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Objection 1: It would seem that towards the time of the judgment the
sun and moon will be darkened in very truth. For, as Rabanus says,
commenting on Mt. 24:29 "nothing hinders us from gathering that
the sun moon, and stars will then be deprived of their light, as we
know happened to the sun at the time of our Lord's passion."
Objection 2: Further, the light of the heavenly bodies is directed
to the generation of inferior bodies, because by its means and not only
by their movement they act upon this lower world as Averroes says (De
Subst. Orbis.). But generation will cease then. Therefore
neither will light remain in the heavenly bodies.
Objection 3: Further, according to some the inferior bodies will be
cleansed of the qualities by which they act. Now heavenly bodies act
not only by movement, but also by light, as stated above (Objection
2). Therefore as the movement of heaven will cease, so will the
light of the heavenly bodies.
On the contrary, According to astronomers the sun and moon cannot be
eclipsed at the same time. But this darkening of the sun and moon is
stated to be simultaneous, when the Lord shall come to judgment.
Therefore the darkening will not be in very truth due to a natural
eclipse.
Further, it is not seemly for the same to be the cause of a thing's
failing and increasing. Now when our Lord shall come the light of the
luminaries will increase according to Is. 30:26, "The light of
the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun
shall be sevenfold." Therefore it is unfitting for the light of these
bodies to cease when our Lord comes.
I answer that, If we speak of the sun and moon in respect of the very
moment of Christ's coming, it is not credible that they will be
darkened through being bereft of their light, since when Christ comes
and the saints rise again the whole world will be renewed, as we shall
state further on (Question 74). If, however, we speak of them
in respect of the time immediately preceding the judgment, it is
possible that by the Divine power the sun, moon, and other luminaries
of the heavens will be darkened, either at various times or all
together, in order to inspire men with fear.
Reply to Objection 1: Rabanus is speaking of the time preceding the
judgment: wherefore he adds that when the judgment day is over the
words of Isaias shall be fulfilled.
Reply to Objection 2: Light is in the heavenly bodies not only for
the purpose of causing generation in these lower bodies, but also for
their own perfection and beauty. Hence it does not follow that where
generation ceases, the light of the heavenly bodies will cease, but
rather that it will increase.
Reply to Objection 3: It does not seem probable that the elemental
qualities will be removed from the elements, although some have
asserted this. If, however, they be removed, there would still be
no parallel between them and light, since the elemental qualities are
in opposition to one another, so that their action is corruptive:
whereas light is a principle of action not by way of opposition, but by
way of a principle regulating things in opposition to one another and
bringing them back to harmony. Nor is there a parallel with the
movement of heavenly bodies, for movement is the act of that which is
imperfect, wherefore it must needs cease when the imperfection ceases:
whereas this cannot be said of light.
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