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Objection 1: It seems that the created intellect does not need any
created light in order to see the essence of God. For what is of
itself lucid in sensible things does not require any other light in
order to be seen. Therefore the same applies to intelligible things.
Now God is intelligible light. Therefore He is not seen by means of
any created light.
Objection 2: Further, if God is seen through a medium, He is not
seen in His essence. But if seen by any created light, He is seen
through a medium. Therefore He is not seen in His essence.
Objection 3: Further, what is created can be natural to some
creature. Therefore if the essence of God is seen through any created
light, such a light can be made natural to some other creature; and
thus, that creature would not need any other light to see God; which
is impossible. Therefore it is not necessary that every creature
should require a superadded light in order to see the essence of God.
On the contrary, It is written: "In Thy light we shall see
light" (Ps. 35:10).
I answer that, Everything which is raised up to what exceeds its
nature, must be prepared by some disposition above its nature; as,
for example, if air is to receive the form of fire, it must be
prepared by some disposition for such a form. But when any created
intellect sees the essence of God, the essence of God itself becomes
the intelligible form of the intellect. Hence it is necessary that
some supernatural disposition should be added to the intellect in order
that it may be raised up to such a great and sublime height. Now since
the natural power of the created intellect does not avail to enable it
to see the essence of God, as was shown in the preceding article, it
is necessary that the power of understanding should be added by divine
grace. Now this increase of the intellectual powers is called the
illumination of the intellect, as we also call the intelligible object
itself by the name of light of illumination. And this is the light
spoken of in the Apocalypse (Apoc. 21:23): "The glory of
God hath enlightened it"---viz. the society of the blessed who see
God. By this light the blessed are made "deiform"---i.e. like
to God, according to the saying: "When He shall appear we shall be
like to Him, and we shall see Him as He is" (1 Jn. 2:2).
Reply to Objection 1: The created light is necessary to see the
essence of God, not in order to make the essence of God
intelligible, which is of itself intelligible, but in order to enable
the intellect to understand in the same way as a habit makes a power
abler to act. Even so corporeal light is necessary as regards external
sight, inasmuch as it makes the medium actually transparent, and
susceptible of color.
Reply to Objection 2: This light is required to see the divine
essence, not as a similitude in which God is seen, but as a
perfection of the intellect, strengthening it to see God. Therefore
it may be said that this light is to be described not as a medium in
which God is seen, but as one by which He is seen; and such a medium
does not take away the immediate vision of God.
Reply to Objection 3: The disposition to the form of fire can be
natural only to the subject of that form. Hence the light of glory
cannot be natural to a creature unless the creature has a divine
nature; which is impossible. But by this light the rational creature
is made deiform, as is said in this article.
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