7 Quick Takes--Study Helps from St. Thomas Aquinas

The thing I love, love, LOVE to do most in the world (after prayer) is reading and studying.  I usually have one or two--or five--books in various stages of completion.  Usually, it's a theological or spiritual work, but occasionally I let loose as read something a little lighter (like Chesterton).  One of the great things about reverting to the Catholic Church is the almost limitless amount of reading to do.

Studying the faith is absolutely essential.  We cannot be dumb Catholics.  We must know our faith in order to be able to share it with others when they ask and defend ourselves when attacked.  Every Catholic should at least study Scripture and the Catechism on a regular basis.  With the Year of Faith fast approaching, and the Holy Father calling on us to re-familiarize ourselves with our Catholic faith through prayerful study, I thought it might be nice to review some advice on how to study from one of the great Doctors of the Church, St. Thomas Aquinas.

LETTER OF THOMAS AQUINAS TO BROTHER JOHN

ON HOW TO STUDY

Since you asked me, my dearest in Christ Brother John, how you should study in order to acquire the treasure of knowledge, I offer you this advice on the matter: Do not wish to jump immediately from the streams to the sea, because one has to go through easier things to the more difficult. Therefore the following points are my warning and your instruction:

• I command you to be slow to speak, and slow to go to the conversation room.
• Embrace purity of conscience.
• Do not give up spending time in prayer.
• Love spending much time in your cell, if you want to be led into the wine cellar.
• Show yourself amiable to all.
• Do not query at all what others are doing.
• Do not be very familiar with anyone, because familiarity breeds contempt, and provides matter for distracting you from study.
• Do not get involved at all in the discussions and affairs of lay people.
• Avoid conversations about all any and every matter.
• Do not fail to imitate the example of good and holy men.
• Do not consider who the person is you are listening to, but whatever good he says commit to memory.
• Whatever you are doing and hearing try to understand. Resolve doubts, and put whatever you can in the storeroom of your mind, like someone wanting to fill a container.
• Do not spend time on things beyond your grasp.

Following such a path, you will bring forth flowers and produce useful fruit for the vinyard of the Lord of Power and Might, as long as you live. If you follow this, you can reach what you desire.