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Objection 1: It would seem that it is fitting also that the Father
should be sent. For being sent means that the divine person is given.
But the Father gives Himself since He can only be possessed by His
giving Himself. Therefore it can be said that the Father sends
Himself.
Objection 2: Further, the divine person is sent according to the
indwelling of grace. But by grace the whole Trinity dwells in us
according to Jn. 14:23: "We will come to him and make Our
abode with him." Therefore each one of the divine persons is sent.
Objection 3: Further, whatever belongs to one person, belongs to
them all, except the notions and persons. But mission does not
signify any person; nor even a notion, since there are only five
notions, as stated above (Question 32, Article 3). Therefore
every divine person can be sent.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Trin. ii, 3), "The
Father alone is never described as being sent."
I answer that, The very idea of mission means procession from
another, and in God it means procession according to origin, as above
expounded. Hence, as the Father is not from another, in no way is
it fitting for Him to be sent; but this can only belong to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost, to Whom it belongs to be from another.
Reply to Objection 1: In the sense of "giving" as a free bestowal
of something, the Father gives Himself, as freely bestowing Himself
to be enjoyed by the creature. But as implying the authority of the
giver as regards what is given, "to be given" only applies in God to
the Person Who is from another; and the same as regards "being
sent."
Reply to Objection 2: Although the effect of grace is also from the
Father, Who dwells in us by grace, just as the Son and the Holy
Ghost, still He is not described as being sent, for He is not from
another. Thus Augustine says (De Trin. iv, 20) that "The
Father, when known by anyone in time, is not said to be sent; for
there is no one whence He is, or from whom He proceeds."
Reply to Objection 3: Mission, meaning procession from the
sender, includes the signification of a notion, not of a special
notion, but in general; thus "to be from another" is common to two
of the notions.
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