Thomas Aquinas and Christian Vocation

Here is a homily delivered yesterday at Boston College on the Feast of St. Thomas Aquinas

Thomas Aquinas—Mass for Vocations

2 Samuel 5:1-7, 10

Mark 3:22-30

Many years ago in a distant place a young lad encountered God. And from this time on his zeal to serve his Creator intensified. As Samuel reminds us: he was chosen by God to shepherd His people.

Of course, Samuel spoke of David who ruled as king for forty years. But, do not Samuel’s words also remind us of Thomas Aquinas whom we commemorate this day? Each had a vocation to serve God, albeit in different manifestations—David as king, and Thomas as teacher and author; philosopher and theologian; saint and doctor of the Church.

And as today’s Eucharist is our weekly Mass for vocations, it is on Thomas’s vocation that I shall comment, for the vocation to which he was called is, in reality, one shared by many—for it was not without its encumbrances, but it was also blessed with much grace from God.

From an early age, Thomas made his distinction in zeal for a holy life. But, his family—a noble one at that—did not share his enthusiasm. Parents and siblings dissuaded him, tempted him (it is said, even with prostitutes), and used other methods including imprisonment to divert his vocation. But he remained true to his vocation and his desire to enter the Dominican order. His shyness and humility were thought to be indicia of dullness; but in his studies, he excelled and surpassed the intellectual capacity of many of his masters in the Order of Preachers. This led Albertus Magnus to declare: “We call this young man a dumb ox, but his bellowing in doctrine will one day resound throughout the world.” In this surmise, Albert was proven correct.

It is true that Thomas went on to display his brilliance in matters theological and philosophical—or, was do I have the order confused? But, he also excelled in the pastoral duties of priestly ministry and was sought after for his preaching the Gospel.

Thomas’s life was rather brief by our standards today—he did not make it to his 50^th birthday. In his late forties, he laid figuratively laid his pen down one day (or no longer dictated to his secretaries). When his Dominican confreres urged him on, his reply was that of the good disciple: “I can do no more. Such secrets have been revealed to me that all I have written now appears to be of little value.” Well, that later point can be debated!

Thomas was a productive man and disciple. How? Because he understood what Jesus taught about our Lord being the vine and the rest of us are its branches—branches that are nurtured by faith to bear much fruit in God’s name. In spite of the theological controversies of his day, he remained firmly and resolutely attached to the vine—as St. Mark reminds us, a house divided against itself cannot stand. This is wise counsel for our own times in which controversies theological and otherwise seek conversion amongst the faithful.

To meet this controversies with fidelity to God was an ideal and a commitment that Thomas embraced—it was not only his vocation, it was also the essence of who he was—one called by his baptism to follow Christ, not only for the salvation of his soul, but also that of those whom he would assist to the present day and beyond. The model of Thomas’s vocation is a source of prayerful instruction for us all because his greatest personal desire was union with God.

And with this thought in mind I end with a story, a true story: in my early priesthood I had the blessed experience of concluding my studies in England before I began to teach. In short order, I was asked to serve Campion Hall as acting bursar when then bursar was away. This meant that I had not only the use of a nice office but also the keys—if not to the Kingdom of Heaven, at least to a well-stocked wine and spirits cellar. It was this office that I enjoyed: for, in addition to being a quiet place to study, it contained a number of artifacts that captured my fascination. One such appointment was an original cartoon given to a former British Provincial and Master of Campion Hall, Fr. Martin D’Arcy. The cartoon showed St. Thomas Aquinas ascending into Heaven—and clasping on to Thomas’s legs was a black robed Jesuit who looked curiously like Fr. D’Arcy.

When Jesuits would come to this office seeking some assistance from me, most would cry out in delight upon seeing the cartoon: “Oh, look,” they would say, “there is Fr. Martin trying to keep St. Thomas from entering heaven!”

But my take was different: there was St. Thomas fulfilling his destiny of salvation and discipleship by seeking his own salvation and trying to bring Fr. D’Arcy along with him.

That is what the faithful disciple does in his vocation: to seek God not only for one’s self but to try and bring along as many others as one can take.

Thomas Aquinas was faithful in the execution of his charge as one who chose to follow Jesus Christ. And, as fellow disciples each with our own vocation, are we not called to do the same?