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Objection 1: It would seem that the humors will not rise again in
the body. For it is written (1 Cor. 15:50): "Flesh and
blood cannot possess the kingdom of God." Now blood is the chief
humor. Therefore it will not rise again in the blessed, who will
possess the kingdom of God, and much less in others.
Objection 2: Further, humors are intended to make up for the
waste. Now after the resurrection there will be no waste. Therefore
the body will not rise again with humors.
Objection 3: Further, that which is in process of generation in the
human body is not yet perfected by the rational soul. Now the humors
are still in process of generation because they are potentially flesh
and bone. Therefore they are not yet perfected by the rational soul.
Now the human body is not directed to the resurrection except in so far
as it is perfected by the rational soul. Therefore the humors will not
rise again.
On the contrary, Whatever enters into the constitution of the human
body will rise again with it. Now this applies to the humors, as
appears from the statement of Augustine (De Spir. et Anima xv)
that "the body consists of functional members; the functional members
of homogeneous parts; and the homogeneous parts of humors."
Therefore the humors will rise again in the body.
Further, our resurrection will be conformed to the resurrection of
Christ. Now in Christ's resurrection His blood rose again, else
the wine would not now be changed into His blood in the Sacrament of
the altar. Therefore the blood will rise again in us also, and in
like manner the other humors.
I answer that, Whatever belongs to the integrity of human nature in
those who take part in the resurrection will rise again, as stated
above (Articles 1,2). Hence whatever humidity of the body
belongs to the integrity of human nature must needs rise again in man.
Now there is a threefold humidity in man. There is one which occurs
as receding from the perfection of the individual---either because it
is on the way to corruption, and is voided by nature, for instance
urine, sweat, matter, and so forth---or because it is directed by
nature to the preservation of the species in some individual, either by
the act of the generative power, as seed, or by the act of the
nutritive power, as milk. None of these humidities will rise again,
because they do not belong to the perfection of the person rising
again.
The second kind of humidity is one that has not yet reached its
ultimate perfection, which nature achieves in the individual, yet it
is directed thereto by nature: and this is of two kinds. For there is
one kind that has a definite form and is contained among the parts of
the body, for instance the blood and the other humors which nature has
directed to the members that are produced or nourished therefrom: and
yet they have certain definite forms like the other parts of the body,
and consequently will rise again with the other parts of the body:
while another kind of humidity is in transition from form to form,
namely from the form of humor to the form of member. Humidities of
this kind will not rise again, because after the resurrection each part
of the body will be established in its form, so that one will not pass
into another. Wherefore this humidity that is actually in transition
from one form to another will not rise again. Now this humidity may be
considered in a twofold state---either as being at the beginning of
its transformation, and thus it is called "ros," namely the humidity
that is found in the cavities of the smaller veins---or as in the
course of transformation and already beginning to undergo alteration,
and thus it is called "cambium": but in neither state will it rise
again. The third kind of humidity is that which has already reached
its ultimate perfection that nature intends in the body of the
individual, and has already undergone transformation and become
incorporate with the members. This is called "gluten," and since it
belongs to the members it will rise again just as the members will.
Reply to Objection 1: In these words of the Apostle flesh and
blood do not denote the substance of flesh and blood but deeds of flesh
and blood, which are either deeds of sin or the operations of the
animal life. Or we may say with Augustine in his letter to
Consentius (Ep. cxlvi) that "flesh and blood here signify the
corruption which is now predominant in flesh and blood"; wherefore the
Apostle's words continue: "Neither shall corruption possess
incorruption."
Reply to Objection 2: Just as the members that serve for generation
will be after the resurrection for the integrity of human nature, and
not for the operation accomplished now by them, so will the humors be
in the body not to make up for waste, but to restore the integrity of
human nature and to show forth its natural power.
Reply to Objection 3: Just as the elements are in the course of
generation in relation to mixed bodies, because they are their matter,
yet not so as to be always in transition when in the mixed body, so too
are the humors in relation to the members. And for this reason as the
elements in the parts of the universe have definite forms, by reason of
which they, like mixed bodies, belong to the perfection of the
universe, so too the humors belong to the perfection of the human
body, just as the other parts do, although they do not reach its
entire perfection, as the other parts do, and although the elements
have not perfect forms as mixed bodies have. But as all the parts of
the universe receive their perfection from God, not equally, but each
one according to its mode, so too the humors are in some way perfected
by the rational soul, yet not in the same measure as the more perfect
parts.
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