Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 73 (1/2)
Obj. 2: Further, ”A thing is whole and perfect when it lacks nothing”
(Phys. iii, 6). If therefore it is a matter of precept that G.o.d be loved with the whole heart, whoever does something not pertaining to the love of G.o.d, acts counter to the precept, and consequently sins mortally. Now a venial sin does not pertain to the love of G.o.d.
Therefore a venial sin is a mortal sin, which is absurd.
Obj. 3: Further, to love G.o.d with one's whole heart belongs to perfection, since according to the Philosopher (Phys. iii, text. 64), ”to be whole is to be perfect.” But that which belongs to perfection is not a matter of precept, but a matter of counsel. Therefore we ought not to be commanded to love G.o.d with our whole heart.
_On the contrary,_ It is written (Deut. 6:5): ”Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with thy whole heart.”
_I answer that,_ Since precepts are given about acts of virtue, an act is a matter of precept according as it is an act of virtue. Now it is requisite for an act of virtue that not only should it fall on its own matter, but also that it should be endued with its due circ.u.mstances, whereby it is adapted to that matter. But G.o.d is to be loved as the last end, to which all things are to be referred.
Therefore some kind of totality was to be indicated in connection with the precept of the love of G.o.d.
Reply Obj. 1: The commandment that prescribes an act of virtue does not prescribe the mode which that virtue derives from another and higher virtue, but it does prescribe the mode which belongs to its own proper virtue, and this mode is signified in the words ”with thy whole heart.”
Reply Obj. 2: To love G.o.d with one's whole heart has a twofold signification. First, actually, so that a man's whole heart be always actually directed to G.o.d: this is the perfection of heaven. Secondly, in the sense that a man's whole heart be habitually directed to G.o.d, so that it consent to nothing contrary to the love of G.o.d, and this is the perfection of the way. Venial sin is not contrary to this latter perfection, because it does not destroy the habit of charity, since it does not tend to a contrary object, but merely hinders the use of charity.
Reply Obj. 3: That perfection of charity to which the counsels are directed, is between the two perfections mentioned in the preceding reply: and it consists in man renouncing, as much as possible, temporal things, even such as are lawful, because they occupy the mind and hinder the actual movement of the heart towards G.o.d.
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FIFTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 44, Art. 5]
Whether to the Words, ”Thou Shalt Love the Lord Thy G.o.d with Thy Whole Heart,” It Was Fitting to Add ”and with Thy Whole Soul, and with Thy Whole Strength”?
Objection 1: It would seem that it was unfitting to the words, ”Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d, with thy whole heart,” to add, ”and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole strength” (Deut. 6:5). For heart does not mean here a part of the body, since to love G.o.d is not a bodily action: and therefore heart is to be taken here in a spiritual sense. Now the heart understood spiritually is either the soul itself or part of the soul. Therefore it is superfluous to mention both heart and soul.
Obj. 2: Further, a man's strength whether spiritual or corporal depends on the heart. Therefore after the words, ”Thou shalt love the Lord thy G.o.d with thy whole heart,” it was unnecessary to add, ”with all thy strength.”
Obj. 3: Further, in Matt. 22:37 we read: ”With all thy mind,” which words do not occur here. Therefore it seems that this precept is unfittingly worded in Deut. 6.
On the contrary stands the authority of Scripture.
_I answer that,_ This precept is differently worded in various places: for, as we said in the first objection, in Deut. 6 three points are mentioned: ”with thy whole heart,” and ”with thy whole soul,” and ”with thy whole strength.” In Matt. 22 we find two of these mentioned, viz. ”with thy whole heart” and ”with thy whole soul,” while ”with thy whole strength” is omitted, but ”with thy whole mind” is added. Yet in Mark 12 we find all four, viz. ”with thy whole heart,” and ”with thy whole soul,” and ”with thy whole mind,”
and ”with thy whole force” which is the same as ”strength.” Moreover, these four are indicated in Luke 10, where in place of ”strength” or ”force” we read ”with all thy might.” [*St. Thomas is explaining the Latin text which reads ”ex tota fort.i.tudine tua” (Deut.), ”ex tota virtue tua” (Mk.), and ”ex omnibus viribus tuis” (Luke), although the Greek in all three cases has _ex holes tes ischyos_, which the Douay renders ”with thy whole strength.”]
Accordingly these four have to be explained, since the fact that one of them is omitted here or there is due to one implying another. We must therefore observe that love is an act of the will which is here denoted by the ”heart,” because just as the bodily heart is the principle of all the movements of the body, so too the will, especially as regards the intention of the last end which is the object of charity, is the principle of all the movements of the soul.
Now there are three principles of action that are moved by the will, namely, the intellect which is signified by ”the mind,” the lower appet.i.tive power, signified by ”the soul”; and the exterior executive power signified by ”strength,” ”force” or ”might.” Accordingly we are commanded to direct our whole intention to G.o.d, and this is signified by the words ”with thy whole heart”; to submit our intellect to G.o.d, and this is expressed in the words ”with thy whole mind”; to regulate our appet.i.te according to G.o.d, in the words ”with thy whole soul”; and to obey G.o.d in our external actions, and this is to love G.o.d with our whole ”strength,” ”force” or ”might.”
Chrysostom [*The quotation is from an anonymous author's unfinished work (Opus imperf. Hom. xlii, in Matth.) which is included in Chrysostom's works], on the other hand, takes ”heart” and ”soul” in the contrary sense; and Augustine (De Doctr. Christ. i, 22) refers ”heart” to the thought, ”soul” to the manner of life, and ”mind” to the intellect. Again some explain ”with thy whole heart” as denoting the intellect, ”with thy whole soul” as signifying the will, ”with thy mind” as pointing to the memory. And again, according to Gregory of Nyssa (De Hom. Opif. viii), ”heart” signifies the vegetative soul, ”soul” the sensitive, and ”mind” the intellective soul, because our nourishment, sensation, and understanding ought all to be referred by us to G.o.d.
This suffices for the Replies to the Objections.
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SIXTH ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 44, Art. 6]
Whether It Is Possible in This Life to Fulfil This Precept of the Love of G.o.d?
Objection 1: It would seem that in this life it is possible to fulfil this precept of the love of G.o.d. For according to Jerome [*Pelagius, Exposit. Cath. Fid.] ”accursed is he who says that Cod has commanded anything impossible.” But G.o.d gave this commandment, as is clear from Deut. 6:5. Therefore it is possible to fulfil this precept in this life.
Obj. 2: Further, whoever does not fulfil a precept sins mortally, since according to Ambrose (De Parad. viii) sin is nothing else than ”a transgression of the Divine Law, and disobedience of the heavenly commandments.” If therefore this precept cannot be fulfilled by wayfarers, it follows that in this life no man can be without mortal sin, and this is against the saying of the Apostle (1 Cor. 1:8): ”(Who also) will confirm you unto the end without crime,” and (1 Tim.
3:10): ”Let them minister, having no crime.”