The Morality of Imperfections [Second Installment]

THE MORALITY OF IMPERFECTIONS [Second Installment] III. THE LAw OF CHRISTIAN PERFECTION AFINAL and even more decisive argument against the positive moral imperfection can be constructed upon St. Thomas's ideas of the law of Christian perfection. It takes up where the preceding argument leaves off and pursues the reaches of finality upon the much loftier plane of divine grace and charity. In the course of its presentation and development many problems will be suggested which lie outside the direct line of our purpose. Questions like the exact relationship of nature and grace, the possibilities of a purely ethical order, the regency of charity over all other virtues, and the relative pre-eminence of intellect or will in beatitude must be put to one side. The argument focuses directly upon the obligation of Christian perfection here in this life. Hence, certain preliminary nations of the essence kinds, and possibilities of Christian perfection are indispensable. To begin, therefore, with the essence of Christian perfection, we note with SL Thomas that charity lies at the very roots of tpe wayfarer's spiritual growth and stature during this present life. The reason for this assertion is simple and profound. Everything, the Angelic Doctor tells us, is said to be perfect according as it realizes its proper end which is also its ultimate perfection. But charity conjoins us to God, the ultimate end of human life. Therefore, the essence of Christian perfection for the wayfarer consists in charity, that is, primarily in charity towards God, secondarily in charity towards neighbor. Hence Christian perfection in this life will be measured according to our observance of the two great precepts of charity.1 2 Summa Theol., II-II, q. 184, a. 1: " ... unumquodque dicitur esse perfectum inquantum attingit proprium finem, qui est ultima rei perfectio. Caritas autem est quae unit nos Deo, qui est ultimus finis humanae mentis: . . . Et ideo se649 650 J. C. OSBOURN As to the kinds or grades of perfection, St. Thomas usually places at the head of the list that perfection which he styles absolute. It belongs to God alone and consists in a simple and uninterrupted act of love infinitely perfect both on the part of the act and on the part of the object loved. God is infinitely lovable and loves His infinite goodness without end or measure.2 Over against this absolute perfection of God St. Thomas sets a relative perfection of charity which pertains to intellectual creatures. This sort of perfection comprehends a vast and widely varying range of subjects according to which St. Thomas stakes off the following subdivisions. In the first place, there is the perfection of the blessed in heaven. This kind of perfection mounts up to a lofty height or totality of love on the part of its possessors inasmuch as their utmost powers of loving are ever bent to full capacity upon the object of their love. Still, this perfection retains a definite cast of the partial and finite about it since the charity of the blessed, however intense it may be, can never exhaust or sound the depths of the divine goodness and loveliness in which it is absorbed continuously.3 Secondly, we have the perfection of the wayfarer still journeying towards his goal. This sort of perfection too is rather sweeping in extension but St. Thomas contents himself with the traditional division into a threefold heading which has long since been consecrated by the approval of spiritual writers. First, there is the perfection of the beginner which concerns itself primarily with the resistance of evils deadly to charity. cundum caritatem specialiter sttenditur perfectio vitae Christianae." Ibid., a. ~: "Per se quidem et essentialiter consistit perfectio Christianae vitae in caritate: principaliter quidem secundum dilectionem Dei, secundario autem secundum dilectionem proximi, , . . " There is some discussion here among the Thomists on the precise significance of the term "specialiter." Cajetan contends that it is synonymous with " essentialiter ," as St. Thomas most certainly implies in the second article. Sylvius, however, thinks it should be contrasted with the term " gemeraliter " to indicate that Christian perfection consists generally in the other virtues but specially in charity. This difference of opinion has no direct bearing on our problem. • Ibid., q...