MEDULLA S. THOMAE AQUITATIS PER OMNES ANNI LITURGICI DIES DISTRBUITA, SEU MEDITATIONES EX OPERIBUS S. THOMAE DEPROMPTAE
Compilation and arrangement by
FR. Z. MÉZARD O. P.
NOTE
All titles with an asterisk contain material that is no longer attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas.
32. Saturday after the IV Sunday of Lent: The Most Convenient Way for the Liberation of Humankind
Saturday after the IV Sunday of Lent
A means is more convenient for achieving an end to the extent that it brings together elements conducive to that end. Now, the fact that man is liberated by the Passion of Christ was the cause of many elements conducive to his salvation, in addition to the liberation from sin.
1. Thus, first, in this way man knows how much God loves him; this excites him to love Him more, and in this consists the perfection of human salvation. Hence the Apostle says: "God shows his love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
2. Second, because through this means He gave us the example of obedience, humility, constancy, justice, and the other virtues revealed in the Passion of Christ, which are necessary for human salvation. Therefore, Scripture says (1 Peter 2:21): "For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps."
3. Third, because Christ, with His Passion, not only freed man from sin, but also earned him the justifying grace and the glory of beatitude.
4. Fourth, because this imposed a greater necessity on man to remain immune from sin, according to what the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 6:20): "For you were bought with a price; so glorify God in your body."
5. Fifth, because it contributed to the greater dignity of man, so that just as he had been overcome and deceived by the devil, he would also be the one to defeat the devil; and just as man earned death, so also, by dying, he should conquer it, according to what the Apostle says (1 Corinthians 15:57): "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
Therefore, it was more convenient for us to be liberated by the Passion of Christ than by the mere will of God.
IIIa q. XLVI, a. 3
(P. D. Mézard, O. P., Meditationes ex Operibus S. Thomae.)
#God #Deus #Isten #Gott #Jesus #Católico #Catholic #Katholik #katholisch #Katolikus #catholique #Faith #Fé #foi #信仰 #Latin #Latim #Gospel #Evangelho #Evangélium #évangile #Dieu #福音 #日本 #カトリック #Bible #Biblestr #Nostr #Grownostr
quotingTitle of the work in Latin
nevent1q…5g53
MEDULLA S. THOMAE AQUITATIS PER OMNES ANNI LITURGICI DIES DISTRBUITA, SEU MEDITATIONES EX OPERIBUS S. THOMAE DEPROMPTAE
Compilation and organization by
FR. Z. MÉZARD O. P.
NOTE
All titles marked with an asterisk contain material that is no longer attributed to Saint Thomas Aquinas
31. Friday after the IV Sunday of Lent: The Most Precious Blood of Our Lord
Friday of the IV week of Lent
I. — By the blood of Christ, the New Testament was sealed. "This cup is the new testament in my blood" (1 Corinthians 11:25).
Testament is understood in two ways:
— The word "testament" is commonly used to mean some covenant. Thus, God made covenants with humanity twice. The first time, promising temporal goods and delivering us from temporal evils; and this covenant is called the Old Testament. The second time, promising spiritual goods and delivering us from contrary evils; and this covenant is called the New Testament. All this according to the Scriptures: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt (...) Behold, the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (Jeremiah 31:33).
The ancients used to mix the blood of a victim to seal a covenant; Moses took blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying: This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you. Thus, therefore, the old testament or covenant was sealed in the blood of bulls; the New Testament or covenant, in the blood of Christ, shed in His Passion.
— The word "testament" is also used, in a stricter sense, to signify the disposition of an inheritance. Now, the testament, in this sense, is received only by death; for, as Saint Paul says: "For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established" (Hebrews 9:17). God had initially disposed for an eternal inheritance, but in the figure of temporal goods; which constitutes the Old Testament. But then, He made a New Testament, by which He expressly promised the eternal inheritance; and this Testament was sealed by the blood of the death of Christ. And that is why the Lord said: "This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which will be shed for you" (Luke 22:20); as if to say: through the contents of this cup, the New Testament is celebrated, confirmed by the blood of Christ.
In I Corinthians, XI
II. — There are other uses of the blood of Christ.
1. It purifies us from our sins and impurities: "He loved us and washed us from our sins in his blood" (Revelation 1:5).
2. It guarantees our redemption. "You ransomed us for God with your blood" (Revelation 5:9).
3. It makes peace for us with God and the angels. "And through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross" (Colossians 1:20).
4. It refreshes and intoxicates those who take it. "Drink from it, all of you" (Matthew 26:28). And, in another part, "He made him ride on the heights of the earth... and he drank the finest wine" (Deuteronomy 32:14).
5. It opened the gates of heaven. "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus" (Hebrews 10:19), that is, the continuous prayer directed to God for our benefit; for the blood cries out for us each day, as Saint Paul says: "But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God... and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel" (Hebrews 12:24). The blood of Abel cried out for vengeance, the blood of Christ, for forgiveness.
6. It freed the saints from hell, according to what is written: "As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit" (Zechariah 9:11).
Serm. in Dom. de Passione
(P. D. Mézard, O. P., Meditationes ex Operibus S. Thomae.)
#God #Deus #Isten #Gott #Jesus #Católico #Catholic #Katholik #katholisch #Katolikus #catholique #Faith #Fé #foi #信仰 #Latin #Latim #Gospel #Evangelho #Evangélium #évangile #Dieu #福音 #日本 #カトリック #Bible #Biblestr #Nostr #Grownostr
nevent1q…xjrh