25 March 2020

The Catechism of the Summa - LVII. OF THE GIFT THAT CORRESPONDS TO THE VIRTUE OF TEMPERANCE

Is there a gift of the Holy Ghost that corresponds to the virtue of temperance?

Yes, the gift of fear (CXLI. 1, Obj. 3).

But was it not said above that the gift of fear corresponds to the theological virtue of hope?

Yes, but the gift of fear corresponds also to the cardinal virtue of temperance, not, however, under the same aspect (ibid.).

In what does this difference consist?

In this, that the gift of fear corresponds to the theological virtue of hope in so far as man reveres God directly by reason of His infinite greatness and avoids offending Him; and it corresponds to the virtue of temperance in so far as the respect that it inspires with regard to God's greatness makes man avoid those things which are more offensive to God, and these are the pleasures of the senses (ibid.).

But does not the virtue of temperance make one avoid those things already?

Yes, but in a way that is in every sense less perfect; for temperance puts these things aside only in that measure of which man is able of himself by the light of reason or of faith; whereas the gift of fear makes him avoid them according to the personal action of the Holy Ghost, moving him and leading him by reason of the reverence which the infinite majesty of God inspires to hold the pleasures of the senses as so much rottenness.

Next - The Catechism of the Summa - LVIII. OF THE PRECEPTS RELATING TO TEMPERANCE AND ITS PARTS (A)

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