Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern AuthoritiesCallan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Religion
Moral Theology: A Complete Course Based on St. Thomas Aquinas and the Best Modern Authorities
Callan, Charles J. (Charles Jerome)
Christian ethics -- Catholic authors
770. Summary of the teaching of the First Article of the Creed: “I
believe in God, the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.”--(a)
“I believe,” i.e., I give unhesitating assent to God revealing His
mysterious truths; (b) “in God,” i.e., the Supreme Being, one in nature
and three in persons; (c) “the Father,” i.e., our Maker and Provider,
from whom also we receive the spirit of adoption of sons; (d)
“almighty,” i.e., all-powerful, and therefore all-wise and endowed with
every other perfection in the highest degree; (e) “Creator,” i.e., who
freely produced the world out of nothing, without external model or
effort of any sort, and who preserves, rules and moves all creatures;
(f) “of heaven and earth,” i.e., of the world of pure spirits, of
matter, and of man, who is at the confines of matter and spirit--in
other words, of all finite things, visible and invisible.
771. Summary of the Second Article: “And in Jesus Christ, His only Son,
our Lord.”--(a) “Jesus,” a name given by command of God and meaning
“Saviour”; (b) “Christ,” i.e., “the anointed,” because He was King,
Priest, and Prophet; (c) “His only Son,” i.e., born of the Father before
all ages, God of God, Light of Light, true God of true God, begotten
not made, consubstantial with the Father, by whom all things were made;
(d) “our Lord,” for as God He shares all the perfections of the divine
nature, as man He has redeemed us and thus deservedly acquired the
title of Lord over us, while as the God-man He is the Lord of all
created things. It should be noted that there is nothing imperfect or
carnal in the generation of the Son, or in the procession of the Holy
Ghost, for God is a spirit and all-perfect.
772. Summary of the Third Article: “Who was conceived by the Holy
Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary.”--(a) “Who was conceived.” The
Only-begotten Son, the second Person of the Trinity, for us men and for
our salvation, became incarnate and was made man. Thus, the same Divine
Person is in both the divine and human natures, and the union preserves
the properties and the actions of both natures. (b) “By the Holy
Ghost.” At the moment when Mary consented to the announcement of the
angel, the body of Christ was formed in her womb from her flesh, the
rational soul was infused, and the divine and human natures were united
in the Person of the Word. Thus, Mary is truly the Mother of God. This
conception was miraculous, accomplished without the aid of man, through
the sole operation of the three Persons of the Trinity. Being an
external work of God in which love towards us is especially manifested,
the Incarnation is attributed to the Holy Ghost, who in the internal
life of the Deity proceeds as the mutual love of Father and Son. (c)
“Born of the Virgin Mary.” Mary was ever a virgin, before, during, and
after childbirth; immaculate and holy in soul; the spiritual Mother of
whom Christians are born in holiness.
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