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Sure you have! He is the patron saint for education, teachers, and the like. For good reason too - this man gathered around himself other priests, philosophers of all creeds, Bishops, Archbishops, and even was at the disposal of Pope Clement IV as papal theologian - those are few and far between. His brilliance in thought was desired by all because his style and arguments brought light to the more hidden knowledge of the world.
Some may remember him as a Dominican, but many don't realize this was a big controversy early on. He came from a family of Benedictines - solemn, prayerful people. The Dominican Order was largely brand new, and he was expected to join the Benedictines as soon as allowed. However, he became a Domincan by his own choice. It was so bad an insult that many threatened him.
He was bright. That's an understatement. He was brilliant! That still doesn't cover it. Before he (Thomas) was dead, Dante placed him in heaven in his writings. He was cannonized 49 years after his death in 1274.
His works, largely Summa Contra Gentiles and the Summa Theologica (or Theologiae) are still the permier text studied in Trinitarian, Christological, and other macro and micro theological courses in the very best universities. His level of worksmanship is definately one that requires a level education and background to understand. One can pick up the Summa and read over the cover the Prima Pars ("Part One") but they will certainly not understand the uses of the vocabulary of the philosopher unless the reader is given a formal lesson(s) on the words of essence, existence, nature, idea, knowledge, truth, form, matter, etc. The format of the Summa is this:
Question: (topic)
Article: (sub-topic)
Objection 1, 2, ...: (objection to the teaching of the church or contrary to logic and truth)
I answer that: (a quote or usually a verse to defend the Church's teaching or truth)
On the contrary: (a lengthy defense of the teaching of the Church or truth)
Answer to objection 1, 2, ...: (direct answer to objection)
It follows this format as stepping stones starting with God and His existence, then His simplicity, then His goodness, then His this, then His that. The Questions continue to cover so many topics you just wouldn't even think of some of them. But you can't really skip one either. For example you cannot understand God's infinite knowledge without understading what perfections are and how they are in God, and how infinity works in God, and how both of those are his essence which are his existence. Confused? Let me explain shortly:
Perfections are those things which a thing desires to achieve. A perfection is what makes a thing complete. So as the first mover, as pure act, as the completely necessary being (meaning he doesnt depend on other things for his existence), there is no level of perfection that God needs to reach - he just is (I am). That would be a literal contradiction in God. Since there was nothing before God, we call God self-existent and so he is therefore infinite. So then to knowledge. Knowledge is the attainment of ideas, which are either "exemplar" (are knowable) or "archetypal" (can be created). Now, these are either true or false - levels of perfection! So knowledge is a perfection, and is God is infinite, and perfect, then he posesses all perfect knowledge! This is not a gained perfection, once again, but is a simultaneous, all present, knowing. In better words - He is truth!
Lost still? I don't blame you if you are. There are great resources for anyone looking to learn more about God and what St. Thomas has to say about Him.
You can read the entire Summa Theologiae here: http://www.newadvent.org/summa/
The "cliffs notes" version is here: http://www.catholictheology.info/summa-theologica/summa-part1.php?t=1
I am going to be condensing the Questions on here under the title "Summa Blogologica" - I promise I will try to make is easy to understand!
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