Give me, Lord God, a watchful heart that no stray thought might distract me from you. Give me a noble heart that no unworthy affection might pull me down. Give me a just heart that will not be divided by any dark intention. Give me a strong heart that will not be broken by any tribulation. Give me a free heart that will not follow any violent desire. Give me, Lord God, a mind to know you, diligence to seek you, wisdom to find you, a life to please you, perseverance to wait faithfully for you and the trust that will finally embrace you…

Who was St Thomas Aquinas?

A famous theologian, Thomas Aquinas (his surname means “from Aquino”, his birthplace) was the son of an Italian nobleman. He became a member of the Dominican Order (Order of Preachers), and died in 1274 aged about fifty.

Although he seemed a slow learner at first (he was fat, and habitually silent, and so was nicknamed the “dumb ox”), his teachers eventually realised he was an enormously talented theologian; he was also a man of deep prayer.

He is best known for his voluminous writings, which include theological works, commentaries on Scripture, and some well-known prayers and hymns. His most famous work is the Summa Theologiae (Compendium of Theology), a systematic treatise covering the whole of Christian theology, which was a standard textbook until the 1960s.

He was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1567. He is often considered a patron saint of study, and of education in general.

This prayer for wisdom is extracted from our ebook Thomas Aquinas. Thomas, the ‘Angelic Doctor’, spent most of his life teaching in universities and writing in his Friary, yet his thought has defined Catholic theology for almost eight hundred years.

Learn more anout this incredible saint by downloading your copy of Thomas Aquinas from your preferred ebook platform.