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[2450] La Mere du Sauveur et notre vie interieure. see also
Bittremieux, De meditatione universali B. M. Virginis quoad
gratias; B. H. Merkelbach, O.P., Mariologia; Friethoff,
O.P., De Alma Socia Christi mediatoris; Dict. theol.
cath., art. "Marie", (Duplanchy).
[2451] Denz., no. 113; see also nos. 218, 290,
708, 993, 1462
[2452] Summa theol., IIIa, q. 35, a. 4
[2453] Ibid., q. 27, a. 5
[2454] Ineffabilis Deus
[2456] Denz., no. 86
[2457] The Blessed Virgin Mary did not even merit congruously in
the strict sense the Incarnation and the divine motherhood, because
the principle of merit does not come under merit, as Billuart well
explains, De incarnatione, diss. V, a. 3; for the Incarnation
and future merits of Christ are the foundation and principle of all the
Blessed Virgin Mary's merits and not the effects. From this it
would also follow that the Blessed Virgin Mary merited something
better than Christ Himself merited; and so the Incarnation would not
be a work of pure mercy, for congruous merit, strictly so called,
implies an amicable right to a reward as a compensation.
But the Blessed Virgin Mary merited congruously in the broad sense
the Incarnation and divine motherhood.
[2458] See reply of Congregation of Rites, June 1, 1884
[2459] cf. La Mere du Sauveur, pp. 24f.
[2460] Denz., no. 1641; see also, nos. 256, 734f.,
792, 1073, 1100, 3035
[2461] Ibid., no. 1641
[2462] Luke 1:28
[2463] Ibid., 1:42
[2464] cf. P. Le Bachelet, Dict. apol., art. "Marie, "
Immaculate Conception, cols. 210-75. Rouet de Journel,
Ench. patrist., no. 435
[2465] cf. IIIa, q. 27, a. 1
[2466] Com. in III Sent., d. 3, q. 1, et Reportata,
Bk. III, d. 3, q. 1
[2467] Com. in I Sent., d. 44, q. 1, a. 3, ad 3
[2468] Rom. 3:23; 5:12, 19; Gal. 3:22; II
Cor. 5:14; I Tim. 2:6
[2469] cf. IIIa, q. 27, a. 2
[2470] Ibid., ad 2
[2471] Quodl VI, a. 7.
[2472] cf. IIIa, q. 27, a. 2, ad 3.
[2473] Santo Tomas y la Immaculada
[2474] Dict. theol. cath., art. "Freres-Precheurs, " col.
899
[2475] Tractatus dogmatici, II, 749.
[2476] cf. IIIa, q. 27, a. 2, ad 3
[2477] This work is entitled "Expositio super salutatione angelica"
[2478] cf. Divus Thomas, pp. 445-79, and Monografie del
Collegio Alberoni. Sixteen out of the nineteen codices have the
words "nec originale"; hence Father Rossi concludes that the text
is authentic
[2479] cf. Com. in I Sent., d. 44, q. 1, a. 3, ad 3
[2480] cf. Compendium theologiae, chap. 224, wherein we read:
"Not only was the Blessed Virgin Mary immune from actual sin, but
also from original sin, being purified in a special manner." But it
would not have been a special privilege if she had been purified as
Jeremias and St. John the Baptist had been in the womb, some time
after her animation. Likewise in the explanation of the Lord's
Prayer, the fifth petition, St. Thomas says: "Full of grace,
in whom there was no sin." Also in the Com. in Ps. 14:2, we
read: "There was absolutely no stain of sin both in Christ and the
Blessed Virgin Mary." Also Com. in Ps. 18:6, he writes:
"There was no obscurity of sin in the Blessed Virgin."
[2481] Bulletin thomiste, January to March, 1933, pp.
164-67
[2482] See his Com. in Summam theol. S. Thomae. De mysteriis
vitae Christi; 18f. In the explanation of the Hail Mary, St.
Thomas still says: "The Blessed Virgin was conceived in original
sin, " but, as Father Voste observes: "Unless we admit an
intolerable contradiction in this same passage, it must evidently be
understood... as referring to the stain that is to be instrumentally
transmitted through the seed and the flesh, but not at all of formal
original sin personally, contracted by the soul and person of Mary."
[2483] Denz., no. 833.
[2484] De natura et gratia, 36.
[2485] II Cor. 3:6
[2486] cf. IIIa, q. 27, a. 4; Cant. 4:7
[2487] Bull Ineffabilis Deus
[2488] Summa theol., IIIa, q. 27, a. 5
[2489] Bull Ineffabilis Deus
[2492] This point has been more fully examined by us in La Mere du
Sauveur, pp. 77f., in which we quote authors who admit this
opinion, especially St. Francis de Sales (Sermon 38) and St.
Alphonsus (Glories of Mary, II, discourse 2, second point).
[2493] Denz., no. 224
[2494] St. Thomas says (Com. in Epist. ad Heb. 10:25):
"The natural motion (for example of a falling stone), the more
swift it becomes, the more it approaches its destined end.... But
grace inclines the will after the manner of nature. Therefore those
who are in a state of grace must all the more increase in it, the more
they approach their end... for the path of the just, as a shining
light, goeth forwards and increaseth even to perfect day" (Prov.
4:18).
[2495] Luke 1:46f.
[2496] Denz., nos. 91, 256, 282, 993, 3029
[2497] Ibid., no. 1314.
[2498] cf. Rouet de Journel's Enchiridion patrist., no. 432
[2499] Summa theol., IIIa, q. 28, a. 3.
[2500] Denz., no. 1073.
[2501] Homiliae duae de dormitione Virginis Mariae
[2502] Amour de Dieu, Bk. VII, chaps. 13, 14
[2503] Premier Sermon pour la fete de l'Assomption, Ier point
[2504] Summa theol., IIIa, q. 55, a. 2, ad 2.
[2505] Luke 1:28.
[2506] Gen. 3:16f.
[2507] Luke 2:35
[2508] Rom. 6:23
[2509] Hymn Veneranda in Ambrosian and Dominican rites
[2510] Enchiridion, no. 1641, note 1; see also Coll.
Lacensis, VII, 868f.; and Appendix: The definability of
the Blessed Virgin Mary's Assumption
[2511] Responsory for Vespers of Assumption.
[2512] cf. Rouet de Journel, Enchir. patrist., no. 433.
St. Cyril of Jerusalem, St. Epiphanius, St. Jerome, St.
John Chrysostom, and St. Ephrem are quoted, agreeing
substantially in praying: "Hail, best mediatrix between God and
men. Hail, most efficacious conciliatrix... and after the
Mediator, the Mediatrix of the whole world." cf. St. Ephrem,
Opera omnia, Vol. III, col. 528
[2513] Epist. 174
[2514] Mariali, q. 42.
[2515] Encyclical, On the Rosary, September 22, 1891
[2516] Encyclical Fidentem, September 20, 1896
[2517] Denz., no 3034
[2518] Litt. Apost., "Inter sodalicia, " March 22,
1918
[2519] Litt. Apost.; "Explorata res, " February 2, 1923
[2520] Section, De indulgentiis, decree "sunt quos amor, " June
26, 1913
[2521] Denz., no. 3034 note
[2522] Mariale, q. 42.
[2523] cf. Ia IIae, q. 114, a. 6.
[2524] Denz., no. 3034
[2525] On this controversy, cf. B. H. Merchelbach, O.P.,
Mariologia, pp. 327-44, and C. Friethoff, O.P., De
Alma socia Christi mediatoris. P. G. M. Roschini O. S.
M., De Corredemptrice.
[2526] Summa theol., Ia IIae, q. 88, a. 1, ad 1
[2527] Ibid., a. 6, c.; also ad 1
[2528] The present objection is similar to this: Christ Himself was
predestined, therefore He could not merit our predestination. We
reply with St. Thomas, IIIa, q. 24, a. 4: Christ was
predestined by an eternal decree before us, and could not merit our
predestination on the part of God predestining, that is, He could
not merit the eternal act of our predestination, for, as St. Thomas
says: "By one and the same act God predestined Him and us"
(Ibid.). But He merited our predestination on the part of the
effects, that is, He merited all the effects of our predestination.
Christ has a condign right to these effects, and this does not exclude
a congruous right, in a subordinate sense, by the Blessed Virgin
Mary to these effects. Christ vivifies us through the mediation of
the Blessed Virgin Mary, just as the head through the medium of the
neck moves the members. We never said that the Blessed Virgin Mary
merited the theandric act of Christ the Redeemer, which is
impossible, just as Christ did not merit the uncreated and eternal act
of our predestination. These distinctions, which all should know,
are classical ones.
Thus in an army, although the head of a legion is commanded by the
general of the whole army, this latter commands the soldier, because
between the two commanders there is not coordination but subordination.
More briefly, although the Blessed Virgin Mary is redeemed by
Christ, she is our coredemptrix, because between her and us there is
not coordination but subordination, just as between Christ and Mary.
Hence it is easy to see that she is the mediatrix to the Redeemer.
[2529] Denz., no. 3034 note. Pius XI is also quoted in this
note as saying: "The Virgin by her bitter sorrows shared with Jesus
Christ in the work of redemption."
[2530] cf. Hymns of the Breviary, by Matthew Britt,
O.S.B., though I preferred to depart slightly at times from his
rendition. (Tr.)
[2531] In what our true and perfect devotion toward her should consist
is best explained in Blessed Louis Mary de Montfort's golden book
entitled: Le traite de la vraie devotion a la Sainte Vierge
[2532] cf. Dict. de theol. cath., art. "Joseph."
[2533] Encyclical Quamquam pluries, August 15, 1889
[2534] A cunctis
[2535] Litany of St. Joseph
[2536] Luke 1:26f
[2537] cf. IIIa, q. 24, a. 1-4.
[2538] La Grandezza di S. Giuseppe, pp. 36f.
[2539] Luke 2:43, 48
[2540] cf. Tabula aurea, under the words "Father, " no. 3,
and "Sonship, " nos. 6, 11
[2541] cf. Com. in IV Sent., d. 30, q. 2, a. 2, ad
4.
[2542] This has been more fully explained by us in the Angelicum of
October 1, 1945, under the title, "De paternitate Sancti
Joseph, " and in the book, The Mother of the Savior, pp.
342-61: "The predestination of St. Joseph and his eminent
sanctity."
[2543] Typis polyglottis Vaticani, 1942
[2544] The work by Hentrich and Gualtero, II, 740.
[2545] Ibid., p. 739
[2546] About 97 per cent.
[2547] op. cit., I, xx, the proportion was 73 per cent.
[2548] Ibid., I, xxiii.
[2549] Ibid., II, 825
[2550] The movement began in 1863 and showed notable progress,
excluding the period of Modernism, until 1940.
[2551] op. cit., II, 740
[2552] Ibid., I, 94.
[2553] cf. IIIa, q. 55, a. 2, ad. 2
[2554] op. cit., I, 740
[2555] This theological proof was invoked by St. Germanus
Constant., P. G., XCVIII, 345; by St. Anselm,
P.L., CLVIII, 966; by Peter Cell., P.L.,
CCII, 850, by St. Bernardine of Siena, De assumpt., a.
3, chap. 1.
[2556] Bull Ineffabilis Deus: "[The holy Virgin Mary] united
by a most close and indissoluble bond with Him[Christ] together with
Him and through Him exerted everlasting enmity against the venomous
serpent, and completely triumphing over him crushed his head with her
immaculate foot."
[2557] op. cit., 1, 97f. See also Acta Conc. Vat.,
Collectio Lacensis, VII, 868f.
[2558] op. cit., II, 740
[2559] Rom. 5:9-21; 6:12-17; I Cor.
15:24-26, 54-57; Col. 2:15; Heb. 2:14f.;
John 12:31; 1:29; 6:40-44, 55; 10:25; Acts
27:31
[2560] The minor is likewise formally and progressively revealed in
the following texts: Gen. 3:15; Luke 1:28, 42;
2:35, 51; John 19:25. These texts must be read by the
guiding light of tradition, and this minor was proclaimed by Pius IX
in his above-quoted dogmatic bull.
[2561] See the ancient oration "Veneranda", which was formerly
recited in Rome before the procession on the feast of the Assumption,
and which still remains in the Dominican rite and also in the
Ambrosian rite.
[2562] Luke 1:28, 42
[2563] Gen. 3 19.
[2564] op. cit., II, 739.
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