THE QUEEN'S WOH DISCUSSION CLUB SERIES Le. '&.>fte-; hrQ.l'\ci's 1'. 1 Le:+ I:,' )oclL Q+ ___ --1 A!>T 5'lf:.Lj CENTS THE QUEEN'S WORK 3742 West Pine Boulevard St L . 8 M • OUIS , O. let~s look at ' Sanctifging Grace Francis P. leBuffe, S.J. I Imp rimi P otes t: Ja mes P. Sw eeney, S. J. Provinci al, New York Ni hil O bsta t: Arthu r J. Scanlan , S . T . D . C ensor Libror um Imprima tur : Fra ncis J. Spellma n , D. D. A rchbishop , N ew York F ebrua r y 11, 1911 ANY FI NANC [A L PROFIT 1IIad e by th e C en tm l Offi ce of th e So dality w i ll be 1tsed fo r the adv an ce lll ent of th e S odality M ovement and th e cause of Catholi c A ction . Copyright 1944 THE Q U EEN'S WORK, In c. Deactdlfled FOREWORD For a number of years-twenty in all, to be exact-a "blackboard '" course on Sanctifying Grace has been given at various times and places. but especially at the Summer Schools of Catholic Action . It has been an attempt-and it is hoped a not too hazardous attempt-to visualize th e very fundamental notions of the supernatural life. This course has been given to priests , Sisters, layfolk; to old and young; to th e highly educated and to those still in high school. It seemed to " take" with all. Hence, during these years, requests have been made repeatedl y for " notes" on this course. Such did not exist. And now, almost despairingly, an attempt is made to put these notes and draw - ings into print. All the verve and snap of vocal presentation is lacking- a nd the whole looks like a dead, inanimate thing. However, much of the secret of presentation seems to have consisted in: (I) the clear, simple, non-technical expression of fundamentals; (2) in visualization; (3) in the use of red and white chalk. (Since the cost of two color printing would be prohibitive, all drawings will be in black, but "red" is indicated whenever it should be used, i.e., always and only for representing the supernatural.) Another secret is : non multa sed multum. Give the fundamental s. repeat them , and re-repeat them . As an old teacher frequently said : "When you have said a thing fifty times in class, thank God if one pupil gets it." Finally it must be remembered that this booklet is not meant to be a scientific, technical manual. Hence absolute and final precision in each and every statement is not to be sought. So now the notes start. May the Moderators and Directors, as the prophet Ezechiel (Ch. 37), stir the se dry bones into new life. N.B. No treatment is given of Actual Grace, as this is a treatise in itself. For this ; the reader is referred to Pohle-Preuss, "Grace, Actual and HabItual " and to John V. Matthews, S. J. , " With the Help of Thy Grace " (Newman Bookshop, Westminster , Md.) -3- Section A. WHAT GRACE IS GRACE AS A NEW LIFE "JET us try to get an idea of sanctifying grace from the viewpoint of L " life. " Part I. Natural Life There a re three kinds of " life " or " living things " found in th e world round about us : vegetative life~found in plants ; sensitive life (which includes vegetative life) ~found in animals; intellectual life (which includes vegetative a nd sensitive) ~found in human beings. In each " life " th ere is a " principal of life " or "soul" and as a result in each there a re characteristic activities . In fact, since we cannot get a t a "soul" directly, we know of the presence of a so ul only from its activi- ties. Let us look a t each kind of li v ing thing and a nal y ze it in terms of life. N .B. In plants and a nima ls this " principle of life " is quite unlike the soul of ma n. In plants and animals it is totall y dependent on th e matter of w hich th e plants a nd animals a re composed, and perish es utterly when they die. We shall indica te each principle of life differently and so try to visu- a lize the differences in th e three kinds of living things .' 1. Vegetative Life~Found in Plants PLonTS pRINCIPLE or Llr~ · OOIVITI[S · { NUTRITION -,... GROWTli REPRODUCTION In plants, the vegetative prinCiple of life (indicated by the 'straight'line ---} , ena bles a plant to do three things: (I) it can nourish itself by the intake of " food " from soil and a ir ; (2) it can grow from a seed to a full- grown plan t (or tree); (3) it can reproduce itself, bringing other similar plants • If possible use different color chalk for each kind of line, i.e ., -4- { purple green white for 100000000 for ~ for into existence. None of these activities is found in minerals and other things that are not "alive. " A rock does not take in food; it does not grow; it brings no "rock-lets" into existence; but a cabbage does nourish itself . grows, and brings other cabbages into existence. N .B. A " principle of life " gives to a living thing activities which non- living things do not have. OnimOl 2. Sensitive Life-Found in Animals PRINCIPl[ or lir[ . oCJlVlm:s . ~~ S ·FOLDSENSATION ~ NUTRITION· CROWTH REPRODUCTION In animals there is a principle of life which, while single, includes all the powers of a vegetative principle of life (indicated by the straight line '--- in white chalk) , and so has the activities of nutrition, growth and reproduction . Thus a jackass, like a cabbage, can eat, can grow from a little jackass to a big jackass and can bring "jackass-lets" into the world. But over and above all this , since it is a sensitive principle of life (indicated by the broken line --z..-..-z.-- in green chalk), it has different and higher activ- ities : the jackass can see and hear and taste and touch and smell. The cabbage can do none of these things. The animal with its one single prin- ciple of life can do all that a plant can, plus something higher. N.B . A new kind of principle of life gives a new kind of activity. 3. Intellectual Life-Found in Man PRINCIPLE or Llf[ AOIVITI[S Gf".'D -+ THOUGHT FREE W/U ~ -. S FOLD SENSATION -+ NUTRIT/ON . GROWTH REPROOUCTION In man there is a still higher kind of principle of life, which, while single, includes all the powers of the vegetative and a nimal principles. It is one soul with three-fold powers. Thus having vegetative powers (indicated by --- in white chalk) man nourishes ' himself, grows and reproduces himself, like any cabbage ; having animal powers (indicated by .# in green chalk) , man can see, hear, taste , smell and feel like any other (7) jackass. But over and above all this, since the single principle of life in man is rational (indicated by the looped-line ~, in purple chalk) , he has new and higher activities: man can think and he has free will. Neither cabbage nor jackass has these -5- abilities . Man with his one single higher soul can do all that the lower beings can, plus something higher. N.B . A new kind of principle of life gives a new kind of ac ti vity. Part II. Super-natural Life Super-natural life~found in men who are " in the state of grace ." Over a nd above th e " natural" lives, vegetative, sensitive, intellectual. God has given us a "super-natural" life, one in no way due to us or re - quired by our condition as human beings; in other words, if God wanted to make me a human being , He had to give me the three-fold "natura l" life indicated under No . 3. But God went further and has given me a fourth and higher kind of life whic h He was in no way obliged to give me . This principle of life is not "natural" to us, it is not part of our "nature," it is "super-natural. " Of course all know ledge that we have of this new super-natural life must come from God 's revelation to us, beca use we would never know of its existence, unless He told us of it . Unlike our natural "lives," this " principle of life " and its activities are not known by any natural means. Let us ana lyze man with this super-natural principle of life which is ca ll ed sanctifying grace . N.B . We have laid it down as a principle that eac h new kind of lifE." gives a new kind of activity . mAn WITU supmnATURAl lin PRINCIPl[ O~ m[ tKJIVITI~S ~ - - - - - - -+ ACTIONS MERITORIOUS OF HEAVEN' "tI 00 d boo -+ THOUGHT ANf) .FREE WILL ~ -- 5 ' fOLD SENSATION -- NUTRITION· CROWTH AND REPRODUCTION (LI"~·----SHOU'D ~E IN IUD) Man , with super-natural life (indicated by the broken line - - - - -, which should be in red), has all the powers and activities of the "natural" man . But he has a new principle of life. What does grace, this new super- natural principle of life, give him in the way of new actiVity? (Grace, being a new principle of life, must give new activities.) This super-natural prinCiple of life gives man the abi lit y to place actions that have an intimate, internal relation and connection with the face-to-face Vision of God , the Beatific Vision, Heaven. These actions are placed through the virtues of faith, hope and charity , which we may look upon as new faculties, i.e ., super-natural mind and will. (This will be clearer from later explana tion.) M an without this super-natura l prinCiple of life is as incapable of per- forming a super-natural action (one bearing on Heaven) as a jackass, lacking -6---':" an intellectual soul, is incapable of thinking, an d a cabbage, lacking a n a nimal soul, is incapable of seeing. With this super-natural principl e of life (or as we say " in the s tate of sanctifying grace") ma n differs mpre from a .man la cking it, th an a ma n differs from a jackass. Why? Because mere ma n and jackass are both in the " natur a l" state of things; whereas man with this super-principle of life is in th e super-natural order, and mere man is in th e natural order. Notanda 1. Since sanctif ying grace is a "life, " that which kills it and drives it out of the soul is caned a mortal (Le ., death-bringing) sin; just a s a wound that kills a man is called a mortal wound. 2. When a man has sanctifying grace he is a "saint" (holy) with a small "s." That is why St. Paul in his Epistles calls Christians "saints" or " called to be saints." To be a " Saint" with a capital " S " implies extraor- dinary holiness. (d. " Hard-Headed Holiness ," by F . P. LeBuffe, S .J ., Queen's Work .) 3. It is this idea of "life" that is brought out in the b eau tiful simile of the vine and the branches (St. John 15:1 -7). Indeed the th eme of St. John 's Gospel may be stated in Our Lord's own words (St. John 10:10): " I a m come that they may have life , and may have it more abundantly." (It would be profitable to read quietly a nd continuously through the Gospel of St. John and note the constant repetition of the words: " life," "eterna l life." ) 4. Grace is said to be " eternal life" in the same way that a n oak- tr ee seed is called a n oak: " I planted a n oak tree today." So too " the child is father to the man." The full out-flow ering a nd mature development of grace is "e ternal life, " Le. , the face - to -face vision of God, Heav en. F a th er Faber put it beautifully: " Glory [Le ., being in H eave n] is grace a t home." B. GRACE AS A NEW NATURE lTET us try to get another view of grace, a view which is a difficult one, L but which is the ultimate analysis of grace , L e ., grace as a new, super. natural nature. Here we must try first to get some idea of the natural make-up (c~nsti­ tution) of man and , from that , an idea of his na tu ral " end," Le., the pur- pose (or "why") of his existence which flows from his very nature. After ~e have gotten these ideas clearly a nd only after we have thus gotten them clearly, can vJe get any notion of the super-na tural make-up (or constitu- tion) of man and his super-na tura l "end ," Le., the purpose (or " why " ) of his super-na tural existence. N.B. One cannot understa nd what a super-dreadnought or a super- man is unl ess one first knows what a dreadnought or a man is. - 7 - Part I. "Natural" Constitution and End By natural constitution we mean the sum total of those things that go to make up man a nd without which he would not be man. Let's put on our thinking-caps and look at ourselves as we can know ourselves by reason alone without looking at revelation . (Revelation is that which God has told us through the Bible and the Church. Cf. " What Is the Bible?" by F . P. LeBuffe . S. J .. pp. 19. 20 . America Press.) Man . to be man. must have a body. He must also have a soul equipped with a mind and a will. If he did not have body and soul. mind and will. he would not be man. Hence if God wanted to create a man. He had to make a thing with body and soul. mind and will. If He didn't it would not be man . (Just as if He wanted to create a cow, a nd made a horse instead. the horse would not be a cow.) MIND Will Ful/1 ~ N.B . 1. We do not mean by this graph to imply that the soul and body stand apart as it were. The spul is throughout the whole bod y. But this form of graph lends itself easiest to subsequent use . N.B . 2. Remember that all these graphs are merely attempts to visualize spiritual and super-natural things. Hence they cannot be adequate repr ese ntations. Now let us look into that mind and will and see how they act. That mind is always seeking to know more .and more; and th a t will is a lways seeking to have more and more. (Philosophically we put it: man's mind is always seeking more and more· "truth " and his will is always seeking more and more " good.") No matter what he knows. no matter what he has : he is never satisfied . . H e can never be satisfied -until he gets all truth and all good. But all truth and all good are found nowhere except in the one infinite Being . God, Anything short of infinity (un-limited-ness. all-including-ness) is finit e (limited . lacking). and so man 's mind and will could still reach out beyond it for some thing else ; and so his search for com plete satisfaction would still go on . (Alexander wanted mor e worlds to conquer; I'm not satis- fied with my last years suit. nor with my hat of 1937.) Therefore to have his mind and will completely satisfied. man must know and love God. In this life man is so dis tracted by the things of sense and he knows God so imperfectly. that. as a result. he is never satis- fied. A satisfying knowledge and love would be gained a fter death because the soul. separated from the body. would know other souls directly and thus, from other souls. i.e .. other spiri ts . he would come to a more per- -R- feet knowledge of the " Great Spirit," God . This knowledge a nd love of God wou ld be indirect (as it is in th is life ) i.e .. drawn from created sp irits . M a n. so far as his nature demands. wou ld nev er have seen God face - to - face . i.e .• immediately and directly . By th e " natural end " of man therefore we mean th e fin a l. complete fulfillment of his natural tendencies a nd th e full . rounded happiness tha t comes as a res ult. W e have said that this can be ha d only in th e knowl - edg e and love of God in a futur e life. It must be had in future life since it is certainly neve r ha d in this prese nt life. Sometime . somewhere his nature must be completed . otherwise God wo uld hav e crea ted a frustr a ted thing (unless . as we shall see . God gives him something high er) . This is th e completion of h is hum an nature th a t God must give man if He creates him . HIND WILL ~ D[mAnO AS TU[IR SOU L nATURAL com PUTlon C; 0 0 -t __ ----------~~, KNOWN AND LOVED BODY INDIRECTLY Notanda \. It is this "end" of man which we in ves tigate in that p a rt of philoso- phy which is called " Ethics." 2. As a ma tter of fa ct. this natural end do es not a nd never did ac tu a ll y exist for ma n. since from th e beginning God raise d Adam to a super-na tural end. 3. This is the complete " na tura l" ha ppiness which unbapt ized infa nts have: th e same happiness th a t we all wo uld have ha d . if God . in His gen- erosity, had not given us a sup er-na tura l des tiny . But th e infants get this by the a ccid ental fac t that th ey a re unba ptized . It is not a nd was not their destiny . because God re a ll y wants th em to get to th e super-na tura l end of ma n. Part II. Super-natural Constitution and End A s we said in the last pa ragraphs . God . in creating ma n. if he wanted to make him man . must h ave given him a mind and a will ; and giving him a mind and a will. God was obliged to give man as his end God Himse lf known a nd lo ved more perfec tl y a nd . hence . sa tis fyingly . but indirectly . But God wanted to give man a higher destin y th a n th e one due his nature. He could give man no higher des tiny th a n Himself ; he could only give man Himself in a higher way th a n th a t which ma n's na ture required. To under - stand this higher des tiny we must examine a bit about God a nd how H e i~ completely ha ppy . I 1. God's Nature God has an infinite Mind which needs to know immediately and directly infinite truth ; a nd He has a n infinite Will which needs to love immediately ·and directly infinite good . God Himself wou ld not be completely p erfect a nd completely ha ppy unless His Mind and Will had such an object. There - 9- is no such object outside of G od , for G od a lone is infinite truth a nd good. And so God mu st have an immediate, face -to -face knowledge a nd love of HimseU. God' s knowl edge a nd love of Himself we call God 's face-to-face vis ion of Himself, which , of course , is merely God knowing a nd loving Himself within Himself. MIND WILL IGODt.. ~ L ______ .J (T HIS W H OLE GRAP H S HOULD BE IN RED) 2. Man's Super-nature r--'G-o-6;s--l I FACE ·TO FACE ViSION I I HIM~'ELF I .. _ ............... _ ....... _ ...... _ ............ ..1 A s we said a bo ve, God wanted to give ma n a higher des tin y th a n the one due his na ture. He could not give man any higher destiny than Him- self. But H e could give man Himself in a higher way. G od did in fa ct give ma n th e high es t possible destiny H e could, i.e., the face-to-face vision of God Him self, and this dir ec t and immediate knowledge and love of God cons titutes man's super- na tur al "end ," which we call "Heaven," " th e Bea tific Vision, " etc . This fac e- to- face vision o.f Himself is the same that completes God in His own h ap piness. M a n, of course, will have it in a finit e way, wh ereas God has it infinitely and from ete rnity. Theologians say th a t God "elevate d ," i.e., lifted up, man from th e natu ral to th e super- natur al s tate . (That is w h y we call Ada m's sin , th e Fall. H e fell fro m his elevated position.) Le t us try to put this in a picture an d note th a t we sho uld use red whenever the super- na tura l is indicated. MIND WILL B-- (RE D ) (BROKEN LINE IN RED) But look at the picture. There is nothing " red " in man to correspond to this new destiny. He has nothing on which this " red" destiny can build. Or to chang e our metaphor~he cannot see "re d," he has no eye- power capable of seeing God in this new red way. - 10 - Hence God puts something " red" in man . This " red " thing is that super-nature, which we call sanc tifying grace. So once again for a revised picture: MIN.,D WILL SOUL ... "": SUPfR-mmiRm EnD /.'/' . -""" "._,,---""---""'"'''''"'-,,--,,-''''''''' /. BODY (RE D ) (B ROKEN LINE IN RED) "'''''~ fACE ~ 'TO f;Ac·(·~·"~;s·j-o~~l O!: I GOD I c_-"---'-(-REDl-----",,,j Man now with sanctifying grace, this super-nature , is on the same level as God Himself and h as th e same destiny as God Himself, M an has indeed been "elevated," Notanda I. Since this super-na ture (sa nctifying grace) gives man th e same fin a l completion of his nature as God Himse lf has, it is th e greatest gift that God Himse lf could give any creature that He might ever create. It does not lie within the omnipotence of God to give us a greater gift. (How we ought to prize sanctifying grace!) 2. A man without sanctifying grace is as incapable of seeing God face-to-face as a jackass or a cabbage is incapable of ac ts of knowledge a nd acts of fre e will (see Section 1. Part I, pp. 4-5). 3. That is why a soul which dies in mortal sin cannot see God and so cannot go to Heave n : It has put out its super-natural eyes and so can- not see, This soul appears before God's judgmen t-seat, blinded by its own act-and God receives it for judgment thus blinded. 4. God gave Adam and Eve thi s super-nature. It was an entirely free gift and so God could attach any condition to their holding it for them - selves and us , their children. They sinned and lost it for thems elves. Adam by his sin lost it for us , T .his loss is Original Sin. So two other pictures: (a) Th e way God wanted us to come into the world: MIND WILL SOUL ~r ","- + (i.e. PLUS Sllnc.mVInG GRIlCO ,'- BODY (BROKE N LINE AND PLUS SIGN ARE RED) (b) The way we do come into the world: MIND WILL ~ ~ (i' .. ·minus SAnCTlmnG GRAC~) (MINUS SIGN IS RED) -11- Notanda I. This lack of sanctifying grace due to the sin of Adam, is original sin. Original sin is not a bottle of black ink poured over th e soul. 2. When one is ba ptized the " minus" is changed into ·' plus. " C. SHARING IN THE DIVINE NATURE St. Peter (2 Peter 1:4) tells us : " By whom [Chri st] He [the Father] hath given us most great and precious promises th at by these you may be made pa rtakers of the divine nature,"' etc. The fact that we a re sharers or partake rs of the divine nature is an ar ticl e of faith-and is a mystery. Notanda I . A myster y is not nonsens e. It is a truth I do not und ers ta nd , i.e .. I do not see how an d why it is so, 'as I do see how and why 2 + 2 = 4. I acce pt a mystery because God says it. 2. In every mystery I understand the subject of the sentence a nd th e predicate of the sentence. What I do not understand is how th a t predicate belongs to that subject. For example: " God beca me man" (the Incarnation) . I know what " God" ,is; I know what "man" is; what I do not know is ho w " God " can be " man. " Or another: " The Virgin is a Mother " (Virgin Birth) . I know what " Virgin " is ; I know what " Mother" is ; what I do not know is how a "virgin" is a "mother." If I say: " God is oom oom " - th at is not a mystery- it is nonsense because I don ' t know what "oom oom " means. 3. I acce pt a mys tery " because God says so," i.e., a n act of faith is a n asse nt of my mind to a sta tement or fact because God is witness to the truth of that statement or fact. Hi s "witnessing " to it, is what we call " revelation ." 4. I ma ke ac ts of human "faith" continually, i.e ., I accept facts or statements on the "say-so" of other men. In divine faith I accept a fac t or truth on God 's "say-so ." 1. Sharing A. Let us exam ine the idea of "sharing " : (a) If you and I have a cake and we eat it, we share the same ca ke in the sa me way (eve n though y ou eat more of it than I do) . To use a big word we share it "univocally,"' Le., in the sam,e identical way. (b) A jackass and I are both " a nimals." But every bit of the jac kass is a different kind of animal from the kind of animal every bit of me is. We bctth share in "animalness " but analogously. -12- (Analogy is likeness shot through and through with unlikeness; so tha t every part of one thing is like and unlike every part of another thing, e.g., old-rose color is " analogous" to red, since it is entirely like and entirely unlike red .) B. Now let us examine this idea of " sharing God 's nature": (a) Of course we do not " share in, " "partake of" the divine nature , in the sense that God cuts off a piece of His nature and puts it into us, That is utterly impossible, since God's nature cannot be cut up into parts . He is a spirit. Hence we do not share His nature " univocally." (b) But we "share in, " " partake of " the divine nature " analogous ly," because sanctifying grace. though it is a created thing (and there- fore entirely unlike God). is so entirely like God . that God . and we must have the same final completion of a ctivities . Le. . the face- to-face vision of God Himself. (As we stated above. p. 10. God has the face-to-face vision of Himself from all eternity . completely and infinitely .) Thus our new super-nature and God's nature are so much alike that they inevitably lead to the same thing-th e fa ce- to-face vision of God . ~ _____________ -.._~ rAC['TO ::r([ VISION ~ GOD (RED) (RED) (BROKEN LINE IN RED) 2. Sharing in the Divine Nature 1. In mathema tics we say that " two things equal to the same third thing. are equal to each other" ; and likewise in philosophy we say that " two things which have the same final completion ("end" ) of their natures. are on the same level (or. in the same order or class) of beings." Hence if God and man have the same final completion of their beings (Le .• the face-to-face vision of God), God and man are in the same class of beings. i.e ., man "shares" the divine nature. 2. We are "made to the image and likeness of God ": , (a) in the merely natural order because. like God. we are spirit. at least in part. and have a mind and a free will; (b) but in the super-natural order this " image and likeness" is far. far more perfect and leads us to the face-to -face vision of God. (Cf. p.11 : ) -13 - 3. Many early writers of the Church speak of the reception of sanc- tifying grace as " deification," i.e., "God-becoming-ness. " 4. This sharing in the divine nature is frequently stressed in the liturgy , e.g., Prayer at pouring of wine and water into chalice; Preface of the Ascen- sion ; Secret of 4th Sunday after Easter; Office of Blessed Sacrament, 1st Lesson of 2nd Nocturn, etc., etc. 5. St . P a ul had this newness of nature in mind wh.;n he writes of "re-birth" (Titus 3:5); "new creature" (2 Cor. 5:17). etc. St. John speaks of being "born of God" (John 1 :13; 1 John 3:9; 1:7) ; " born of the Holy Ghost" (John 3:5) , etc. 6. Along with sanctifying grace God "infuses" (i.e., . " pours" ) into the soul the three super-natural virtues of faith , hope and charity which perma nently reside there. (In th e graph, F = faith , H = hope, C = charity , SG = sanctifying grace.) F H c.sc BODY , (BROKEN LINES IN RED) 7. Just as the soul, which is part of our natural nature, works through , and by means of, the mind and the will, so this new super-nature, sanc- tifying grace, works through faith , hop e a nd charity. Thus the soul thinks by means of the mind and chooses by means of the will. In a similar way, man with sanctifying grace believes by means of the virtue of faith, hopes by means of the virtue of hope, loves by means of th e virtue of charity. 8. By any mortal sin, one loses both sanctifying grace and charity, which are inseparable. . Only by a mortal sin against faith does one lose the infused virtue of faith. Only by a mortal sin against hope does one lose the infused virtue of hope. D. AN INTERNAL GIFT. PERMANENT THOUGH LOSABLE 1. Internal First of all, sanctifying grace, being a new nature. a super-nature, is something inside us, something within our soul. (a) To be in "the state of grace " does not just mean that God lo ves us. That would not give us a new nature. - 14- (b) Nor does it mean tha t God has promised merely to out-balance our sins by crediting to our accoun t a certain a mount of th e inerits of Ch rist. T his was Luther's theory, i.e. , our sins remain, bu t God puts down to our credit in His "books" enough of Christ's merits to take us out of G od 's debt. LUTHER'S DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN STATE OF GRACE S IN SIN S IN SIN SIN SIN CHRIST'S MERITS SIN CHR IST'S MERITS SIN CHRIST 'S MERITS S IN CHR IST'S M £ RITS SIN CHRIST 'S MERI1S (" CHRIST 'S MER I TS " IN REO .) Luther put it another way. When we are " justified " (tha t is the technica l word in th eology for getting sanctifying grace a ft er having sinned) our sins remain, bu t are blanke ted over, covered up, by Christ's merits, so th a t G od does not see th em any longer, though they are still there. LUTHER'S DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN SIN SIN S IN SIN SIN ( "TH E COVER IN G BY CHRIST ' S MERITS" AN D BROKEN L IN E IN RE D .> (c) The tru e C a tholic idea of sanctifying grace is th at God puts into our so uls sanctifying grace (which we represent b y a red line) w hich destroys our sins, a nd so they do not exist a ny longer. CATHOLIC DOCTRINE STATE OF SIN (BROKEN LINE IN RED) - 15- 2, Permanent So fa r as God is concerned sanctifying grace is to rema in fo rever in our souls . He w ill not take it a w ay of His own a ccord . 3 , Losable Once w e get sanctifying grace , w e have it forever , unl ess we commit a mortal, i.e., dead~ly. sin . A mortal sin is the one and only offense th a t ca n b ring death (mors) to this new living na ture within us. And th e reason for this is th a t sa nctif y ing gra ce is th e token of God 's super-na tura l love for us ; and God does not love us, cannot lo ve us, when w e h a v e offend ed Him in a serious matter. N .B . . Luther claimed th a t once a ma n is " justified" he can neve~ lose it. Notanda Veni a l sin does not diminish sanctifying gra ce in our souls. (a ) Wh en we sin venia lly, w e a re still G o d 's fri ends-pretty mea n friends , a t times , it is tru e, but s till fri ends- a nd so w e do not lose or diminish sa nctifying gra ce . One v eni a l sin does not diminish it in eve n th e slightest w ay; a nd so ev en after having committed 1,000 or 1.000,000 v eni a l sins w e still have the sa me a mount o( sanctif y ing gra ce as w hen w e sta rt ed. (b) It is a ll right then to commit v enia l sin? Not a t a ll : (i) On grounds of dec ency. It is a pretty mea n fri end who doesn 't ca re how much he offends a nother fri end prov ided h e- do esn' t lose his fri endship . (ii) On th eologica l grounds . W e prove ourselves un wor th y of God' s special graces which w e a ll need to conquer seriou s. tempta tions when th ey come, a nd to pra ctice v ir tue und er try ing circumstap ces . (iii) On the grounds of merit. By sinning , we fail to prac- tice virtue a nd so fail to grow in gra ce (d. Sect. III , p. 22) and so. lessen ou r ha ppiness through?ut a ll e ternity . (iv) On psychologica l grounds; By re pea ted ve ni a l sin, especia ll y a long one definite line, we grow wea ker psychologically , i. e., w e yield more readil y to th e sinful a ttr a ction ea ch time it comes. The result is that if a strong tempta tion to a morta l sill. comes along , w e a re most a pt to yield . Let's take a n exa mpl e: a ta nk of w a ter is supported b y woodell. supports. The tank is full of w a ter. T ermites begin to ea t away the supports, No w a ter is lost. The ta nk ma y re main a long time on th e wea k supports . But if a big wind comes! Then this. -16- "big wind, " wh ich is a serious temptation to which the soul actually y ields , knocks over the tank , smashes it, and a ll th e water (grace) is lost. None of it was los t through th e termit es, i.e ., venial sin. TERMITES AT WORK. Section II WHAT GRACE DOES Part I. Adoption by God ST. JOHN tells us (1 John 3: 1. 2): "Behold what mann e r of charity th e Father hath bestowed upon us; that we should be called , and should be the sons of God .. . Dearly beloved, we are now the sons of God ." Is this merely a bea utiful thought? A me taphor? A pious flight of ima gina tion ? No , it is an ar ticl e of fa ith defined b y th e Council of Trent. And so we are ado pted children of God. 1. Human Adoption Let us tr y to und erstand what " a doption " mea ns. For hum a n a dopti o n (i.e. , the ad option of a child by a coup le) three things are required: (a) Likeness of nature. Human beings do not " a dopt " dogs or cats ; only human chi ld ren . (b) Freedom of acceptance . Th e ado pte rs freely choose to take a child as th eir own. (c) Right to inheritance. The a dopt ed ch ild has a ll the rights of a na tur al child to th e lo ve , devo tion and proper ty of its new par- en ts. N .B. L a ck of children is not esse nti a l to a doption , since ma rri ed people who a lrea dy have children can , an d some tim es do , adopt a child. 2. Divine Adoption When , therefor e, we s pea k of our being a dopted or a doptive ch ildren of God , we s hould find th ese thr ee conditions verified , if o ur words mean what th ey say. Let us see. When w~ have this super-nature; i.e ., are in th e s ta te of sanctifying grace : (a) There is a likeness of nature betwee n God and us. This is precisely what w e showed before . W e are sha rers in , partakers of, th e divine nature. - 17 - (b ) There is freedom of acceptance by God , precisely b eca use th e w hole o f th e super-nat ur a l o rd er, inclu ding th is n ew super-na ture, sa nctif y ing grace, is G o d 's free gift. (" Being justified freely by his grace th ro ugh th e redemp tion that is in Ch rist Jesus, " R omans 3:24.) N .B. Recall th a t it is so fr ee on th e p art of G od tha t no crea ture H e might eve r crea te coul d require this super-na ture from Him . (c) There is th e right of inheritance, beca use th ro ugh sa nctify ing grace. we h ave a right to have God Himself as o ur ow n possession through a ll eternit y. (" For th e Spirit himself give th tes timony to o ur spirit , th a t we a re th e sons o f God. And if sons , h eirs a lso ; heirs indeed of G od and joint-heirs w ith Christ," Ro m. 8: 16. 17. ) And in this life w e a re the objects o f H is specia l fa therl y love a nd ca re , memb ers of His house hol d. (E ph . 2:19. ) N .B. G od does not need us, a nd th a t is w hy we called a t ten - tion to th e fa ct th a t n eed or la ck o f children is no t a n ecessa ry condition for a doption. All th e conditions , th erefore, for real a doption a re ve rifi ed and so G od is trul y our Father a nd we a re His children. As St. Paul says (Ga l. 4:7 ) : "Therefor e now he is not a serva nt (litera ll y slave) , but a son. And if a son, a n heir a lso through God ." Human Adoption Likeness o f na ture F reedo m of a ccepta nce Right to inh eritance ( Scheme ) Divine Adoption Likeness o f na tur e through sa nc- tify ing grace .... (E------~) E v er y thing super-n a tu ra l is a most fr ee gift of God ( ) Right to G od Himself through th e fa ce- to-fa ce v ision Notanda 1. By na ture we a re merely creatures of God , our Crea tor , to w hom we ow e obedi ence a nd lo ve . H ence if God ha d no t elev a ted us to th e " super-n a tura l order " but crea ted us to exist in " th e na tura l order" onl y , th en H e would not have bee n our Father, nor would we have bee n His children. 2. Being children , we should have sp ecia l food , different from th a t of serva nts. H ence Christ h as given us Himself in the Blessed Sa crament, which is the food which " corres ponds to our dignity a s children a nd sus- ta ins us in th a t sublime rela tion." (Pohle-Preuss , "Gra ce, " p. 360.) - 18 - Part II. Indwelling of the Holy Ghost T HE second and most marvelous effect of sanctifying grace . this super-nature. is the indwelling of the Holy Ghost. Here we are fronted with onc of the greatest mysteries of our Faith. 1. The FACT of Indwelling new con- This indwelling is' stated in various parts of the New Testament : St. Johfl 14:16, 17 -"And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Parac1ete, that he may abide with you for ever ... but you shall know him ; because he shall abide with you, and shall be in you." I Corinthians 3:16-"Know you not that you are the temple of God , and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? " (Cf. a lso Rom . 5 :5; 8:11-1 Cor. 6:19, etc ., etc.) Let us try to get some idea of this mystery. I. First we know that God is everywhere and that He is therefore in everything and around everything, filling all space . This is a merely natural indwelling of God. Let's put that into a picture, showing God being in a man, a horse , a tree , a stone. The straight line is God 's natural indwelling and so is indicated by black. t---;-r--+----i~-+-~~4---,"'r;,L.__ GOD 'S N A TUR AL INDWELLING Hence God is even in a sinner , even in Hell itself. He cannot help being there. 2. By our Catholic Faith we are taught that there is a special, new indwelling of God in the person in the state of sanctifying grace. Just as our natural condition implies the natural, omnipresent indwelling of God, so our new super-natural condition entails a new kind of indwelling , a super-natural indwelling of God. (Cf. I Cor. 3: 16, 17; 6:19, etc.) So-another picture. God's super-natural indwelling is indicated by the jagged line which should be in red. - 19 - Notanda 1. This indwelling is called the " Uncreated Grace, " since God is un- c rea ted. Sanctifying grace is called "crea ted grace ," because God produces it a nd puts it into our souls . 2. For the few precious moments after Holy Communion when Our Lord, true God and true man, is really present within us, there is a third mystery-full presence of God within us. This further super-natural indwell- ing is indicated by th e looped line and should be in red. GOD 'S INDWELLING AFTER H. C GOD 'S SUPER-NATURAL INDWELLING GOD 'S NHURAL INDWELLING (THE LIN E - - - - IND ICATES SANCTIFY,ING GRACE AND SHOULD BE IN RED , AS SHOULD THE LlNES~ ~) 2. The HOW of Indwelling Of the fact of this indwelling we a re certain from faith. When we try to explain it, we find many difficulties . (a) We may try to ex plain th e precise new-ness of this indwelling by saying that God is present within US as a Friend. He wants us : (i) by ac ts of faith to know Him a nd to adore Him as the Friend-present-within-us; (ii) by acts of hope to long to see face - to- face the Fri end-present- within-us ; (iii) by a cts of love to show our love for the Friend-present- within-us. (b) We can pray to God a nd honor Him as outside of us (we call this in theology His transcendence) ; or we can look on Him as super- naturally present inside us (His super-natural immanence) . Let us try two more pictures : GOD-OUTSIDE-OF-US B JREDJ sou_~/ /. /. "-/. ~,. BODY (THE LINE ____ AND THE ARROWS. INDICATING FAITH . HOPE AND CHARITY SHOULD BE IN RED.) GOD-INSIDE-OF-US ;;if;;/ <:;F'''-''-'''''- ·-t..---' GOD 'S SUPER - NATURAL INDWELLING (THE LINES ___ AND~ AND THE ARROWS INDI CAT ING FAITH. HOPE AND CHARITY SHOULD BE IN RED) -20- 3. WHO Indwells A furth er qu es tion a rises. Just who indwe lls in th e soul of th e p erson in th e sta te of sanctify ing gra ce? There a re two opinions on this ma tte r. N .B. It is not surprising th a t th eologia ns hold different opinio ns as to the deepe r explanation of mys teries. God ha s revealed much to us definitely a nd clearl y , e. g., th a t there a re three Persons in One G o d, th a t God b eca me Man , th a t M a ry was a Virgin-Mother , etc. About th ese definit e, clear revel a tions, theologia ns think a nd reason a nd try to ' delve de eper into the mysteries, a sking "how" a nd " why," etc . H ere th ey a re using th eir own minds . H ence it is th a t w e ha ve " proba ble" opinions: som e th eologia ns holding one view, othe rs a no th er v iew , a ccording as the y think th ey detec t th e inner depth s a nd reasons of G od 's my steri es. H ence ba ck to our ques tion : Who indwells? There a re two opinions: 1. The indwelling is peculiar an d proper to the Holy Ghost. (Just as in th e Blessed Sa cra ment the Real P rese nce is peculia r and proper to th e Second Person of the Blessed Trinity, since onl y th e Second Pe rson became inca rn a te. ) 2. The indwelling is equa lly th e ind we lling of the thr ee Divine Per- sons . though w e " a ppropria te" it (i.e ., ta lk of it as though it 'b elong ed) to th e Holy Ghost in a peculiar w a y . N .B. W e "appropria te" a thing to one Div ine Pe rson w hen we ta lk o f it as tho ugh it belonged to th a t Div ine P erson in a pa rticul a r way , though a ctua ll y it b elong s to all Three, e.g., omnipotence a nd wo rks of power to God th e F a th er (though all Th ree Pe rsons are omnipotent a nd a ll equa lly create) ; w isdom a nd its work (the o rder of th e un iv erse ) to God the So n; love a nd th e work of sancti fi ca tion to God th e Hol y Ghost. (See a rt icle in Cath. Encycl., VoL I. p. 658. "Appropria tion " ; "The Hol y T rinit y. " l. P. Arend ze n , Ch . IX . pp . 19-26: "Th e Gift o f Pe ntecost," M. M eschler , S.l. , Ch , IV. ) 2. Of course , w herever Qne Pe rso n o f the Blessed T rinit y is, th ere th e o th er Two must b e. But the qu estion here is does th e prese nce o f sanc- tifying gra ce give us a n ew " link" directly with a ll Three Pe rso ns o f th e Blessed Trinity . or dir ectly only w ith th e Holy Ghost a nd onl y indirec tl y w ith th e F a ther a nd the Son. C a n we try to picture th ese two opinio ns abo ut one of th e grea tes t a nd dee pes t mys teri es of our fai th? Let's see . W e rep rese nt G od's super - na tura l indw elli ng b y th e jagged line, a nd F , S , H G s ta nd for Fa th er. Son , Holy Ghost. In th e first gra ph, a n a rro w from F. S , HG pointing towa rd s th e ja gged line indicates that th e indwelling is th a t of a ll Three Persons a nd th a t th e " link" is direc tl y w ith a ll three . -2 1 - EQUAL INDWELLING OF THE THREE PERSONS r--- GOD'S SUPER-NATURAL INDWELLING BODY (THE OVAL. THE ARROWS AND THE LlNE--vtA-SHOULD BE IN RED.) In the second graph, an arrow from HG alone pointing towards the jagged line indicates that the indwelling is proper to the Holy Ghost alone, though th e Father and Son a re present too, but the "link" is not with them . (That is why the arrows of F and S point away from the jagged line .) INDWELLING PECULIAR TO THE HOLY GHOST (THE OVAL. THE ARROWS AND THE LlNE/V!ASHOULD BE IN RED.) Notanda 1. Mos't theologians hold that the " link" is directly with a ll Three Divine Persons and that we merely "appropriate" it to the Holy Ghost, though some emine nt theologians defend th e doctrine of th e special indwelI- ing of the Holy Ghost. 2. If th e doctrine of th e special indwelling of the Holy Ghost is the tru e doctrine, th en: (a) In the Incarnation there is the substantial union of the Second Per- son with human nature; (b) In the indwelling there is the accidental union of the Third Per~ son with human nature . Section III GRACE GROWS 1. Sanctifying grace is not some thin g inert : (a) it is dynamic; (b) it 'grows a nd increases. I. It is dynamic. This follows immediately from the fact that sanc- tifying grace is a new kind of life (see Sect. I , Pt. II, p . 6). BeiI?g life (vita), it vitalizes and energizes our actions : (a) Sa nctifying grace vitalizes our actions. Our ac tions now have a new power in them, because they have a connection with Heaven, they have a relation to th e fa ce-to-face Vision of God. -22- (b) Sanctifying grace energizes our actions because through the infused virtues of fa ith , hop e a nd charity, and through th e Holy Ghost really indwelling within us , we are stirred up a nd urged on to holier ac ting and to holi er liv ing . 2. It grows and increases. A final a mount of sanctif y ing grace is not put once and fo r all into the soul by God. At th e moment of Baptism (either of water, or of desire ) God does put a certa in a mount into th e so ul. But this increases (a) with every good act w e perfo rm; (b) with every temptation w e conquer. Let's try to visualize th e growth o f grace through th e yea rs subsequent to Baptism. W e suppose we have not lost grace. N .B. W e are here try ing to visualize th e amount of grace in our souls, not the size of our souls. [ J BAPTISM IOYRS. OLD 20YRS. OLD 50 YRS OLD (FILL IN EACH CONTAINER WITH RED CHALK) Notanda 1. We say " with every good act we perform ." Note that these good a cts may be: (a) difficult things , e.g ., studying, pray ing , going to M ass, etc. (b) pleasant things, e.g., eating, drinking, playing, dancing, etc. If I study, when I get through, I have more learning in my head and more sanctifying grace in my soul. If I eat a chocolate nut sundae, when I get through I h ave a chocolate nut sundae inside of me and more sanctifying grace , too. (Cf. " Hard-Headed Holiness" by F . P. LeBuffe, S .J., The Queen 's Work,) N .B. To make more certain of this increase a nd to make th e increase greater, we should often make an intention (as in the Morning Offering) in order to let God see th a t we want our ac ts to be supernatural , a nd to increase our own fervor , 2. We ~lso say " with every temptation we conquer. " That is the great consolation when we a re tempted, a nd yet conquer, For th en we have more sanctifying grace than before , (It is therefore a sad mistake to be discouraged if temptati~ns come. They are real helps to Heave~ , if we fight and win. ) -23- II . "The sky is the limit" for growth in holiness. 1. To each of us Christ said: " Be ye perfec t as also your heavenly Father is perfect " (Mt. 5 :48)-and God is infinitely holy , hol y without any limits. Therefore I can never say that I am as hol y as God wants me to be ; and then stop trying to be holler. 2. Howeve r there is a different way of attaining holiness in eac h state of life. Since superna tural holiness is sanctif ying grace, it is funda - mentall y the same in all. But there are different types of holiness according as different virtues a re dominant. Let 's try to visualize four major types of holiness, each tending without limit to God (whole gra ph in ~ed) : C3 ,.. r PRIEST RELIGIOUS MAR RI ED SINGLE N .B. Of course, all other things being equal, a priest a nd religious h ave more ,plentiful mea ns of grace a lways at hand and so hdliness should be easier. They are in " the way of perfection." They are, by their state of life , headed straight for God . But married a nd single folk can reach similar heights. III . Sanctifying grace is th e meas ure of eternal happiness. The a mount of our knowledge a nd love of God (and consequently our· happiness) throughout all eternity will correspond directly to the amoun t of sanctifying grace we have in our souls when we die . " Grace meas ures. glory." (" Glory"' means th e fa ce- to -fa ce vision of God.) If A dies with a wine glass full of grace (2 oz.), then A will ha ve a. wine glass full of happiness for a ll eternity . If B dies with a hogshe a d full of grace (8 ,064 oz. ). then B will have a. hogshead full of happiness for all eternity . ~ 0 (2 OZ.) (B,064 OZ) (FILL IN EACH CONTAINER WITH RED CHALK) Notanda , I, Both A and B will be completely happy because each will have alt the happiness that he can hold . Each is full. Yet B will have 4 ,032 times. -24- the happiness of A! (A hogshead full of water is not more full of water than a wineglass full of water; but it does hold more.) 2. A will not b e jealous of B because A will clearly recognize: (i) that B deserves that much happiness : (ii) that A himself has a ll h e can hold. 3. But why won' t A be dissatisfied with himself since he knows he too could have had 8,064 oz. of grace and so of eternal happiness? (This will be answered in Heaven . Another reason for getting there!) 1 . The practical application to oneself is: get busy, i.e ., try to be as holy as you can. And recall: "The sky is th e limit " in every walk of life . Section IV MEAN S OF GROWTH I N the last section we saw that grace grows and increases. We now con-sider the means of growth in grace , presupposing of course that we already have sanctifying grace in our souls. 'We divide these means into three major divisions , for which we give the strict theological designations and then a popular translation of th e same. (See Sect. IX.) N otanda l. It will be best to read through the entire explanation and then come back to study each illustration more closely. The re ason for this is th at one explanation sheds light on th e other. 2. In order that the examples may be valid, we suppose that th e per- son has the same amount of good di spositions when he uses each different means of grace . This is essential. So let us suppose that he has good dispositions of 10° sa nctifying grace and 10 ° actual fervor a t th e time he uses each means of grace. A. Ex O pere O perantis-"Going It Alone" Here th e merit and worth of our action depends immediately on o ur good dispositions and our cooperation with the grace of God. e.g., we say a kind word, do a kind deed, perform an act of mortification . Then we do get an increas of sanctifying grace, but it is entirely due to our coopera- tion. Hence the theological phrase : ex opere operantis, i.e., "from the work of the one working." We style this in an everyday way-"going it alone." We may visualize this means as an old farm-pump, getting grace fro m a well or reservoir of sanctifying grace. -25- SANCTIFYING GRACE (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE - - - - IN RED .) Notanda I. Of course there is no reservoir of grace. Each bit of sanctifying grace is produced by God and put immediately into the soul by God . 2. Note we do get an increase of grace but not so much. An old farm-pump is hard to work. This is visualized by the single stream from the pump. B. Ex Opere Operantis Ecciesiae-"Going It With the Church" Here we are dealing with the sacramentals. Being blessed by the Church, when we use them, it is as though we and the Church perform the action. If I bless myself without holy water, the action is meritorious ex opere operantis, i.e., I am "going it alone." But if I bless myself with holy water, I and the Church bless myself, and so the work is ex opere operantis Ecciesiae, i.e., "from the work of th e Church working ." I am " going it with the Church." Though my dispositions are the same in both cases, I get a greater increase of sanctify ing grace when I use holy water, since the action is more meritorious , beca use of the co-working Church . Let us visualize this by a faucet which draws from the reservoir of sanc- tifying grace : SANCTIFYING GRACE (FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE _ • _ _ IN REO .) With the same good dispositions we get more sanctifying grace, as is v isualized by the larger stream coming out of the faucet , and we get it more easily beca use a faucet is easier to work than an old farm-pump _ C. Ex Opere Operato-"Going It With Christ" Here we are dealing with the sacraments. The sacraments are the great channels of grace instituted by Christ and they bring about th ir -26- effect "ex opere operato" literally " from the work that is performed." We may transla te "ex opere operato" freely and with proper understanding~ "automatically," i.e ., if the dispositions are present, the sacraments of themselves increase sanctifying grace in the soul. In order to carryon the popular phraseology~and we say it with all reverence~we are " going it with Christ. " He and we are active in the reception of the Sacraments. Let us try to visualize this by an automatic showerbath which operates by stepping on a level-with-the-floor treadle or platform, thus precluding all but a little effort on our part: ( FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE •• •• IN RED .) With the same good dispositions we get abundantly more sanctifying grace as is visualized by the plenteous stream coming from the showerbath , and get it more easily through the reception of a sacrament than through the old farm-pump ("going it alone") , or the faucet (" going it with the Church") . Resume In order to completely visualize this fundamental fact of the three major means of growing in grace, let us unite the pictures in one: SANCTIFYING GRACE ( FILL IN RESERVOIR WITH RED CHALK AND DRAW LINE .. • . IN RED.) , Hence with good dispositions of 10° sanctifying grace and 10° actual fervor at the time of acting: \ \ (a) some increase of grace will be received from saying my beads on my fingers; -27- (b) a larger increase of grace will be received from saying my beads on a pair of blessed beads; (c) a far, far larger increase of grace will be received from receiving Holy Communion or going to Confession , being ordained or get- ting married', etc., etc. Section V GRACE BEFORE CHRIST BEFORE considering the sacraments as the greatest means of growing in grace, we shall consider God's gift of grace in the various theo- logical periods of history. I, Theological Periods of History 1. The Period of Original Justice~the period before the Fall when Adam and Eve still possessed the sanctifying grace God had originally given them . N.B. "Justice " here is roughly the same as grace. 2. The Period of Fallen Nature~the period from the moment of Adam's si~ (not Eve's) until God promised them the Redeemer . N .B. Eve's sin was personal ; Adam's sin was racial. Hence Eve sinned for herself alone; Adam for all of us. 3. The Period of Fallen but Repaired Nature~the period from the time God promised the Redeemer until the end of the world. (We live in this period.) N.B . Human nature is said to have been " rep a ired " (a) because God did restore to man the . super-natural. destiny that Adam had thrown away ; (b) because God gave, gives , and will give , to each man the cha nce to get sanctifying grace , i.e. , that super-nature which renders us fit to actually attain our super-natural destiny ; (c) but God did not restore to mankind all the gifts He had originally given to Adam, e.g., perfect control of the passions , immortality of the body, etc.; (d) hence the state of fallen but repaired nature is not as high a s the state of original justice. We may visualize these periods and the fall and restoration thus : -28 - I OR/G-. JUST. FALLEN BUT REPAIRED NATURE FALLEN NAT. (BROKEN LINES IN RED.) Notanda I. We ha ve no least idea of th e length of the periods of Origina l Justice and of ,Fallen Nature, beca use we do not know : (a) how long Adam had lived before he sinned; (b) how long it w as a ft er Ada m's sin before God promised the R edeemer. Presumably howeve r they we re both short, especially Period Two. 2. Nor have we a definite idea of th e length , up to the prese nt, of th e third period, i.e. , of Fallen but Repaired Nature, since we do not know how many thousands of years man has been on this ear.th . And we have no least idea how far away or nea r th e end of the world , may be . II. Grace During These Periods I. In the p eriod of Origin a l Jus tic e, Adam and Eve ha d sanctif y ing grace . 2. In the p eriod of the Fall, Adam an d Eve ha d no sanctif y ing grace, for th ey ha d thrown God 's gift away by sin. 3. In the period of Fallen but R ep aired N a ture, men obtained sanc- tifying a nd actual grace because of Christ's Redemption, i. e., His death on the Cross. But we must note a furth er division in this period of F a llen but R e- paired N a ture: (a) the period from th e time of th e promise of the Redee mer up to Christ's death ; (b) the period from Chris t's dea th to the end o f the world. We h ave said th a t all men obtained grace during this period , a nd that they obtained it beca use of Chris t's meri ts. But they obtained it in a diff er- ent way : -29- (a) before Christ's dea th , men r ece ived grace beca use of the foreseen dea th a nd merits of Christ ; (b) after Christ's death , men receive gra ce beca use of the actual his- torical dea th and merits of Christ. The Crucifix ion therefore is literally th e dividing point of histor y. E FROM FORESEEN DEATH ~ I GRACE FROM ACTUAL 0" ~ I Time of the Promise End of the World of the Redeemer (ENTIRE GRAPH IN RED) God in His mercy was willing to let man "draw on," "borrow against" the future merits of Christ; just as a man " draws on ," "borrows against" his life insurance or on an inheritance which is due him by a will but which has not been actually paid to him. Notanda 1. It has been stressed that all men received and receive grace from the time God promised th e R edeemer. Thus Jews and pagans in th e Old Law, Catholics , Protesta nts, Jews and pagans in the New Lawall received , a nd do receive , and will receive grace , until the end of the world ; and every single grace is from Christ. Every holy person through the ages , after th e Fall , has been hol y through graces given him because of Christ. 2. As to the distribution of grace : (a) grace comes more plentifully in the New Law tha n in the Old Law; (b) in the Old Law grace came more plentifully to th e Jews than to the pagans ; (c) in the N ew Law grace comes more plentifully to Catholics th an to o thers. III. Means of G race Before Christ 1. All the means which we have a t our disposal ex opere operantis (d. Sect. IV) , were at the disposal of men in pre-Christian times: prayer, a lms-giving, good works, etc. 2. There were sacraments too before Christ and such a sacrament is defined as "an outward sign instituted by God to give grace. " -30- 3. The difference betwee n the sacra ments of the N ew Law a nd the pre-Christian sacraments, i. e., those of the tim es before Christ a re many, but two a re important: (a) Christ, the Man-God, instituted our seven sacraments; God , a s God , instituted the others; (b) Our sacraments actually cause gra ce ; th e others were merely con- ditions of grace (Just as an act of perfect contrition or of perfect love is now a " condition" for receiving God's grace, If we a re in the state of mortal sin and cannot get to confession.) W e may visua lize these differences thu s: GOD ~ PRE' CHRISTIAN SACRAMENTS GRACE CHRIST ~ SEVEN SACRAMENTS GR.ACE (ENTIRE GRAPH IN RED) , N .B. An example will ma ke clear the difference between a " cause " and a "condition": the glass in my window is the "condition" whereby sun- light comes into my room , but the sun is the "cause " of the light. IV, Kinds of Sacraments Before Christ Here we must again ma rk off different th eological period s within th e general period which we have called the period of Fallen but Repaired Nature an d indicate the sacraments peculiar to each period. 1. During the period from the Fall until Abraham , which period is called "The Sta te of the Law of N a ture ." At tha t time there was a " Sacra- ment of Nature," which w as some a ct of reverence to God on the part or the parent whereby a child w as freed from original sin. 2. During the period from Abraham to Moses there was the Sacra- ment of Circumcision for Jewish male infants , the " Sa crament of Nature " continuing for Jewish female infants and for a ll paga n children. 3. During the period from Moses to Christ, which period is called "The Old Testament" or "The Old Law" or "The Mosaic Law," there were many sacraments : (a) circumcision-prefiguring Baptism; -31- (b) ceremonies of ordination of Levite s and priests~prefiguring O r- ders; (c) cer emonies a nd sacrifi ces of ex pia ti on and penance~prefiguring Penance; (d) ceremonies such as th e eating of th e Paschal La mb and t he loaves of propitiation~prefiguring th e Eucharist. N .B. One of th e best trea tises in English on sacramen ts before the New L aw is in Pohle-Preuss. "The S acra ments. r ' Pt.!. Ch . I. Sec. 2. S ee also "Cath. Encyclopedi a,' Vol. XIII . pp. 295 -296. " Sacraments. " R eca ll again that these sacraments differed esse ntially from our sac ra- ments in that they were not instituted by Christ a nd were only "conditions " not causes of th e sanctif y ing grace received. Section VI THE GREAT MEANS OF GROWTH I N S ection IV we noted th a t by far th e most efficacious way to increase sanctifying grace in our so uls is through th e sacrame nts w hi ch Christ has given to His Church . A. Sacrament A sacrame nt is an outward sign institut ed by Christ to give grace. The giving of gra ce is th e whole reason for th ei r existence. Some (B a ptis m a nd Penance) have as th eir explicit purpose to give sanctifying grace to a soul in mortal sin . though th ey w ill incr ease sa nctify ing g race in a soul a lread y possessing it . (These two sacrame nts are called sacraments of th e dead. i.e .. of those dead in the super-natural order by reason of th e dead-ly [mortal) sin.) All th e others have as th eir explicit purpose to increase sanctifying gra ce in a soul a nd hence th ey presuppose its prese nce in th e soul of the recipient. (H ence a ll these sacraments ar e ca lled sacraments of the living . i.e .. of tho se a li ve su per-na tur a ll y through sa nctify ing grace.) B. Effect of a Sacrament Howev er th e effect of a sac rame nt is not one si mple thing . W e should speak rather of the effects of a sacra men t. What are these effects? 1. The prima ry and immedia te eff ec t of a sacrament is twofold: (a) sanctifying grace . i.e .. th a t new super-na ture which God has deigned to give us ; (b) a right or claim to have God give us a ctual graces " to a ttain the end for which He instituted each sacrament." 2. The secondary a nd medi a te effect of a sacrament is a series of ac tua l graces . - 32 - These are given us as the need arises in our lives " to attain the end for which He instituted each sacrament. " These are the "sacramental " graces of which the Catechism speaks. We may visualize these effects thus: SACRAMENT IMMEDIATE' EFFECT (ENTIRE GRAPH IN REO) Notanda SANCTIFYING GRAC'E RIGHT TO ACTUAL GRACES I ACTUAL GRACES I 1. In the folloWing sections we shall explain " the end for which H e instituted each sacrament" and shall indicate the different kinds of actual gr~ces given for the a tt ainment of the different end or purpose of each sacrament. . 2. The right to actual graces is a real claim on God , granted us through His mercy, to have Him grant us these actual graces. If we have received the sacrament we have a right to the graces. If we have not o:e ceived the sacrament, we have no claim on God, though He may give them in His mercy . Fo~ example, if I have been anointed I have a right to th e actual graces to bear the cross of my sickness well and hoUly. 3. This right to actual graces and the length of time during which we rece ive such graces varies according as a sacrament is repea table, i.e ., may be received only o~ce or more than once. (a) In Baptism , Confirmation and Holy Orders the right and the reception of actual graces lasts as long as life lasts. (b) In Marriage they last until one party dies and until all duties are fulfilled as to upbringing of children . (c) In Extreme Unction they last until death or until one has definitely recovered. (d) In P nance and Holy Eucharist it is difficult to say how long they last, though it is certain that th ey last for a time only. Hence it is advisable to receive these last two sacraments frequently so that the right may be renewed and thus we shall not " run out" of these actual graces. -33- Section VII THE SACRAMENTS IN GENERAL I N THE preceding section we spoke of the immediate and mediate effects of the sacraments and indicated that there was a difference in their effects according to the different purpose of each sacrament. A . Immediate Effect The immediate a nd perma nent effect of a ny sacrament is sanctifying grace. This sanctifying grace does not differ in itself from the sanctifying grace th a t is received ex opere operantis or ex opere operantis Ecc1esiae (Cf. Section IV). There is only one kind of sanctifying gra ce , whether it comes to us sacramentally or non-sacramentally. But the sanctifying grace received through a sacrament implies, con- notes (has "tied in with it") something that sanctifying grace, otherwise received, does not imply (has not "tied in with it"). Sacramentally-received sanctifying grace has "tied in with it" a "right" to actua l graces. (See preceding Section.) NON· SACRAMENTAL SANCTIFYIN(j GRACE SACRAMENTAL RIGHT TO , - SANCTIFYING GRACE ACTUAL GRACES (WHOLE C. ... APH IN IUD) And it is precisely this right that differs in each sacrament. Each sacra- ment accordi ng to its different purposes gives a right to a different kind of ac tua l grace. B. Mediate Effect Hence, to realize and to visualize these differences, we must tr y to ~ealize and visualize the different purposes and the different actual graces to wihch each sacrament gives a right. -34 - N.B. This graph must be read in conjunction with the explanation of eac h individua l sacrament in Section VIII . Otherwise its brevity will be co nfusing and misleading. DI FFERENCES IN THE SACRAMENTS SACRA~ ENT PURPOSE SAHCTlfY I N~ GRAll Ric,HT ACTUAL GRACES BAPTI S M SUPERNATURA L 0 00000 0 ETC. L,F E CON F I R~"T I OH DEFENSE OF FAIT H W J, J, J, J, J, J, If( HOLY EU CHARIST NOUR IS HMENT D t; t; t; t; c. c. ETC PENANCE ORDII"VM &OLS IN REO .) Of course. th e whole v isualiza tion is a simplifica tion (but. it is hoped. not an over-simplifica tion) of a grea t deal of doctrine and should be re ad a nd studied only in conjunction with the subsequent sections where each sacrament will rec eive indiv idual trea tm ent. H ere the ma jor aspects only o f th e graph are noted: I . E a ch sacrament has a different purpose. 2. All sacraments give the same kind of sanc tifying gra ce (there being one only kind) . 3. The " right" differs a ccording to the purpose of th e sac rament. 4. The a tual graces that come because of th a t " right" · differ in like manner. C. Fitness of SEVEN Sacraments Christ. of course. could have instituted as many sa craments as He pleased. but there seems to be a special fitness in "seven," corresponding super-naturally to the needs of our individual a nd social natural lives : - 35- NATURAL SUPER-NATURAL Individual Birth « » Baptism Life Growth « » Confirmation Nourishment « » Holy Eucharist Ordinary Remedies « » Penance Extraordinary Remedies «---» Extreme Unction Social Government « » Holy Orders Life Marriage « » Sacramental Marriage (Pohle-Preuss, " Sacraments , I. " pp. 44-51 , is excellent on this subj ect of the fi tness of "seven." ) Section VIII THE SACRAMENTS INDIVIDUALLY I N Section VII we considered the sacraments in general, indicating th a t each one (a) has a precise, different purpose, and gives (b) sanc- tifying grace ; (c) a right to actual graces in keeping with the purpose of the individual sacrament; (d) these actual graces as they are needed. We shall now consider each sacrament individually so as to get a deeper knowledge of the wonderful means of grace God has given us. Our tre a t- ment will be under the four headings just indicated. N .B. Since we are considering how to teach sanctifying grace, and that only, we shall omit all consideration of the " character" imprinted on ou,r souls by the three sacraments, Baptism, Confirmation and Holy Orders. I. Baptism Let us first recall th e graph : BAPTISM SUPERNATURAL LIFE 1. The Purpose of Baptism o OOOOOom. In the gra ph this is indicated to be th e gift of Supernatural Life. But this simple expression of its purpose may and should be furth er evolved. Being the sacrament of spiritual birth, the foundation sacrament~for without it none other is valid~it does three things : (a) it gives the superna tura l life , which is sanctify ing. grace, thus remitting original sin; (b) it gives fa ith , i.e., it brings to th e soul of th e recipient th e " infused" v irtue of faith. God , Himself, through th e sacrament , gives to the soul a n abiding principle (hab it) of faith , whereby (1) we habitually believe th e truths of the Catholic faith ; -36- (2) we have the constant ability to make acts of faith . N.B . In the case of non-baptized adu lts, the abiding virtue of faith may be granted by God before Baptism. (c) it admits the baptized person to membership in the visible Church , i.e. , into the Mystical Body. N.B. We do not know whether Our Blessed Mother was baptized or not. She could have been baptized for the third reason; she could not be for the first or second since she had grace a nd faith from th e moment of her Immac ulate Conception. 2. Sanctifying Grace from Baptism Being a "' sacrament of the dead "' _ its direct purpose is to remove original sin (which, it is recalled, is a deprivation [lack] of sanctifying grace due to Adam's sin, d . Section I, Pt. II , at the end) by the infusion of sanctifying grace. If sanctifying grace is already in the soul because of Baptism of D esire , i.e., an act of perfect love or of perfect contrition , then it increases sanctifying grace. 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose of Baptism is to give us supernatural life and make us members of the Mystical Body , the ac tu a l graces, to which we receive a rig ht, are actual graces to keep that life and retain membership in the visib le <;::hurch. This right lasts throughout life. 4. Actual Graces From Baptism Hence throughout life precisely because we have been baptized, we receive actual graces (a) to make acts of faith; (b) to repel temptations against faith; (c) to act becomingly as members of the Mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church. II. Confirmation First let us recall the graph: CON FIRMATIO DEFENSE OF FAITH 1. Purpose of Confirmation This is well expressed in the words of the catechism : "' Confirmation is a sacrament through which we receive the Holy Ghost to make us strong a nd perfect Christia ns and soldiers of Jesus Christ. " -37- It is the sacrament of super-natural growth: (a) we become strong and perfect Christians, developing and p erfect- ing our own individual faith ; (b) we become " defenders of the faith ," i.e., soldiers fighting in upbuild - ing and defending the Mystical Body. N .B. It is for this latter reason that Confirmation is rightly called " th e Sacramen t of Catholic Action. " (Cf. Fr. Lord's pamphlet under that title. ) 2. Sanctifying Grace From Confirmation Being a "sacrament of the living, " Confirmation pre-supposes the presence of grace in the soul of th e recipient. N .B. Remember that this sanctifying grace is the same kind as received from Baptism but th e "right" tied in w ith it is different. 3. Ri'ght to Actual Graces The purpose of Confirmation being an increased strength a nd vigor in our spiritual life and an increased and increasing alacrity in the further- ance a nd defense of the Church, we. receive a right to ha ve God give us those graces when and as we need th em. This right lasts through life. 4. Actual Graces from Confirmation H ence throughout life, precisely because we have been confirmed, we receive actual graces: (a) to "grow up" as Catholics, and not remain infantile, sub-normal members of th e Church. (b) to be militant Catholics (I) defending the Church " agai nst all comers"; (2) trying, according to our ability and opportunity , to make known the truths of faith; (3) trying , according to our abi lity and opportunity, to gain new members, i.e ., make converts. N .B. 1. This increased vigor and increased alac rity suppose a cor- responding growth in the knowledge and understanding of our faith, An ignorant, untrained soldier is at best a liability , at worst L' menace. 2. If one, not confirmed, would seek to be a C a tholic Actionist, his first duty would be to receive Confirmation. -38- • III. Holy Eucharist ~T us first reca ll th e graph: HOLY EUCHARIST NOURISHMENT A A A A AA ETC . 1. The Purpose of the Holy Eucharist This is beautifully expressed by the Council of Trent (Session XII, Ch. II): " And He would also that this sacrament should be received as th e spiritua l food of souls , whereby may be fed and strengthened those who live with His life Who said: -'He that eateth me, the same a lso shall live by me'; and as an antidote, whereby we may be freed from daily faults an d be preserved from mortal sins." We have expressed this purpose briefly as " Nourishment." 2. Sanctifying Grace From the Holy Eucharist Being a sacrament of th e living , and so presupposing the presence of sanctifying grace in the reCipien t the precise purpose of the Holy Eucharist is to increase sanctifying grace. N.B . Since the Holy Eucharist not only gives grace but is really and truly and substantially Christ Himself , the G iver of all graces, it is the greatest of all the sacraments: (a) because it is Christ ; (b) because, given the same dispositions , more graces will be received from the Holy Eucharist than from any other sacrament, precisely because it is Christ ; (c) because a ll the other sacraments are to the Holy Eucharist what rivulets are to the fountain from wh ich they flow. (See G. Ellard, S.J., " Christian Life and Worship," Revised Edi- tion, Ch . XIX , p. 280.) 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose of th e Holy Eucharist is to nourish our so uls, to give us life and to g!ve it more abundantly, the right we receive from it is th e right to ac tual graces which will further that nourishment. N .B. Since Holy Communion may be received frequently, even daily , this right is not a permanent right (as in Baptism and Confirmation) but la sts for a time only. How long? No one knows . (This is an addec;l reason for frequent Communion.) - 39- 4. Actual Graces From the Holy Eucharist Hence subsequent to the actual reception of the Hol y Eucharist. we receive ac tual graces : (a) to unite us mor e closely to Christ by love ; (b) to increase a ll virtues in our soul; (c) to relish the things of God . just as earthly food has a relish ( this relish is in the will, not the emotions); (d) to blot out ve nial sins . a nd preserve from morta l sin; (e) to actually effect our salvation since it is " a means of sec uring immortality and an antidote against de a th, " ( Pohle- Preuss. "The Sacra ments 11. " P t. II , Ch . II . pp . 218-234 . is s plendid.) IV. Penance Let us first recall the graph: OrU)lNAII.Y CUR.E r r r r r r ET(', 1. The Purpose of Penance The Council of Trent (Sess , XIV. Canon I) states th e purpose suc- ctntly. saying that Penance " is a sacrament. instituted by Christ our Lord for reconciling the faithful into God . as often as they fall into sin a fter Bap tism ." We have indica ted this purpose as the " ordinary spiritual cure " since w e may have recours e to it as often as w e like; whereas Extreme Unction is the "extra-ordinary ,spiritual cure" res erv ed for serious illness and a pproaching dea th , 2. Sanctifying Grace From Penance Penance is a "sacrament of the dead " for its prima r y purpose is to cinctly. saying that P ena nce " is a sacrament . insti tuted by Christ our Lord the prese nce of sanctifying grace in the soul of thc penitent, However. if one has sanctifying grace. Penance will increase it. since Penance a lwa ys gives grace . N .B. Since the forgiv eness of venial sins can be had without Pen- ance. the precise reasons for frequent confession by those leading good lives are: (a) an increase of sanctifying grace ; (b) strength against temptation; -40- (c) remiss ion of tempo ral punishment; (d) proper guidance (hence the advisability of a fixed confessor) . 3. Right to Actual Graces The precise purpose of Penance is cu rative. medicinal. But unlike the medicines that we have for o ur bodies. it can cure th e soul from dea th itself. i.e .. fr om mortal sin. (Every time a man in morta l sin goes to Con- fession there is a res urrection from the dead fa r more marvelous th an any bodily resurrection.) Of course it cures . too. from th e lesser ills o f the soul . i. e .. venial sins a nd imperfections . 4. Actual Graces from Penance . Subsequent to the ac tu a l reception of th e sacra ment of Penance we receive a ctual graces: (a) to heal the da mage inflic ted on our souls by o ur sins ; (b) to conquer th e temptations to which we have yielded before. Hence one of the surest ways to overcome an inve terate a nd ingra ined " habit of sin" is to go to confession frequently , because th ereby we get more an d more act ua l grace s to win the victory. The sicker a man is th e more medicin e he needs . N.B . A s in the case of the Holy Eucharist, so too in Penance . this right to actual graces lasts only for a time. Aga in , we do not know how long this righ t lasts. H ence more freque nt confession is adv isable th e more w e find ourselves subject to sinful tendencies. V. Extreme Unction Let us first rec a ll the graph : EnREM£ UmloN EXTII.A-ORD. CURE x )( X X X X X ETC. 1. The Purpose of Extreme Unction The purpose o f Extreme Unction is ma nifold : (a) The healing a nd strengthening of th e soul during a serio us illness and at th e hour of death . This is the primary eff ect of the sacra - ment. (b) The r mission of sins . (c) The remission of the temporal punishment. (d) The cleansing of " the remains of sin." (e) R estoration of bodily health . -41- (See Pohle-Preuss , " Sacraments IV," Pt. I, Ch. 1, pp . 24-31 ; Kilker, "Extreme Unction ," Ch. I, pp . 28-42. N.B . Kilker's book [Herder] is the most complete treatise in English.) All these purposes can be summed up in the beautiful words of Father Kilker (pp. 22-23): "The end of Extreme Unction then can be said to be the complete sanitation of the soul together with its immediate entrance into glory, unless the restitution of bodily health is more expedient . .. It must remove all our disabilities and restore to our anemic souls the ruddy glow of grace that shone in them immediately after Baptism." (Cf. "Purgatory ," by Bartmann [Burns, Oates], Pt. II , Ch . 8, pp . 216-221. An excellent and consoling book .) .We have briefly indicated this manifold purpose as the "extra-ordinary spiritual cure" of the soul because it is reserved "to the sick , but to those especially who .. . seem about to depart from this life ." 2. Sanctifying Grace From Extreme Unction - Extreme Unction is a sacrament of the living , and so . presupposing the presence of sanctifying grace , the precise purpose of the sacrament is to increase sanctifying grace. N,B, Though primarily a sacrament of the living, Extreme Unction will remit mortal sins if such actually happen to be present when it is received: "If a dying man were unable to confess his sins and had at leas t imperfect contrition." (Pohle-Preuss . "The Sacraments IV ," p. 32.) 3. Right to Actual Graces Since the purpose is manifold, the right we receive in Extreme Unction is a right to the manifold actual gra ces to bring about these effects . 4. Actual Graces From Extreme Unction Subsequent to the reception of Extreme Unction. we receive manifold actual graces (for the above purposes) just so long as the serious illness lasts or until death comes. Notanda Extreme Unction is unfortunately "the Cinderella of the sacraments " and too many devout Catholics have almost a dread of receiving it (though any priest will affirm that when the time of reception actually comes every Catholic receives the sacrament with great peace of soul) . Therefore we note a few important doctrines. 1. Extreme Unction should be received when one is " in danger of .death from sickness or old age ." (a) It should be received as soon as there is "danger of death" ; and there is danger of death when one is suffering from a disease which of its nature brings a prudently probable danger of death . - 42- (b) It should be received when one is old and there is " a prudently probable danger of death arising from the weaknesses which now afflict him." (Kilker , p. 185.) The reasons for receiving this sacrament " as soon as" the danger is present, are: (a) We receive the ac tu a l graces proper to th e sacrament from the moment of reception. For example : If I can be anointed on Febru- ary 1, why wait until March 1, and thus deprive myself of all the rich graces I could have received during that period? (b) Some theologians hold that cure of the body is effected by "a psychic redundance:' if we may so put it, i.e., "Extreme Unction , by relieving anxiety. banishing fear, giving comfort. and inspir- ing confidence in God's mercy and humble resignation to His will. reacts favor a bly on the physica l condition of the patient. " (Pohle- Preuss, p . 33.) If the sacrament is conferred on a near-corpse, the supernaturally-strengthened mind and will ca n effect little. N.B. It is an admitted fact in medicine tha t a strong-willed man will su rvive an illness where a weak-willed man succumbs. 2. Because of the time-difference between " apparent " death and " real " death, even though a person be dead , send for a priest and let him decide whether the sacrament can be given or not. (See Kilker, pp . 210-223.) (a ) " Apparent" dea th is the cessation of all detectible signs of life : detectible breathing. detectible heartbeat, etc. This is actually a state of deep unconsciousness from which " real " death normally results. (b) " Real " death is the separation of soul from body. (Advanced decomposition of the body is the only known certa in sign of death . ) (c) Between "appa rent" de a th and " real " death there is a time-differ- ence: (1) rather brief in the case of lingering, wasting diseases; (2) long (even amounting to hours) in the case of sudden death coming to one in otherwise norm a l health . . (d) Since the man is still alive until "real" death sets in, he is a fit subject for anointing. (Because of a large margin of doubt as to th time-difference in each individual case , the sacrament is conferred conditionally, i.e., " if you are alive.") 3. There is no finer way to get the right Catholic attitude to death (and hence to the immediate preparation for death through Extreme Unc- tion) than by a thorough acquaintance with th e Church 's official . exquisite -43- " Pray,ers for the Dying." Most of us never hear them except in our own serious illness or in that of loved ones; and at such times we may follow them with difficulty. While sound in mind and body, we ought to read and reflect on them. (See LeBuffe's "Prayers for the Dying" which is Number Five, in the " Let Us Pray" Series, The Queen's Work.) VI. Holy Orders Let us first recall the graph: HOLY OP.Df~5 GOVERNMENT D 1. The Purpose of Holy Orders o OD OD C nco The purpose of Holy Orders is as we have said the "government" of the Church . This "government" must not be considered in its narrow meaning of administrative and executive functions only, but in the large sense of managing and administering the whole spiritual life of the Church. As St: Thomas says (Summa 3, qu o 65, art. I , corp'., Vol. 17, pp. 82, 83, English translation), when carrying out the parallel between the natural and the super-natural life (see above Sect. VII, at end): "In regard to the whole community, man is perfected in two ways. First by receiving power to rule the community and to exercise public acts: and corresponding to this -in the spiritual life there is the sacrament of Order, according to the saying of Heb . VII, 27 , that priests offer sacrifice not for themselves only, but also for the people. Secondly in regard to natural propagation this is accomplished by matrimony both in the corporal and in the spiritual life : since it is not only a sacrament but also a func - tion of nature." Hence the purpose of Orders is the conferring of powers for the im- planting , unfolding , growth, nourishment a nd repair of the spiritual life of the members of the Church through the offering of the Sacrifice of the Mass, the administration of the sacraments, preaching, e tc ., etc. Moreover, since th e sacrament is not repeata ble this right lasts thf0ughout life. 2. Sanctifying Grace From Holy Orders Holy Orders is· a sacrament of the living, and thus it gives an increase of sanctifying grace to the soul which already possesses it. 3. Right to Actual Graces At the moment of Ordination the young priest receives a right to have God give him throughout life the actual graces he needs to be a holy . zealous priest. -44- 4. Actual Graces Hence subsequent to the actual reception of Orders the priest receives actual graces to perform each and every function of his priestly life well . And the graces come to him throughout life ' whenever he is called upon to act precisely as a priest. VII. Matrimony Let us first recall the graph: T T T l' T l' HC. 1. The Purpose of Matrimony The natural purpose of matrimony is the establishment of an enduring community of life between one man and one woman for the fitting pro- creation a nd education of children and for mutual love and ai d . The super-natural purpose of the sacrament of matrimony is that grace "might perfect that natural love a nd confirm that indissoluble union . and sanctify the married." Council of Trent . Sess. XXIV.) This super-naturally sanctified love of husband a nd wife has been taken by Christ as a symbol of His love for His spouse. the Church. (Eph. 5:25-33.) Notanda 1. The bride and groom are the ministers of the sacrament. 2. Since the groom confers the sacrament on the bride. the {irst gift he gives her as his wife is an increase of sanctifying grace which is one of the greatest gifts even God Himself can give. And so the bride to the groom . What a thrilling thought for a young couple! 3. In the case of a marriage between a Catholic and a non-baptized person (and frequently Protestant baptisms are invalidly adminis tered) there probabl y :s no sacrament ( though there is a valid marriage). H ence in such a marriage the C atholi c pa rt y probably deprives himself (or herself) of all the graces that wou ld Row from this partic ular S acrame nt. 4. Matrimony is a sacrament which a priest. according to the prese nt law of pries tl y celibacy. cannot ad minister. At the marriage ceremony. h e is merely the authorizing witness. -45- 2. Sanctifying Grace From. Matrimony Matrimon y is a sacrament of the living. and so bride a nd groom are supposed to be in th e state of gra ce when the y ma rr y. H ence matrimony increases sanctifying grace in th eir so ul s. 3. Right to Actual Graces From Matrimony Since this sacrament ca nnot be repeated while either p artne r is a live . the r ight to actual graces lasts throughout life until th e ma rria ge is di s- solved by death . Even after th e dea th of one pa rtn er . th e right to a ctual gra ces for th e proper upbringing of the children las ts on. Since the purpose of marriage (see quot a tion from St. Thomas u nd er Orders) is the propagation a nd educa tion of children and th e mutual help and com fort o( man a nd wo man in their closely a ssociated life. the right to ac tu al gra ces conferred by th e sa cra ment of ma trimony is a right to actual graces : (1) to fulfill God 's law with reg a rd to th e conception a nd birth of children; (2) to enjoy and sa nctify their pleas ures (eve n their carnal pleas- ures) . and to carry th e burdens of married life in a hol y way ; (3) to cherish each other a nd to grow in the love of eac h oth er. putting up with th e inevitable defec ts th a t exist in every hum a n being ; (4) to bring up the children in a way worth y of th eir hum a n nature and worth y too of their sup er -na tura l des ti ny. N .B. A quotation fr om th e letter of a young wife on th e fourth anni- versary of her wedding see ms fit ting : " It seems to me tha t our life to ge th er gets happier every year~not th a t it was unh ap py to sta rt with! But we are rea ll y so different from one a noth er th a t I think it tak es a while to thoroughl y know one anothe r~and indeed onese lf ." C er tai nl y gra ce was w orking th ere ! 4. Actual Graces From the Sacrament of Matrimony H ence throughout th eir li ves husband a nd wife. who la ter become father an d mother. are continua ll y helped by God with a ctual graces which come to them as their due beca use of the sacrament w ith which they sea led th e very beginning of their united lives. In a very literal se nse the sacra- ment makes them each to each. a nd th ey and th e children each to each . "keepsa kes for H eaven ." N.B . All this is bea utifully ex p ressed in th e " Instructi on before Mar- ria ge " which is contained in the small Ritua l a nd beg ins : "My dear friend s. you are abou t to enter into a union which is most sacred and se rious." etc . -46 - Section IX SANCTIFYING GRACE FROM THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS When we discussed the " M eans of Growth " (Sect. IV) we made no men tion of the Sacrifice of the Mass because it does not fit exactl y into , lll y one of the three headin gs th ere mentioned: (a) I t does not give san ctifyi ng grace as do the sacram ents ex opere opera to; nor do es it give sanctifying grace immedi a tel y. (b ) Yet in th e Mass Christ offers Himself a nd so we in the M ass an d th ro ugh the M ass " go it with Christ." (c) What is immediately e ffected by the Mass ex opere operato is impetration of ac tu a l graces from God a nd propitiation for our sins. precisely by the offering of Christ Himself as Victim. (d ) This immediate effect or ra th er immediate effects· are called the " fruits" of the Mass . . These fruits are: (1) general, i.e.. those graces which are given to a ll ma nkind. since it is a renewal of the Sacrifice of the Cross when Christ died for all. These " general" fruits a re gained in a special way by C a tholics (see "e" below) and in a very sp ecial way b y thos e who ac tu a lly a ttend the M a ss. (2) special, i.e .. those graces which a re gi ven to the precise p erson or pe rs ons for whom the Mass is offered ; (3) personal (or very special). i.e .. those graces which come to the pries t himself who offers the M ass. These come to him entirely a part from a ny special worthiness or holiness of his own. (c ) Besides these ex-opere-o perato (a utom a tica ll y- given) graces. a ll may receive special ac tua l graces from God because of the sp ecial fervor w ith w hich they assis t a t M ass or unite themselves wi th Masses which a re being offered but at w hich they ca nnot be pres- ent. These graces are ex opere operantis Ecc/esiae b eca use "we and the Church ," as th e M ys tica l Body of Christ. offer th e Mass. w heth er we are present or not. Of course the graces are a bundant and superabundant precisely because th e M ass is th e renewal and continuation of the Sac rifice of the Cross; but it dep ends on us w hether th ese graces are ac tua ll y e ffective or not. Plai nl y. we ma y use or reject th e gra ces. Notanda I . We are speaking here of the fruits of the M ass precise ly as the M a ss. If one receives Hol y Communion a t Mass-as one should if possible - then besides a ll these graces which come from th e Holy Eucha rist as a sacrifice, one rece ives a ll th e oth er graces which come from it as a sacra- me nt. -47 - 2. W e do not he re