For a Catholic, suffering is even an opportunity for merit. What - TopicsExpress



          

For a Catholic, suffering is even an opportunity for merit. What do we mean by ‘merit’? Aquinas writes, “Merit implies a certain equality of justice: hence the Apostle says (Romans 4:4): “Now to him that worketh, the reward is reckoned according to debt.” But when anyone by reason of his unjust will ascribes to himself something beyond his due, it is only just that he be deprived of something else which is his due; thus, “when a man steals a sheep he shall pay back four” (Exodus 22:1). And he is said to deserve it, inasmuch as his unjust will is chastised thereby. So likewise when any man through his just will has stripped himself of what he ought to have, he deserves that something further be granted to him as the reward of his just will. And hence it is written (Luke 14:11): “He that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”38
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 11:44:04 +0000

Trending Topics



Recently Viewed Topics




© 2015