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Son of a military nobleman. Dominican. Priest. Taught theology at Cologne, Germany, and Paris, France. Teacher of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Influential teacher, preacher, and administrator. Bishop of Regensburg, Germany. Introduced Greek and Arabic science and philosophy to medieval Europe. Known for his wide interest in what became known later as the natural sciences – botany, biology, etc. Wrote and illustrated guides to his observations, and was considered on a par with Aristotle as an authority on these matters. Theological writer. Doctor of the Church.
Born
Dear Scientist and Doctor of the Church, natural science always led you to the higher science of God. Though you had an encyclopedic knowledge, it never made you proud, for you regarded it as a gift of God. Inspire scientists to use their gifts well in studying the wonders of creation, thus bettering the lot of the human race and rendering greater glory to God. Amen.
Readings
It is by the path of love, which is charity, that God draws near to man, and man to God. But where charity is not found, God cannot dwell. If, then, we possess charity, we possess God, for “God is Charity” (1 John 4:8) – Saint Albert the Great
The greater and more persistent your confidence in God, the more abundantly you will receive what you ask. – Saint Albert the Great
He could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for this Sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this Sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and blessed is he who holds it fast. The man who feeds on Me shall live on account of Me. – Saint Albert the Great on the Eucharist
“Do this in remembrance of me.” Two things should be noted here. The first is the command that we should use this sacrament, which is indicated when Jesus says, “Do this.” The second is that this sacrament commemorates the Lord’s going to death for our sake. This sacrament is profitable because it grants remission of sins; it is most useful because it bestows the fullness of grace on us in this life. “The Father of spirits instructs us in what is useful for our sanctification.” And his sanctification is in Christ’s sacrifice, that is, when he offers himself in this sacrament to the Father for our redemption to us for our use. Christ could not have commanded anything more beneficial, for this sacrament is the fruit of the tree of life. Anyone who receives this sacrament with the devotion of sincere faith will never taste death. “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it, and blessed is he who holds it fast. The man who feeds on me shall live on account of me.” Nor could he have commanded anything more lovable, for this sacrament produces love and union. It is characteristic of the greatest love to give itself as food. “Had not the men of my text exclaimed: Who will feed us with his flesh to satisfy our hunger? as if to say: I have loved them and they have loved me so much that I desire to be within them, and they wish to receive me so that they may become my members. There is no more intimate or more natural means for them to be united to me, and I to them. Nor could he have commanded anything which is more like eternal life. Eternal life flows from this sacrament because God with all sweetness pours himself out upon the blessed. – from a commentary by Saint Albert the Great on the Gospel of Luke
Origen (c.185-253)
priest and theologian
On Prayer, ch 25
The kingdom of God is amongst us and within us
The kingdom of God according to our Lord and Saviors word does not come with signs to be observed, nor will they say, Lo, here it is! or There! but the kingdom of God is within us. For the Word is very near, in our mouth and in our heart (cf. Dt 30:14; Rm 10:8).So it is clear that the one who prays that the kingdom of God may come, prays that the kingdom of God may spring up in him, bear fruit, and be rightly perfected. This is because every saint is ruled by God, obeys the spiritual laws of God, and dwells in himself as in a well-ordered city. The Father is present with him and Christ rules with the Father in his perfected soul in accord with the verse we called to mind a little earlier, "We will come to him and make our home with him" (Jn 14:23).
As we make continual progress, the highest point of the kingdom of God will be established for us when the apostle Pauls word is fulfilled, when Christ with all His enemies made subject to Him will deliver "the kingdom to God the Father ... that God may be all in all" (1 Cor 15:24, 28). Therefore, let us pray constantly (cf. Thess 5:17) with a character being divinized by the Word, and let us say to our Father in heaven, "hallowed be your name, your kingdom come" (Mt 6:9).