, in all its gradual nature of reality, had more order than matter, more purpose and more mercy order calculation. Something similar to what is said in the cathedral of León, has more glass than stone, more light than glass and more faith than light.
The illusion of archaeologists to discover the jewels of a king or the children to get up on January 6 and see the gifts of the Magi, is what Thomas had to dive into the arcana of the laws of life with a severe mental order and opening possibilities amazing when solving problems.
This portrait could lead to the idea of \u200b\u200bcertain angels and ingenuity to the vital in Thomas. Of angels if we suspect since he wrote a lengthy treatise on angels, which earned him the title of the Angelic Doctor. Los Angeles, against what may seem, are more attractive than the elves or the most unlikely legends because those who believe in them and regard them as real people who do not give them credit is not totally resigned to be a soulless. Regarding his ingenuity is a well-known story of his youth. Because of its gentleness and ability to listen, another student at his school told him: "Come Thomas to see a donkey that flies "... He went winging our young thinker who, though few words, said something significant after the laughter of his companion:" I prefer to think that a donkey flies to my brother, I lie. "
The core of his philosophy
God is in the world without being confused with him, just as a ray of light is in a lake without getting wet. Or, if you will, the supreme being in the world in a way analogous to a projector is the projection of a film. Everything has a being and essence, or mode of being "different from each other because the only one he identifies being and essence is God.
Chesterton said it his way: "The world is a novel where the characters can meet their author." Thomas had another style, will try to give a brief outline of an informative way: We are not big or small vegetable gods are men. As Aristotle said, being is said in many ways. The being that is itself - "I am who I am," Lord "(Ex 3.13 to 14) - engages created beings in the amazing world of existence, according to the nature of each. The Supreme Being is identified with his intelligence and his will, that is: intelligence and will are able to create. Everything has a trace of God, man-by rational and free, has the divine image. Say, for example, that a dress for my sister is vestigial like about it and have a photo for an image. Participation in the being of God makes the cosmos a family connected.
A single person is worth more than all the galaxies, but neither of these, are necessary in the metaphysical sense of the term. And what an artist said "Life is like a garden supply; I hope I have taken good care." God wanted, freely and without any, create a universe for other people to partake of his happiness: we are because God loves us.
Thomas saw synergy in the relationship between faith and reason, not opposition. Therefore, his main book was the crucifix: the ineffable God's answer to a beloved but broken world. Happens then, with a dynamic supernatural, that the relationship between God and the world is invaded by a radical white joy that only life sentences mitigated, to make us mature.
The world, the flesh and youth
However, the speculations of Thomas Aquinas and serene life in convents can look very different from our fast-paced world, the youth moved explosive nights, and the cult body image and so at the end of the street. I sincerely hope not. Not clear that Aquinas knew much appreciated skiing but the snow, trees, rivers and all the more real ... would value the human person! Thomas knew that the cult is not for the body but the body for worship, for love. Human corporeality transfixed understood the value and dignity of a free and immortal soul. The body thus becomes the most attractive because it positions a spirit personality, virtues, with initiative, with a positive outlook on life and realism of each age. Realism that advances in degrees of wisdom throughout life.
Thomas, in his moments of reflection and happy coexistence, valued the company more communication, without ignoring the latter. We were pleasantly many images that served as drawbridges to understand why beings and himself, but he did not work to the gallery. From his thoughts in cloisters and in university classrooms, their iron discipline and mental life of austere poverty constructed a worldview that has been globally evaluated and defined by the Universal Catholic Church, as natural metaphysics of human knowledge. John Paul II, according to his predecessors, said the thought of Saint Thomas "reached heights that human intelligence could never have imagined. ("Fides et ratio, 44).
Today, from our dizzy society image and communication is not the solution, at least for most people, retiring to live in idyllic peace, but is good and nice to meet you. What seems convenient to have a walled castle in personality. This brave fortification begins to build a solid education of the mind and will. Teachers who know the work Thomas, assimilating personal and enriching it with other valuable contributions, can help connect the austere and strict logic of Thomism with the deepest aspirations and actual human person. Thomas Aquinas has said much with his life and his work, I think especially to the youth, you have always wanted to be.
Iturralde Jose Ignacio Moreno
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