What feeling, above all, should be banished from man's heart in his dealings with his fellow-men?
It is the feeling of hatred (XXXIV.).
What then is hatred?
Hatred is the greatest of all the vices opposed directly to the principal act of charity, which is an act of love of God and of one's neighbour (XXXI V. 2-4).
Is it possible that God should be hated by any one of His creatures?
Yes, it is even possible for God to be hated by one of His creatures (XXXIV. 1).
How is it possible to explain that God, who is the Infinite. Good, and from whom comes all good for the benefit of His creatures, whether in the natural or the supernatural order, can be hated by one of His creatures?
It is explained by the moral depravation of some of His creatures, who no longer consider God as the Infinite Good and the source of all good things, but as the Legislator who forbids the evil one loves, or as the judge who condemns and punishes the evil one commits, and of which one is unwilling to repent or to ask pardon (XXXIV. 1).
It is then a sort of diabolical obstinacy in doing evil which causes rational creatures to hate God?
Yes, it is a sort of diabolical obstinacy in evil.
Is hatred of God the greatest of all sins?
Yes, it is by far the greatest of all sins (XXXIV. 2).
Is it ever permitted to hate any one of our fellow-men?
No, this is never permissible (XXXIV. 3).
But has not one the right to hate men who do evil?
No, one never has the right to hate evildoers; but one should detest the evil they do, because of the love one must have towards them (XXXI V. 3).
May one never wish them evil?
No, one may never wish them evil; but in view of the good which one wishes to them, or to society, and still more to God, one may wish them to suffer certain evils to the end that they might be drawn to a good life, and thus safeguard the good of society and the glory of God (XXXI V. 3).
May one ever wish that a man on earth, no matter how bad he may be, may suffer eternal damnation?
No, one may never wish this of any man living; for this would be an act directly opposed to the virtue of charity, which makes us wish for all in the end the happiness of God, with the sole exception of the devils and the lost who are already in hell.
Next - The Catechism of the Summa - SECOND SECTION - A DETAILED SURVEY OF MAN'S RETURN TO GOD - X. OF THE VICES OPPOSED TO CHARITY AND THEIR ACTS: OF HATRED; DISTASTE FOR SPIRITUAL THINGS AND LAZINESS; ENVY; DISCORD; STRIFE; SCHISM; WAR; QUARRELLING (THE DUEL); SEDITION; SCANDAL (B)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Comments are subject to deletion if they are not germane. I have no problem with a bit of colourful language, but blasphemy or depraved profanity will not be allowed. Attacks on the Catholic Faith will not be tolerated. Comments will be deleted that are republican (Yanks! Note the lower case 'r'!), attacks on the legitimacy of Pope Francis as the Vicar of Christ (I know he's a material heretic and a Protector of Perverts, and I definitely want him gone yesterday! However, he is Pope, and I pray for him every day.), the legitimacy of the House of Windsor or of the claims of the Elder Line of the House of France, or attacks on the legitimacy of any of the currently ruling Houses of Europe.