Book 3, Chapter 31
Comment: What Happens When I Put God Ahead of Created Things?
Thomas calls upon us to strip ourselves of the creations that have sunk their teeth into us. We can only do this with grace, and more grace. Through detachment from things created, and an inward focus.
On this Feast of the Holy Trinity, he calls us to be contemplative. It’s fine to appreciate the creation around us, but not to desire it or to use it for corrupt means. We should cry out to the Holy Spirit to seek our rest in Him.
Thanks for reading and praying long with me.
tim
Of the Disengagement from All Things Created, in Order to Find the Creator
Disciple:
O Lord, I still need more grace, if I would arrive where neither others nor any creature may hinder me. For so long as
anything keeps me back, I cannot freely fly unto You.
The disciple who desired to fly eagerly to You, cried out, saying,
“Oh Who will give me wings like a dove, for then would I fly away and be at rest?”
What can be more at rest than the single eye?
And what can be more free than the one who desires nothing upon earth?
Therefore a disciple must rise above every creature, and be perfectly forsaken, and with ecstasy of mind stand and behold that You, the Creator of all things, have among Your creatures nothing like unto Yourself. Without being freed from all creatures, you will not be able to reach freely after Divine things. Few are found who give themselves to contemplation, because few know how to separate themselves entirely from perishable creatures.
2. For this a great grace is needed, which may lift up the soul and raise the soul above herself. And unless a you be lifted up in the Spirit, and freed from attachment to all created things, being wholly united to God – then whatever you know, whatever you own, is of no consequence.
Long shall you be little and lie groveling beneath those who esteem anything great except only the incomprehensible, eternal good. For whatever is not God is nothing, and ought to be counted for nothing. There is a great difference between a godly disciple, illuminated with wisdom, and a scholar learned in knowledge and given to books. Far more noble is that learning which flows down from the divine fullness above, than that which is acquired with great effort by human study.
3. Many are found who desire contemplation, but they do not strive to practice those things which are required to be contemplative. It is also a great obstacle that much is made of symbols and external signs, and too little of thorough self discipline. I do not know how it is, and by what spirit we are led, and what we who would be deemed spiritual are aiming at, that we give so great an effort and so eager a regard for transitory and worthless things. And yet we scarcely ever gather our senses together to think at all of our inward spiritual condition.
4. Ah, me! Soon after a little recollection we rush outside ourselves, and do not subject our actions to a strict examination. Where our affections are set we take no notice, and we do not weep that all things belonging to us are lacking impurity. For because all flesh corrupted itself upon the earth, the great deluge came (Gn 6:12).
Since therefore our inmost affections are very corrupt, it necessarily follows that our actions also are corrupt, which is the the result of a deficient inward strength. Out of a pure heart proceeds of the fruit of good living (1 Tim 1:5).
5. We inquire as to how much a man has done; but fail to consider from how much virtue has he done it. We ask if he be strong, rich, handsome, clever, whether he is a good writer, good singer, good workman. But few will ask regarding how poor he may be in spirit, how patient and gentle, how devout and meditative: on these things many are silent. Nature looks upon the outward appearance of a man, grace turns its thought to the heart. Nature frequently judges wrongly; grace trusts in God, that it may not be deceived.