The Hidden Depths: St. Thomas Aquinas’s Life of Prayer and Contemplation

Introduction

St. Thomas Aquinas (c. 1225–7 March 1274) was the most influential theologian of the Catholic Church, the man who wrote the Summa Theologica. But these exceptional accomplishments were made possible by an abundant prayer life, mystical experiences, and contemplation on God. He did not just focus on the academic aspect of theology; he had emotions while attending Mass, experienced visions, and he referred to the works he had accomplished while on earth as “straw” in comparison to what God had shown him in his lifetime.

The Primacy of Prayer in Aquinas’s Life

Prayer was an activity that Aquinas was not just taking time away from his work; rather prayer was a necessary step before he started working on theology. Aquinas’ fellow Dominicans wrote about how he always prayed before he began writing or dictating any theological work. When St. Thomas encountered a particularly challenging statement of theology, he would lay flat before the altar and cry until he was able to understand.

This practice reflects the biblical truth that “if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him” (James 1:5, ESV). Thomas Aquinas understood that true and correct knowledge of God cannot only come from studying God, but it can also be revealed to you through prayer.

His fellow Dominican, Reginald of Piperno, who was not only his secretary but also closely associated with him, told how Thomas could become so engrossed in his contemplation of God’s glory that he would go into ecstasy. This is similar to what the Apostle Paul describes when he was “caught up to the third heaven” and heard “things that cannot be told” (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

Contemplation: The Summit of the Christian Life

In his writings, Aquinas placed contemplation at the very summit of human existence. He taught that the contemplative life, devoted to the direct knowledge and love of God, surpasses even the active life of ministry and service. This prioritization echoes Christ’s own words when Mary sat at His feet while Martha served:

Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.

Luke 10:42

Aquinas believed that the act of contemplation was the act of looking at the truth of God and having a deep love for Him. He saw that through contemplation one would not want to escape the “realities of life,” but grow even closer to the ultimate Reality—God. He wrote that contemplation is “nothing else than friendship with God,” drawing upon Christ’s promise:

No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends.

John 15:15

In his vision of contemplation, Aquinas changed the way he looked at the study of theology; for him it was not just a dry intellectual process but rather a way to draw the reader and himself into an ever-deepening knowledge and love of God through discussing matters of the human condition.

The Eucharist: Center of His Mystical Life

At the center of Thomas Aquinas’s life of prayer was the Holy Eucharist. His great love for the Real Presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament was fundamental to both his theology and spirituality. His deep devotion to the Holy Eucharist prompted him to write (at the request of Pope Urban IV) many of the Eucharistic hymns (Pange Lingua, O Salutaris Hostia, and Tantum Ergo) that continue to enrich the lives of Catholics till today.

He envisioned the Holy Eucharist in a deeply mystical way. He taught that receiving Holy Communion united the communicant to Christ in an intimate way—just as branches are united to a vine.

In this, he echoed the very words used by Christ when He said of Himself:

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.

John 15:5

For Aquinas, the Eucharist was the sacrament of union, drawing believers into the divine life.

A number of witnesses stated that he often wept at Mass, especially at the moment of the consecration and during Holy Communion. His tears came not from sentimentality, but because of His awareness of God’s overwhelming love for him, which brings to mind the cry of the psalmist:

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers... what is man that you are mindful of him?.

Psalm 8:3-4

Mystical Experiences and Divine Illumination

Throughout his life, Thomas experienced mystical graces as his brother Dominicans carefully recorded. One of his most well-known mystical experiences occurred when he was writing the section of the Summa on the Resurrection of Christ. He had been wrestling with a number of theological issues, and he chose to spend that night praying before a crucifix. His fellow Dominicans observed that he was lifted into ecstasy and that Christ appeared to him while he was being crucified and said, “You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have?” Thomas replied, “Nothing but you, Lord.”

This exchange reveals the essence of Christian mysticism. It is not about seeking out extraordinary mystical experiences; rather, it is about seeking the presence of God. Thus, the psalmist states:

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you.

Psalm 73:25

Another extraordinary experience occurred on December 6, 1273, while Thomas was offering Mass. The experience was so extraordinary that he immediately put aside all work on the Summa Theologica, leaving it unfinished. When Reginald asked him if he was going to finish it, Thomas replied with words that have echoed through the centuries:

I cannot, because all that I have written seems like straw to me compared to what I have seen.

His response to Reginald was not a dismissal of the work he accomplished, but a recognition that any expression of his thought (written by a mere man) pales against the divine reality. Paul expresses it thus:

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

1 Corinthians 13:12

The Way of Humility and Self-Emptying

Regardless of how brilliant an intellectual Thomas was, with the mystical graces that he enjoyed, he was always humble. An important aspect of contemplation is being emptied of oneself, which is something that was epitomized by Christ Himself. He “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant” (Philippians 2:7).

It is through self-emptying that authentic contemplation occurs and Aquinas modeled humility through self-emptying, as he has experienced God in His infinite light, and has realized how small he is compared to God. This paradox is critical to understanding Christian mysticism—the more one encounters God, the more one becomes nothing. John the Baptist articulated this beautifully:

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John 3:30

His fellow Dominicans recognized Thomas as continually reflecting his gentleness, patience, and approachability in contrast to his genius. The respect that he gave to the questions posed to him by the most simple brothers was the same respect that he offered to many disputes among theological masters. The kindness of Aquinas flowed from the time he spent in prayer and contemplation of Christ, who said:

Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart.

Matthew 11:29

Aquinas’s Teaching on Contemplative Prayer

The writings of Thomas Aquinas provide us with a way to learn how to contemplate prayer. They show that while every Christian can develop contemplative prayer, it begins with the study of scriptures and the understanding of faith. Contemplative prayer starts as an intellectual exercise that leads to a loving and more profound relationship with God.

Thomas divides contemplative prayer into two categories: acquired contemplation and infused contemplation. Acquired contemplation occurs when a person has a deep understanding of the Bible through study and meditation. Infused contemplation is a gift of God by His grace. While Christians can attain acquired contemplation through faithfulness to God, the highest expressions of contemplative prayer are given to those Christians whom God chooses, according to His will. This is reflected in the words of St. Paul:

all these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

1 Corinthians 12:11

In addition, Aquinas emphasized that all Christians are called to contemplate God. Therefore, we must actively seek to “taste and see that the Lord is good” (Psalm 34:8) and be open to God’s call. There is a difference between receiving the invitation to contemplate God and receptivity and responsiveness to that call.

The Integration of Study and Prayer

The most significant gift that Thomas provides the Church is that intellectual rigor in the study of God must be coupled with deep, sincere contemplation of God. St. Thomas showed that when our intellect is ordered correctly, it serves the needs of our spirit.

This union of intellect and spirit challenges false dichotomies that exist within certain Christian groups today, such as thinking that studying Christian truth will deaden your faith, on the one hand, or that praying makes learning irrelevant, on the other. Thomas lived his life fully aware of God’s command:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37

His example demonstrates that as you work to study theology with a humble heart and in prayer, theological study itself can become a contemplative act. The study of scripture, pondering the mysteries of faith, and struggle with difficult issues can be acts of worship if done out of love for God and for His glory.

The Mysticism of Daily Fidelity

While Thomas’s life was marked by many extraordinary, mystical experiences, his deeper mysticism lay in his daily fidelity to prayer, liturgy, and community life. St. Thomas prayed the Divine Office, attended Mass multiple times daily, and was faithful to the observances of his religious order.

Thomas’s life is an example of how God calls us to continue steadfast in our work in the Lord:

Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.

1 Corinthians 15:58

True mysticism does not seek after extraordinary experiences but is about living in God’s presence daily, regardless of being consoled or experiencing dryness, in visible or seemingly obscure ways.

The communities in which Thomas lived testify to his holiness, not through dramatic statements or acts but through the consistent display of kindness and adherence to his Order, and through living continually within the awareness of God’s presence. Thomas Aquinas is a true example of Paul’s exhortation to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

His Final Days: The Consummation of Contemplation

Thomas died March 7, 1274, as he was on his way to attend the Second Council of Lyon. During his last illness, and while residing at the Cistercian abbey of Fossanova, he requested the brothers read to him from the Song of Solomon, the most mystical book of the Bible, which speaks of the relationship between God and the soul.

His last recorded theological work was not another academic treatise but a commentary on this biblical love song. Even at death’s door, Thomas was contemplating divine love, the ultimate reality that had consumed his life. As he lay dying, he received Viaticum—the Eucharist for the final journey—and made a beautiful profession of faith, declaring his belief in Christ’s Real Presence and his submission to the Church’s teaching.

His death is a fulfillment of the “beatific vision,” the one who sees God without mediator. Paul described it:

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face.

1 Corinthians 13:12

For decades, Thomas lived in contemplation of God through created things as well as mystical experiences; upon death, he knew that the final vision of God would surpass all other resplendent visions.

The Perennial Relevance of His Example

St. Thomas Aquinas challenges contemporary Christians in multiple areas:

First, his life teaches us that rigorous analysis and profound contemplation are not opposed to each other, but rather they are allies for reaching God. The Church requires those who have both intellectual rigor and passionate prayer; ideally, those will be the same people.

Second, St. Thomas shows that true contemplation transforms us. His kindness, humility, and charity were the results of his prayer life, not the reason for his prayer life—what the Scripture promises, that those who behold the Lord’s glory “are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Third, St. Thomas teaches that one’s ultimate calling is to know God fully and love Him completely, not produce works of ministry or write theological literature. When St. Thomas states near the end of his life that all his works have been “as straw,” he was not expressing disappointment but freedom—acknowledgment that all accomplishments are of value only insofar as they lead to the fulfillment of the goal, drawing near to God.

Finally, St. Thomas expressed the truth of Christian mysticism rooted firmly in the orthodoxy of the Church and in the sacramental life, all based in biblical revelation. St. Thomas sought no wisdom but Christ, in whom “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3) and through his mystical experience, he did not seek beyond the teachings of the Church.

Conclusion: The Saint Who Shows the Way

St. Thomas Aquinas stands as an example for all Christians who desire to unite their intellect with their emotions, contemplation with their works of ministry, theology with their experience of God through prayer.

Through our love of God, all of our theological pursuits flow from God’s love of us. The example of St. Thomas inspires every Christian to enter into a deeper experience of prayer and contemplation—not as an escape from the world but as the fulcrum from which to engage it properly.

His life invites every Christian into deeper prayer and contemplation—not as an escape from the world but as the very center from which we engage it rightly. Whether we are called to scholarship or manual labor, to active ministry or hidden intercession, we are all summoned to the same ultimate vocation: to know God and to be transformed by that knowing into His likeness.

As Thomas himself prayed:

Grant me, O Lord my God, a mind to know you, a heart to seek you, wisdom to find you, conduct pleasing to you, faithful perseverance in waiting for you, and a hope of finally embracing you.

May his example inspire us to pursue not merely knowledge about God, but the knowledge of God Himself—that intimate, transforming acquaintance that is eternal life (John 17:3).