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State of the question. It seems not: (1) because Christ's human
nature is not, like the divine nature, common to the three divine
persons that must be adored; (2) there is not the same excellence in
the acts of Christ's human nature as in those of the divine nature;
(3) if the soul of Christ were not united to the Word, then it
would have to be venerated with the cultus of dulia, and it lost none
of its dignity through the hypostatic union.
Reply. Nevertheless the answer is in the affirmative, and it is of
faith. St. Thomas in the counterargument of this article quotes the
Second Council of Constantinople.
On several occasions in the councils this truth has been declared,
namely, that Christ's human nature is to be adored,[1644] and
indeed directly inasmuch as it is united with the divine
nature[1645] with only one kind of adoration,[1646] and it
is also to be loved by the perfect as defined against Michael de
Molinos.[1647] This cultus of latria also befits especially the
Eucharistic Christ,[1648] and the most sacred Heart of
Jesus.[1649]
The definition against the Nestorians must be remembered, in which
the Church declared: "Christ must be adored by one adoration, by
which we must adore God the Word incarnate together with His own
flesh, which was the tradition in the Church of God from the
beginning."[1650]
Theological proof. Strictly speaking, honor is given to the person,
and to the hands or feet only inasmuch as they belong to the person.
But there is only one person in Christ to whom the two natures
belong. Therefore by one and the same adoration the human and divine
natures of Christ are to be adored.
Confirmation. A person of distinction is honored because of the
qualities indeed of the soul, namely, wisdom and virtues, yet not
only the soul is honored, but the whole composite, the body also.
Likewise Christ is to be adored on account of His divine
personality, but the whole person is to be adored, which includes His
human nature.
We grant, however, to those who object, that there are two reasons
for the adoration of Christ; for His divine nature of itself alone is
to be adored, and His human nature in that it is hypostatically united
to the Word. Yet it remains true that there is one honor of adoration
on the part of the person who is adored.
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