|
Objection 1: It would seem that there cannot be excess in the
worship of God. It is written (Ecclus. 43:32): "Glorify
the Lord as much as ever you can, for He will yet far exceed." Now
the divine worship is directed to the glorification of God. Therefore
there can be no excess in it.
Objection 2: Further, outward worship is a profession of inward
worship, "whereby God is worshiped with faith, hope, and
charity," as Augustine says (Enchiridion iii). Now there can be
no excess in faith, hope, and charity. Neither, therefore, can
there be in the worship of God.
Objection 3: Further, to worship God consists in offering to Him
what we have received from Him. But we have received all our goods
from God. Therefore if we do all that we possibly can for God's
honor, there will be no excess in the divine worship.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Doctr. Christ. ii, 18)
"that the good and true Christian rejects also superstitious fancies,
from Holy Writ." But Holy Writ teaches us to worship God.
Therefore there can be superstition by reason of excess even in the
worship of God.
I answer that, A thing is said to be in excess in two ways. First,
with regard to absolute quantity, and in this way there cannot be
excess in the worship of God, because whatever man does is less than
he owes God. Secondly, a thing is in excess with regard to quantity
of proportion, through not being proportionate to its end. Now the
end of divine worship is that man may give glory to God, and submit to
Him in mind and body. Consequently, whatever a man may do conducing
to God's glory, and subjecting his mind to God, and his body,
too, by a moderate curbing of the concupiscences, is not excessive in
the divine worship, provided it be in accordance with the commandments
of God and of the Church, and in keeping with the customs of those
among whom he lives.
On the other hand if that which is done be, in itself, not conducive
to God's glory, nor raise man's mind to God, nor curb inordinate
concupiscence, or again if it be not in accordance with the
commandments of God and of the Church, or if it be contrary to the
general custom---which, according to Augustine [Ad Casulan.
Ep. xxxvi], "has the force of law"---all this must be reckoned
excessive and superstitious, because consisting, as it does, of mere
externals, it has no connection with the internal worship of God.
Hence Augustine (De Vera Relig. iii) quotes the words of Lk.
17:21, "The kingdom of God is within you," against the
"superstitious," those, to wit, who pay more attention to
externals.
Reply to Objection 1: The glorification of God implies that what
is done is done for God's glory: and this excludes the excess denoted
by superstition.
Reply to Objection 2: Faith, hope and charity subject the mind to
God, so that there can be nothing excessive in them. It is different
with external acts, which sometimes have no connection with these
virtues.
Reply to Objection 3: This argument considers excess by way of
absolute quantity.
|
|