(Recite the Chreia) One day, while counting a large sum of money, Pope Innocent II said to Thomas Aquinas, "The church can no longer say, 'Silver and gold have I none.'" "True,” said Thomas, "but neither can she now say, 'Rise and walk.'”

 

         (Praise) Thomas Aquinas was one of the foremost thinkers and theologians within the medieval scholastic tradition, his writings and teachings used Aristotelian logic and contemporary theology to advance understanding of the faith, and his work continues to inform modern minds both in and out of the Church over seven centuries later.

 

         (Paraphrase) In the interaction above, he indicates that although the church had amassed much power within Europe, in the form of wealth, fame, and influence, she seemed to have lost sight of her true mission. 

 

         (Cause) The church and large institutions in general, often begin with great vigor, the driving forces being clear and present in the minds of believers. This passion that characterizes so many young movements, finds great respect among onlookers because it consists of pure belief, before any goals have been met, before any traction has been gained. This initial force can raise a movement to tremendous heights, delivering fame, and wealth as was the case with the church. And yet once movements achieve these trifles, having not yet clutched the thing they set out to obtain, they often settle for trivial gain, leaving behind the high aspirations of their founders.

 

         (Contrary) By contrast, some organization labor fruitlessly for prolonged periods of time, toiling endlessly but making little progress, and yet through their privation they maintain conviction, they hold to a goal that spurns them on day after day.

 

         (Analogy) Think of a famished man who missed breakfast and lunch, waiting for a table at a fancy restaurant, his stomach groans with every passing minute, and then he hears a sound "hot dogs! get your hot dogs" turning around he sees another man pushing a cart, "would you like a hot dog sir?" he asks, the man looks at his watch, sighs and says "I'll take three" contenting himself to fill up on fast food. he still thinks highly of a steak dinner but when an easy concession is made available, he does not hesitate to settle for the quicker meal. So it can be with groups of people, be they religious, social, or other.  

         (Example) Consider the education system, in their purest aim, schools should endeavor to train the youth in the mechanics of the world around them and to give them the ability to reason logically and think critically, however, modern education has opted instead to indoctrinate the youth into brainless automatons easily controlled by the government that pays it to do so. In other words, the education system has sold out, it has left it's sacred goal by the wayside in exchange for monetary gain.

 

         (Testimony of the Ancients) Ronald Reagan once said "A political party cannot be all things to all people. It must represent certain fundamental beliefs which must not be compromised to political expediency, or simply to swell it's numbers." Reagan understood that although compromise could advance a political party, it could also undermine the very integrity of that party.

 

         (Brief Epilogue) So then, Thomas Aquinas demonstrated a remarkable and prophetic insight into the nature of movements and how they, just like people, can compromise their aspirations, by settling for less.