Greco-Christian stream·Opera Omnia Sancti Thomae (Complete Works of Thomas Aquinas)·Summa Theologiae·Tertia Pars·Q90. The parts of Penance, in general
Source context
- Theme
- structural analysis of the parts of penance as a composite sacramental act
- Soul-faculty
- Consciousness Soul
Steiner
not engaged in the GA corpus
Cross-tradition
- Eastern Orthodox metanoia theologyOrthodox practice similarly distinguishes constituent elements of repentance — contrition, confession, and amendment — as structurally necessary components of a unified penitential movement, showing cross-tradition congruence with Aquinas's part-analysis in Q90.
- Jewish teshuvah doctrineMaimonidean teshuvah identifies discrete obligatory acts (remorse, verbal confession, resolve not to repeat), structurally parallel to Aquinas's tripartite analysis of penance's parts as both integral and necessary to the sacramental whole.
Q90. The parts of Penance, in general
Article 1
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.1] It would seem that parts should not be assigned to Penance. For it is the Divine power that works our salvation most secretly in the sacraments. Now the Divine power is one and simple. Therefore Penance, being a sacrament, should have no parts assigned to it.
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.1] Ad primum sic proceditur. 4. Videtur quod post resurrectionem non cognoscet quilibet omnia peccata quæ fecit. Omne enim quod cognoscimus, vel de novo per sensum accipimus, vel de thesauro memoriæ educitur. Sed homines post resurrectionem sua peccata non poterunt sensu percipere, quia jam transierunt; sensus autem est tantum præsentium: multa etiam peccata a memoria peccantis exciderunt, quæ non poterunt de thesauro memoriæ educi. Ergo non omnium pecatorum quæ fecit, resurgens cognitionem habebit.
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.2] Further, Penance is both a virtue and a sacrament. Now no parts are assigned to it as a virtue, since virtue is a habit, which is a simple quality of the mind. In like manner, it seems that parts should not be assigned to Penance as a sacrament, because no parts are assigned to Baptism and the other sacraments. Therefore no parts at all should be assigned to Penance.
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.2] 2. Præterea, sicut in Littera dicitur, IV, dist. xLIII, « libri conscientiæ quidam sunt, in quibus merita singulorum leguntur. » Sed in libris non potest aliquid legi, nisi ejus nota contineatur in libro: notæ autem quædam remanent peccatorum in conscientia, ut patet Rom., II, in Glossa 4, quæ non videntur aliud esse quam reatus vel macula. Cum ergo multorum peccatorum macula et reatus a multis sit deletus per gratiam, videtur quod non omnia peccata quæ facit, possit aliquis in sua conscientia legere; et sic idem quod prius.
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.3] Further, the matter of Penance is sin, as stated above (Question 84, Article 2). But no parts are assigned to sin. Neither, therefore, should parts be assigned to Penance.
[III.q.90.a.1.arg.3] 3. Præterea, « crescente causa, crescit effectus. » Sed causa quæ facit nos dolere de peccatis quæ ad memoriam revocamus, est charitas. Cum ergo in sanctis resurgentibus sit perfecta charitas, maxime de peccatis dolebunt, si ea illis ad memoriam revocabuntur: quod non potest esse, quia fugiet ab eis dolor et gemitus 2, Apoc. xxI. Ergo peccata propria eis ad memoriam non revocabuntur.
[III.q.90.a.1.sc] The parts of a thing are those out of which the whole is composed. Now the perfection of Penance is composed of several things, viz. contrition, confession, and satisfaction. Therefore Penance has parts.
[III.q.90.a.1.sc] Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, XX De civit. Dei, cap. xiv, col. 680, t. 7, quod « quædam divina vis aderit, qua fiet ut cuncta peccata in memoriam revocentur. » Præterea, sicut se habet humanum judicium ad testimonium exterius, ita se habet divinum judicium ad testimonium conscientiæ, ut patet I Reg., xvi, 7: Homo videt ea quæ parent, Dominus autem intuetur cor. Sed non posset perfectum judicium humanum esse de aliquo, nisi testes de omnibus de quibus judicandum est, testimonium deponerent. Ergo oportet, cum divinum judicium sit perfectissimum, quod conscientia teneat omnia de quibus judicandum est. Sed judicandum erit de omnibus bonis operibus et malis, II Cor., v, 10: Omnes nos manifestari oportet ante tribunal Christi, ut referat unusquisque propria corporis, prout gessit, sive bonum sive malum. Ergo oportet quod conscientia uniuscujusque retineat omnia opera quæ fecit, sive bona, sive mala.
[III.q.90.a.1.co] The parts of a thing are those into which the whole is divided materially, for the parts of a thing are to the whole, what matter is to the form; wherefore the parts are reckoned as a kind of material cause, and the whole as a kind of formal cause (Phys. ii). Accordingly wherever, on the part of matter, we find a kind of plurality, there we shall find a reason for assigning parts.
Now it has been stated above (84, 2,3), that, in the sacrament of Penance, human actions stand as matter: and so, since several actions are requisite for the perfection of Penance, viz., contrition, confession, and satisfaction, as we shall show further on (2), it follows that the sacrament of Penance has parts.
[III.q.90.a.1.co] Respondeo dicendum, quod, sicut dicitur Rom., II, 15, in die illa cum judicabit Dominus, testimonium unicuique sua conscientia reddet; et cogitationes erunt accusantes et defendentes. Et quia oportet quod testis, accusator, et defensor, in quolibet judicio habeant eorum notitiam quæ in judicio versantur, in illo autem communi judicio omnia opera hominum in judicium venient; oportet quod omnium operum suorum quisque tunc notitiam habeat. Unde conscientiæ singulorum erunt quasi quidam libri continentes res gestas, ex quibus judicium procedet: sicut etiam in judicio humano registris utimur. Et isti sunt libri de quibus Apoc., xx, 12, dicitur: Libri aperti sunt; et alius liber apertus est, qui est vitæ; et judicati sunt mortui ex his quæ scripta erant in libro secundum opera ipsorum: ut per libros qui dicuntur sic aperti, ut Augustinus exponit, XX De civit. Dei, cap. xiv, col. 680, t. 7, « significentur sancti novi et veteris Testamenti, in quibus Deus ostendit quæ mandata fieri jussisset. » Unde Richardus de Sancto-Victore, in Tract. de judiciar. potest., col. 4182, dicit: « Erunt corda eorum quasi quædam canonum decreta. » Sed per librum vitæ, de quo subjungitur, intelliguntur conscientiæ singulorum, quæ dicuntur singulariter liber unus, quia una virtute divina fiet ut cunctis ad memoriam sua facta revocentur: et hæc vis, inquantum ad memoriam homini reducet sua facta, « liber vitæ » dicitur. Vel per primos libros conscientiæ intelliguntur, per se 1 Ex Origene In cap. II Ep. ad Rom., v. 45, col. 894, t. 4. 2 Ita legitur Isa., xxxv, 40; loco autem cit. cundum sententia judicis in ejus providentia descripta.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.1] Every sacrament is something simple by reason of the Divine power, which operates therein: but the Divine power is so great that it can operate both through one and through many, and by reason of these many, parts may be assigned to a particular sacrament.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.1] Ad primum ergo dicendum, quod quamvis multa merita et demerita a memoria exciderint, tamen nullum eorum erit quod non aliquo modo maneat in suo effectu, quia merita quæ non sunt mortificata, manebunt in praemio quod eis redditur; quæ autem mortificata sunt manent in reatu ingratitudinis, quæ augetur ex hoc quod homo post gratiam susceptam peccavit. Similiter etiam demerita quæ non sunt per pœnitentiam deleta, manent in reatu pœnæ quæ eis debetur; quæ autem pœnitentia delevit, manent in ipsa pœnitentiæ memoria, quam simul cum aliis meritis in notitia habebunt. Unde in quolibet homine erit aliquid ex quo possit ad memoriam sua opera revocare. Et tamen, ut Augustinus dicit, loc. sup. cit., principaliter ad hoc divina vis operabitur.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.2] Parts are not assigned to penance as a virtue: because the human acts of which there are several in penance, are related to the habit of virtue, not as its parts, but as its effects. It follows, therefore, that parts are assigned to Penance as a sacrament, to which the human acts are related as matter: whereas in the other sacraments the matter does not consist of human acts, but of some one external thing, either simple, as water or oil, or compound, as chrism, and so parts are not assigned to the other sacraments.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.2] Ad secundum dicendum, quod aliquæ notæ manent in conscientiis singulorum de operibus a se factis, nec oportet quod notæ istæ sint reatus tantum, ut dictis patet.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.3] Sins are the remote matter of Penance, inasmuch, to wit, as they are the matter or object of the human acts, which are the proper matter of Penance as a sacrament.
[III.q.90.a.1.ad.3] Ad tertium dicendum, quod quamvis châritas sit nunc causa dolendi de peccato, tamen sancti in patria erunt ita perfusi gaudio, quod dolor in eis locum habere non poterit: et ideo de peccatis non dolebunt, sed potius gaudebunt de divina misericordia, qua eis peccata sunt relaxata; sicut nunc etiam angeli gaudent de divina justitia, qua fit ut deserti a gratia in peccatum ruant illi quos custodiunt; quorum tamen saluti sollicite invigilant.
Article 3
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.1] It would seem that these three are not integral parts of Penance. For, as stated above (Question 84, Article 3), Penance is ordained against sin. But sins of thought, word, and deed are the subjective and not integral parts of sin, because sin is predicated of each one of them. Therefore in Penance also, contrition in thought, confession in word, and satisfaction in deed are not integral parts.
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.1] Ad tertium sic proceditur. 1. Videtur quod non omnia merita vel demerita, propria et aliena, ab aliquo uno intuitu videbuntur. Ea enim quæ sigillatim considerantur, non videntur uno intuitu. Sed damnati sigillatim considerabunt sua peccata, et ea plangent: unde dicunt, Sap., v, 8: Quid nobis profuit superbia? Ergo non omnia videbunt uno intuitu.
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.2] Further, no integral part includes within itself another that is condivided with it. But contrition includes both confession and satisfaction in the purpose of amendment. Therefore they are not integral parts.
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.2] 2. Præterea, Philosophus dicit in II Topic., cap. xLIV, loc. 33, quod « non contingit simul plura intelligere. » Sed merita et demerita, propria et aliena, non videbuntur nisi intellectu. Ergo non poterunt simul omnia videri.
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.3] Further, a whole is composed of its integral parts, taken at the same time and equally, just as a line is made up of its parts. But such is not the case here. Therefore these are not integral parts of Penance.
[III.q.90.a.3.arg.3] 3. Præterea, intellectus damnatorum non erit post resurrectionem limpidior quam nunc sit beatorum et angelorum, quantum ad cognitionem naturalem, qua cognoscunt res per species innatas. Sed tali cognitione angeli non vident plura simul. Ergo nec tunc damnati poterunt omnia facta simul videre.
[III.q.90.a.3.sc] Integral parts are those by which the perfection of the whole is integrated. But the perfection of Penance is integrated by these three. Therefore they are integral parts of Penance.
[III.q.90.a.3.sc] Sed contra, Super illud Job, viii: Induentur confusione, dicit Glossa: « Viso judice, mala omnia ante oculos mentis versabuntur. » Sed judicem subito videbunt. Ergo similiter mala quæ commise-runt, et eadem ratione omnia alia. Præterea, Augustinus, XX De civ. Dei, cap. xiv, col. 680, t. 7, habet pro inconvenienti quod legatur aliquis liber materialis in judicio, in quo facta singulorum sunt scripta, eo quod nullus valeat aestimare illius libri magnitudinem, vel quanto tempore legi posset. Sed similiter etiam non posset aestimari tempus, quantum oporteret ponere ad considerandum omnia merita et demerita sua et aliena, ab aliquo homine, si successive diversa videat. Ergo oportet ponere quod omnia simul videat unusquisque.
[III.q.90.a.3.co] Some have said that these three are subjective parts of Penance. But this is impossible, because the entire power of the whole is present in each subjective part at the same time and equally, just as the entire power of an animal, as such, is assured to each animal species, all of which species divide the animal genus at the same time and equally: which does not apply to the point in question. Wherefore others have said that these are potential parts: yet neither can this be true, since the whole is present, as to the entire essence, in each potential part, just as the entire essence of the soul is present in each of its powers: which does not apply to the case in point. Therefore it follows that these three are integral parts of Penance, the nature of which is that the whole is not present in each of the parts, either as to its entire power, or as to its entire essence, but that it is present to all of them together at the same time.
[III.q.90.a.3.co] Respondeo dicendum, quod circa hoc est duplex opinio. Quidam enim dicunt quod omnia merita et demerita simul aliquis videbit, sua et aliena, in instanti; quod quidem de beatis facile credi potest, quia omnia in Verbo videbunt; et sic non est inconveniens quod simul plura videant; sed de damnatis, quorum intellectus non est elevatus ut possint Deum videre, et in eo omnia alia, est magis difficile. Et ideo alii dicunt quod mali simul omnia videbunt in genere peccata sua, et aliena, et hoc sufficit ad accusationem illam quæ debet esse in judicio, vel ad absolutionem: non autem videbunt omnia simul, descendendo ad singula. Sed hoc etiam non videtur consonum dictis Augustini, XX De civ. Dei, loc. sup. cit., qui dicit quod omnia mentis intuitu enumerabunt; quod autem in genere cognos-citur, non enumeratur. Unde potest eligi media via, quod singula considerabuntur, non tamen in instanti, sed in tempore brevissimo, divina virtute ad hoc adjuvante. Et hoc est quod dicit Augustinus, ibidem, quod « mira celeritate cernentur. » Nec est hoc imposibile, quia in quolibet parvo tempore sunt infinita instantia in potentia. Et per hoc patet responsio ad objecta in utramque partem.
[III.q.90.a.3.ad.1] Sin forasmuch as it is an evil, can be completed in one single point, as stated above (2, ad 4); and so the sin which is completed in thought alone, is a special kind of sin. Another species is the sin that is completed in thought and word: and yet a third species is the sin that is completed in thought, word, and deed; and the quasi-integral parts of this last sin, are that which is in thought, that which is in word, and that which is in deed. Wherefore these three are the integral parts of Penance, which is completed in them.
[III.q.90.a.3.ad.2] One integral part can include the whole, though not as to its essence: because the foundation, in a way, contains virtually the whole building. In this way contrition includes virtually the whole of Penance.
[III.q.90.a.3.ad.3] All integral parts have a certain relation of order to one another: but some are only related as to position, whether in sequence as the parts of an army, or by contact, as the parts of a heap, or by being fitted together, as the parts of a house, or by continuation, as the parts of a line; while some are related, in addition, as to power, as the parts of an animal, the first of which is the heart, the others in a certain order being dependent on one another: and thirdly some are related in the order of time: as the parts of time and movement. Accordingly the parts of Penance are related to one another in the order of power and time, since they are actions, but not in the order of position, since they do not occupy a place.
Article 4
[III.q.90.a.4.arg.1] It would seem that penance is unfittingly divided into penance before Baptism, penance for mortal, and penance for venial sins. For Penance is the second plank after shipwreck, as stated above (Question 84, Article 6), while Baptism is the first. Therefore that which precedes Baptism should not be called a species of penance.
[III.q.90.a.4.arg.2] Further, that which can destroy the greater, can destroy the lesser. Now mortal sin is greater than venial; and penance which regards mortal sins regards also venial sins. Therefore they should not be considered as different species of penance.
[III.q.90.a.4.arg.3] Further, just as after Baptism man commits venial and mortal sins, so does he before Baptism. If therefore penance for venial sins is distinct from penance for mortal sins after Baptism, in like manner they should be distinguished before Baptism. Therefore penance is not fittingly divided into these species.
[III.q.90.a.4.sc] Augustine says in De Poenitentia [Cf. Hom. 30 inter 1] that these three are species of Penance.
[III.q.90.a.4.co] This is a division of penance as a virtue. Now it must be observed that every virtue acts in accordance with the time being, as also in keeping with other due circumstances, wherefore the virtue of penance has its act at this time, according to the requirements of the New Law.
Now it belongs to penance to detest one's past sins, and to purpose, at the same time, to change one's life for the better, which is the end, so to speak, of penance. And since moral matters take their species from the end, as stated in I-II, 1, 3; I-II, 18, 4,6, it is reasonable to distinguish various species of penance, according to the various changes intended by the penitent.
Accordingly there is a threefold change intended by the penitent. The first is by regeneration unto a new life, and this belongs to that penance which precedes Baptism. The second is by reforming one's past life after it has been already destroyed, and this belongs to penance for mortal sins committed after Baptism. The third is by changing to a more perfect operation of life, and this belongs to penance for venial sins, which are remitted through a fervent act of charity, as stated above (87, 2,3).
[III.q.90.a.4.ad.1] The penance which precedes Baptism is not a sacrament, but an act of virtue disposing one to that sacrament.
[III.q.90.a.4.ad.2] The penance which washes away mortal sins, washes away venial sins also, but the converse does not hold. Wherefore these two species of penance are related to one another as perfect and imperfect.
[III.q.90.a.4.ad.3] Before Baptism there are no venial sins without mortal sins. And since a venial sin cannot be remitted without mortal sin, as stated above (Question 87, Article 4), before Baptism, penance for mortal sins is not distinct from penance for venial sins.
The Summa Theologica of St. Thomas AquinasSecond and Revised Edition, 1920Literally translated by Fathers of the English Dominican ProvinceOnline Edition Copyright © 2009 by Kevin Knight Nihil Obstat. F. Innocentius Apap, O.P., S.T.M., Censor. Theol.Imprimatur. Edus. Canonicus Surmont, Vicarius Generalis. Westmonasterii.APPROBATIO ORDINISNihil Obstat. F. Raphael Moss, O.P., S.T.L. and F. Leo Moore, O.P., S.T.L.Imprimatur. F. Beda Jarrett, O.P., S.T.L., A.M., Prior Provincialis AngliæMARIÆ IMMACULATÆ - SEDI SAPIENTIÆ
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