Customer Reviews

Praying in the Presence of Our Lord: With St. Thomas Aquinas

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It was surprising to me to find that Aquinas wrote hymns to be prayed before the Blessed Sacrament, and beautiful hymns at that. Aquinas was not a prolific writer of poetry, his entire body of work in this area is included in this book. What he did write though, as Mr. Aquilina points out in his commentary, was known for its religious depth, aesthetic value, and doctrinal clarity.

This book has the hymns in the original Latin, side by side with the English translation. The author includes meditations on each of the hymns. Being a good writer and being well-versed in the language of poetry, Mr. Aquilina is able to bring understanding to the complex Saint.

As a homeschooler, I plan to use this book to create a unit study for my high school son. With just this one book, I can combine the studies of Latin, theology, and poetry. I can also use it to help raise his heart to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. We make a regular visit to the Holy Adoration Chapel every Saturday and I have found "Praying in the Presence of the Lord with St. Thomas Aquinas" helps bring me closer to the Eucharist.

I highly recommend it for anyone looking to lift up their mind as well as their soul.

This is a great book, it's just not what I was expecting. I was expecting more prayers by St. Thomas, and less commentary. But, it's still a wonderful book! And a great tool for praying in front of the Eucharist.