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[1309] Luke 1:35
[1310] John 8:46
[1311] Ibid., 1:29.
[1312] I Pet. 2:22
[1313] Heb. 7:26. See also Isa. 53:12; II Cor.
5:21; I John 3:5
[1314] Denz., nos. 13, 65, 122, 148, 224f.,
251, 258, 286, 290, 711
[1315] Ibid., no. 224
[1316] Ibid., no. 1314
[1317] Lev. 12:6
[1318] cf. q. 14, a. 1, 2.
[1319] Ps. 21:1f. According to the Hebraic text, the reading
should be "my salvation is far from me", and not "far from my
salvation are the words of my sins", which is the Septuagint and
Vulgate version
[1320] cf. ad 1
[1321] Ps. 21:2.
[1322] Rom. 1:3.
[1323] Gen. ad lit., 10:20
[1324] Rom. 1:3.
[1325] Denz., no. 1314, one of the condemned Jansenist errors
[1326] II Cor. 5:21
[1327] Isa. 53:6
[1328] cf. Summa theol., IIIa, q. 15, a. 1, ad 5
[1329] Harmonia, Matt. 27:46
[1330] Matt. 27:46
[1331] Ibid., 26:39
[1332] Ps 21:1
[1333] Luke 23:46
[1334] Denz., no 224
[1335] This fullness of grace and charity was inamissible inasmuch as
it flowed from the grace of union as its quasi-property, and
moreover, inasmuch as the fervor of this fullness of charity was itself
inamissible, for it excluded venial sin, which does not intrinsically
diminish charity, but its fervor.
[1336] cf. q. 19
[1337] Objection. The Scotists say that the divine permission to
sin is not evil, and thus God permits certain sins, even in the
saints, as is evident in the life of St. Peter. Why could not the
Word permit sin in the assumed nature?
Reply. The difference here is that, with respect to other men, God
is related to them as the universal cause, the general foreseer,
directing them in accordance with the laws of His general providence,
to whom it pertains that what is defectible should fail at times, so
that this should be the occasion of a greater good resulting therefrom.
Thus God permitted Peter to deny Christ three times during His
passion, so as to take away Peter's presumption and make him more
humble.
On the contrary, as regards the actions of the assumed human nature,
the Word stands in relation to these as the cause and particular
foreseer, positing them as His own actions and as especially imputable
to Him. These actions proceed from the Word as the particular
principle that operates, and it is incumbent upon Him so to govern the
human nature that it does not sin.
[1338] Summa theol., Ia IIae, q. 4, a. 4. See also Ia
IIae, q. 5, a. 4, and q. 10, a. 2
[1339] Ibid., q. 10, a. 4, ad 3
[1340] Ibid., q. 18, a. 4
[1341] This question is sometimes directed solely against casuistry,
according to which frequently and unjustifiably that is called an
imperfection which truly is a venial sin. But this question must be
examined in itself, and with reference to Christ and the Blessed
Virgin, on a much higher plane than that of customary casuistic
consideration
[1342] De incarnatione, disp. 25, dub. 5
[1343] cf. Christian Perfection and Contemplation, pp.
429-31; also The Love of God and the Cross of Jesus, I,
318 ff. in which we have discussed this question at length. Hence
those who refuse to admit the distinction between imperfection and
venial sin tend to confuse what is a less good with what is evil, which
is against the first principle of ethics, namely, that there is a
distinction between moral good and moral evil. Hence they ought to say
that a less evil is good, and that a less evil is not only to be
tolerated so as to avoid committing a greater evil, but that it is
actually preferable as a good in itself.
Thus this confusion is accompanied by and is the cause of many other
confusions. However, as there are venial sins that dispose a person
to commit mortal sin, so there are certain imperfections that dispose a
person to commit venial sin. And although the call to religious life
does not in itself oblige anyone to enter this state, yet this way of
life must be followed, as being an invitation to salvation especially
if other ways seem to us more dangerous; Jesus saying to the young
man: "If thou wilt be perfect... follow Me" (Matt.
19:21). Then if anyone, because of too great an attachment to
the things of this world, refuses to enter the religious life, such a
person sins, not because of the obligation of entering religion, but
because of the aforesaid obligation of avoiding the too great attachment
to the things of this world
[1344] Denz. no. 224.
[1345] cf. IIIa, q. 41, a. 1, ad 3.
[1346] Matt. 1:20
[1347] See the replies to the second and third objections of this
article
[1348] cf. IIIa, q. 7, a. 9; q. 9, a. 1, 2
[1349] John 1:14
[1350] Ibid., 14:6
[1351] cf. IIIa, q. 12, a. 2.
[1352] Ps. 87:4
[1353] Mark 14:33
[1354] See argumentative part of this article
[1355] De civitate Dei, Bk. XIV, chap. 9
[1356] Matt. 26:37
[1357] Com. in Matt. 26:37
[1358] Isa. 53:4
[1359] Matt. 26:38
[1360] Cf. IIIa, q. 7, a. 6.
[1361] Mark 14:33.
[1362] Matt 8:10
[1363] Ps. 68:10
[1364] Cf. q. 16, a. 5.
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