while Thomas celebrated the Eucharist in the chapel of Saint Nicholas, he "underwent an astonishing transformation," and "after this Mass he never wrote nor dictated anything, and hung up his writing materials while in the middle of the third part of his Summa on the treatise of Penitence."9 Perplexed, Reginald urged his master to continue his theological writing: "Father, how can you abandon a work so important for the glory of God and for the enlightenment of the world?" Thomas answered tersely, "Reginald, I can't do it." Aquinas's final word on the matter, while discreet, casts a mystical light on his decision: "I can't do it. Everything I have written seems but straw to me compared to what I have seen and has been revealed to me."10 This testimony, generally accepted as credible, connects the loss of Aquinas's ability or motivation to pursue theological work with some supernatural experience.

Thus, the historical record already provides three arguments in favor of a voluntary and supernatural sense to Thomas's silence. One, the witness of Aquinas's spiritual life: graces of ecstasy were frequent during the last year of his life. Two, Aquinas's health: though clearly fatigued, Thomas was by no means incapable of speech or thought. He communicated with his care givers, composed a short theological treatise upon request, and is said to have uttered a fervent prayer as he received the Viaticum.11 Three, Aquinas's own reported words explain his choice to stop preaching and teaching as motivated by some private revelation.

Understandably, this mysterious event has fascinated scholars. I group their various opinions into three main positions.

Mystical. Admirers of the saint have been eager to interpret his final silence in a poetic or mystical light. For Josef Pieper, Aquinas was hushed by an experience of divine mystery:

The last word of St. Thomas is not communication but silence. And it is not death that takes the pen from his hand. His tongue is stilled by the superabundance of life in the mystery of God. He is silent, not because he has nothing further to say; he is silent because he has been allowed a glimpse into the inexpressible depths of that mystery

for the monks of Fossanova. Thomas's eloquent prayer before the Viaticum shows that he kept his wits and ability to speak until the end of his life.9 Processus canonizationis Neapoli, no. 79, 376s, in Fontes Vitae S. Thomae, ed. M .- H. Laurent (cited by Forte, Il Silenzio, 15).10 Processus canonizationis Neapoli, no. 79, 376s (Forte, Il Silenzio, 19).11 For the Viaticum prayer, see Torrell, Saint Thomas Aquinas, 1:293.

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Silence before God in the Life and Writings of Saint Thomas Aquinas

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