Chapter 153 — That divine grace causes hope in us

In the same way it can be proved that grace must cause in us the hope of future bliss.

For the love which a man has for others arises from his love for himself, inasmuch as a man looks upon his friend as his other self. (Nicomachean Ethics 9.4, 8.) Now, a man loves himself in that he wishes good for himself; even as he loves another in that he wishes good for him. Consequently, a man is led to have an affection for another’s good through having an affection for his own good. Through this, therefore, when a man hopes for a good from another, he is on the way to love him of whom he hopes some good for his own sake: for a man is loved in himself when the lover wills his good, even though he gain nothing from it. Therefore, since sanctifying grace causes man to love God for himself, (Ch. 151.) the consequence is that grace also causes man to hope in God. Friendship, whereby one loves another in himself although it be not for one’s own profit, nevertheless turns to one’s profit in many ways insofar as one friend helps another as he would help himself. Consequently, when one man loves another and knows that he is beloved of him, the result is that he has hope of him. Now, grace makes man a lover of God according to the love of charity, so that at the same time he knows by faith that God already loves him, as expressed by the words of 1 John 4:10: In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he first loved us. Therefore, the effect of the gift of grace is that man hopes in God. Hence it is evident that, as hope prepares man for true love of God, so conversely by charity man is strengthened in hope.

Moreover. There arises in every lover the desire to be united as far as possible with the beloved: hence nothing gives greater pleasure to friends than living together. (Cf. Nicomachean Ethics 8. 5.) Since, then, grace makes man a lover of God, it must also make him desire union with God, as far as this is possible. Now, faith, which originates from grace, (Ch. 152.) affirms it to be possible for man to be united to God in perfect enjoyment, in which beatitude consists. Therefore, the desire of this enjoyment arises in man from his love of God. But the desire of a thing troubles the soul of the desirer unless he has the hope of obtaining it. Accordingly, as grace gives rise in man to the love of God and faith, it was fitting that it should also give rise to the hope of obtaining beatitude in the life to come.

Again. If any difficulty offers itself to those who are being directed to an end desired by them, they are comforted by the hope of obtaining it: thus one puts up with the bitter medicine through the hope of being restored to health. Now, many difficulties have to be faced on the way in which we fare towards beatitude which that is the end of all our desires, since virtue, which is the road to beatitude, is about difficult things. (Nichomachean Ethics. 2.3.) In order, then, that man might tend to beatitude with a lighter heart and greater readiness, it was necessary to give him the hope of obtaining beatitude.

Further. No man is moved towards an end which he deems impossible to obtain. Therefore, in order for a man to proceed towards a certain end, it is necessary for him to think of that end as something possible for him to have: and this thought is afforded by hope. Since, then, man is directed by grace to the last end, which is beatitude, it was necessary for the hope of obtaining beatitude to be engraved on man’s thoughts by grace.

Hence it is said: We have been born anew to a living hope . . . and to an inheritance which is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven (1 Pet 1:3–4); and: In this hope we were saved (Rom 8:24).