Prayer of Saint Thomas Aquinas Before Study
Saint Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian and Doctor of the Church, composed this prayer to say before beginning study. It has been prayed by students for centuries, particularly before exams and difficult coursework, asking God for the intellectual gifts real learning requires.
Creator of all things, true source of light and wisdom, origin of all being, graciously let a ray of your brilliance penetrate the darkness of my understanding. Take from me the double darkness in which I have been born, an obscurity of sin and ignorance. Give me a sharp sense of understanding, a retentive memory, and the ability to grasp things correctly and fundamentally. Grant me the talent of being exact in my explanations, and the ability to express myself with thoroughness and charm. Point out the beginning, direct the progress, and help in the completion. I ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
