The Catechism of the Summa - Tertia Pars - XX. OF OUR BLESSED LORD'S LEAVING THIS WORLD: OF HIS PASSION AND HIS DEATH; OF HIS BURIAL (B)

(B)
In what manner did our Lord's Passion work out our salvation?

The Passion of our Lord considered as an instrument of the divinity was the "efficient cause" of our salvation, itself accomplishing our salvation: in so far as it was accepted by His human will it "merited" our salvation; in so far as it was suffering in the sensitive part of our Lord's human nature it worked our salvation by "satisfying" for the penalties merited by our sins; in so far as it delivered us from the bondage of sin and the devil, it "redeemed" us; and in so far as it brought grace to us and reconciled us to God it worked out our salvation by way of "sacrifice" (XLVIII. 1-4).

Is it proper to Jesus Christ alone to be the redeemer of the human race?

Yes; for the price of this redemption was the Passion and Death of our Lord offered to God the Father and to the whole Trinity in order that we might be delivered from sin and the devil. Although it must be remembered that the whole Trinity is the primary cause of our redemption, and that God the Son, as man, is the immediate cause thereof (XL VIII. 5).

Did our Lord's Passion deliver us from the bondage of Satan in any special way?

Yes, because it wiped out the sin which put us in the devil's power; it reconciled us with God, Whom we had offended; and it exhausted the tyranny of Satan in that through his malice Christ who was innocent was put to death (XLIX. 1-4).

Was the opening to men of the gates of heaven a special effect of the Passion?

Yes; for the twofold obstacle of original sin and of the personal sins of men shut the gates of heaven to the whole of the human race; and it was our Lord's Passion that took away these obstacles entirely (XLIX. 5)

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