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Objection 1: It would seem that contemplation or meditation is not
the cause of devotion. No cause hinders its effect. But subtle
considerations about abstract matters are often a hindrance to
devotion. Therefore contemplation or meditation is not the cause of
devotion.
Objection 2: Further, if contemplation were the proper and
essential cause of devotion, the higher objects of contemplation would
arouse greater devotion. But the contrary is the case: since
frequently we are urged to greater devotion by considering Christ's
Passion and other mysteries of His humanity than by considering the
greatness of His Godhead. Therefore contemplation is not the proper
cause of devotion.
Objection 3: Further, if contemplation were the proper cause of
devotion, it would follow that those who are most apt for
contemplation, are also most apt for devotion. Yet the contrary is to
be noticed, for devotion is frequently found in men of simplicity and
members of the female sex, who are defective in contemplation.
Therefore contemplation is not the proper cause of devotion.
On the contrary, It is written (Ps. 38:4): "In my
meditation a fire shall flame out." But spiritual fire causes
devotion. Therefore meditation is the cause of devotion.
I answer that, The extrinsic and chief cause of devotion is God, of
Whom Ambrose, commenting on Lk. 9:55, says that "God calls
whom He deigns to call, and whom He wills He makes religious: the
profane Samaritans, had He so willed, He would have made devout."
But the intrinsic cause on our part must needs be meditation or
contemplation. For it was stated above (Article 1) that devotion
is an act of the will to the effect that man surrenders himself readily
to the service of God. Now every act of the will proceeds from some
consideration, since the object of the will is a good understood.
Wherefore Augustine says (De Trin. ix, 12; xv, 23) that
"the will arises from the intelligence." Consequently meditation
must needs be the cause of devotion, in so far as through meditation
man conceives the thought of surrendering himself to God's service.
Indeed a twofold consideration leads him thereto. The one is the
consideration of God's goodness and loving kindness, according to
Ps. 72:28, "It is good for me to adhere to my God, to put my
hope in the Lord God": and this consideration wakens love
[dilectio] which is the proximate cause of devotion. The other
consideration is that of man's own shortcomings, on account of which
he needs to lean on God, according to Ps. 120:1,2, "I have
lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me:
my help is from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth"; and this
consideration shuts out presumption whereby man is hindered from
submitting to God, because he leans on His strength.
Reply to Objection 1: The consideration of such things as are of a
nature to awaken our love [dilectio] of God, causes devotion;
whereas the consideration of foreign matters that distract the mind from
such things is a hindrance to devotion.
Reply to Objection 2: Matters concerning the Godhead are, in
themselves, the strongest incentive to love [dilectio] and
consequently to devotion, because God is supremely lovable. Yet such
is the weakness of the human mind that it needs a guiding hand, not
only to the knowledge, but also to the love of Divine things by means
of certain sensible objects known to us. Chief among these is the
humanity of Christ, according to the words of the Preface [Preface
for Christmastide], "that through knowing God visibly, we may be
caught up to the love of things invisible." Wherefore matters
relating to Christ's humanity are the chief incentive to devotion,
leading us thither as a guiding hand, although devotion itself has for
its object matters concerning the Godhead.
Reply to Objection 3: Science and anything else conducive to
greatness, is to man an occasion of self-confidence, so that he does
not wholly surrender himself to God. The result is that such like
things sometimes occasion a hindrance to devotion; while in simple
souls and women devotion abounds by repressing pride. If, however, a
man perfectly submits to God his science or any other perfection, by
this very fact his devotion is increased.
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