Part III (Secunda Secundae) Part 164 (2/2)

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QUESTION 106

OF THANKFULNESS OR GRAt.i.tUDE (In Six Articles)

We must now consider thankfulness or grat.i.tude, and ingrat.i.tude.

Concerning thankfulness there are six points of inquiry:

(1) Whether thankfulness is a special virtue distinct from other virtues?

(2) Who owes more thanks to G.o.d, the innocent or the penitent?

(3) Whether man is always bound to give thanks for human favors?

(4) Whether thanksgiving should be deferred?

(5) Whether thanksgiving should be measured according to the favor received or the disposition of the giver?

(6) Whether one ought to pay back more than one has received?

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FIRST ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 106, Art. 1]

Whether Thankfulness Is a Special Virtue, Distinct from Other Virtues?

Objection 1: It seems that thankfulness is not a special virtue, distinct from other virtues. For we have received the greatest benefits from G.o.d, and from our parents. Now the honor which we pay to G.o.d in return belongs to the virtue of religion, and the honor with which we repay our parents belongs to the virtue of piety.

Therefore thankfulness or grat.i.tude is not distinct from the other virtues.

Obj. 2: Further, proportionate repayment belongs to commutative justice, according to the Philosopher (Ethic. v, 4). Now the purpose of giving thanks is repayment (Ethic. 5, 4). Therefore thanksgiving, which belongs to grat.i.tude, is an act of justice. Therefore grat.i.tude is not a special virtue, distinct from other virtues.

Obj. 3: Further, acknowledgment of favor received is requisite for the preservation of friends.h.i.+p, according to the Philosopher (Ethic.

viii, 13; ix, 1). Now friends.h.i.+p is a.s.sociated with all the virtues, since they are the reason for which man is loved. Therefore thankfulness or grat.i.tude, to which it belongs to repay favors received, is not a special virtue.

_On the contrary,_ Tully reckons thankfulness a special part of justice (De Invent. Rhet. ii).

_I answer that,_ As stated above (I-II, Q. 60, A. 3), the nature of the debt to be paid must needs vary according to various causes giving rise to the debt, yet so that the greater always includes the lesser. Now the cause of debt is found primarily and chiefly in G.o.d, in that He is the first principle of all our goods: secondarily it is found in our father, because he is the proximate principle of our begetting and upbringing: thirdly it is found in the person that excels in dignity, from whom general favors proceed; fourthly it is found in a benefactor, from whom we have received particular and private favors, on account of which we are under particular obligation to him.

Accordingly, since what we owe G.o.d, or our father, or a person excelling in dignity, is not the same as what we owe a benefactor from whom we have received some particular favor, it follows that after religion, whereby we pay G.o.d due wors.h.i.+p, and piety, whereby we wors.h.i.+p our parents, and observance, whereby we wors.h.i.+p persons excelling in dignity, there is thankfulness or grat.i.tude, whereby we give thanks to our benefactors. And it is distinct from the foregoing virtues, just as each of these is distinct from the one that precedes, as falling short thereof.

Reply Obj. 1: Just as religion is superexcelling piety, so is it excelling thankfulness or grat.i.tude: wherefore giving thanks to G.o.d was reckoned above (Q. 83, A. 17) among things pertaining to religion.

Reply Obj. 2: Proportionate repayment belongs to commutative justice, when it answers to the legal due; for instance when it is contracted that so much be paid for so much. But the repayment that belongs to the virtue of thankfulness or grat.i.tude answers to the moral debt, and is paid spontaneously. Hence thanksgiving is less thankful when compelled, as Seneca observes (De Beneficiis iii).

Reply Obj. 3: Since true friends.h.i.+p is based on virtue, whatever there is contrary to virtue in a friend is an obstacle to friends.h.i.+p, and whatever in him is virtuous is an incentive to friends.h.i.+p. In this way friends.h.i.+p is preserved by repayment of favors, although repayment of favors belongs specially to the virtue of grat.i.tude.

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SECOND ARTICLE [II-II, Q. 106, Art. 2]

Whether the Innocent Is More Bound to Give Thanks to G.o.d Than the Penitent?

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