Article II. Christian Perfection Consists Especially in Charity
In our treatment of Christian perfection, we have considered the end toward which it is essentially ordained, and from this point of view we have defined it as the beginning of eternal life in our souls, or eternal life begun in the obscurity of faith. Perfection in this life is the development of grace, which has been defined as the seed of glory. Of the three theological virtues that we possess, one, charity, should endure forever.
With St. Thomas Aquinas as our guide,1 we must now consider in what Christian perfection especially and chiefly consists here on earth; what its relations are with the virtues and gifts of the Holy Ghost, and with the precepts and the counsels.
We shall see that Christian perfection consists especially in charity: primarily in charity toward God; and secondarily in charity toward our neighbor. We will then study the charity of the perfect in contrast with that of beginners and of proficients, and shall see what are the degrees of perfect charity, even to heroism and sanctity. This will lead us to a consideration of the relations of the charity of the perfect with the other virtues, with the passive purifications of the soul, and with the gifts of the Holy Ghost, which are the principles of contemplation. By this method we shall clearly see the diffi- perfect. If they had continued to live, they would have committed faults, which would have required the purification of which we are speaking.
culty and grandeur of evangelical perfection considered in all its loftiness, as it is proposed to us by our Lord in the eight beatitudes at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount.
In the second place, we will treat of the relations of perfection thus defined with the precept of love and with the counsels; and lastly, we shall see in what varying degrees the obligation to tend to perfection binds all Christians, whether clerics, religious, or seculars. This is, with several additions, the order followed by St. Thomas in his exposition of the subject. 2
To solve the question as to what especially constitutes Christian perfection, St. Thomas asks, by way of objection, whether it consists mainly in wisdom, or in fortitude, or in patience, or in the aggregate of the virtues. Such different conceptions do, in fact, present themselves more or less explicitly to the mind.
The Greek thinkers considered that perfection lay especially in wisdom, so much esteemed by the philosopher; in that higher view of all things viewed in their first cause and last end, a view which perceives the harmony of the universe and should direct our whole life.
Today theosophists make perfection consist in a “consciousness of our divine identity,” in the intuition of our divinity. Theosophy presupposes pantheism; it is the radical negation of the supernatural order and of all Christian dogmas, although it often preserves the terms of Christianity while giving them an entirely different meaning. It is a very perfidious imitation and corruption of our asceticism and mysticism. 8
Some Christians would be inclined to say that perfection
- Cf. Father Mainage, O.P., Les principes de la thdosophie, 1922.2
consists principally in contemplation, which has its origin in the gift of wisdom. To prove their contention they would cite St. Paul’s text: “In malice be children, and in sense be perfect.” 4 “We speak wisdom among the perfect. . . . The spiritual man judgeth all things. . . . We have the mind of Christ.” 5 Reading these inspired texts in too natural and too hasty a manner, some will perhaps expect to reach perfection rapidly by the assiduous perusal of the great mystics without, however, sufficiently concerning themselves with the practice of the virtues which these authors recommend, and also without keeping clearly in mind the fact that true contemplation must be entirely penetrated by supernatural charity and forgetfulness of self.®
From a lower point of view, some might even think that the study of theology and of its related sciences is the most important thing in the life of the priest, of the apostle, because he must fight against error and illumine minds. One might thus be led to consider practically as secondary in a sacerdotal and apostolic life the celebration of mass and union with God; yet this union is the very soul of the apostolate. Without being actually aware of it, how many make perfection consist in what they call the full development of their personality. They seek it chiefly in a broad, nicely balanced human culture that is “well informed” on actual problems and careful to grasp those phases of Christianity which are most attractive to a lofty nature. But they have only a superficial knowledge of it, and they are given up to a practical naturalism devoid of any vivifying influence on souls. Those among them who, in the course of time, are deeply touched by the grace of God, perceive their peculiar mistake and understand that to build
4 See I Cor. 14: 20 .
- Ibid., 2: 6,15 f.
« Perfection does not consist especially in contemplation, which is an intellectual act, as we shall see farther on. Perfection consists in charity. However, the loving Contemplation of God is here below the most efficacious means to attain the perfection of charity; and it is a means united to the end.
on the intellect alone is to build on sand, as St. Thomas says when commenting on our Lord’s expression, “like a foolish man that built his house upon the sand.” 7 Unless vivified by the love of God, “knowledge puffeth up,” says St. Paul, “but charity edifieth.” 8 This it does because it makes us live not for ourselves, as he does who seeks only the full development of his own personality, but for God: “Charity, properly speaking, makes us tend to God, by uniting our affections to Him, so that we live, not for ourselves, but for God.” 9
Another equally imperfect tendency is opposed to this ultra-intellectualism. Natures inclined to action are by this very tendency led to make perfection consist chiefly in outward activity, in fortitude, or the courage that must be shown in such activity, or in patience when circumstances are unfavorable. For the heroes of antiquity, the perfect man is first and foremost the strong, the brave man. If this conception is transposed into the supernatural order, St. James’ words will be quoted: “Patience hath a perfect work.” 10 This is, in fact, the great virtue which demonstrates the sanctity of the martyr. But this patience is inspired and controlled by a higher virtue.
According to an analogous tendency, some might be led to make perfection consist especially in austerity, fasting, penitential practices; from this point of view, the most austere religious orders would be the most perfect. A certain love of austerity, not unmixed with pride, such as we find in the Jansenists, might thus be developed, which would then become false zeal and bitterness. Charity would be sacrificed to it, 11 and virtue would be made to consist in what is hard rather
7 Matt. 7: 26.
8 See I Cor. 8: 1.
9 St. Thomas, Ha Ilae, q.17, a. 6 ad gum.
11 It can aptly be said: “The best thing that one can do with the best of things is to sacrifice it/' on condition, however, that we safeguard the hierarchy of the gifts of God and of the virtues, and that we do not sacrifice something superior to what is inferior.3
m than in what is good and in the order willed by God. 12 This error would confound the means with the end, or even invert the order of the means to the end, which is union with God. Austerity ought to be proportioned to this end; it is not the end. 13 The same must be said of humility, which prostrates us before God that we may with docility receive His influence, which should lift us up to Him. 14
Others might be led to make perfection consist especially in the interior and exterior worship due to God, in acts of the virtue of religion, in the faithful accomplishment of exercises of piety, and in the devotion which animates them. This opinion approaches the truth; yet this view does not suf-
12 St. Thomas says in substance that the reason of greater virtue consists in the good rather than in the difficult; although the difficulty springing from the magnitude of the work increases merit. Ia Ilae, q.114, a.4 ad 2um; Ha Ilae, q. 155, a.4 ad 2um; q. 123, a. 12 ad 2um. The principle of merit resides in charity. Moreover, it is more meritorious to accomplish easy things with great charity than to perform very difficult acts with less charity. Thus many tepid souls carry their cross without great merit, whereas the Blessed Virgin merited more by the easiest acts of charity than all the martyrs together in their torments.
13 On this subject, St. Thomas (Ila Ilae, q.188, a.7 ad lum) says: “This saying of our Lord does not mean that poverty itself is perfection, but that it is the means of perfection. Indeed, as shown above, it is the least of the three chief means of perfection, since the vow of continence excels the vow of poverty, and the vow of obedience excels them both. Since, however, the means are sought, not for their own sake, but for the sake of the end, a thing is better, not for being a greater instrument, but for being more adapted to the end. Thus, a physician does not heal the more, the more medicine he gives, but the more the medicine is adapted to the disease. Accordingly, it does not follow that a religious order is the more perfect according as the poverty it professes is more perfect, but according as its poverty is more adapted to the end, both common and special.”
14 Cf. St. Thomas, Ila Ilae, q. 161, a.5 ad 2um: “Just as the orderly assembly of virtues is, by reason of a certain likeness, compared to a building, so again that which is the first step in the acquisition of virtue is likened to the foundation, which is first laid before the rest of the building. . . . Humility holds the first place inasmuch as it expels pride, which God resisteth, and makes man open to receive the influx of divine grace. Hence it is written (Jas. 4: 6): ‘God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble.’ In this sense humility is said to be the foundation of the spiritual edifice.” But it is, nevertheless, inferior to the virtues which unite us immediately to God; that is, to the theological virtues and also to the intellectual virtues, such as wisdom, and to legal justice. Cf. Ibid .
ficiently discern the superiority of the theological virtues which, more than the others, unite us to God because they are immediately specified by Him. The virtue of religion is inferior to them because it is immediately concerned not with God Himself but with the worship due Him. 15 From this point of view, one might perhaps be more attentive to worship and to the liturgy than to God Himself; to the figures than to the reality; to the manner of reciting an Our Father or a Gloria than to the sublime meaning of these prayers. The service of God would take precedence over the love of God.
Others, although few in number, might be tempted to see perfection in the solitary life, especially if the soul is there favored with visions and revelations. Aristotle says in the first book of his Politica: “He who lives in solitude and no longer communicates with men, is either a beast or a god.” And the Holy Ghost Himself, by the mouth of the prophet Osee, says of the chosen people, the figure of the interior soul: “I will allure her, and will lead her into the wilderness: and I will speak to her heart.” 16 But does it follow that love of solitude is the essence of perfection? If this were true, how could fervent Christians who are detained in the world by their duties attain perfection? What of the apostles and priests consecrated to the ministry, who cannot withdraw to a Thebaid? St. Thomas believes that, “solitude, like poverty, is not the essence of perfection, but a means thereto.” 17
St. Francis de Sales says: “Everyone paints devotion according to his own passion and fancy. He that is addicted to fasting, thinks himself very devout if he fasts, though his heart be at the same time full of rancor. . . . Another accounts himself devout for reciting daily a multiplicity of prayers, though he immediately afterwards utters the most disagree-
15 C£. Ila Ilae, q. 8 i, a.5: Why is not the virtue of religion a theological virtue, but only the first of the moral virtues? Because its object is the worship due to God and not God Himself.
Osee 2: 14.
ii Summa, Ila Ilae, q.188, a. 8.
»35 able, arrogant, and injurious words amongst his domestics and neighbors. Another cheerfully draws an alms out of his purse to relieve the poor, but cannot draw meekness out of his heart to forgive his enemies. Another readily forgives his enemies, but never satisfies his creditors, but by constraint. These, by some, are esteemed devout, when, in reality, they are by no means so.” 18 Each one is inclined to judge according to his individual aptitude and tastes, and then to seek a justification of his views.
To avoid this fault, some make perfection consist in the ensemble of the Christian virtues, and they invoke St. Paul’s words: “Put you on the armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the deceits of the devil . . . that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand in all things perfect.” 19 It is certain that all the Christian virtues are necessary for evangelical perfection: faith, hope, charity, and the moral virtues, among which the most important is the virtue of religion, which is justice in regard to God. But all these virtues are regulated like the functions of an organism. Is there not one among them which dominates all the others, which inspires them, commands them, animates or informs them, and makes their efforts converge toward one supreme end? And is it not in this directing virtue that perfection especially consists? Therefore, must not the other virtues be subordinated to this directing virtue?
true solution: perfection consists chiefly
To solve the question thus proposed, we will consider the teaching of Scripture, and then that of theology.
St. Paul teaches, and all Christian tradition follows him: “Put ye on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, the bowels of mercy, benignity, humility, modesty, patience:
is Introduction to a Devout Life, chap. 1.
1® Eph. 6: n, 13.
bearing with one another. . . . But above all these things have charity, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ rejoice in your hearts, wherein also you are called in one body.” 20 It is this virtue of charity which corresponds to the two greatest precepts, which are the end of all the others and of the counsels: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart, and with thy whole soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind: and thy neighbor as thyself.” 21
St. Paul is so firmly convinced of this superiority of, charity over all the other virtues, over the gifts, and over graces gratuitously bestowed, that he writes: “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And if I should have prophecy and should know all mysteries, and all knowledge, and if I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And if I should distribute all my goods to feed the poor, and if I should deliver my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.” 22 I do not fulfil the first commandment of God; I do not conform my will to His; I remain turned away from Him.
Moreover, charity in a way implies all the virtues which are subordinated to it, and which appear as so many modalities or aspects of the love of God. This is what St. Paul says in the same epistle: “Charity is patient, is kind: charity envieth not, dealeth not perversely; is not puffed up; is not ambitious, seeketh not her own, is not provoked to anger, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth with the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” 23 To this we must add with the great Apostle: “Charity never falleth away: whether prophe-
20 Col. 3: 12-15.
21 Luke 10: 27.
22 See I Cor. 13: 1 ff.
28 Ibid., 13:4-7.
cies shall be made void, or tongues shall cease, or knowledge shall be destroyed. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, that which is in part shall be done away. ... We see now through a glass in a dark manner; but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then I shall know even as I am known. And now there remain faith, hope, and charity, these three: but the greatest of these is charity.” 24 It will subsist eternally, when faith and hope shall have disappeared in order to give way to the vision and the definitive possession of God. In addition, according to St. Paul, in the measure with which we love God, we know Him with that sweet knowledge, which is divine wisdom: “Being rooted and founded in charity, you may be able to comprehend with all the saints, what is the breadth, and length, and height, and depth: to know also the charity of Christ, which surpasseth all knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fulness of God.” 25 Finally, St. Paul says, on several occasions, that by charity we become the temples of the Holy Ghost.
The Apostle St. John teaches the same doctrine: “God is charity: and he that abideth in charity, abideth in God, and God in him.” 26 “He that loveth not, knoweth not God: for God is charity.” 27 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not, abideth in death.” 28
St. Peter expresses the same thought: “But before all things have a constant mutual charity among yourselves: for charity covereth a multitude of sins.” 20 Our Lord Himself said of Magdalen: “Many sins are forgiven her, because she hath loved much."
2* Ibid., 13: 8-13.
25 Eph. 3: 17-19.
26 See I John 4: 16.
27 ibid., 4: 8.
28 Ibid., 3: 14.
29 See I Pet. 4: 8.
The full value of this teaching of Holy Scripture, commented on by the fathers, is brought home to us through the clarifying light of theology. St. Thomas proves that Christian perfection consists especially in charity: “A thing is said to be perfect in so far as it attains its proper end, which is the ultimate perfection thereof.” 80 Take for example, the soldier who knows how to fight, the physician who knows how to heal, the learned teacher who has the art of communicating his knowledge. We must not, however, confound these particular ends of the soldier, the doctor, and the teacher with the universal end of man and of the Christian. “Now,” continues St. Thomas, “it is charity that unites us to God, who is the last end of the human mind, since he that abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in him (I John 4: 16). Therefore the perfection of the Christian life consists chiefly in charity/ , 81
Farther on, the holy doctor adds: “Perfection is said to consist in a thing in two ways: in one way, primarily and essentially; in another, secondarily and accidentally. Primarily and essentially the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity; principally as to the love of God, secondarily as to the love of our neighbor, both of which are the matter of the chief commandments of the divine law. ... Now the love of God and of our neighbor is not commanded according to a measure, so that what is in excess of the measure be a matter of counsel.” 82 We shall return later to the question of the counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience, but it is clear even now that they are subordinated to charity. No less certainly the first object of this theological virtue is God Himself. Our neighbor is the secondary object of it, and he must be loved for the sake of God, whom he is to glorify eternally with us by participating in His beatitude.
so Summa, Ila Ilae, q. 184, a. 1. 8i Ibid .
*2 Summa, Ila Ilae, q.184, a. 3.
*39
Charity thus conceived is truly "the bond of perfection,” as St. Paul says, because if man is rendered perfect by all the virtues, charity unites them all, inspires them, rules them, animates them, or informs them, and assures their perseverance by making their acts converge toward the last end, toward God loved above all. Charity not only binds us to God, but, in a sense, it also binds all the virtues, and makes them all one. 8 ®
In addition, because charity thus unites us to our last end, it cannot co-exist with mortal sin, which turns us away from that end. Therefore charity is inseparable from the state of grace, or of divine life, while faith and hope can be found in a sinful soul in a state of mortal sin. This is the explanation of St. Paul’s statement: "If I should have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.” 84 Without charity we abide in death, says St. John. This also explains St. Peter’s words: “Charity covers a multitude of sins.”
Lastly, since charity has none of the imperfections of faith and of hope, it will subsist eternally; even here on earth charity attains God directly, and that is why it makes us the temples of the Holy Ghost. 85 Hence perfection consists especially in charity. Not only does it assemble all our powers, inspire our patience and perseverance, but it also unites souls and leads them to unity in truth.
THE OBJECTION OF INTELLECTUALS: WHY IS CHARITY SUPERIOR TO OUR KNOWLEDGE OF GOD
Some people, especially intellectuals, will offer an objection to this great traditional doctrine. Is not the intellect, they will say, man’s first faculty, the one that directs all the others,
33 Cf. St. Thomas, in his Commentary on the Epistle to the Colossians, 3:14; Summa, Ila Ilae, q.23, a.6-8.
84 See I Cor. 13: 2.
88 Summa, Ila Ilae, q.27, a.4; la, q.43, a.3.
that primarily distinguishes us from animals? Must we not conclude that the perfection of man lies especially in the intellectual knowledge he can have of all things considered in their beginning and their end; and therefore, that the perfection of man lies in the knowledge of God, the supreme rule of human life?
St. Thomas has certainly not failed to recognize this aspect of the problem of perfection. He himself admits that the intellect is superior to the will which it directs. The intellect has, in fact, a simpler, more absolute, more universal object, being in all its universality and consequently all being; the will, on the other hand, has a more restricted object, the good, which is a modality of being, and which in everything is the perfection that renders it desirable. As good supposes being, the will presupposes the intellect and is directed by it. It is, then, by the intellect, the highest of his faculties, 36 that man differs specifically from animals.
St. Thomas also admits that in heaven our blessedness will consist essentially in the beatific vision, in the intellectual and immediate vision of the divine essence; for it is chiefly by this vision that we will take possession of God for eternity. Beatific love will be only the necessary consequence of this immediate knowledge of the sovereign good. As the properties of an object spring from its essence, our immutable love of God and the joy of possessing Him will necessarily follow the beatific vision, which will thus be the essence of our beatitude. 37
The Angelic Doctor could not better affirm the superiority of the intellect over the will, in principle, and in the perfect light of heaven. Why does he now tell us that Christian per- as See la, q.82, a. 3.
37 “And so it is with an intelligible end. For at first we desire to attain an intelligible end. We attain it (God) through His being made present to us by an act of the intellect; and then the delighted will rests in the end when attained. So, therefore, the essence of happiness consists in an act of the intellect; but the delight that results from happiness pertains to the will. In this sense St. Augustine says ( Conf X, 23) that happiness is joy in truth, because, to wit, joy itself is the consummation of happiness.”
fection in this life consists especially in charity, which is a virtue of the will, and not in faith, or in the gift of wisdom, or in contemplation, all of which belong to the intellect?
He himself has given us a profound answer to this question, and an answer of prime importance in ascetical and mystical theology. He tells us in substance 88 that although one faculty may by its very nature be superior to another, as sight is to hearing, it is possible that an act of the second may be superior to an act of the first, as the hearing of a sublime and very rare symphony is of a higher order than the sight of an ordinary color. Thus, although the intellect by its very nature ( simpliciter) may be superior to the will which it directs, because it has a simpler, more absolute, more universal object, yet in certain circumstances (secundum quid) and with relation to God, the intellect in this life remains inferior to the will; in other words, here on earth the love of God is more perfect than the knowledge of God; while it is better to know inferior things than to love them. A profound observation on which one cannot meditate too much.
And whence comes this superiority of the love of God over the knowledge we have of Him on earth? “The action of the intellect consists in this,” says St. Thomas, 39 “that the idea of the thing understood is in the one who understands; while the act of the will consists in this—that the will is inclined to the thing itself as existing in itself. And therefore the Philosopher says ( Metaph . VI) that good and evil, which are objects of the will, are in things, but truth and error, which are objects of the intellect, are in the mind.” It follows that in this life our knowledge of God is inferior to the love of God, since, as the Angelic Doctor says, 40 in order to know God we, in a way, draw Him to us, and in order to represent Him to ourselves we impose on Him the bounds of our limited ideas.
88 See la, q.8a, a. 3.
89 ibid.
40 Ibid.
On the other hand, when we love Him, we raise ourselves toward Him, such as He is in Himself.
It is better, therefore, to love God than to know Him, although love always presupposes a certain knowledge and is directed by it. On the other hand, it is better to know inferior things than to love them. By knowing them we raise them, in a way, to our intelligence; whereas by loving them, we stoop toward them, and we might become subservient to them as the miser is to his treasure. It is better to know the properties of gold than to love it. This is one of the principal doctrines of the tract on man left us by St. Thomas.
The holy doctor repeats this teaching in the tract on charity 41 when he asks: “Whether God can be loved immediately in this life?” He answers: “Knowledge of God, through being mediate, is said to be enigmatic, and falls away in heaven. . . . But charity does not fall away. . . . Therefore the charity of the way adheres to God immediately. The reason for this is that the act of a cognitive power is completed by the thing known being in the knower, whereas the act of an appetitive power consists in the appetite being inclined toward the thing itself. . . . We must assert that to love, which is an act of the appetitive power, even in this state of life, tends to God first, and flows on from Him to other things, and in this sense charity loves God immediately, and other things through God.” This love should extend to our neighbor, who should be loved for the love of our common Father. “For knowledge begins from creatures, tends to God, and love begins with God as the last end, and passes on to creatures.” 42
By this we see the superiority of charity as compared with faith and hope. “But faith and hope attain God indeed in so far as we derive from Him the knowledge of truth or the acquisition of good, whereas charity attains God Himself
See Ha Ilae, q.27, a. 4.
Ibid., ad 2um.
that it may rest in Him, but not that something may accrue to us from Him. Hence charity is more excellent than faith or hope, and consequently, than all the other virtues, which have not God directly for their object.” 48 In this way it is explained that charity, unlike faith and hope, is inseparable from the state of grace and from the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity in us: “He that abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in him.” 44
In virtue of the same principle enunciated by St. Thomas, we see again that charity is superior to all knowledge in this life, even to contemplation, which proceeds from the gift of wisdom. This quasi-experimental knowledge of God also imposes on Him, in fact, the limits of our ideas, and it draws its savor from the very love which inspires it. It is charity that establishes in us a sympathy with divine things, which are thereby rendered desirable. 45 The gifts of the Holy Ghost thus find their remote rule in the theological virtues; they are ruled immediately by divine inspirations according to a superhuman mode, and from this point of view they add a new perfection to the theological virtues. Nevertheless they remain subordinated to them by nature, 46 and their fruits are the very fruits of charity—joy and peace.
All this shows us the profound meaning of St. Paul’s expression, “Charity is the bond of perfection.” Not only does charity unite us to God more than do the other virtues, but it unites them all by inspiring them and by ordering all their acts to a final end which is its own object, to God loved above all. Therefore it is called the mother of all the virtues. With this interpretation in mind, St. Augustine could say: “Love, and do what you will.” And indeed you may, provided you
48 See Ila Ilae, q.23, a. 6.
44 See I John 4: 16.
45 See Ila Ilae, q.45, a.2, 4.
46 “The theological virtues are more excellent than the gifts of the Holy Ghost, and regulate them. Hence ... the seven gifts never attain perfection . . . unless all that they do be done in faith, hope, and charity” (la Ilae, q.68, a. 8).
»44 love the Lord in very truth, more than yourself and above all things. How can we love Him thus unless we observe His commandments, the first of which, that of love, is the beginning and end of all the others?
We must conclude with all theologians that the perfection of Christian life consists especially in charity, in an active charity, which actually unites us to God, and is fruitful in every type of good work. 47 This virtue should, without a doubt, hold the first place in our souls.
From what we have just said, must we conclude that the other virtues, important as they are, such as faith, hope, the virtue of religion, prudence, justice, fortitude, patience, temperance, mildness, and humility, do not contribute toward the essence of perfection, and belong to it only accidentally as instruments, or secondary means? Some theologians have thought so. 48 We believe, however, with Father Passerini, O.P., who among Thomists has most profoundly commented on the article of St. Thomas which we are now explaining, that such is not the thought of the holy doctor. St. Thomas himself says: “Primarily and essentially the perfection of the Christian life consists in charity, principally as to the love of God, secondarily as to the love of our neighbor, both of which are the matter of the chief commandments of the divine
47 Some theologians (for example, Suarez) teach that perfection consists formally in the virtue of charity, antecedently and concomitantly in its acts. Father Passerini, O.P., we think, states the opinion of the Thomistic school. He teaches that perfection, to which the state of perfection is ordered, consists formally in the acts of charity and antecedently in the virtue, as in the principle of perfect operation. The reason for this is that perfection consists in actual union with God, mihi adhaerere Deo bonum est. It is found, therefore, in active charity or in the activity of charity, which in truly perfect souls should be morally continual or unceasing. Virtue is ordered to its act as to its perfection; and we tend not only to be able to love God perfectly, but to love Him in fact by avoiding all sin as much as possible. Life consists especially in the act of living.
4 * Cajetan. on Ha Ilae, q. 184, a. 1, and Suarez, on the same article.
law. . . . Secondarily and instrumentally, however, perfection consists in the observance of the counsels. . . . For the commandments, other than the precepts of charity, are directed to the removal of things contrary to charity, with which, namely, charity is incompatible, whereas the counsels are directed to the removal of things that hinder the act of charity, and yet are not contrary to charity.” 49 It follows, as Passerini shows, that perfection consists essentially not in charity alone, but also in the acts of the other virtues which are of precept and which are ordered by charity. 50 Thus the acts of faith, hope, religion, and prayer, attendance at mass, and reception of holy communion, belong to the very essence of perfection, which is a plenitude. To use St. Paul’s word, charity is the bond of this plenitude. We can, therefore, truthfully say with St. Thomas, that perfection consists particularly in charity, 51 and principally in the love of God. 52 Just so, the body and soul constitute the very essence of man, although this essence is chiefly constituted by the rational soul, which distinguishes man from animals. Such is the place of charity in the Christian life. St. Thomas rightly says: “Christian life consists chiefly in charity, which unites the soul to God.” Unlike faith and hope.
49 See Ha Ilae, q. 184, a.3.
80 Passerini, O. P., De statibus hominum (on Ila Ilae, q. 184, a. 1), p. 20, no. 8: "Actual perfection consists essentially not in the act alone of charity, but also in the acts of the other virtues ordered by charity according as they are of precept." Cf. Ibid., pp. 22-27, 49 > 54 * “Actual perfection consists chiefly and principally in charity alone, because charity perfects simply, and the other virtues relatively. . . . Furthermore, actual perfection is formally in charity alone, which is the bond of perfection. . . . Yet other virtues pertain to the essence of perfection just as matter to the essence of a natural composite" (p. 21, no. 10). "The acts of the other virtues as they are of counsel, are accidents of perfection" (p. 23, nos. 20 ff.). By this distinction between what is of counsel and what is of precept in the virtues inferior to charity, Passerini introduces a precision which Cajetan had forgotten, and clearly expresses the thought of St. Thomas which, as we shall see in regard to article 3, was not understood by Suarez.
61 Particularly (specialiter) is the term used by St. Thomas when he treats the question ex professo (Ila Ilae, q. 184, a. 1). He says elsewhere (De perfectione vitae spiritualis ): "Spiritual life consists principally in charity.”
52 “Principally as to the love of God, secondarily, as to the love of our neighbor" (Ila Ilae, q. 184, a. 3).
charity absolutely excludes mortal sin, and requires the state of grace or of life.
Does it follow that every soul in the state of grace is perfect? As yet it has perfection only in the broad sense of the term (perfectio substantialis ), which excludes mortal sin; but not for that reason alone has it perfection, properly so called (perfectio simpliciter), which ascetical and mystical theology speak of and which interior souls, especially those consecrated to God in the religious state, aspire to.
In the following article we shall see in what this perfection, properly so called, consists—the perfection of charity, or the charity of the perfect, in contradistinction to that of beginners and to that of proficients. But already we catch a glimpse of the inexpressible grandeur of charity even in the soul that has just been snatched from mortal sin, and that is beginning to walk in the way of perfection. This soul has truly passed from death to life, to the life which ought never to end.
Footnotes
Chapter 10 of 31