Watering the Mountains

Rigans Montes: St. Thomas’ Commentary on Psalm 103:13 (Ps 104)

Saint Thomas Aquinas, Fountain of Wisdom, Antoine Nicolas, 17th Century.

“Watering the mountains from your upper rooms; the earth shall be filled with the fruit of your works.” Psalm 103:13 (104)

In 1256, a young Thomas Aquinas was granted his faculty of Master of the Sacred Page. This title comes to St. Thomas younger than it ought. The great Thomist, Jean-Pierre Torrell, OP, writes that the Pope, himself, recommended that St. Thomas be given the title and deliver his inaugural lecture even though he was 2-3 years younger than the university statutes required.¹ We are told that the young Thomas would have deferred to someone else but accepted this with humility and obedience. Torrell records that St. Thomas “prayed with many tears”² for guidance on how to proceed.

The next night, St. Thomas was visited by a Dominican Friar in a dream. This figure was later acknowledged as St. Dominic.³ At this visit, the Holy Father Dominic gave to St. Thomas the subject of his inaugural lecture:

He awoke and prepared his lecture.

His installation as master more than likely took place over two days. The first day was the vesperie in which “the new master took an oath between the hands of the chancellor, received the square flat cap, insignia of his office, from the hands of his sponsor…”⁴ The next day, St. Thomas would deliver his principium, his inaugural lecture on Psalm 103:13.

St. Thomas divides this lecture into four parts. He speaks on: Sacred Doctrine, the teachers themselves, of those who listen, and the order in which it comes. He reads verse 13 of the Psalm as a rendering of this with the basic outline of:

Heaven/Upper Rooms—-> God as source

Rain—-> Sacred Doctrine given by God

The Mountains—-> The teachers of Sacred Doctrine

The Earth and its fruit—-> Those who listen and have seeds planted

We will follow this same division and attempt to learn from the young master the wisdom he has been given.

The Heights of Spiritual Teaching

Sacred Doctrine is the queen of the sciences, as St. Thomas would write many years later in the Summa Theologiae,⁵ and it falls to man like the rain from the inner rooms of the Kingdom of Heaven. God, in His infinite goodness, has willed to give to man a glimpse into the hidden chambers of God’s dwelling.

Sacred Doctrine comes from the heights for three reasons:⁶

1. According to its origin

The origin of Sacred Doctrine is God Himself. It is here that we encounter the reality of Divine Revelation, that God, according to His goodness, has revealed Himself to man. This revelation is not on account of God needing to show Himself. This is solely for the benefit of man, as St. Thomas would later write, “It was necessary for man’s salvation that there should be a teaching revealed by God…”⁷ This rain that falls from the heavenly chambers is given to man for his salvation. Just as the rain waters the ground and brings forth life, so too does Sacred Doctrine bring life to those who hear. God alone brings this life.

2. From the subtlety of its content

Sacred Doctrine is the most subtle of all the sciences since it is first, contemplative (speculative)⁸ as it treats that which transcends human reason. For St. Thomas, this word does not have the same modern definition that we use today. St. Thomas uses it to describe a deep penetration into the truth of God. This is why Sacred Doctrine is first contemplative. Through contemplation, we come to penetrate the heights of the Sacred Doctrine, lifted through wisdom, by God. St. Thomas teaches:

Others are so high that they transcend all human reason, and these are spoken of in Job: wisdom is hidden from the eyes of all the living (Job 28:21), and in the psalm: he put on darkness as his covert (Psalm 17:12). But holy teachers were taught by the Holy Spirit who searches even the deep things of God (1 Cor 2:10) and handed it on in the text of Sacred Scripture; and these are the highest, in which this wisdom is said to live.⁹

The deep things of God are imparted on the intellect of man by the Holy Spirit, who was promised: “to guide us to all truth.”¹⁰ The Spirit of Truth lifts our minds into the penetration of the depths.

3. From the submility of its end

Sacred Doctrine has the highest of all ends: union with God in eternity. These truths are given to man for our salvation since God desires that all be saved.¹¹ Thus, the truth that is poured like rain upon the mountains inundates the mind and heart of the theologian and raises them to contemplation of the divine. God remains for the theologian the First Truth and the Greatest Good, and the intellect and will are enraptured in Him through infused contemplation.¹²

From these three reasons, we can see the exitus-reditus that St. Thomas is known for, namely, that Sacred Doctrine comes out from God and it is intended to bring both the teacher and the student to eternal salvation.

St. Thomas Aquinas, courtesy of EWTN.

The Dignity of the Teachers

“On account of the height of this doctrine, the dignity is required of its teachers; hence, they are signified by the mountains…”¹³ Sacred Doctrine rains down from the abyss of God’s wisdom, and so the one who receives it first ought to be like the mountain which receives the rain from the sky and funnels it down to the earth below. This requires the teachers to maintain a way of life that is conducive to both the reception of Sacred Doctrine and the transmission of Sacred Doctrine.

St. Thomas, likewise, cites three reasons why the height of the teachers must be like the mountains:¹⁴

1. The holy teachers despise earthly things and desire only heavenly things

The teachers of the faith ought to be oriented toward heavenly things and must turn away from earthly pleasures, riches, and fame. We are sojourners on this earth, and the teacher ought to know this above all so that he may turn the gaze of his students heavenward. One cannot lead if they do not know the way. Love of God over the things of this world is necessary in the spiritual life, in general. As such, the teacher must excel in this area so that he might lead others in it.

In his lecture, St. Thomas quotes St. Paul, “But our conversation is in heaven…”¹⁵ This translation suits the subject as the teacher must be in constant conversation with heaven. Theology is done on one’s knees. This is a non-negotiable. Unless the teacher has a life of prayer, where he retreats continually into his inner room,¹⁶ and sits at the feet of the master, and learns¹⁷ the great mysteries of the faith, he cannot enlighten those who likewise sit at his feet.

Just as the mountains are raised high above the earth, so too ought the teacher be raised above the love of earthly things and dwell in the heart of the Lord.

2. On account of their brilliance

“The mountains are lit by rays. And, similarly, the minds of the holy teachers are the first recipients of brilliance.”¹⁸ Here, St. Thomas is speaking far less about aptitude and is speaking more about allowing the grace of God to enlighten the mind. This is done through prayer and recourse to grace. Anyone can study religion qua religion. That does not make one a theologian, much less a holy teacher. The one who seeks to be used by God for the watering of the earth must be lifted into the divine life through constant prayer, as discussed above, and through recourse to the sacramental life of the Church.

No man can penetrate the mysteries of God through his own aptitude. Theology is not a science of human knowledge, but one who, through the union of faith and reason, the theologian is enlightened by the light of God, who is Light Itself. Thus, St. Thomas teaches, “For the sacred teachers are illuminated like mountains by the first rays of divine wisdom… that is, by teachers who are participating in eternity.”¹⁹

Thus, just as the mountains are illuminated by the rising of the sun before the earth below them, so too are the teachers illuminated by the grace of God so that it might be given to the people.

3. Teachers must defend the faith against errors

One of the biggest obstacles to Truth is error. The teacher must protect themselves from error and then defend the faith from errors so that those who are given to them to teach do not fall into those errors. It is here that we can see that the teacher is like the mountain that protects. It offers a shield to those on the other side to make sure the enemy cannot assault the truth.

As such, St. Thomas exhorts the teacher:

Therefore, all teachers of Sacred Scripture should be lifted up by the eminence of their lives so that they may be fit to preach effectively… For the heart cannot be goaded or fastened in fear of God if it is not focused on elevation of life. They should be illuminated so that they may teach well by reading… They should be armed so that they may refute errors by argument…²⁰

From this passage, I want to emphasize that the teacher should be lifted up by the eminence of their lives. This highlights the great burden on the teacher. He must be above reproach so as not to lead others into error. This is not only doctrinal error. Here, St. Thomas is speaking of the sin of scandal. The teacher cannot cause scandal and influence the little one to sin²¹ through neglect or dissent. Truly, the teacher must be above reproach in the moral life, a life of prayer, and doctrinal clarity.

The Condition of Those Who Listen

Here, St. Thomas uses the lowliness of the earth as his metaphor. This lowliness is not in reference to academic or intellectual capabilities. Instead, it is the lowliness of humility. He teaches, “Similarly, they must be low like the earth in humility: where humility is, there also is wisdom (Proverbs 11:2)... Again, fruitful, so that the words of wisdom they receive may bear fruit in them.”²²

This is an absolutely necessary disposition. One cannot expect to receive the waters from the mountains if we are not humble. Humility causes one to dig down deep and lower oneself before the majesty of God Almighty, and what is of God in our neighbor. Thus, those who listen have to humble themselves in front of their teacher and what is of Christ, the teacher, in their instructor.

Without humility, the seeds that Sacred Doctrine is supposed to plant will not grow. Humility cultivates the soil of our spiritual life and allows the roots to grow deep and long. Pride creates hard, rocky soil and prevents the roots from growing strong. Thus, the tree of our spiritual life will only grow in accord with how deep our roots of humility go.

The Order of Generation

Finally, St. Thomas looks at how this teaching is passed down. He lists three specifics: “according to the order of communication, according to the quantity of the gifts received, according to the quality of the gifts received.”²³

First, of communication. It is important to note that “not everything that is contained in divine wisdom can be grasped by the mind of teachers.”²⁴ The teacher must remember that he does not know everything and is reliant on God's mercy to enlighten his intellect. This makes the teacher reliant on God. Further, “not everything that the teachers understand is passed on to their listeners.”²⁵ The virtue of prudence must be exercised since not every mind can comprehend or handle what the teacher has to give. We cannot give everything as St. Paul says, “I fed you with milk, not solid food; for you were not ready…”²⁶

Second, the quantity of the gifts received. Here, we find distinction in what is possessed. First, God possesses the fullness of wisdom, perfect and complete, by nature. He then waters the mountains and thus the teachers “share greatly in His knowledge.”²⁷ This wisdom then passes to the listeners who “participate in sufficiently” as signified by “the nourishment of the earth.”²⁸ Thus, wisdom moves from the principle down through the instrument and nourishes the soul sought by God.

Third, of the quality of the gifts received, by this, St. Thomas means the “power of communicating.”²⁹ Like the previous, St. Thomas moves from the principle down. “God communicates wisdom by His own power.”³⁰ Since He is the principle, that is, First Cause, He is the source of wisdom, and He communicates it to man of His own power and providence. Thus, He waters the mountains of His own accord. The teachers, then, participate and receive this wisdom according to God’s power. Thus, “the fruit of the mountains is not theirs, but is attributed to divine works.”³¹ The teachers can never lose sight of this. We must always remember the words of Christ from the Gospel of John, “My teaching is not my own but comes from the one who sent me.”³² St. Thomas reminds the teacher here that four things are required:

1. Innocent ministers

2. Those with understanding

3. Those with zeal

4. Those who are obedient

We want to remember that this is his inaugural lecture. St. Thomas is as much reminding himself of these things as he is his listeners. There must be a sanctity of life among the teachers. We are not free to live a life of sin as sin separates us from the one who rains wisdom on us. We must constantly have recourse to the Gift of Understanding. Thus, the Holy Spirit must dwell in us and so the first requirement moves into the second. If we remain in a state of mortal sin, the Spirit does not dwell in us. Finally, zeal and obedience are required. We must give ourselves over to God and give the water that does not belong to us to the fields so that they may bear fruit. Zeal for souls is of the utmost importance.

Finally, St. Thomas ends this beautiful exposition by reminding himself and his listeners:

“But even though no one by himself, of himself, is sufficient for such ministry, he can hope to have sufficiency from God.”³³

Thus, the theologian, the teacher, must be absolutely reliant on God to instruct Him. The rain does not belong to us. We do not water what is below from something inherent to us. We give to others what has been first received. We, the teachers, must ask this of God in humility.

St. Thomas closes:

“But he should ask God: if any of you want wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men abundantly, and does not upbraid, and it will be given him (James 1:5). Let us pray. That Christ may grant it to us. Amen.”³⁴

1. Jean-Pierre Torrell, St Thomas Aquinas, Vol. I, The Person and His Work, 50-51.

2. Ibid.

3. This vision was only spoken of by St. Thomas to his assistant, Brother Reginald, a few days before his death.

4. Person and His Work, 52.

5. Cf. Summa Theologiae Ia q. 1.

6. Rigans Montes.

7. ST Ia q. 1, a. 1.

8. Cf. ST Ia q. 1, a. 4.

9. Rigans Montes.

10. John 16:13.

11. Cf. 1 Timothy 2:4. This ought not be interpreted as all men are saved. That is certainly not the case. But it is as it says, God desires all to be saved and thus gives sufficient grace for their salvation. Sufficient grace is given to all, but it does not become efficacious grace and therefore salvific in all persons. Cf. ST Ia q. 19, a. 6; Ia-IIae q. 112, aa. 2-3, Commentary on the Letter of St. Paul to Timothy, C. 2, L. 1, 64.

12. It is important to point out that merely studying theology does not automatically predispose one to the graces of infused contemplation or the rising through the ages of the interior life. I would argue, however, that to St. Thomas’ mind, the theologian ought to be raised into infused contemplation as the fruit of the study of Theology ought to nurture and predispose one to this grace. Through the study of theology, the theologian must be continually inflamed with the love of God, and this ought to begin to lift the theologian higher up the mountain of the interior life. This is the ideal; if theology is prayed and loved well, it inspires and inflames love of its Subject.

13. Rigans Montes.

14. Ibid.

15. Philippians 3:20. The RSVSCE uses the term commonwealth as opposed to conversation.

16. Cf. Matthew 6:6.

17. Cf. Luke 10:39.

18. Rigans Montes.

19. Ibid. Emphasis is my own.

20. Rigans Montes.

21. Cf. Matthew 18:6.

22. Rigans Montes.

23. Ibid.

24. Ibid.

25. Ibid.

26. 1 Corinthians 3:2.

27. Rigans Montes.

28. Ibid.

29. Ibid.

30. Ibid.

31. Ibid.

32. John 7:16.

33. Rigans Montes.

34. Ibid.