Our Patron Saints for Take Up and Read

     We prayerfully place TAKE UP AND READ under the patronage of two great Doctors of the Church:

                                            Saint Augustine

                                      &

                                             Saint Thomas Aquinas

 
     St.Thomas Aquinas was an easy choice because years before we had each requested his intercession as patron of our homeschooling journey. Now over a decade later, since we both have students attending Thomas Aquinas College  in southern California, the patronage of St. Thomas for our families appears confirmed.
 
     During the Lent of 2010, we began to read through St. Augustine’s Confessions together. As can be seen by the finding of the title for TAKE UP AND READ in an earlier post, we simply could not do without St. Augustine’s assistance.
 
     Both of these saints seem appropriate as patrons of this blog, not only because they seem like old friends to both our families, but because they both are exemplars of readers, writers, speakers and life-long learners. Aquinas spent most of his boyhood in a Benedictine monastery, where he was said to have constantly inquired of his tutors “Quid est Deus?” --What is God? St Augustine had a very different upbringing with a non-Christian father and pagan teachers, but returned to the Church after years of heresy and sin, due to the prayers and tears of his mother Saint Monica. In spite of their differences, they were alike in their great respect for books and learning and their whole-hearted devotion to God. For these reasons we don’t think we can do better than to ask for their intercession in making this blog what God wants it to be.

 
Our daily prayer to St. Thomas Aquinas for our homeschool:

 

Prayer to Saint Thomas Aquinas
 
Angel of Schools,
At the bidding of Peter,
Thousands today
Are saluting thee thus.
We too are claiming
Thy care and thy counsel,
Angel of Schools,
Be an Angel to us.
Come to our aid
When thou hearest us calling,
Light up the dark,
Make the rough places plain,
Bring to our thoughts
The unknown or forgotten,
Give us the words
That we seek for in vain.

 

Petitions of St. Augustine
 
O Lord, Jesus, let me know myself, let me know Thee,
And desire nothing else but only Thee,
Let me hate myself and love Thee,
And do all things for the sake of Thee,
Let me humble myself, and exalt Thee,
And think of nothing else bu Thee,
Let me die to myself and live in Thee,
And take whatever happens as coming from Thee.
Let me flee from myself, and turn to Thee
That so I may merit to be defended by Thee.
Let me fear for myself, let me fear Thee,
And be amongst those who are chosen by Thee.
Let me distrust myself, and trust in Thee,
And every obey for the love of Thee.
Let me cleave to nothing but Thee,
And ever be poor for the sake of Thee.
Look upon me, that I may love Thee;
Call me that I may see Thee
And forever possess Thee. Amen.

Prayerfully yours,


          Willa & Chari