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Objection 1: It would seem that the saints will never use their
agility for the purpose of movement. For, according to the
Philosopher (Phys. iii, 2), "movement is the act of the
imperfect." But there will be no imperfection in glorified bodies.
Neither therefore will there be any movement.
Objection 2: Further, all movement is on account of some need,
because whatever is in motion is moved for the sake of obtaining some
end. But glorified bodies will have no need, since as Augustine says
(De Spiritu et Anima, lxiii [Question 70, Article 2, ad
1]), "all thou willest will be there, and nothing that thou
willest not." Therefore they will not move.
Objection 3: Further, according to the Philosopher (De Coelo et
Mundo ii), "that which shares the Divine goodness without movement
shares it more excellently than that which shares it with movement."
Now the glorified body shares the Divine goodness more excellently
than any other body. Since then certain bodies, like the heavenly
bodies, will remain altogether without movement, it seems that much
more will human bodies remain so.
Objection 4: Further, Augustine says (De Vera Relig. xii)
that the soul being established in God will in consequence establish
its body. Now the soul will be so established in God, that in no way
will it move away from Him. Therefore in the body there will be no
movement caused by the soul.
Objection 5: Further, the more noble a body is, the more noble a
place is due to it: wherefore Christ's body which is the most exalted
of all has the highest place of all, according to Heb. 7:26,
"Made higher than the heavens," where a gloss says, "in place and
dignity." And again each glorified body will, in like manner, have
a place befitting it according to the measure of its dignity. Now a
fitting place is one of the conditions pertaining to glory. Since then
after the resurrection the glory of the saints will never vary, neither
by increase nor by decrease, because they will then have reached the
final term of all, it would seem that their bodies will never leave the
place assigned to them, and consequently will not be moved.
On the contrary, It is written (Is. 40:31): "They shall
run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint"; and (Wis.
3:7): "(The just) shall run to and fro like sparks among the
reeds." Therefore there will be some movement in glorified bodies.
I answer that, It is necessary to suppose that the glorified bodies
are moved sometimes, since even Christ's body was moved in His
ascension, and likewise the bodies of the saints, which will arise
from the earth, will ascend to the empyrean. But even after they have
climbed the heavens, it is likely that they will sometimes move
according as it pleases them; so that by actually putting into practice
that which is in their power, they may show forth the excellence of
Divine wisdom, and that furthermore their vision may be refreshed by
the beauty of the variety of creatures, in which God's wisdom will
shine forth with great evidence: for sense can only perceive that which
is present, although glorified bodies can perceive from a greater
distance than non-glorified bodies. And yet movement will nowise
diminish their happiness which consists in seeing God, for He will be
everywhere present to them; thus Gregory says of the angels (Hom.
xxxiv in Evang.) that "wherever they are sent their course lies in
God."
Reply to Objection 1: Local movement changes nothing that is
intrinsic to a thing, but only that which is without namely place.
Hence that which is moved locally is perfect as to those things which
are within (Phys. viii, 7), although it has an imperfection as to
place, because while it is in one place it is in potentiality with
regard to another place, since it cannot be in several places at the
same time, for this belongs to God alone. But this defect is not
inconsistent with the perfection of glory, as neither is the defect
whereby a creature is formed from nothing. Hence such like defects
will remain in glorified bodies.
Reply to Objection 2: A person is said to need a thing in two
ways, namely absolutely and relatively. One needs absolutely that
without which one cannot retain one's being or one's perfection: and
thus movement in glorified bodies will not be on account of a need,
because their happiness will suffice them for all such things. But we
need a thing relatively when without it some end we have in view cannot
be obtained by us, or not so well, or not in some particular way. It
is thus that movement will be in the blessed on account of need, for
they will be unable to show forth their motive power practically,
unless they be in motion, since nothing prevents a need of this kind
being in glorified bodies.
Reply to Objection 3: This argument would prove if the glorified
body were unable even without movement to share the Divine goodness
much more perfectly than the heavenly bodies, which is untrue. Hence
glorified bodies will be moved, not in order to gain a perfect
participation in the Divine goodness (since they have this through
glory), but in order to show the soul's power. On the other hand,
the movement of the heavenly bodies could not show their power, except
the power they have in moving lower bodies to generation and
corruption, which is not becoming to that state. Hence the argument
does not prove.
Reply to Objection 4: Local movement takes nothing away from the
stability of the soul that is established in God, since it does not
affect that which is intrinsic to a thing, as stated above (ad 1).
Reply to Objection 5: The fitting place assigned to each glorified
body according to the degree of its dignity belongs to the accidental
reward. Nor does it follow that this reward is diminished whenever the
body is outside its place; because that place pertains to reward, not
as actually containing the body located therein (since nothing flows
therefrom into the glorified body, but rather does it receive splendor
therefrom), but as being due to merits. Wherefore, though out of
that place, they will still continue to rejoice in it.
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