In this season I have had sense of the Lord unfolding his glory to me, and his longing to keep unfolding his glory to his people. I noticed on a calendar that today is the Feast of Thomas Aquinas. I was reading a short biography of him here and this story jumped out to me:

He continued to write and released several more books until 1268, when he was called to Paris for a second teaching regency. He was named regent master again and stayed until 1272. During this time, he wrote De virtutibus and De aeternitate mundi.

At the conclusion of his regency, the Dominicans called Thomas to establish a university wherever he wanted with a staff of whomever he wished. He established the university in Naples and took the regent master post. In 1273 Thomas was seen by the sacristan Domenic of Caserta to be crying and levitating in prayer before an icon of the crucified Christ at the Dominican convent of Naples, in the Chapel of Saint Nicholas.

During this prayer, Christ is said to have told him, “You have written well of me, Thomas. What reward would you have for your labor?”

Thomas replied, “Nothing but you, Lord.”

Following this exchange, something happened but Thomas never wrote or spoke of it. He abandoned his routine and, when begged to return to work, replied, “I cannot, because all that I have written seems like straw to me.”

There is an unfolding glory of the Lord I truly want in my life. The hunger deepens, and I am encouraged by stories like this. May we walk in true EPIPHANY! Let us see his glory. Let us be people of the presence.