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Objection 1: It would seem that poverty of spirit is not the
beatitude corresponding to the gift of fear. For fear is the beginning
of the spiritual life, as explained above (Article 7): whereas
poverty belongs to the perfection of the spiritual life, according to
Mt. 19:21, "If thou wilt be perfect, go sell what thou hast,
and give to the poor." Therefore poverty of spirit does not
correspond to the gift of fear.
Objection 2: Further, it is written (Ps. 118:120):
"Pierce Thou my flesh with Thy fear," whence it seems to follow
that it belongs to fear to restrain the flesh. But the curbing of the
flesh seems to belong rather to the beatitude of mourning. Therefore
the beatitude of mourning corresponds to the gift of fear, rather than
the beatitude of poverty.
Objection 3: Further, the gift of fear corresponds to the virtue of
hope, as stated above (Article 9, ad 1). Now the last beatitude
which is, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the
children of God," seems above all to correspond to hope, because
according to Rm. 5:2, "we . . . glory in the hope of the glory
of the sons of God." Therefore that beatitude corresponds to the
gift of fear, rather than poverty of spirit.
Objection 4: Further, it was stated above (FS, Question 70,
Article 2) that the fruits correspond to the beatitudes. Now none
of the fruits correspond to the gift of fear. Neither, therefore,
does any of the beatitudes.
On the contrary, Augustine says (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i,
4): "The fear of the Lord is befitting the humble of whom it is
said: Blessed are the poor in spirit."
I answer that, Poverty of spirit properly corresponds to fear.
Because, since it belongs to filial fear to show reverence and
submission to God, whatever results from this submission belongs to
the gift of fear. Now from the very fact that a man submits to God,
it follows that he ceases to seek greatness either in himself or in
another but seeks it only in God. For that would be inconsistent with
perfect subjection to God, wherefore it is written (Ps.
19:8): "Some trust in chariots and some in horses; but we will
call upon the name of . . . our God." It follows that if a man
fear God perfectly, he does not, by pride, seek greatness either in
himself or in external goods, viz. honors and riches. In either
case, this proceeds from poverty of spirit, in so far as the latter
denotes either the voiding of a puffed up and proud spirit, according
to Augustine's interpretation (De Serm. Dom. in Monte i,
4), or the renunciation of worldly goods which is done in spirit,
i.e. by one's own will, through the instigation of the Holy
Spirit, according to the expounding of Ambrose on Lk. 6:20 and
Jerome on Mt. 5:3.
Reply to Objection 1: Since a beatitude is an act of perfect
virtue, all the beatitudes belong to the perfection of spiritual life.
And this perfection seems to require that whoever would strive to
obtain a perfect share of spiritual goods, needs to begin by despising
earthly goods, wherefore fear holds the first place among the gifts.
Perfection, however, does not consist in the renunciation itself of
temporal goods; since this is the way to perfection: whereas filial
fear, to which the beatitude of poverty corresponds, is consistent
with the perfection of wisdom, as stated above (Articles 7,10).
Reply to Objection 2: The undue exaltation of man either in himself
or in another is more directly opposed to that submission to God which
is the result of filial fear, than is external pleasure. Yet this
is, in consequence, opposed to fear, since whoever fears God and is
subject to Him, takes no delight in things other than God.
Nevertheless, pleasure is not concerned, as exaltation is, with the
arduous character of a thing which fear regards: and so the beatitude
of poverty corresponds to fear directly, and the beatitude of
mourning, consequently.
Reply to Objection 3: Hope denotes a movement by way of a relation
of tendency to a term, whereas fear implies movement by way of a
relation of withdrawal from a term: wherefore the last beatitude which
is the term of spiritual perfection, fittingly corresponds to hope, by
way of ultimate object; while the first beatitude, which implies
withdrawal from external things which hinder submission to God,
fittingly corresponds to fear.
Reply to Objection 4: As regards the fruits, it seems that those
things correspond to the gift of fear, which pertain to the moderate
use of temporal things or to abstinence therefrom; such are modesty,
continency and chastity.
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