Harmony of Faith & Reason
Study in the Dominican tradition is a form of worship—an integral part of our contemplative life. We wonder, read, and think not only because we love to learn, but also, and above all, because we love God and desire to know Him more and more. In the words of St. John Paul II, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth” (Fides et Ratio, prologue).
We want to understand, as deeply as we are able, the divine word proclaimed in the liturgy and encountered in lectio divina; to ponder, like Mary, the mysteries of our Faith; to taste and see, in however small a way, the truth and beauty of the Lord. In all these ways study purifies our minds and nourishes our faith, leading us into deeper communion with God.
The Perfection of Charity
“If you abide in My word,” Christ promises, “You are truly my disciples. And you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free” (John 8:31-32). This freedom in the truth is the aim of our studies: to live in the reality of our created world and the reality of God’s saving love. Thus study not only fosters communion with God, but it also serves our fraternal life in community. St. Dominic, who said that his “greatest study was done in the book of charity,” is our first example here, for study should always draw us toward the final goal of religious life, the perfection of charity.
“The divine Word breathes forth love,” declares our brother St. Thomas (ST I, 43.5). This is true within the Trinity, and in the life of grace as well. Veritas, truth—the motto of our Order—draws us to deeper charity. And charity, in turn, quickens our thirst for God, prompting us to seek Him both in faithful prayer and in the mendicancy of faith-filled study. “I will rise and go about the city,” says the bride, “I will search for Him whom my soul loves!” (Song 3:2)