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Objection 1: It would seem that eternal happiness is not the proper
object of hope. For a man does not hope for that which surpasses every
movement of the soul, since hope itself is a movement of the soul.
Now eternal happiness surpasses every movement of the human soul, for
the Apostle says (1 Cor. 2:9) that it hath not "entered into
the heart of man." Therefore happiness is not the proper object of
hope.
Objection 2: Further, prayer is an expression of hope, for it is
written (Ps. 36:5): "Commit thy way to the Lord, and trust
in Him, and He will do it." Now it is lawful for man to pray God
not only for eternal happiness, but also for the goods, both temporal
and spiritual, of the present life, and, as evidenced by the Lord's
Prayer, to be delivered from evils which will no longer be in eternal
happiness. Therefore eternal happiness is not the proper object of
hope.
Objection 3: Further, the object of hope is something difficult.
Now many things besides eternal happiness are difficult to man.
Therefore eternal happiness is not the proper object of hope.
On the contrary, The Apostle says (Heb. 6:19) that we have
hope "which entereth in," i.e. maketh us to enter . . . "within
the veil," i.e. into the happiness of heaven, according to the
interpretation of a gloss on these words. Therefore the object of hope
is eternal happiness.
I answer that, As stated above (Article 1), the hope of which we
speak now, attains God by leaning on His help in order to obtain the
hoped for good. Now an effect must be proportionate to its cause.
Wherefore the good which we ought to hope for from God properly and
chiefly is the infinite good, which is proportionate to the power of
our divine helper, since it belongs to an infinite power to lead anyone
to an infinite good. Such a good is eternal life, which consists in
the enjoyment of God Himself. For we should hope from Him for
nothing less than Himself, since His goodness, whereby He imparts
good things to His creature, is no less than His Essence.
Therefore the proper and principal object of hope is eternal
happiness.
Reply to Objection 1: Eternal happiness does not enter into the
heart of man perfectly, i.e. so that it be possible for a wayfarer to
know its nature and quality; yet, under the general notion of the
perfect good, it is possible for it to be apprehended by a man, and it
is in this way that the movement of hope towards it arises. Hence the
Apostle says pointedly (Heb. 6:19) that hope "enters in, even
within the veil," because that which we hope for is as yet veiled, so
to speak.
Reply to Objection 2: We ought not to pray God for any other
goods, except in reference to eternal happiness. Hence hope regards
eternal happiness chiefly, and other things, for which we pray God,
it regards secondarily and as referred to eternal happiness: just as
faith regards God principally, and, secondarily, those things which
are referred to God, as stated above (Question 1, Article 1).
Reply to Objection 3: To him that longs for something great, all
lesser things seem small; wherefore to him that hopes for eternal
happiness, nothing else appears arduous, as compared with that hope;
although, as compared with the capability of the man who hopes, other
things besides may be arduous to him, so that he may have hope for such
things in reference to its principal object.
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