During the Eucharistic Celebration held on January 25, 2019 at the UST Chapel to mark the feast day of St. Thomas Aquinas, UST Rector Very Rev. Fr. Herminio V. Dagohoy, O.P. was the main presider in the Eucharistic Celebration in honor of the patron saint of the University, with the Dominican Fathers as concelebrants.
The Santísimo Rosario Parish also held Triduum Masses from January 22 to 24, 2019 with the theme “Keep us in Beauty, in Truth, and in Virtues: Celebrating St. Thomas Aquinas in the Year of the Youth.”
In his homily, the Father Rector discussed how true beauty can lead to a life of holiness, saying that, “Sa Filipino, ang salitang ‘kagandaan’ ay hindi lamang tumutukoy sa panlabas na anyo. Laging sinasabi natin na ang kagandahan ay makikita sa loob. Kaya beauty is the splendor of being… Sa mga Pilipino, ang konsepto natin ng kagandahan ay ang pagiging “buo.” Ang buong loob ay maganda. Ang tamang loob, maganda rin. Ang mabuting loob, maganda rin.
Kaya ang kagandahan sa mga Pilipino, ay “buo.” May integridad, totoo, at mabuti. At ang kagandahang ito ay magdadala sa atin patungo sa langit. Integridad, ibig sabihin ang isip at ang puso ay magkaugnay. In sync. At dahil magkaugnay ang isip at damdamin, hindi pagkakasala ang kilos at malinaw ang aksyon.” (In Filipino, the word ‘beauty’ does not only refer to the external appearance. We always say that beauty can be seen from within. That is why beauty is the splendor of being. The Filipino concept of beauty is in “wholeness.” A whole sense of self is beautiful. A just and kind self is also considered beautiful, which is why beauty is equated with wholeness of the self. There is integrity, truth, and goodness. This beauty can bring us towards heaven. Integrity means that the mind and the heart are linked. In sync. And because of this link between the mind and heart, the resulting actions are not sins and there is clarity in decisions.)
Through integrity and having a whole sense of self, one can be committed, said the Father Rector. He explained, “Kaya competent ang mga Tomasino kasi ang mga kilos at gawa ay tama, akma … At ang pagmamahal, compassion, ay hindi labis at hindi kulang. Sapat.” (Thomasians are competent because their actions are right and just… and their love, their compassion, is neither excessive nor lacking. [It is] sufficient.)
The Father Rector further discussed that through the values of commitment, competence, and compassion, a saintly life can be achieved. He ended his homily with the challenge, “Do we have what it takes to be a saint? Yes, we have. Buo dapat [ang loob], tama dapat [ang kilos], sapat dapat [ang pagmamahal].” (Have integrity, act justly, and be
compassionate.)
The feast of St. Thomas Aquinas, patron of Catholic schools and one of the Doctors of the Church, falls on January 28, a holiday in UST.
