Collect taken from the memorial of St. Albert the Great, Bishop, Confessor, and Doctor.
Collect: O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith, grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught, that through progress in learning we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son…
“O God, who made the Bishop Saint Albert great by his joining of human wisdom to divine faith,”
— St. Albert was not only a theologian, but a philosopher and a scientist as well. He sought always to glorify God in his learning and he is proof that there is no conflict between faith and reason.
“grant, we pray, that we may so adhere to the truths he taught, that through progress in learning we may come to a deeper knowledge and love of you.”
— St. Albert is also famous for being the teacher of St. Thomas Aquinas, another theologian and doctor of the Church. Just as his teaching helped Thomas and others to grow closer to God, we ask God to deepen our knowledge of God through Albert’s influence. We cannot love what we do not know, so knowing more of God is a step toward loving him more.
Questions & Advice: Does your faith lack a full integration with your reason? Do you study the teaching of the Church? Are you perhaps too academic in your faith?
Read about faith and reason in the Catechism (156-159). If you already have a good book on the faith, spend some time reading it. If not, look into creating a habit of reading that can improve your understanding of the faith. If you’re already prone to intellectual research, spend some time in prayer asking for a deeper sense of how all truth, even in science, can help us to love and serve God.
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| Sancte Alberte Magne, ora pro nobis! |