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Aquinas's Lenten Meditations: 40 days with the Angelic Doctor
There’s a multitude of Lenten meditation books but only one that’s packed with the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas. Journey through Lent with the Church’s greatest philosopher-theologian. This unrivaled spiritual master will guide you in encountering Our Lord and experiencing the type of fruitful Lent that he often experienced.
You will relish this magnificent treasury of sixty-three of Aquinas’s Scripture-based sermons specially selected for the holy season. From Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, you’ll learn how to deepen your prayer life, conquer temptation, resist the evils incurred by sin, and equip yourself for spiritual battle.
In the straightforward, logical language for which he is famous, Aquinas shows you how to detach yourself from the things of this world and refocus on the things above, reflecting on Our Lord and Our Lady as models.
You will learn the importance of fasting to the preservation of chastity and how to perform acts that will increase your humility and purity. As you contemplate the example of Our Lord on the Cross, Aquinas will help you weed out vices and cultivate virtues to prepare for the joys of Heaven.
Let the Angelic Doctor assist you in overcoming idleness and fostering a deeper devotion with stirring reflections
Ways in which the Blood of Jesus is precious and salvificThe confidence we should place in Our Divine Friend, even in sickness, suffering, and painHow Our Lady suffered and how she personifies charity, patience, humility, obedience, and detachment Why the pain suffered by Our Lord was the greatest pain possible in this life Jesus’ fourfold humiliation on the Cross — and the fourfold exaltation it merited HimHow Christ manifested all virtues on the Cross, the “pulpit from which He taught all mankind”Also included are forgotten or little-known traditional feast days, such as the feast of the Holy Lance and the Nails of Our Lord and the feast of the Holy Winding Sheet.
You will find rich meditations on Christ’s Passion and reflections for each day of Holy Week. Best of all, you will discover the greatest love story of all the Father who offered His only Son, and the Son who underwent every suffering and sacrificed His life for our redemption.
You will relish this magnificent treasury of sixty-three of Aquinas’s Scripture-based sermons specially selected for the holy season. From Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday, you’ll learn how to deepen your prayer life, conquer temptation, resist the evils incurred by sin, and equip yourself for spiritual battle.
In the straightforward, logical language for which he is famous, Aquinas shows you how to detach yourself from the things of this world and refocus on the things above, reflecting on Our Lord and Our Lady as models.
You will learn the importance of fasting to the preservation of chastity and how to perform acts that will increase your humility and purity. As you contemplate the example of Our Lord on the Cross, Aquinas will help you weed out vices and cultivate virtues to prepare for the joys of Heaven.
Let the Angelic Doctor assist you in overcoming idleness and fostering a deeper devotion with stirring reflections
Ways in which the Blood of Jesus is precious and salvificThe confidence we should place in Our Divine Friend, even in sickness, suffering, and painHow Our Lady suffered and how she personifies charity, patience, humility, obedience, and detachment Why the pain suffered by Our Lord was the greatest pain possible in this life Jesus’ fourfold humiliation on the Cross — and the fourfold exaltation it merited HimHow Christ manifested all virtues on the Cross, the “pulpit from which He taught all mankind”Also included are forgotten or little-known traditional feast days, such as the feast of the Holy Lance and the Nails of Our Lord and the feast of the Holy Winding Sheet.
You will find rich meditations on Christ’s Passion and reflections for each day of Holy Week. Best of all, you will discover the greatest love story of all the Father who offered His only Son, and the Son who underwent every suffering and sacrificed His life for our redemption.
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 17, 2023
49 people are currently reading
48 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Aquinas
2,546 books1,134 followersPhilosophy of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a Dominican friar and theologian of Italy and the most influential thinker of the medieval period, combined doctrine of Aristotle and elements of Neoplatonism, a system that Plotinus and his successors developed and based on that of Plato, within a context of Christian thought; his works include the
Summa contra gentiles
(1259-1264) and the
Summa theologiae
or theologica (1266-1273).
Saint Albertus Magnus taught Saint Thomas Aquinas.
People ably note this priest, sometimes styled of Aquin or Aquino, as a scholastic. The Roman Catholic tradition honors him as a "doctor of the Church."
Aquinas lived at a critical juncture of western culture when the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason, calling into question the modus vivendi that obtained for centuries. This crisis flared just as people founded universities. Thomas after early studies at Montecassino moved to the University of Naples, where he met members of the new Dominican order. At Naples too, Thomas first extended contact with the new learning. He joined the Dominican order and then went north to study with Albertus Magnus, author of a paraphrase of the Aristotelian corpus. Thomas completed his studies at the University of Paris, formed out the monastic schools on the left bank and the cathedral school at Notre Dame. In two stints as a regent master, Thomas defended the mendicant orders and of greater historical importance countered both the interpretations of Averroës of Aristotle and the Franciscan tendency to reject Greek philosophy. The result, a new modus vivendi between faith and philosophy, survived until the rise of the new physics. The Catholic Church over the centuries regularly and consistently reaffirmed the central importance of work of Thomas for understanding its teachings concerning the Christian revelation, and his close textual commentaries on Aristotle represent a cultural resource, now receiving increased recognition.
Saint Albertus Magnus taught Saint Thomas Aquinas.
People ably note this priest, sometimes styled of Aquin or Aquino, as a scholastic. The Roman Catholic tradition honors him as a "doctor of the Church."
Aquinas lived at a critical juncture of western culture when the arrival of the Aristotelian corpus in Latin translation reopened the question of the relation between faith and reason, calling into question the modus vivendi that obtained for centuries. This crisis flared just as people founded universities. Thomas after early studies at Montecassino moved to the University of Naples, where he met members of the new Dominican order. At Naples too, Thomas first extended contact with the new learning. He joined the Dominican order and then went north to study with Albertus Magnus, author of a paraphrase of the Aristotelian corpus. Thomas completed his studies at the University of Paris, formed out the monastic schools on the left bank and the cathedral school at Notre Dame. In two stints as a regent master, Thomas defended the mendicant orders and of greater historical importance countered both the interpretations of Averroës of Aristotle and the Franciscan tendency to reject Greek philosophy. The result, a new modus vivendi between faith and philosophy, survived until the rise of the new physics. The Catholic Church over the centuries regularly and consistently reaffirmed the central importance of work of Thomas for understanding its teachings concerning the Christian revelation, and his close textual commentaries on Aristotle represent a cultural resource, now receiving increased recognition.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 19, 2025
It was wonderful to spend Lent with Aquinas.
“”Come, my dove, in the clefts of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). It is in the wounds of Christ that the Church builds her nest and waits, for it is in the Passion of Our Lord that she places her hope of salvation.”
“”Come, my dove, in the clefts of the rock” (Song of Songs 2:14). It is in the wounds of Christ that the Church builds her nest and waits, for it is in the Passion of Our Lord that she places her hope of salvation.”
April 23, 2025
I liked this and found the length of the daily readings to be perfect, but the final reading left me wishing he’d made more of Christ.
April 20, 2025
Great reflections and teachings for the Lenten season on key events and doctrine. Things like the significance of Joseph of Arimathea’s actions, the washing of feet, and being a friend of God were explained very well but other times the content was very heavy and not well supported. All in all edifying tho 🩷
April 20, 2025
Great book to meditate on to dive into the depths during lent. Full of wisdom and, although dense, so informative and thought provoking. A retreat for the soul if you will. Will definitely read again.
April 18, 2025
Doesn’t get any better than the Angelic Doctor. It’s remarkable how deeply intelligent St. Thomas is, yet how succinctly he explains rich, even complicated, truths.
This selection of his writings is perfect for Lent. You will come away with a greater appreciation for our redemption, a stronger desire to avoid sin, and understanding the fittingness of the Cross.
Impossible to give the most influential mind in Western theology and philosophy anything less than 5 stars.
This selection of his writings is perfect for Lent. You will come away with a greater appreciation for our redemption, a stronger desire to avoid sin, and understanding the fittingness of the Cross.
Impossible to give the most influential mind in Western theology and philosophy anything less than 5 stars.
April 19, 2025
Overall an excellent walk through some core Aquinas in an easy format (about two pages per day). The book is well organized but about 1/4 of the selections are too dense or hard to grasp without more context or knowledge of Aquinas. Worthwhile for anyone to read and I imagine it is the type of work you will keep learning from every time you come back to it.
April 12, 2023
beautiful way to keep recollected
This was most helpful in remaining recollected during lent to our sacrifices and Our Lord’s passion. Very informative about aspects of His passion that may not be readily known.
This was most helpful in remaining recollected during lent to our sacrifices and Our Lord’s passion. Very informative about aspects of His passion that may not be readily known.
February 21, 2023
This was tough to rate. There were some things in here that I would give five stars to and I highlighted and want to take to prayer. IT is worth the read,
February 26, 2023
Up front, I wish there was an introduction and references to where the words of St. Thomas were from. However, the selections are excellent and well chosen. There are many passages that I want to look into further. I read this straight through rather than as a Lenten devotional by day, and I think it will work just as well outside of Lent.
April 8, 2023
With daily reflections throughout Lent, this was a really good book to help prepare for the celebration of Easter!
April 10, 2023
I think I will use this every Lent!
April 19, 2023
wonderful meaning throughout
Was a little difficult to read, simply due to the language style used. Was a perfect guide for a Lenten devotional.
Was a little difficult to read, simply due to the language style used. Was a perfect guide for a Lenten devotional.
December 17, 2024
Aquinas has a heart
April 19, 2025
This was a great and helpful addition to my Lenten practices this year. The two-page daily devotions made it easy for a busy person such as myself to keep up.
April 21, 2025
Good food for thought and prayer
St. Thomas always spells things out clearly and logically. He has lots of good food for thought, prayer, and meditation.
St. Thomas always spells things out clearly and logically. He has lots of good food for thought, prayer, and meditation.
March 30, 2024
A great way to go through Lent and also a great introduction to St Thomas Aquinas. Highly recommended.
This book only gets better each time that I read it.
This book only gets better each time that I read it.
April 8, 2023
Five stars for content, three stars for completeness of the translator, averages to four.
April 19, 2025
Short, powerful meditations. Made this Lenten season very impactful!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews