Monthly Archives: July 2018

https://pixabay.com/en/girl-white-fun-kid-literature-3038974/ *** GIFTS OF MIND, HEART *** The gifts of the mind Wisdom’s focus can vary The gifts of the heart *** Saint Dominic’s focus is on the gifts of the mind, and Saint Francis’ focus is on the gifts … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/st-francis-catholic-saint-holy-1758485/ *** POVERTY AND HUMILITY *** Saint Francis preached both Poverty, humility Lessons for Dante *** NOTE: Saint Thomas Aquinas talks about and praises Saint Francis, who is a very good role model for Dante. Soon Dante will be exiled … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/statue-garden-art-1002552/ *** SAINT THOMAS PRAISES SAINT FRANCIS *** No jealousy here Thomas now praises Francis They are not rivals *** NOTE: Thomas Aquinas is a Dominican monk, and yet he talks about the Franciscans in Canto 11. Here Saint Thomas … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/hillary-clinton-hillary-clinton-1754429/ *** SEEKERS AFTER WISDOM *** Siger and Thomas True seekers after wisdom Sometimes disagree *** NOTE: Both Siger of Brabant and Saint Thomas Aquinas are among the wise saved souls in Paradise. Siger of Brabant was a Belgian whose … Continue reading →

Source: Wikimedia Commons (Public Domain) *** SAINT THOMAS AQUINAS *** A very wise man Medieval philosopher A learned scholar *** NOTE: We regard Saint Thomas as the dominant Catholic theologian. Dante’s opinion of Saint Thomas agrees with our opinion of … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/sun-fireball-solar-flare-sunlight-11582/ *** THE SUN *** Symbol of wisdom Dante meets souls of the wise Light equals wisdom *** NOTE: Here Dante will see many souls of the wise, and he will speak to Saint Thomas Aquinas and to Saint Bonaventura. … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/books-reading-pages-textbooks-1149959/ *** WISDOM *** Wisdom’s communal — we share it and build on it — And cumulative *** NOTE: Two facts about wisdom are that it is communal and it is cumulative. Think about the way that we accumulate knowledge … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/handcuffs-money-corruption-economy-2070580/ *** CORRUPTION *** Earth’s shadow corrupts Moon, Mercury, and Venus Souls there lacked something *** NOTE: On the Moon, Mercury, and Venus, we see souls who are associated with a planet for negative reasons. The shadow of the Earth … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/venus-earth-size-comparison-planet-11588/ *** EARTH’S SHADOW *** Earth has a shadow Its highest point is Venus It touches Venus *** Dante is clever in the way he organizes The Divine Comedy. In the Inferno, in Canto 9 we go through the Gates … Continue reading →

https://pixabay.com/en/heart-hand-romantic-love-sunset-3549572/ *** Paradise has praise: Cunizza praises Folquet, And Folquet Rahab. *** Cunizza was the lover of Sordello, one of the late repentant of the Prepurgatory. He abducted her from her husband (or perhaps she left her husband for him). … Continue reading →