Hope according to the Apostle Paul and Thomas Aquinas

Thanks to Mark of Joe versus the Volcano for the post named below:

• Aquinas on Hope.
  

Hebrews 6:18-19 (especially)

"... we who have taken refuge might be strongly encouraged to hold fast to the hope that lies before us. This we have as an anchor of the soul, sure and firm, which reaches into the interior behind the veil ..." (snippet from the NAB - click for the full context).

and if you do look at the context you will see another example of what Msgr. Giussani reminds us of, that "the word hope is always connected with Jesus" (Is it Possible to Live this Way? 2: Hope, 7).

The Apostle Paul and St. Thomas Aquinas

One of the best kept secrets of the Catholic Church is how profoundly Pauline she is. Do a bit of research and you'll discover the deep Pauline vision that informs teaching on ecclesiology, marriage, the Holy Spirit, Christ, and so much more. The Church does not reduce the Gospel to a few passages of Paul's letters, but listens to St. Paul in concert with the entire canon of Scriptures and with the experience of the Church over time.

A new resource has opened up for those interested in verifying the Church's claim to preach the same Jesus Christ whom Paul preached:

"The Aquinas Center for Theological Renewal of Ave Maria University has made available a number of Aquinas's commentaries on the epistles of St. Paul, putting them online. In particular, his commentary on Romans contains one of his most important discussions on the matter of predestination." 

Hat tip to Matthew of Nel Mezzo del Cammin di Nostra Vita, who begins his investigation with Aquinas's commentary on the Epistle to the Romans. Here's the list so far:

• Hebrews - Section 1 (845kb)
• Hebrews - Section 2 (1.06mb)
• 1 Corinthians (1.82mb)
• 2 Corinthians (1.36 mb)
• Colossians (454kb)
• Ephesians - entire group (1.84mb)
  • Introduction (210kb)
  • Prologue (79kb)
  • Chapter 1 (227kb)
  • Chapter 2 (188kb)
  • Chapter 3 (190kb)
  • Chapter 4 (240kb)
  • Chapter 5 (212kb)
  • Chapter 6 (158kb)
    
• Romans (1.4mb)

Brilliant Bits of Thomas Aquinas via Balthasar

For Mark at Joe vs. the Volcano:

"the absolution of confession contains an element of the reestablishment of reconciliation with the Church, which can be thought of as represented in a genuine (even though nonhierarchical) manner by a layman. This is why a great many theologians, including St. Thomas Aquinas, have attributed a quasisacramental effect to confession to a layman, which was in vogue in the West roughly from 1000 to 1500 A.D. (4 Sent. 17, q 3, a 3, qla 2, ad 1).

Explorations in Theology II: Spouse of the Word, 323>

"according to St. Thomas, the Fiat of the mother of God was spoken loco totius generis humani and not, for instance, loco totius Ecclesiae. (It could equally be said that, in her, the Church speaks her Fiat to God for the whole human race.)

Ibid., 163