Evening Collation

A light has gone up for the just, and joy for the upright of heart (Ps 97:11).

Today it was said in what way the Blessed Virgin in her rising is a brilliant light. It remains to see in what way she is joy for [righteous or] upright people, since it is written in this verse: and joy for the upright of heart.

Joy is promised in Sacred Scripture not to just any kind of upright people, but to the upright of heart, that is, the perfectly upright. (Because our heart is where our interior movements (like love) begin: ST I.20.1, ad 1; cf. I-II.45.3. See note on rectitudo above.) So, we will expound how we understand Job 1:1, where it says of Job: that man was single-hearted and upright who feared God and avoided evil; single-hearted in intention, (In other words: not being two-faced, as Thomas formulates it in view of Matthew 6:22, at the end of section 2.3.) upright in what he did. He feared God and avoided evil, that is, sin. Thus Solomon says in Proverbs 14:16: a wise man fears and turns away from evil. And elsewhere, in Proverbs 16:6, (DR: Proverbs 15:27.) we read: through fear every man turns away from evil. To such a righteous man joy is promised (cf. Ps 97:11).

We must look at the fact that there are two sides to a man: (1) the interior and (2) the exterior. And according to this it is necessary that a perfectly upright man be upright inside and on the outside. (Cf. ST I-II.21.1.)

1. The interior man consists of the soul. And the soul has two parts: the intellect and the affection. (Cf. ST I.14, intr.; I.77.1, ad 4; I.77.4 and 8; I.78, intr.) And in accordance with this it is required that there be rectitude in the interior man:

(1.1) First, in respect of the intellect, because rectitude is the knowledge of the truth.

(1.2) Second, it is necessary that there be rectitude in respect of the affection, which is the delight in true goodness. (In ST I.16.4, Thomas considers how goodness and truth are related.) This ought to be the case, since the knowledge of love keeps the intellect upright, and love for true goodness keeps the affection upright. (For Thomas’s terminology, see Sermon 1, He Who Is Desired, note in section 3.3: amor can be a passion and a virtue, but dilectio, caritas, and amicitia can only be virtues; cf. also ST I-II.26. Passionate love, like all other passions, may—but does not necessarily—blur the distinction between good and evil; cf. ST I-II.59.1–2 and 5.)

1.1. First, I say that knowing the highest truth keeps the intellect upright. (Ignorance leads to sin: ST I-II.76; cf. ST I-II.93.1–2 (knowing the eternal law) and I-II.109 (the necessity of grace for knowing, willing, and doing what is true and good).) Thence we read in Psalm 73:1: how good, that is, very good, is Israel’s God for these who are upright of heart. He is good, meaning that he is pouring out his goods, (Thomas takes over Dionysius’s definition, which says that it is characteristic of goodness to distribute goods. This applies to the highest extent to God, who is the highest good and whose essence is goodness itself: ST I.5.4; I.6.1–4; I.65.2; I-II.1.4, ad 1.) for those who are upright of heart: those who have knowledge of the highest truth through faith, (Which is a gracious gift from God: ST I-II.63.1.) because faith is a special light for getting to know the Lord and the things that concern the Lord. (Cf. ST I.12.13. The virtue of faith itself is extensively contemplated in ST II-II.1–16.) Psalm 125:4 reads: bless, O Lord, the good ones as for their affection, and the upright of heart as for their intellect. It is obvious, now, that for man to be perfectly righteous, the interior light must be aimed in the right direction; in other words, the rectitude of the intellectual part of the soul is required. (ST I-II.4.3.)

1.2. Second, the rectitude of the interior man is required in respect of his affection. Concerning this rectitude Bernard says that the rectitude of a rational creature consists in conforming his will to the divine will. (Bernard of Clairvaux, Sermons, “De voluntate nostra divinae,” sermon 26, para. 4 (PL 183:611); cf. Peter Lombard, Commentary on the Psalms, on Psalm 32:1 (PL 191:325D); from Augustine, Expositions on the Psalms, on Psalm 32:1, enarration 2, sermon 1, para. 2 (CCSL 38:247–48; PL 36:277).) Well, this conformity consists in love, which transforms the one who loves into someone beloved, not in his substance, but by making the will congruent with God’s will. (ST I-II.4.4, 104.4, ad 2.)

2. Even more, it is also necessary that everything be upright [or righteous] in the exterior man. (Cf. Psalm 15. Therefore, an upright man acts in accordance with justice: ST I-II.55.4, obj. 4.) For this, three things are required:

(2.1) first, that he be upright in his sight, in what he looks at;

(2.2) second, that he be upright in speech or affection;

(2.3) third, that he be upright in his walking (cf. Prov 4:20–27).

2.1. First, I say that it is required that the exterior man be upright in his sight, or in what he looks at, as Solomon says in Proverbs 4:25: let your eyes see upright things, and let your eyelids go before your steps. It says: let your eyes see upright things, not only internally, but externally the things that are allowed to be seen. For Gregory says: it is not allowed to look at what is not allowed to be desired. (Gregory the Great, Morals on the Book of Job, bk. 21, ch. 2, para. 4, on Job 31:1 (CCSL 143A:1066; PL 76:190B).) Proverbs says, let them see upright things, namely, the examples of the saints and the good works of our neighbors. And let your eyelids, et cetera: a man ought to cast down his eyes toward the inferior and low things. (Cf. Psalm 119:37, Isaiah 33:15. After all, what we see affects the soul: ST I.97.2; II-II.154.4; cf. Psalm 45:12, Matthew 9:36. In ST II-II.53.4, Thomas connects seeing diligently with prudence: negligence, not being attentive to what you take in, may well lead to a wrong way of thinking and a wrong decision.)

But some have their eyes lifted up in pride and haughtiness of heart. In Proverbs 6:16–19 we read about these people: there are six things the Lord hates, and a seventh thing his soul detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that plots wicked schemes, feet that run swiftly to evil, the false witness who utters lies, and the one who sows discord among brothers.

When a peacock vaunts its tail and sees its feet, it immediately puts its tail down. (The peacock is a royal bird (cf. 1 Kgs 10:22) and a symbol of vanity and pride. Its feet, however, are nothing to be proud of. Looking at your feet is also looking “down” at yourself, as opposed to “haughty” eyes looking at others (cf. ST II-II.161.2, obj. 1 [citing Ps 131:1] and 161.6).) In a similar way, when some good people are carried away by pride, (A most serious sin, also because other sins may follow from it: ST I-II.84.2; II-II.162.) which I hope will not happen, may they take a look at their feet and be made humble. It says (in Prov 4:25) eyes, plural, not just one eye; and let them see upright things, not up-left, that is, bad things.

2.2. Second, the exterior man ought to be upright [or righteous] in speech in accordance with his affection. (Otherwise, he would be a wolf in sheep’s clothing. See Sermon 14, Beware of the False Prophets: Evening Collation.) For the Apostle says in 2 Timothy 2:15: be careful that you present yourself to God as approved by him, as an irreproachable laborer, rightly treating the word of truth.

He speaks primarily to the highly placed man and accordingly to all others. He says: be careful, by the pain of contrition, that you present yourself to God as an upright, irreproachable laborer, namely, as someone who is not worthy of blame but of praise and reward. Such is the one who has said useful things. But evil ones are worthy of blame. Rightly treating the word of truth, [the Apostle says].

Some do not treat the word of truth in the right way, namely, those who preach for their own glory or in order to show the excellence of their good qualities or for their own ostentation. (Thus it is against the virtue of truth (ST II-II.112) and one of the daughters of empty glory (ST II-II.132.5).)

But those treat the word of truth rightly who treat it in such a way that God is glorified and the neighbor is edified (cf. Matt 5:16, Eph 4:29).

I have heard about a certain teacher in theology who was a teaching master for 25 years, and during 20 years, as he confessed on his deathbed, he had done it more because of vainglory than because of giving honor to God and the edification of the neighbor.

A beautiful sword that is made for cutting—if someone used it for digging up mud, he would use it in a bad way, because he does not use it for the aim for which it is meant. In a similar way the word of truth is meant for God’s praise and the edification of the neighbor. (Cf. ST I-II.101.2; II-II.109.2–3.) So someone who uses it in another way or for another end, uses it in an evil way.

Because of this it is said in Sirach 28:25: (DR: Sirach 28:29.) you must make a pair of scales for your words, that is, consider whether your words are to the praise of God or not, or whether they are harmful for the neighbor or not; and an upright bridle for your mouth. A bridle is upright, when it is not more on the one side than on the other. But when it is loose on one side and very tight on the other, then it is not upright. And sometimes someone keeps the bridle of his mouth upright when things go well for him, whereas in adversity he blasphemes and groans (See especially ST II-II.13.2, ad 3; it can be a forgivable, but also an unforgivable, sin, that is, against the Holy Spirit (ST II-II.14). In this section 2, Thomas connects it with our sight, as he does in the ST II-II.15.)—James says in his letter about such people: if someone considers himself religious, but does not restrain his language, from evil words, so that he blasphemes, his religiousness is empty (Jas 1:26).

2.3. Third, every exterior man ought to be upright in his intellect. Hence the Apostle says in Hebrews 12:13: take right steps with your feet, namely, with your mind as well as with your body, so that the lame does not err by unbelief in his intellect, (ST II-II.1.5, ad 1: the godless are ignorant of the things that belong to the faith, because they neither see nor know these as such, nor do they know that these are credible.) but may rather be cured, namely, by divine grace. (Cf. Psalm 6:3–5, etc.; ST I-II.68.5, ad 1; II-II.9.1, ad 2; III.4.4.) Someone became in his affection lame in two parts, as we read in 1 Kings 18:21: how long do you remain lame in two parts [or: feet]? If he is the Lord, follow him. Others are lame in one foot: they have true faith in their intellect, (ST II-II.1.5, ad 1: in this way believers have an acquaintance with the things that belong to the faith, not by way of proof, but insofar as through the light of faith it seems that these things are to be believed.) but they hate the good with their affection. (Thomas does not mean here “hating your father and mother” as a condition for following Christ (Luke 14:26; cf. ST II-II.26.7, ad 1), but as in 1 John 4:20: one cannot hate his brother and sister and love God; cf. ST II-II.26.1, ad 1.) They who have the error of unbelief in their intellect and hatred of goodness in their affection, are lame in both feet; or they are the ones who are elated in time of prosperity, but groan in time of adversity. Because of this the Apostle says in Hebrews 12:13: take right steps with your feet, et cetera, so that you may have humble patience, true faith, and good love.

So, if we have a righteous man, interior and exterior—to such people joy is promised (in Ps 97:11).

But you will say: “the one who has written ‘the upright of heart,’ why did he not in a similar way write ‘the upright of body’ or ‘the upright of steps’ or ‘of sight’?” The reason is that when there is rectitude in the interior man, there is rectitude in the exterior man as well, because, as we read in Matthew 6:22, if your eye be single, that is, without a fold of being two-faced or erroneous, (Cf. ST I-II.12.1, obj. 1. Simplicitas is derived from sine plica (“without a fold”); cf. Caesarius of Heisterbach, The Dialogue of Miracles, ed. J. Strange, Fontes Christiani 86 (Cologne: J. M. Heberle, 1851) vol. 3, d. 6, ch. 18, p. 1222.) your whole body will be enlightened, meaning: the multitude of your works will be good and upright. Thus, since the exterior man depends on the interior man, he is only writing upright of heart and not also “of body.” In this way it is clear who the upright [or righteous] are.

3. Do you know what these upright people do? (First Thomas has focused on what an upright man is: (1) interior and (2) exterior. Next he discusses what an upright man does: practical instructions.) They render three things to the Lord:

(3.1) first, they improve their life;

(3.2) second, they love the Lord;

and (3.3) third, they bless the Lord and they give the Lord thanks in return for the blessings which they received from God.

3.1. First, I say, they improve their life. Hence it says in Proverbs 21:29: the godless, who neither holds the Lord in veneration nor has compassion toward his neighbor, unbridles his face, meaning, does not furnish the seat of his thought with a bridle, stubbornly, that is, imprudently and without reverence; but someone who is upright improves his life by means of foresight. (ST II-II.49.7, obj. 3: Thomas considers foresight (praevidentia) a part of prudence, the first of the four cardinal virtues (II-II.47–56). Here he strongly connects it with the second cardinal virtue: justice (II-II.57–122).) Such is the one who is righteous through rectitude of justice to his neighbor and through the rectitude of contemplation towards God. But the godless unbridles his face, so that he does not accept an order of God, or if he accepts it, he does not accomplish the work (cf. Matt 21:30).

3.2. Second, the upright of heart cling to God through love. Thus we read in Song of Songs 1:4: (DR: Song of Songs 1:3.) the upright love you. Psalm 25:21: the innocent and the upright have clung to me, namely, through zeal and the virtue of love mastered by practice. (Fervor, zeal, refers to the intensity, whereas habitus, a virtue mastered by practice (rather than “habit”), to the constancy: ST I-II.48.2, respectively, I-II.49–89.)

3.3. Third, the upright of heart give the Lord thanks in return for the blessings received. (This is considered justice unto God, which is called religio: ST II-II.81–91.) Hence it says in Nehemiah 8:5 that when Ezra absolved the law, all the upright stood. When he absolved the law means that he read it all the way through and explained it (cf. Neh 8:8). It is called law since it is binding for us. (Cf. Aquinas, In III Sent. 27.3.4, obj. 3; ST I-II.90.1, resp.) But he also blessed the Lord Most High, the almighty Lord of hosts; and the whole people responded: ‘amen’ (Neh 8:6). Then it proceeds: and all came together into Jerusalem to celebrate with joy (Neh 8:12), to which, et cetera.