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 “Or does human life have no meaning and does a person have a goal?” This question, with which M. Blondel begins his work L’Action (Action), still has its full topicality and represents an area everyone must address. Otherwise, he will not find himself and will lack a mature and mature personal identity. This is important because we only have one life! That is why the most basic question in religion classes is: Why are we in the world? This is how religion gives us answers to the most significant questions regarding our lives: Where are we from and why are we here? Where is our goal? “Eternal life consists in knowing you, the only true God, and the one you sent, Jesus Christ” (Jn 17, 3). These words are the motto in the introduction to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (hereafter KKC), which was also published in Slovak in 1998. To know God means to live, but to live life is not of this world. This knowledge is the goal of our life.

Therefore, the hunter is created not for this world, not for this life, but for another world, for another life, which means happiness that we cannot even imagine. St. speaks about this life. Augustine in the book of his Confessions, which are like a life confession and a confession, a celebration of God’s incomprehensible love: “When I cling to you with my whole being, I will never feel pain or effort, and my life, filled with you, will be a true life” (Confessions, 10 , 28; cf. CC, 45). We are created for this happiness, and this happiness is sought by our “restless heart”, which St. Augustine (Confessions, 1, 1). The New Testament uses several expressions to characterize the bliss to which God calls man. It is: the coming of the kingdom of God, seeing God, entering into the joy of the Lord, entering into the peace of God (cf. CCC, 1720). According to St. Augustin, “we will rest there and see: we will see and love. We will love and praise. So it will be endless in the end. After all, what other goal do we have, if not to come to the Kingdom, which will have no end?” (On the City of God, 22, 30).

” This desire is of divine origin. God put it in the heart of man to draw him to himself because only he can fully satisfy it” (KKC, 1718). This is how St. Thomas Aquinas: “Only God satiates.” Therefore, we can answer the old catechism question that “God created us to know him, to serve him and to love him, and that’s how we came to paradise.” Beatitude gives us participation in God’s nature and eternal life” (CCC, 1721). This simple sentence is like a tightrope on a steep mountain path, like something to cling to when everything is uncertain. At the same time, the meaning of the catechism is very simply explained in this truth: it is a way, a help to a happy life, a help in life, a guide, a map with precisely marked goals.

The fleeting desire for eternal life and eternal happiness confronts us with decisive choices. “He teaches us that true happiness is not in wealth or prosperity, nor human fame or power, nor any human creation, however useful, such as science, technology, art, nor in any creature, but only into God, the source of all good and all love” (CCC, 1723). A young man who graduated from school shortly after the gentle revolution started a business, and his work was successful. He almost became a self-confident man, which he made everyone feel. He saw the meaning of his work life. He devoted all his strength to her, but she did not fully satisfy him. He was a witness at marriage once. He confidently sat down on the bench. But as soon as the ceremony began, he disappeared. He had not been in the temple for very long. He didn’t know when to stand up, or when to stay seated. He didn’t even know the songs, he just opened his mouth,

When during Holy Communion the youth choir sang songs of praise about God’s love, the priest noticed that something was being done to him. The businessman lowered his head, his shoulders shook, and wept. After the ceremony, he came to the priest and said: “Those young people who sang are happy. They know why they live. And I understood that I don’t know why I live. I felt sorry for it. Father, help me to be happy like them.” This question is answered by Jesus when he met the rich young man (Mk 10, 17-22). Jesus’ answer leaves no shadow of doubt about the path to be taken and is summed up in the words: “Come, follow me!” (Mk 10:21), as soon as you renounce everything. The evangelist left us a note that highlights this consideration for us: The young man “became sad and went away sad because he had a lot of property” (Mk 10:22). These words are eloquent. The true meaning of our existence cannot be achieved without Christ, without God. We cannot achieve this without giving up everything.

Maria Cristina from Savoys (1812-1836), noble queen, and wife of King Ferdinand of Naples wrote in one of her poems: “Although I am healthy… But what next? – And I have gold and silver… But what next? – And fate put me in a high place… But what next? – I am almost the only one with such spirit and knowledge… But what next? – Even if I enjoyed the world for a thousand years… And then? – We almost die and nothing remains: – Serve your God and then you will have everything!” (A. Luciani: Letters to yesterday). Those are thoughts unsurpassed and true! We only have one life, so the question, “Why are we here?” is vitally important. God answered this question very clearly in Jesus, crucified and risen. Now he stands at the door and knocks. Whoever wants, he will open for him. Those who open up to him will not regret it.
Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and the catechesis (teaching) of the apostles show us the paths that lead to the kingdom of heaven. Strengthened by the grace of the Holy Spirit, we strive to follow them step by step with our daily deeds…” (CCC, 1724). A good Christian life was already a “way” to God for the first Christians. Even our life is not only one of many paths, but also a path that God himself shows us, and which reliably leads through this life and safely leads to the goal. Whether we achieve it depends on us. God does not force us to do this, he only invites us: “If you want…” (Mt 19, 17). However, it is worth achieving. Jesus Christ assures us of this: “Come, you blessed of my Father, take possession of the kingdom prepared for you…” (Mt 25, 34). What “eye has not seen, nor ear heard”, and what “has not entered the human heart” (1 Cor 2, 9)

Today’s Feast of the Sacrifice of the Lord, popularly called “Groundhog Day”, offers us two facts. Above all, it is a memory of Christmas, it is the symbolic end of the Christmas circuit – a kind of echo of Christmas. It is a memory of how the Virgin Mary brought Jesus to the Jerusalem temple. We will remind you of that first. But today’s holiday is also a great task for each of us: We are to be the light of the world. And so we want to realize that we are supposed to be that light, to radiate, warm and aw, taken new life. The Virgin Mary had baby Jesus all to herself for forty days. And now she came with Joseph through the east gate to the temple of Jerusalem to fulfill the prescription of the law of Moses. The priest comes and leads the mothers in line to the temple. There he stretches his hands over the children and announces: Every firstborn boy is dedicated to the Lord. He mentions how in Egypt the heathen firstborn boys perished, but the boys of the chosen nation of Israel were saved, and now they are to thank for it. Joseph handed over two baby pigeons and, like everyone else, dropped five shekels of silver into the temple treasury.

The ceremony in the Jerusalem temple is over, and the women are leaving. The Virgin Mary came out last. And in front of her stands an old man. Her hair is white as snow, and she reaches out to her with her shaking hands. The Mother of God knew that at this moment the whole world was reaching out its hands to Christ the Lord. The whole world is waiting for redemption. Maria handed her child to the venerable old man. And the old Simeon first looked to the sky and thanked the Lord for waiting so many years and not in vain. And then he looked at the child and uttered the prophetic words: God, I can die now. I saw the Savior. He will be a light to the entire world and bring glory to his nation. And an eighty-four-year-old old woman, the prophetess Anna, daughter of Phanuel, approached. She also praised the Lord. And it seemed to the Virgin Mary that two people were standing there who had been expelled from Paradise – Adam and Eve. They stand there and give thanks that rescue is coming. They thank you for

Now the old man Simeon turned to the Virgin Mary. What does he want to say to her? Simeon predicted: This child of yours will be accepted by others and will be for their enlistment. But others will stand against that child – to their destruction. And you will observe and experience all this, and a sword will be dug into your soul. Maria knows that. The others will rejoice, and she – Seven Pain – will cry. Redemption will come to the second, and she – the Seven Painful One – will experience pain. The others will have peace and she – the Seven Pain – will be pierced by a sword. Yes, the Seven-Pained Mother of God will stand under the cross of her Son, she will not be able to give her Son even a sip of water when he cries “I am thirsty”! She will stand under his cross and will not be able to hold back the spear with which they will open Christ the Lord’s Divine Heart. But at that moment both hearts will be pierced. One spear and the other,

And so they left the Jerusalem temple and walked around Herod’s palace. He will be the first to take the dagger to pierce Christ the Lord. And Mary will run again at night – just like on Christmas Day. Herod will be the first, but not the only one. His nation will rise against Christ. The world will eventually rise against him. But his cross will shine triumphantly in heaven when he comes in his glory. Yes, today’s holiday is the last memory of Christmas, but also the first harbinger of Easter. The firstborn sons in Egypt were killed on the Passover. And this child is already preparing for his Easter. That is the event of today in the life of the Virgin Mary. Today’s holiday is also a task for each of us. Christ the Lord is the Light of the world, and he commands us all – be the light of the world too! And we ask: How can we spread this light of Christ? To that end, we will tell a small story from life.

Friends invited a lonely young man to come to their house on Christmas Day. They had a cottage on the hill not far from the bus. After the festive dinner, they were supposed to go to midnight mass together. And so the young man set off on his journey. It was afternoon and the sun was shining. He went uphill, first through the forest, then the forest stopped, but the weather changes quickly in the mountains. And suddenly the wind blew a blizzard, heavy snowflakes stuck to his eyes, he waded through the snow up to his knees, sweating with fatigue and fear. He thought, “What if I fit in here, what if no one finds me?”

He started calling for help, but no one heard him. The young man remembered God: “Lord, you are my light and my salvation. Please don’t leave me!” And the blizzard and the white milky mist disappeared as quickly as they had come. He saw the hill and the illuminated windows. He had a wonderful Christmas Day. Yes, people can get lost, not only in the mountains. People can also go astray in their lives. May they always find someone to show them the way? May they always find the light of Christ? Let Christ the Lord be our light. May the Virgin Mary be our star, as it is said in one poem: “Mary, Mother, you have been in me – like a starfish to a swimmer at sea.” – Just as that little star shines and delights – the one who prays and the one who sins.” Let us be the light of the world and let us all meet one day when the eternal light will shine.

Either God exists or He does not. Which of these two hypotheses are you betting on? This is how philosopher and mathematician Blaise Pascal addressed the readers of his famous book Ideas more than 300 years ago. Believers and even semi-believers will answer God without hesitation. Although it looks different in practice. They do not renounce God explicitly, but often explicitly alienate themselves from Him. They become prodigal sons, not all at once, but gradually. Let us try to express this concretely. I was talking to a businessman. He wakes up thinking of the many deadlines that await him that day. At breakfast, he throws a glance at several newspapers, drinks coffee, telephones the clerks in the car, looks over the most important files in the office, rushes to a meeting with the heads of departments, negotiates with representatives of other companies, receives visitors, hears complaints, signs contracts. All day, every day, the same merry-go-round. No thought of God, no prayer for guidance, and higher motivation for his work. In the evening, he often comes home with a head full of plans and worries. Whatever religiosity he may have inherited, such a way of life will gradually alienate him from God. Man enjoys, plans, decides, gets angry, disregards God, and is guided by vision, benefit, profit, and success. God, church, and good deeds are slowly forgotten. Such people, with this way of life, gradually lose interest in God and the spiritual life. Certainly, not all of them are businessmen. But do not we too get carried away by our worries so perfectly, that God has no place either in the mind, in the heart, or the feelings. We allow ourselves to be so deceived by our work, by our petty interests, that we lose other things, and above all, we lose contact with God. One ceases to commune with God, to consult with Him, to seek His company in prayer, to read the Holy Scriptures. His place is taken by friends, television, sports, career, and politics. It is not that he rejects God altogether, but he will always prefer something else. And they don’t miss God. It is similar to the story of the prodigal son. As long as he had enough money, and enjoyed life, it didn’t even occur to him to think about God. Which caused him to change his view of his Father, and his life. The poverty in which he found himself. And it will be similar today. It is only when people today lose the values on which they build their lives, then they will begin to seek God again. In other words, man must first empty himself, and make room for God. Voluntarily, man is probably not able to do this. He must be forced to do so by external circumstances. Just as they forced the prodigal son.

 Children imitate their parents, Fathers, and mothers, you are teachers. Your children are students. The pitch of your angry voice, your mannerisms, and your mood are all imitated by your young children.

From a material point of view, this quality is the result or outcome of the action of several factors: health, temperament, thrift, or harmoniousness of life, equanimity, courage to take upon oneself all the consequences of truth and justice, a never-ending process of self-education, success in one’s relations to people, to work, unburdened conscience, sincere and deep faith in God’s providence, etc. Joy is a matter of the heart and has deep roots. It is not infrequently accompanied by cheerfulness. However, it also goes very well with seriousness. Cheerfulness is usually something external, superficial, even explosive, and passionate; joy is lasting, while cheerfulness comes and goes; joy is a state of the soul, and cheerfulness is an emotion that is suddenly there and just as suddenly gone. Without inner joy, there is no outer joy – as there is no heat in a room without heating.

Joy is said to be a gift in some rare cases of nature in people who were born on a Sunday. They have received it, as it were, but after reaching a certain stage of development, it has also played its part in upbringing. Thus, the inherited qualities of resistance to negative influences, courage, and intrepidity in the face of life’s trials were organically engaged by the conscious acquisition of noble human qualities. And the result? Clarity of mind and an untrained wellspring of joyfulness, so much so that others feel as if something radiates from these people. This kind of joyfulness can only be partially “taught.” It means perhaps that for all the other, less happy individuals who have not inherited this gift, this virtue is unattainable. Certainly not. Apart from the special interventions of God, it should be noted that certain prerequisites. The first of these is the inclination, nay, the courage to be joyful, and the second is the ability to create the manifold preconditions of joy. Education for joy must go hand in hand with education for piety – as the brilliant educator of the past did and preached to do, St. John Bosco.
Let us begin with the simplest: environmental modification, especially the home. This includes, among other things, the choice of suitable furniture, its color matching that of the walls, carpets, curtains and drapes, pictures and decorative objects, flowers, or plants. A rich source of joy is music and poetry, sociability and a sense of conviviality, the ability to be selfless in one’s approach to every personal virtue, etc. All this works to create a fertile space for joy – but it is not yet a virtue. One must insure oneself against two pitfalls: emotional lability and chronic moroseness. One must strive to eradicate them from the soul like rubbish or insects. One must not trifle with feelings that stem from these two attitudes of life but react, just as soon as the first dark cloud rises: to withdraw it below the horizon, to defuse it. Otherwise, the sky will soon be clouded with black clouds, and a storm, often with thunder, is here. It often requires a tough, but above all determined, methodical, and persistent self-discipline. If a man has often, by his own doing, attracted sorrow, he ought to have as much sense, ingenuity, and strength to attract joy as well. Interestingly, posture also plays an important role in this battle against irritation and sullenness. Having lowered shoulders, drooping arms, slouching, walking as if carrying a heavy load – all these things somehow predispose one to melancholy, if not to dissatisfaction or even anger. One must have the courage to straighten up, to give the muscles a certain tone, to clear one’s face, to find a “magic word”, so to speak, which will help one to acquire a new physical-psychophysical frame of mind. And not only to banish the gloomy mood but also to eliminate anxiety or fear of the future. But it must be very intuitive and spoken with a great deal of courage and humor.

Each person is sensitive to different expressions or slogans. However, there are some, generally very effective when first encountering our psyche. For example, the monosyllabic word “I like!”. Let’s say a person is standing in front of a difficult or unpleasant situation and says to himself: “Gladly!” or “I like it I’ll take it!” And immediately he feels not only a surge of courage and strength but also of joy. Another tried-and-tested “magic password” is the phrase, “It will be cheerful.”
Every man capable of introspection will realize after a time that something in a few moments will free him from the burden, melancholy, sadness, irritation, and even anger. For one, it is a kind of
melody or a song, for another the opportunity to groan at some image or sequence of images, for another some exercise or a few minutes of concentration on inhaling and exhaling, or finally a very concentrated utterance of a prayer that one knows by heart. There are as many “tricks” as there are people. Although – and this also needs to be must be said – that one must have the strength to reach for them.

The situation changes incredibly after some time of intense, relentless, but sensible practice. One feels (sometimes with a great deal of euphoria) that one is a free being who rules even over one’s feelings and moods and can enjoy pleasant things as well as hardships. At the same time, he also experiences a kind of higher joy that has its origin in chivalric courage to handle the hardest things bravely, honestly, and faithfully. Evening, night, and morning play a particularly important role in training oneself for the joyfulness of life. Before going to sleep one should lightly review all the experiences of the day, rejoice in what has been joyful, and say to yourself: “Tomorrow it will be even more joyful” – and reflect on the means of realizing joy. The night also plays a significant role here. Let us say that a man in the middle of the night wakes up in the middle of the night. He puts a smile on his face and says: I can still sleep, that’s great. Tomorrow, I’ll get out of bed fresh as a fish. And one of the first
thoughts he makes room for in his mind is the “statement”: “It’s going to be a beautiful, joyful day today” – and he’ll repeat it cheerfully when he needs to until the thought or the resolve pervades his whole being.

Whether such a thing is possible at all has every justification. The answer, however, can only be negative if one does not believe in the existence of an absolute Being who is just as good as omnipotent. Only if one has the opportunity to lean on it will one discover the source of “living water” – joyfulness in the sense we have described it: as a long-term, lifelong quality or virtue. For it is something else to shout enthusiastically “Joy!” when someone (or life) asks something pleasant of us, and it is something else to say in the face of unpleasant things or obligations, “It will be cheerful,” to be positive despite it all, and to turn to God by saying, “Yes, with joy, Father,” or “It will be joyful, Lord, For you and together with you all things will be well. Everything is a breeze for you.” We have said that cheerfulness is primarily a matter of the heart, but it radiates outward as well. This brightness may be feigned here and there, but never for long. It follows that people who radiate joy as a permanent way of life are a kind of intuitive, though unspoken, unstressed evidence of belief in Providence. Joy does faith credibility – and conversely, a sustained lifestyle of joyful faith is verified. A sullen, sad Christian is proof of the falsity of the “glad tidings” or the gospel, for he thus noiselessly, without a word, unintentionally, but all the more effectively, confirms the unbeliever in his conviction, that Christianity is incapable of bringing salvation.

Jesus heals from an unclean spirit. The unclean spirit’s words are surprising: “My name is regiment because there are many of us” (Mk 5:9).
The events that follow only confirm these words of the devil. Jesus allowed them to enter the pigs that were grazing nearby and those that fell into the sea. There were about two thousand of them. This is what this section wants to tell us: The power of evil is great, but Jesus has an even greater power to destroy evil because he is the Son of God. We see this in other places when he says to the woman:” Your sins are great, but go and sin no more” (John 8:11). She was forgiven much because she loved very much. This article is also intended to warn us about the amount of sin.

A person’s conscience can become dull, or an undesirable habit can occur, which does not add to a person’s joy, on the contrary. We must take seriously not only the seriousness of the sin, but also its number. After all, the doctrine of the sacrament of reconciliation leads us to this, so that during the sacrament we say not only sin, especially all serious ones, but also the number of them. We must realize the impact of one grave sin on our salvation, and even more, so we must realize the number of grave sins.

This is what the gospel is supposed to warn us about. One can meet Jesus. …he wanted to go to Jesus, but Jesus gave him another piece of advice: “Go home to your relatives and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you and how he had mercy on you” (Mk 5:19). Every return to Jesus would make us, he should only rejoice. We should not behave like the owners of the pigs behaved. They only saw the material they askre asking Jesus to leave them. They are afraid of their other possessions…, perhaps. This stanzleadst leads us to the idea that even the multitude of sins is a great evil. One must not resign. The Church does not convey despair, and fear, but hope.

Example. Have you experienced something similar? The man was looking for a place where he could find pain in his soul. Once he entered a church where a priest and his faithful were praying: “We neglected the things we were supposed to do and did what we shouldn’t have done.” Then the man sighed and said quietly: “Thank you, God, that I found a way…”

It is necessary to renounce one’s pride. Pride is a seed. Pride and every sin will prevent you from entering the kingdom of God. 

One parable about the present life tells that the animals gathered together and complained to the people that they were being robbed of many things. “They’re taking my milk,” said the cow. “They’re taking my eggs,” said the hen. “They are taking my meat,” said the pig. “They are hunting me to take my fat,” said the whale. And so on. Finally, the snail spoke. “And I have something they’d like more than anything else. Something they would surely rob me of if they could. I have time.”

Today we look at Psalm 63. O God, you are my God Since the dawn of the morning I have been crying out to you, for you my soul longs. Waiting on God is the whole purpose of our Christian life. We have heard about God since childhood. We learned religion, we heard about God in church. We talk to God in our prayers. But can we say that we have found God? St. John the Apostle wrote. No one has ever seen God. The search for God is getting harder and harder. For we are influenced by secular culture. And it has no place for God because it no longer needs him. An explanation has been found for the universe, for the origin of humanity and for society. The natural sciences of sociology have replaced philosophy and theology. In earlier times, we needed God because we knew little about the workings of the human organism, the human brain. About the laws that govern human society. And God seemed to fill in the gaps of our human knowledge. Today, many of these phenomena are explained naturally. The successes of our scientific knowledge fill us with confidence that we will gain knowledge of other phenomena. It then seems as if there is no place left for God. As if he were a relic of a bygone age. And man, not God, becomes the center of our thinking. The Second Vatican Council, in the encyclical Gaudium et Spes, in point 12, acknowledged this reality. Both unbelievers and believers agree that all things in the world are meant for man, who is their center and summit. Religion has ceased to be the center of human society. Religion used to be what united. Today, it is the media that wants to unite this society. But only religion has the power to unite and create an inner bond. The environment of the modern world influences us. We often indulge in worldly affairs. We engage ourselves in various works, we devote ourselves to practical tasks. For example, social problems, but many times God is not in them. We are excellent social workers. But what separates us from unbelieving social workers if we lack a living faith? And then we realize that we cannot give up the presence of God. In the depths of our hearts there remains a longing for the living God. The more we know about our world, the more we learn about the hidden laws of how the human body works, how the universe works, the more we need the God in whom everything is contained and in whom everything is fulfilled. We need God more than people did in the past because our life has become a richer, wider world. But we require the living God. Mere words and doctrines are not enough for us. People are beginning to seek the experience of God, the certainty of his presence, and they cry out with the psalmist Lord show us your face. This is not just the desire of the psalmist, but it is the desire of the whole Christian tradition. And we want to join in this tradition. We also want to say. Lord, show us your face. But what do we really long for when we speak of God. Do we long for God, or do we long for experience. If we seek God, we must empty our full being so that this God can take possession of our entire life. This is the necessity that mystics and saints write about. St. John of the Cross writes that we must pass through the night of the senses, memory, and the will. In order that God may take possession of them, to fill them. If we speak of an experience of God, there is a danger of looking for an experience to fill ourselves, and we will surely fail because the experience becomes more important than God himself. The experience is not to be the goal, but the means of getting to God. Let us seek God with all our heart. Let us allow Him to take possession of our being. Then we will experience God. God is usually encountered in prayer. There are many ways to deepen our prayers. And it’s good to look at how I pray sometimes. To see if there is anything I need to improve in my prayer.There are many people who read about prayer,attend various seminars. All this can be useful, but there is no definite recipe. Everyone has to find his own way. Everybody has to find his own way of prayer. Someone is better when sitting, another needs to stand, another prays better when lying down. Let us stop today with Moses. Moses is a great figure in the Old Testament. Moses is said to have had an encounter with God. He met him in a burning bush. This is where his mission begins. What he experienced, he then passed on to the whole nation. As a child, Moses is saved and then when he became an adult he began to save his nation. But he began in the wrong way. He kills the overseer and then runs away. In the wilderness, he meets God. And God transforms him. In the burning thorn bush Moses recognized God’s presence and this is what we can learn from Moses. To distinguish the human from the divine. There is a lot of the thorny, the human in the church too, but we must not let that prevent us from seeing the divine in it. God commanded Moses to take off his clothes. St. Augustine says, if you think you have understood God, it is not God. God cannot be understood. God calls each of us by our name. And our response can only be as Moses’ was. Here I Take off your shoes, for the ground on which you stand is holy. Why we wear shoes. Shoes allow us to climb mountains, to be faster, to protect us from injury, to enhance our appearance. But before God, we take these shoes off. We have nothing to protect us. Before God, we are what we are. Not something different to hear about God and meet him. We too know God from the catechism, from talking, but have we experienced God’s presence?

To many, Thomas Aquinas is a symbol of cold intelligence. It is a paradox, because in reality it is the complete opposite: at the time when St. Thus, Tomáš was dealing precisely with the condemnation of rationalism. In the middle of the 13th century, there was a return to Greek philosophy, partly to Aristotle, and there was a temptation to exaggerate human intellectual abilities, to present man as the creator of the universe. Since st. Tomáš was a realist, he resisted the challenges of rationalism and opposed this direction. Realism – one could say it is a submission to reality. We are able to perceive the world and God only through the reality that bears the imprint of God. Tomáš’ entire ideology is rooted in the words of St. the apostle Paul: “For what is invisible in him – his eternal power and divinity – can be known by reason from the creation of the world from created things…” (cf. Rom 1:20).

Unfortunately, as we know, the ideology of medieval rationalism gave rise to the ideas of the Enlightenment. For idealist philosophers, for example Kant, the real reality is only the reason of the knower, and the present reality is only the work of this reason. Today’s rationalism is manifested in the belief in the unlimited technical abilities of man. For St. Tomas, as it can be seen in his main work “Summa theological”, man comes from God and returns to God. At the end of his life, St. Tomáš said that everything he wrote was just a straw. Therefore, our first request to St. For Thomas, it may look like this: may his example and prayer help us understand that human reason is not omnipotent, that our words are always insufficient to express the mystery of God.   

IN the time of Thomas Aquinas, there was also another way of thinking, with which he certainly fought, and that was Augustine’s pessimism. Many medieval theologians viewed man as a fallen creature that is very imperfect, fragile, and unworthy. In particular, they claimed that man is not capable of knowing the world or God, because his mind is darkened by sin. St. Despite this, Thomas was convinced of the dignity of human reason, he claimed that despite sin, our reason is inherently good because God created it that way. That is why man is able to know the universe. According to St. Thomas, man is able to know the universe and through it to get closer to God. Unfortunately, pessimism won then: we can say that starting with Descartes, almost all philosophers claimed that the human mind is incapable of knowing reality and therefore incapable of knowing God.

We can still find such pessimism among Christians today. How many “spiritual” teachers teach that the mind of God cannot be understood, that the human mind of sinful man is incapable of anything, that reason only leads to pride. Thomas Aquinas, like the other church fathers, was not afraid to use and highlight reason, which is created by God. For him, using reason was not only a possibility, but the duty of every person. Therefore, our second request to St. Thomas says: may he help us to use our reason so that our faith is strengthened.

Abut what is most important is the method used by St. Thomas Aquinas. It has already been submitted that St. Thomas opposed two that we can still encounter today: philosophical rationalism and Augustine’s pessimism. But to tell the truth, he never directly opposed this direction and did not condemn anything. He tried to find the truth wherever it could be found. For example, when St. Thomas did not report with St. Augustine, he did not say that St. Augustine is wrong, he only pointed out that the given question is much broader. The same with philosophers: St. Thomas, unlike the rationalists, used Aristotle’s philosophy in such a way that it helps to better understand the mysteries of our faith. The method used by St. Thomas Aquinas is a dialogue.

About was very curious and interested in various teachings: Greek, Arabic, pagan. He compiled his works, especially the “Theological Summa”, in the form of questions and answers, which still included questions from opponents and tried to give answers from different angles. That is why we also have a third request: let St. Tomáš will help us see the truth always where it is. According to legend, God asked St. Tomáš, at the end of his life, what he would like to receive for his life’s effort. Thomas answered: “Only You Lord!” When God also asks us such a question, let our answer be: “Non aliam nisi Te, Domine!”.