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Objection 1: It would seem that understanding, considered as a gift
of the Holy Ghost, is not practical, but only speculative. For,
according to Gregory (Moral. i, 32), "understanding penetrates
certain more exalted things." But the practical intellect is
occupied, not with exalted, but with inferior things, viz.
singulars, about which actions are concerned. Therefore
understanding, considered as a gift, is not practical.
Objection 2: Further, the gift of understanding is something more
excellent than the intellectual virtue of understanding. But the
intellectual virtue of understanding is concerned with none but
necessary things, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. vi, 6).
Much more, therefore, is the gift of understanding concerned with
none but necessary matters. Now the practical intellect is not about
necessary things, but about things which may be otherwise than they
are, and which may result from man's activity. Therefore the gift of
understanding is not practical.
Objection 3: Further, the gift of understanding enlightens the mind
in matters which surpass natural reason. Now human activities, with
which the practical intellect is concerned, do not surpass natural
reason, which is the directing principle in matters of action, as was
made clear above (FS, Question 58, Article 2; FS,
Question 71, Article 6). Therefore the gift of understanding is
not practical.
On the contrary, It is written (Ps. 110:10): "A good
understanding to all that do it."
I answer that, As stated above (Article 2), the gift of
understanding is not only about those things which come under faith
first and principally, but also about all things subordinate to faith.
Now good actions have a certain relationship to faith: since "faith
worketh through charity," according to the Apostle (Gal.
5:6). Hence the gift of understanding extends also to certain
actions, not as though these were its principal object, but in so far
as the rule of our actions is the eternal law, to which the higher
reason, which is perfected by the gift of understanding, adheres by
contemplating and consulting it, as Augustine states (De Trin.
xii, 7).
Reply to Objection 1: The things with which human actions are
concerned are not surpassingly exalted considered in themselves, but,
as referred to the rule of the eternal law, and to the end of Divine
happiness, they are exalted so that they can be the matter of
understanding.
Reply to Objection 2: The excellence of the gift of understanding
consists precisely in its considering eternal or necessary matters, not
only as they are rules of human actions, because a cognitive virtue is
the more excellent, according to the greater extent of its object.
Reply to Objection 3: The rule of human actions is the human reason
and the eternal law, as stated above (FS, Question 71, Article
6). Now the eternal law surpasses human reason: so that the
knowledge of human actions, as ruled by the eternal law, surpasses the
natural reason, and requires the supernatural light of a gift of the
Holy Ghost.
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