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Title: |
Mystici Corporis Christi (Cont.)
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Descr.: |
On The Mystical Body Of Christ
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Pope: |
Pope Pius XII
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Date: |
June 29, 1943
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62.
But if we compare a mystical body with a moral body, it is to be
noted that the difference between them is not slight; rather it is
very considerable and very important. In the moral body the
principle of union is nothing else than the common end, and the
common cooperation of all under the authority of society for the
attainment of that end; whereas in the Mystical Body of which We
are speaking, this collaboration is supplemented by another
internal principle, which exists effectively in the whole and in
each of its parts, and whose excellence is such that of itself it
is vastly superior to whatever bonds of union may be found in a
physical or moral body. As We said above, this is something not of
the natural but of the supernatural order; rather it is something
in itself infinite, uncreated: the Spirit of God, who, as the
Angelic Doctor says, "numerically one and the same, fills and
unifies the whole Church."(116)
63.
Hence, this word in its correct signification gives us to
understand that the Church, a perfect society of its kind, is not
made up of merely moral and juridical elements and principles. It
is far superior to all other human societies;(117) it surpasses
them as grace surpasses nature, as things immortal are above all
those that perish.(118) Such human societies, and in the first
place civil Society, are by no means to be despised or belittled;
but the Church in its entirety is not found within this natural
order, any more than the of whole man is encompassed within the
organism of our mortal body.(119) Although the juridical
principles, on which the Church rests and is established, derive
from the divine constitution given to it by Christ and contribute
to the attaining of its supernatural end, nevertheless that which
lifts the Society of Christians far above the whole natural order
is the Spirit of our Redeemer who penetrates and fills every part
of the Church's being and is active within it until the end of
time as the source of every grace and every gift and every
miraculous power. Just as our composite mortal body, although it
is a marvelous work of the Creator, falls far short of the eminent
dignity of our soul, so the social structure of the Christian
community, though it proclaims the wisdom of its divine Architect,
still remains something inferior when compared to the spiritual
gifts which give it beauty and life, and to the divine source
whence they flow.
64.
From what We have thus far written, and explained, Venerable
Brethren, it is clear, We think, how grievously they err who
arbitrarily claim that the Church is something hidden and
invisible, as they also do who look upon her as a mere human
institution possessing a certain disciplinary code and external
ritual, but lacking power to communicate supernatural life.(120)
On the contrary, as Christ, Head and Exemplar of the Church
"is not complete, if only His visible human nature is
considered..., or if only His divine, invisible nature..., but He
is one through the union of both and one in both ... so is it with
His Mystical Body"(121) since the Word of God took unto
Himself a human nature liable to sufferings, so that He might
consecrate in His blood the visible Society founded by Him and
"lead man back to things invisible under a visible
rule."(122)
65.
For this reason We deplore and condemn the pernicious error of
those who dream of an imaginary Church, a kind of society that
finds its origin and growth in charity, to which, somewhat
contemptuously, they oppose another, which they call juridical.
But this distinction which they introduce is false: for they fail
to understand that the reason which led our Divine Redeemer to
give to the community of man He founded the constitution of a
Society, perfect of its kind and containing all the juridical and
social elements - namely, that He might perpetuate on earth the
saving work of Redemption,(123) - was also the reason why He
willed it to be enriched with the heavenly gifts of the Paraclete.
The Eternal Father indeed willed it to be the "kingdom of the
Son of his predilection;"(124) but it was to be a real
kingdom in which all believers should make Him the entire offering
of their intellect and will,(125) and humbly and obediently model
themselves on Him, Who for our sake "was made obedient unto
death."(126) There can, then, be no real opposition or
conflict between the invisible mission of the Holy Spirit and the
juridical commission of Ruler and Teacher received from Christ,
since they mutually complement and perfect each other - as do the
body and soul in man - and proceed from our one Redeemer who not
only said as He breathed on the Apostles "Receive ye the Holy
Spirit,"(127) but also clearly commanded: "As the Father
hath sent me, I also send you;"(128) and again: "He that
heareth you, heareth me."(129)
66.
And if at times there appears in the Church something that
indicates the weakness of our human nature, it should not be
attributed to her juridical constitution, but rather to that
regrettable inclination to evil found in each individual, which
its Divine Founder permits even at times in the most exalted
members of His Mystical Body, for the purpose of testing the
virtue of the Shepherds no less than of the flocks, and that all
may increase the merit of their Christian faith. For, as We said
above, Christ did not wish to exclude sinners from His Church;
hence if some of her members are suffering from spiritual
maladies, that is no reason why we should lessen our love for the
Church, but rather a reason why we should increase our devotion to
her members. Certainly the loving Mother is spotless in the
Sacraments by which she gives birth to and nourishes her children;
in the faith which she has always preserved inviolate; in her
sacred laws imposed on all; in the evangelical counsels which she
recommends; in those heavenly gifts and extraordinary graces
through which with inexhaustible fecundity,(130) she generates
hosts of martyrs, virgins and confessors. But it cannot be laid to
her charge if some members fall, weak or wounded. In their name
she prays to God daily: "Forgive us our trespasses;" and
with the brave heart of a mother she applies herself at once to
the work of nursing them back to spiritual health. When,
therefore, we call the Body of Jesus Christ "mystical,"
the very meaning of the word conveys a solemn warning. It is a
warning that echoes in these words of St. Leo: "Recognize, O
Christian, your dignity, and being made a sharer of the divine
nature go not back to your former worthlessness along the way of
unseemly conduct. Keep in mind of what Head and of what Body you
are a member."(131)
67.
Here, Venerable Brethren, We wish to speak in a very special way
of our union with Christ in the Body of the Church, a thing which
is, as Augustine justly remarks, sublime, mysterious and
divine;(132) but for that very reason it often happens that many
misunderstand it and explain it incorrectly. It is at once evident
that this union is very close. In the Sacred Scriptures it is
compared to the chaste union of man and wife, to the vital union
of branch and vine, and to the cohesion found in our body.(133)
Even more, it is represented as being so close that the Apostle
says: "He (Christ) is the Head of the Body of the
Church,"(134) and the unbroken tradition of the Fathers from
the earliest times teaches that the Divine Redeemer and the
Society which is His Body form but one mystical person, that is to
say to quote Augustine, the whole Christ.(135) Our Savior Himself
in His sacerdotal prayer did not hesitate to liken this union to
that wonderful unity by which the Son is in the Father, and the
Father in the Son.(136)
68.
Our union in and with Christ is first evident from the fact that,
since Christ wills His Christian community to be a Body which is a
perfect Society, its members must be united because they all work
together towards a single end. The nobler the end towards which
they strive, and the more divine the motive which actuates this
collaboration, the higher, no doubt, will be the union. Now the
end in question is supremely exalted; the continual sanctifying of
the members of the Body for the glory of God and of [Christ who]
was slain.(137) The motive is altogether divine: not only the good
pleasure of the Eternal Father, and the most earnest wish of our
Savior, but the interior inspiration and impulse of the Holy
Spirit in our minds and hearts. For if not even the smallest act
conducive to salvation can be performed except in the Holy Spirit,
how can countless multitudes of every people and every race work
together harmoniously for the supreme glory of the Triune God,
except in the power of Him, who proceeds from the Father and the
Son in one eternal act of love?
69.
Now since its Founder willed this social body of Christ to be
visible, the cooperation of all its members must also be
externally manifest through their profession of the same faith and
their sharing the same sacred rites, through participation in the
same Sacrifice, and the practical observance of the same laws.
Above all, it is absolutely necessary that the Supreme Head, that
is, the Vicar of Jesus Christ on earth, be visible to the eyes of
all, since it is He who gives effective direction to the work
which all do in common in a mutually helpful way towards the
attainment of the proposed end. As the Divine Redeemer sent the
Paraclete, the Spirit of Truth, who in His name (138) should
govern the Church in an invisible way, so, in the same manner, He
commissioned Peter and his successors to be His personal
representatives on earth and to assume the visible government of
the Christian community.
70.
These juridical bonds in themselves far surpass those of any other
human society, however exalted; and yet another principle of union
must be added to them in those three virtues, Christian faith,
hope and charity, which link us so closely to each other and to
God.
71.
"One Lord, one faith,"(139) writes the Apostle: the
faith, that is, by which we hold fast to God, and to Jesus Christ
whom He has sent.(140) The beloved disciple teaches us how closely
this faith binds us to God: "Whosoever shall confess that
Jesus is the Son of God, God abideth in him, and he in
God."(141) This Christian faith binds us no less closely to
each other and to our divine Head. For all we who believe,
"having the same spirit of faith,"(142) are illumined by
the same light of Christ, nourished by the same Food of Christ,
and live under the teaching authority of Christ. If the same
spirit of faith breathes in all, we are all living the same life
"in the faith of the Son of God who loved us and delivered
himself for us."(143) And once we have received Christ, our
Head, through an ardent faith so that He dwells within our
hearts,(144) as He is the author so He will be the finisher of our
faith.(145)
72.
As by faith on this earth we hold fast to God as the Author of
truth, so by Christian hope we long for Him as the fount of
blessedness, "looking for the blessed hope and coming of the
glory of the great God."(146) It is because of this universal
longing for the heavenly Kingdom that we do not desire a permanent
home here below, but seek for one above,(147) and because of our
yearning for the glory on high that the Apostle of the Gentiles
did not hesitate to say: "One Body and one Spirit, as you are
called in one hope of your calling;" (148) nay rather that
Christ in us is our hope of glory.(149)
73.
But if the bonds of faith and hope, which bind us to our Redeemer
in His Mystical Body are weighty and important, those of charity
are certainly no less so. If even in the natural order the love of
friendship is something supremely noble, what shall we say of that
supernatural love, which God infuses in our hearts? "God is
charity and he that abideth in charity abideth in God and God in
him."(150) The effect of this charity - such would seem to be
God's law - is to compel Him to enter into our loving hearts to
return love for love, as He said: "If anyone love me..., my
Father will love him and we will come to him and will make our
abode with him."(151) Charity then, more than any other
virtue binds us closely to Christ. How many children of the
Church, on fire with this heavenly flame, have rejoiced to suffer
insults for Him, and to face and overcome the hardest trials, even
at the cost of their lives and the shedding of their blood. For
this reason our Divine Savior earnestly exhorts us in these words:
"Abide in my love." And as charity, if it does not issue
effectively in good works, is something altogether empty and
unprofitable, He added immediately: "If you keep my
commandments you shall abide in my love; as I have also kept my
Father's commandments and do abide in His love."(152)
74.
But, corresponding to this love of God and of Christ, there must
be love of the neighbor. How can we claim to love the Divine
Redeemer, if we hate those whom He has redeemed with His precious
Blood, so that He might make them members of His Mystical Body?
For that reason the beloved disciple warns us: "If any man
say: 'I love God' and hateth his brother, he is a liar. For he
that loveth not his brother whom he seeth, how can he love God
whom he seeth not? And this commandment we have from God, that he
who loveth God loveth his brother also."(153) Rather it
should be said that the more we become "members one of
another"(154) "mutually careful, one for
another,"(155)the closer we shall be united with God and with
Christ; as, on the other hand, the more ardent the love that binds
us to God and to our divine Head, the closer we shall be united to
each other in the bonds of charity.
75.
Now the only-begotten Son of God embraced us in His infinite
knowledge and undying love even before the world began. And that
He might give a visible and exceedingly beautiful expression to
this love, He assumed our nature in hypostatic union: hence - as
Maximus of Turin with a certain unaffected simplicity remarks -
"in Christ our own flesh loves us."(156) But the
knowledge and love of our Divine Redeemer, of which we were the
object from the first moment of His Incarnation, exceed all that
the human intellect can hope to grasp. For hardly was He conceived
in the womb of the Mother of God, when He began to enjoy the
Beatific Vision, and in that vision all the members of His
Mystical Body were continually and unceasingly present to Him, and
He embraced them with His redeeming love. O marvelous
condescension of divine love for us! O inestimable dispensation of
boundless charity! In the crib, on the Cross, in the unending
glory of the Father, Christ has all the members of the Church
present before Him and united to Him in a much clearer and more
loving manner than that of a mother who clasps her child to her
breast, or than that with which a man knows and loves himself.
76.
From all that We have hitherto said, you will readily understand,
Venerable Brethren, why Paul the Apostle so often writes that
Christ is in us and we in Christ. In proof of which, there is this
other more subtle reason. Christ is in us through His Spirit, whom
He gives to us and through whom He acts within us in such a way
that all the divine activity of the Holy Spirit within our souls
must also be attributed to Christ.(157) "If a man hath not
the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his," says the Apostle,
"but if Christ be in you..., the spirit liveth because of
justification."(158)
77.
This communication of the Spirit of Christ is the channel through
which all the gifts, powers, and extraordinary graces found
superabundantly in the Head as in their source flow into all the
members of the Church, and are perfected daily in them according
to the place they hold in the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ. Thus
the Church becomes, as it were, the filling out and the complement
of the Redeemer, while Christ in a sense attains through the
Church a fullness in all things.(159) Herein we find the reason
why, according to the opinion of Augustine already referred to,
the mystical Head, which is Christ, and the Church, which here
below as another Christ shows forth His person, constitute one new
man, in whom heaven and earth are joined together in perpetuating
the saving work of the Cross: Christ We mean, the Head and the
Body, the whole Christ.
78.
For indeed We are not ignorant of the fact that this profound
truth - of our union with the Divine Redeemer and in particular of
the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our souls - is shrouded in
darkness by many a veil that impedes our power to understand and
explain it, both because of the hidden nature of the doctrine
itself, and of the limitations of our human intellect. But We
know, too, that from well-directed and earnest study of this
doctrine, and from the clash of diverse opinions and the
discussion thereof, provided that these are regulated by the love
of truth and by due submission to the Church, much light will be
gained, which, in its turn will help to progress in kindred sacred
sciences. Hence, We do not censure those who in various ways, and
with diverse reasonings make every effort to understand and to
clarify the mystery of this our wonderful union with Christ. But
let all agree uncompromisingly on this, if they would not err from
truth and from the orthodox teaching of the Church: to reject
every kind of mystic union by which the faithful of Christ should
in any way pass beyond the sphere of creatures and wrongly enter
the divine, were it only to the extent of appropriating to
themselves as their own but one single attribute of the eternal
Godhead. And, moreover, let all hold this as certain truth, that
all these activities are common to the most Blessed Trinity,
insofar as they have God as supreme efficient cause.
79.
It must also be borne in mind that there is question here of a
hidden mystery, which during this earthly exile can only be dimly
seen through a veil, and which no human words can express. The
Divine Persons are said to indwell inasmuch as they are present to
beings endowed with intelligence in a way that lies beyond human
comprehension, and in a unique and very intimate manner which
transcends all created nature, these creatures enter into
relationship with Them through knowledge and love.(160) If we
would attain, in some measure, to a clearer perception of this
truth, let us not neglect the method strongly recommended by the
[First] Vatican Council (161) in similar cases, by which these mysteries
are compared one with another and with the end to which they are
directed, so that in the light which this comparison throws upon
them we are able to discern, at least partially, the hidden things
of God.
80.
Therefore, Our most learned predecessor Leo XIII of happy memory,
speaking of our union with Christ and with the Divine Paraclete
who dwells within us, and fixing his gaze on that blessed vision
through which this mystical union will attain its confirmation and
perfection in heaven says: "This wonderful union, or
indwelling properly so-called, differs from that by which God
embraces and gives joy to the elect only by reason of our earthly
state."(162) In that celestial vision it will be granted to
the eyes of the human mind strengthened by the light of glory, to
contemplate the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in an utterly
ineffable manner, to assist throughout eternity at the processions
of the Divine Persons, and to rejoice with a happiness like to
that with which the holy and undivided Trinity is happy.
81.
It seems to Us that something would be lacking to what We have
thus far proposed concerning the close union of the Mystical Body
of Jesus Christ with its Head, were We not to add here a few words
on the Holy Eucharist, by which this union during this mortal life
reaches, as it were, a culmination.
82.
By means of the Eucharistic Sacrifice Christ our Lord willed to
give the faithful a striking manifestation of our union among
ourselves and with our divine Head, wonderful as it is and beyond
all praise. For [in this Eucharistic Sacrifice, the priest] acts as the
vicegerent not only of our Savior but of the whole Mystical Body
and of each one of the faithful. In this act of Sacrifice through
the hands of the priest, by whose word alone [Christ] is present on the altar, the faithful themselves, united with him
in prayer and desire, offer to the Eternal Father a most
acceptable sacrifice of praise and propitiation for the needs of the
whole Church. And as the Divine Redeemer, when dying on the Cross,
offered Himself to the Eternal Father as Head of the whole human
race, so "in this clean oblation"(163) He offers to the
heavenly Father not only Himself as Head of the Church, but in
Himself His mystical members also, since He holds them all, even
those who are weak and ailing, in His most loving Heart.
83.
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is itself a striking and wonderful
figure of the unity of the Church, if we consider how in the bread
to be consecrated many grains go to form one whole,(164) and that
in it the very Author of supernatural grace is given to us, so
that through Him we may receive the spirit of charity in which we
are bidden to live now no longer our own life but the life of
Christ, and to love the Redeemer Himself in all the members of His
social Body.
84.
As then in the sad and anxious times through which we are passing
there are many who cling so firmly to Christ the Lord hidden
beneath the Eucharistic veils that neither tribulation, nor
distress, nor famine, nor nakedness, nor danger, nor persecution,
nor the sword can separate them from His love,(165) surely no
doubt can remain that Holy Communion which once again in God's
providence is much more frequented even from early childhood, may
become a source of that fortitude which not infrequently makes
Christians into heroes.
85.
If the faithful, Venerable Brethren, in a spirit of sincere piety
understand these things accurately and hold to them steadfastly,
they will the more easily avoid those errors which arise from an
irresponsible investigation of this difficult matter, such as some
have made not without seriously endangering Catholic faith and
disturbing the peace of souls.
86.
For there are some who neglect the fact that the Apostle Paul has
used metaphorical language in speaking of this doctrine, and
failing to distinguish as they should the precise and proper
meaning of the terms the physical body, the social body, and the
Mystical Body, arrive at a distorted idea of unity. They make the
Divine Redeemer and the members of the Church coalesce in one
physical person, and while they bestow divine attributes on man,
they make Christ our Lord subject to error and to human
inclination to evil. But Catholic faith and the writings of the
holy Fathers reject such false teaching as impious and
sacrilegious; and to the mind of the Apostle of the Gentiles it is
equally abhorrent, for although he brings Christ and His Mystical
Body into a wonderfully intimate union, he nevertheless
distinguishes one from the other as Bridegroom from Bride.(166)
87.
No less far from the truth is the dangerous error of those who
endeavor to deduce from the mysterious union of us all with Christ
a certain unhealthy quietism. They would attribute the whole
spiritual life of Christians and their progress in virtue
exclusively to the action of the Divine Spirit, setting aside and
neglecting the collaboration which is due from us. No one, of
course, can deny that the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ is the one
source of whatever supernatural power enters into the Church and
its members. For "The Lord will give grace and glory" as
the Psalmist says.(167) But that men should persevere constantly
in their good works, that they should advance eagerly in grace and
virtue, that they should strive earnestly to reach the heights of
Christian perfection and at the same time to the best of their
power should stimulate others to attain the same goal, - all this
the heavenly Spirit does not will to effect unless they contribute
their daily share of zealous activity. "For divine favors are
conferred not on those who sleep, but on those who watch," as
St. Ambrose says.(168) For if in our mortal body the members are
strengthened and grow through continued exercise, much more truly
can this be said of the social Body of Jesus Christ in which each
individual member retains his own personal freedom,
responsibility, and principles of conduct. For that reason he who
said: "I live, now not I, but Christ liveth in me"(169)
did not at the same time hesitate to assert: "His (God's)
grace in me has not been void, but I have labored more abundantly
than all they: yet not I, but the grace of God with me."(170)
It is perfectly clear, therefore, that in these false doctrines
the mystery which we are considering is not directed to the
spiritual advancement of the faithful but is turned to their
deplorable ruin.
88.
The same result follows from the opinions of those who assert that
little importance should be given to the frequent confession of
venial sins. Far more important, they say, is that general
confession which the Spouse of Christ, surrounded by her children
in the Lord, makes each day by the mouth of the priest as he
approaches the altar of God. As you well know, Venerable Brethren,
it is true that venial sins may be expiated in many ways which are
to be highly commended. But to ensure more rapid progress day by
day in the path of virtue, We will that the pious practice of
frequent confession, which was introduced into the Church by the
inspiration of the Holy Spirit, should be earnestly advocated. By
it genuine self-knowledge is increased, Christian humility grows,
bad habits are corrected, spiritual neglect and tepidity are
resisted, the conscience is purified, the will strengthened, a
salutary self-control is attained, and grace is increased in
virtue of the Sacrament itself. Let those, therefore, among the
younger clergy who make light of or lessen esteem for frequent
confession realize that what they are doing is alien to the Spirit
of Christ and disastrous for the Mystical Body of our Savior.
89.
There are others who deny any impetratory power to our prayers, or
who endeavor to insinuate into men's minds the idea that prayers
offered to God in private should be considered of little worth,
whereas public prayers which are made in the name of the Church
are those which really matter, since they proceed from the
Mystical Body of Christ. This opinion is false; for the divine
Redeemer is most closely united not only with His Church, which is
His beloved Spouse, but also with each and every one of the
faithful, and He ardently desires to speak with them heart to
heart, especially after Holy Communion. It is true that public
prayer, inasmuch as it is offered by Mother Church, excels any
other kind of prayer by reason of her dignity as Spouse of Christ;
but no prayer, even the most private, is lacking in dignity or
power, and all prayer is of the greatest help to the Mystical Body
in which, through the Communion of Saints, no good can be done, no
virtue practiced by individual members, which does not redound
also to the salvation of all. Neither is a man forbidden to ask
for himself particular favors even for this life merely because he
is a member of this Body, provided he is always resigned to the
divine will; for the members retain their own personality and
remain subject to their own individual needs.(171) Moreover, how
highly all should esteem mental prayer is proved not only by
ecclesiastical documents, but also by the custom and practice of
the saints.
90.
Finally, there are those who assert that our prayers should be
directed not to the person of Jesus Christ, but rather to God, or
to the Eternal Father through Christ, since our Savior as Head of
His Mystical Body is only "Mediator of God and
men."(172) But this certainly is opposed not only to the mind
of the Church and to Christian usage, but to truth. For to speak
exactly, Christ is Head of the universal Church as He exists at
once in both of His natures(173) moreover He Himself has solemnly
declared: "If you shall ask me anything in my name, that I
will do."(174) For although prayers are very often directed
to the Eternal Father through the only-begotten Son, especially in
the Eucharistic Sacrifice - in which Christ, at once Priest and
Victim, exercises in a special manner the office of Mediator -
nevertheless not infrequently even in this Sacrifice, prayers are
addressed to the Divine Redeemer also; for all Christians must
clearly know and understand that the man Jesus Christ is also the
Son of God and God Himself. And thus, when the Church Militant
offers her adoration and prayers to [Christ], the
Sacred Victim, her voice seems to re-echo the never-ending chorus
of the Church Triumphant: "To him that sitteth on the throne
and to the Lamb benediction and honor and glory and power forever
and ever."(175)
91.
Venerable Brethren, in Our exposition of this mystery which
embraces the hidden union of us all with Christ, We have thus far,
as Teacher of the Universal Church, illumined the mind with the
light of truth, and Our pastoral office now requires that We
provide an incentive for the heart to love this Mystical Body with
that ardor of charity which is not confined to thoughts and words,
but which issues in deeds. If those who lived under the Old Law
could sing of their earthly city: "If I forget thee, O
Jerusalem, let my right hand be forgotten; let my tongue cleave to
my jaws if I do not remember thee, if I make not Jerusalem the
beginning of my joy,"(176) how much greater then should be
the joy and exultation that should fill our hearts who dwell in a
City built on the holy mountain of living and chosen stones,
"Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone."(177)
For nothing more glorious, nothing nobler, nothing surely more
honorable can be imagined than to belong to the One, Holy
Catholic, Apostolic and Roman Church, in which we become members
of one Body as venerable as it is unique; are guided by one
supreme Head; are filled with one divine Spirit; are nourished
during our earthly exile by one doctrine and one heavenly Bread,
until at last we enter into the one, unending blessedness of
heaven.
92.
But lest we be deceived by the angel of darkness who transforms
himself into an angel of light,(178) let this be the supreme law
of our love: to love the Spouse of Christ as Christ willed her to
be, and as He purchased her with His blood. Hence, not only should
we cherish exceedingly the Sacraments with which holy Mother
Church sustains our life, the solemn ceremonies which she
celebrates for our solace and our joy, the sacred chant and the
liturgical rites by which she lifts our minds up to heaven, but
also the sacramentals and all those exercises of piety by which
she consoles the hearts of the faithful and sweetly imbues them
with the Spirit of Christ. As her children, it is our duty, not
only to make a return to her for her maternal goodness to us, but
also to respect the authority which she has received from Christ
in virtue of which she brings into captivity our understanding
unto the obedience of Christ.(179) Thus we are commanded to obey
her laws and her moral precepts, even if at times they are
difficult to our fallen nature; to bring our rebellious body into
subjection through voluntary mortification; and at times we are
warned to abstain even from harmless pleasures. Nor does it
suffice to love this Mystical Body for the glory of its divine
Head and for its heavenly gifts; we must love it with an effective
love as it appears in this our mortal flesh - made up, that is, of
weak human elements, even though at times they are little fitted
to the place which they occupy in this venerable Body.
93.
In order that such a solid and undivided love may abide and
increase in our souls day by day, we must accustom ourselves to
see Christ Himself in the Church. For it is Christ who lives in
His Church, and through her, teaches, governs, and sanctifies; it
is Christ also who manifests Himself differently in different
members of His society. If the faithful strive to live in a spirit
of lively faith, they will not only pay due honor and reverence to
the more exalted members of this Mystical Body, especially those
who according to Christ's mandate will have to render an account
of our souls,(180) but they will take to their hearts those
members who are the object of our Savior's special love: the weak,
We mean, the wounded, and the sick who are in need of material or
spiritual assistance; children whose innocence is so easily
exposed to danger in these days, and whose young hearts can be
molded as wax; and finally the poor, in helping whom we recognize
as it were, through His supreme mercy, the very person of Jesus
Christ.
94.
For as the Apostle with good reason admonishes us: "Those
that seem the more feeble members of the Body are more necessary;
and those that we think the less honorable members of the Body, we
surround with more abundant honor."(181) Conscious of the
obligations of Our high office We deem it necessary to reiterate
this grave statement today, when to Our profound grief We see at
times the deformed, the insane, and those suffering from
hereditary disease deprived of their lives, as though they were a
useless burden to Society; and this procedure is hailed by some as
a manifestation of human progress, and as something that is
entirely in accordance with the common good. Yet who that is
possessed of sound judgment does not recognize that this not only
violates the natural and the divine law (182) written in the heart
of every man, but that it outrages the noblest instincts of
humanity? The blood of these unfortunate victims who are all the
dearer to our Redeemer because they are deserving of greater pity,
"cries to God from the earth."(183)
95.
In order to guard against the gradual weakening of that sincere
love which requires us to see our Savior in the Church and in its
members, it is most fitting that we should look to Jesus Himself
as the perfect model of love for the Church.
96.
And first of all let us imitate the breadth of His love. For the
Church, the Bride of Christ, is one; and yet so vast is the love
of the divine Spouse that it embraces in His Bride the whole human
race without exception. Our Savior shed His Blood precisely in
order that He might reconcile men to God through the Cross, and
might constrain them to unite in one Body, however widely they may
differ in nationality and race. True love of the Church,
therefore, requires not only that we should be mutually solicitous
one for another (184) as members of the same Body, rejoicing in
the glory of the other members and sharing in their suffering
(185) but likewise that we should recognize in other men, although
they are not yet joined to us in the Body of the Church, our
brothers in Christ according to the flesh, called, together with
us, to the same eternal salvation. It is true, unfortunately,
especially today, that there are some who extol enmity, hatred and
spite as if they enhanced the dignity and the worth of man. Let
us, however, while we look with sorrow on the disastrous
consequences of this teaching, follow our peaceful King who taught
us to love not only those who are of a different nation or
race,(186) but even our enemies.(187) While Our heart overflows
with the sweetness of the teaching of the Apostle of the Gentiles,
We extol with him the length, and the breadth, and the height, and
the depth of the charity of Christ,(188) which neither diversity
of race or customs can diminish, nor trackless waves of the ocean
weaken, nor wars, whether just or unjust, destroy.
97.
In this gravest of hours, Venerable Brethren, when bodies are
racked with pain and souls are oppressed with grief, every
individual must be aroused to this supernatural charity so that,
by the combined efforts of all good men, striving to outdo each
other in pity and mercy - We have in mind especially, those who
are engaged in any kind of relief work - the immense needs of
mankind, both spiritual and corporal, may be alleviated, and the
devoted generosity, the inexhaustible fruitfulness of the Mystical
Body of Jesus Christ, may shine resplendently throughout the whole
world.
98.
As the vastness of the charity with which Christ loved His Church
is equaled by its constant activity, we all, with the same
assiduous and zealous charity must love the Mystical Body of
Christ. Now from the moment of His Incarnation, when he laid the
first foundations of the Church, even to His last mortal breath,
our Redeemer never ceased for an instant, though He was the Son of
God, to labor unto weariness in order to establish and strengthen
His Church, whether by giving us the shining example of His
holiness, or by preaching, or conversing, or gathering and
instructing disciples. And so We desire that all who claim the
Church as their mother, should seriously consider that not only
the clergy and those who have consecrated themselves to God in the
religious life, but the other members of the Mystical Body of
Jesus Christ as well have, each in his degree, the obligation of
working hard and constantly for the building up and increase of
this Body. We wish this to be borne in mind especially by members
of Catholic Action who assist the Bishops and the priests in their
apostolic labors - and to their praise be it said, they do realize
it - and also by those members of pious associations which work
for the same end. There is no one who does not realize their
energetic zeal (188) is of the highest importance and of the
greatest weight especially in the present circumstances.
99.
In this connection We cannot pass over in silence the fathers and
mothers of families to whom our Savior has entrusted the youngest
members of His Mystical Body. We plead with them most earnestly,
for the love of Christ and the Church, to take the greatest
possible care of the children confided to them, and to protect
them from the snares of every kind into which they can be lured so
easily today.
100.
Our Redeemer showed His burning love for the Church especially by
praying for her to His heavenly Father. To recall but a few
examples: everyone knows, Venerable Brethren, that just before the
crucifixion He prayed repeatedly for Peter,(189) for the other
Apostles,(190) for all who, through the preaching of the holy
Gospel would believe in Him.(191)
101.
After the example of Christ we too should pray daily to the Lord
of the harvest to send laborers into His harvest.(192) Our united
prayer should rise daily to heaven for all the members of the
Mystical Body of Jesus Christ; first for Bishops who are
responsible in a special way for their respective dioceses; then
for priests and religious, both men and women, who have been
called to the service of God, and who, at home and in the foreign
missions, are protecting, increasing, and advancing the Kingdom of
the Divine Redeemer. No member of this venerated Body must be
forgotten in this common prayer; and let there be a special
remembrance of those who are weighed down with the sorrows and
afflictions of this earthly exile, as also for the suffering souls
in Purgatory. Neither must those be neglected who are being
instructed in Christian doctrine, so that they may be able to
receive baptism without delay.
102.
Likewise, We must earnestly desire that this united prayer may
embrace in the same ardent charity both those who, not yet
enlightened by the truth of the Gospel, are still outside the fold
of the Church, and those who, on account of regrettable schism,
are separated from Us, who though unworthy, represent the person
of Jesus Christ on earth. Let us then re-echo that divine prayer
of our Savior to the heavenly Father: "That they all may be
one, as thou, Father, in me, and I in thee, that they also may be
one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent
me."(193)
103.
As you know, Venerable Brethren, from the very beginning of Our
Pontificate, We have committed to the protection and guidance of
heaven those who do not belong to the visible Body of the Catholic
Church, solemnly declaring that after the example of the Good
Shepherd We desire nothing more ardently than that they may have
life and have it more abundantly.(194) Imploring the prayers of
the whole Church We wish to repeat this solemn declaration in this
Encyclical Letter in which We have proclaimed the praises of the
"great and glorious Body of Christ"(195) and from a
heart overflowing with love We ask each and every one of them to
correspond to the interior movements of grace, and to seek to
withdraw from that state in which they cannot be sure of their
salvation.(196) For even though by an unconscious desire and
longing they have a certain relationship with the Mystical Body of
the Redeemer, they still remain deprived of those many heavenly
gifts and helps which can only be enjoyed in the Catholic Church.
Therefore may they enter into Catholic unity and, joined with Us
in the one, organic Body of Jesus Christ, may they together with
us run on to the one Head in the Society of glorious love.(197)
Persevering in prayer to the Spirit of love and truth, We wait for
them with open and outstretched arms to come not to a stranger's
house, but to their own, their father's home.
104.
Though We desire this unceasing prayer to rise to God from the
whole Mystical Body in common, that all the straying sheep may
hasten to enter the one fold of Jesus Christ, yet We recognize
that this must be done of their own free will; for no one believes
unless he wills to believe.(198) Hence they are most certainly not
genuine Christians(199) who against their belief are forced to go
into a church, to approach the altar and to receive the
Sacraments; for the "faith without which it is impossible to
please God"(200) is an entirely free "submission of
intellect and will."(201) Therefore, whenever it happens,
despite the constant teaching of this Apostolic See,(202) that
anyone is compelled to embrace the Catholic faith against his
will, Our sense of duty demands that We condemn the act. For men
must be effectively drawn to the truth by the Father of light
through the spirit of His beloved Son, because, endowed as they
are with free will, they can misuse their freedom under the
impulse of mental agitation and base desires. Unfortunately many
are still wandering far from Catholic truth, being unwilling to
follow the inspirations of divine grace, because neither they
(203) nor the faithful pray to God with sufficient fervor for this
intention. Again and again We beg all who ardently love the Church
to follow the example of the Divine Redeemer and to give
themselves constantly to such prayer.
105.
And likewise, above all in the present crisis, it seems to Us not
only opportune but necessary that earnest supplications should be
offered for kings, princes, and for all those who govern nations
and are thus in a position to assist the Church by their
protecting power, so that, the conflict ended, "peace, the
work of justice"(204) under the impulse of divine charity may
emerge from out this raging tempest and be restored to wearied
man, and that holy Mother Church "may lead a quiet and
peaceable life in all piety and chastity."(205)We must plead
with God to grant that the rulers of nations may love wisdom,(206)
so that the severe judgment of the Holy Spirit may never fall on
them: "Because being ministers of His Kingdom you have not
judged rightly, nor kept the law of Justice, nor walked according
to the will of God; horribly and speedily will he appear to you;
for a most severe judgment shall be for them that bear rule. For
to him that is little, mercy shall be granted; but the mighty
shall be mightily tormented. For God will not except any man's
person, neither will he stand in awe of any man's greatness; for
he made the little and the great, and he hath equally care of all.
But a greater punishment is ready for the more mighty. To you,
therefore, O Kings, these are my words, that you may learn wisdom
and not fall from it."(207)
106.
Moreover, Christ proved His love for His spotless Bride not only
at the cost of immense labor and constant prayer, but by His
sorrows and His sufferings which He willingly and lovingly endured
for her sake. "Having loved His own...He loved them unto the
end."(208) Indeed it was only at the price of His Blood that
He purchased the Church.(209) Let us then follow gladly in the
bloodstained footsteps of our King, for this is necessary to
ensure our salvation: "For if we have been planted together
in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of
His Resurrection."(210) and "if we be dead with him, we
shall live also with Him."(211) Also our zealous love for the
Church demands it, and our brotherly love for the souls she brings
forth to Christ. For although our Savior's cruel passion and death
merited for His Church an infinite treasure of graces, God's
inscrutable providence has decreed that these graces should not be
granted to us all at once; but their greater or lesser abundance
will depend in no small part on our own good works, which draw
down on the souls of men a rain of heavenly gifts freely bestowed
by God. These heavenly gifts will surely flow more abundantly if
we not only pray fervently to God, especially by participating
every day if possible in the Eucharistic Sacrifice; if we not only
try to relieve the distress of the needy and of the sick by works
of Christian charity, but if we also set our hearts on the good
things of eternity rather than on the passing things of this
world; if we restrain this mortal body by voluntary mortification,
denying it what is forbidden, and by forcing it to do what is hard
and distasteful; and finally, if we humbly accept as from God's
hands the burdens and sorrows of this present life. Thus,
according to the Apostle, "we shall fill up those things that
are wanting of the sufferings of Christ in our flesh for His Body,
which is the Church."(212)
107.
As We write these words there passes before Our eyes, alas, an
almost endless throng of unfortunate beings for whom We shed tears
of sorrow; sick, poor, disabled, widows, orphans, and many not
infrequently languishing even unto death on account of their own
painful trials or those of their families. With the heart of a
father We exhort all those who from whatever cause are plunged in
grief and anguish to lift their eyes trustfully to heaven and to
offer their sorrows to Him who will one day reward them
abundantly. Let them all remember that their sufferings are not in
vain, but that they will turn to their own immense gain and that
of the Church, if to this end they bear them with patience. The
daily use of the offering made by the members of the Apostleship
of Prayer will contribute very much to make this intention more
efficacious and We welcome this opportunity of recommending this
Association highly, as one which is most pleasing to God.
108.
There never was a time, Venerable Brethren, when the salvation of
souls did not impose on all the duty of associating their
sufferings with the torments of our Divine Redeemer. But today
that duty is more clear than ever, when a gigantic conflict has
set almost the whole world on fire and leaves in its wake so much
death, so much misery, so much hardship; in the same way today, in
a special manner, it is the duty of all to fly from vice, the
attraction of the world, the unrestrained pleasures of the body,
and also from worldly frivolity and vanity which contribute
nothing to the Christian training of the soul nor to the gaining
of Heaven. Rather let those weighty words of Our immortal
predecessor Leo the Great be deeply engraven upon our minds, that
by Baptism we are made flesh of the Crucified:(213) and that
beautiful prayer of St. Ambrose: "Carry me, Christ, on the
Cross, which is salvation to the wanderers, sole rest for the
wearied, wherein alone is life for those who die."(214)
109.
Before concluding, We cannot refrain from again and again
exhorting all to love holy Mother Church with a devoted and active
love. If we have really at heart the salvation of the whole human
family, purchased by the precious Blood, we must offer every day
to the Eternal Father our prayers, works and sufferings, for her
safety and for her continued and ever more fruitful increase. And
while the skies are heavy with storm clouds, and exceeding great
dangers threaten the whole of human Society and the Church
herself, let us commit ourselves and all that we have to the
Father of Mercies, crying out: "Look down, we beseech Thee,
Lord, on this Thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ did not
hesitate to be betrayed into the hands of evil men and to undergo
the torment of the Cross."(215)
110.
Venerable Brethren, may the Virgin Mother of God hear the prayers
of Our paternal heart - which are yours also - and obtain for all
a true love of the Church - she whose sinless soul was filled with
the divine spirit of Jesus Christ above all other created souls,
who "in the name of the whole human race" gave her
consent "for a spiritual marriage between the Son of God and
human nature."(216) Within her virginal womb Christ our Lord
already bore the exalted title of Head of the Church; in a
marvelous birth she brought Him forth as the source of all
supernatural life, and presented Him newly born, as Prophet, King
and Priest to those who, from among Jews and Gentiles, were the
first to come to adore Him. Furthermore, her only Son,
condescending to His mother's prayer in "Cana of
Galilee," performed the miracle by which "his disciples
believed in Him."(217) It was she, the second Eve, who, free
from all sin, original or personal, and always more intimately
united with her Son, offered Him on Golgotha to the Eternal Father
for all the children of Adam, sin-stained by his unhappy fall, and
her mother's rights and her mother's love were included in the
sacrifice. Thus she who, according to the flesh, was the mother of
our Head, through the added title of pain and glory became,
according to the Spirit, the mother of all His members. She it was
who through her powerful prayers obtained that the Spirit of our
Divine Redeemer, already given on the Cross, should be bestowed,
accompanied by miraculous gifts, on the newly founded Church at
Pentecost; and finally, bearing with courage and confidence the
tremendous burden of her sorrows and desolation, she, truly the
Queen of Martyrs, more than all the faithful "filled up those
things that are wanting of the sufferings of Christ...for His
Body, which is the Church";(218) and she continues to have
for the Mystical Body of Christ, born of the pierced Heart of the
Savior,(219) the same motherly care and ardent love with which she
cherished and fed the Infant Jesus in the crib.
111.
May she, then, the most holy Mother of all the members of
Christ,(220) to whose Immaculate Heart We have trustfully
consecrated all mankind, and who now reigns in heaven with her
Son, her body and soul refulgent with heavenly glory - may she
never cease to beg from Him that copious streams of grace may flow
from its exalted Head into all the members of the Mystical Body.
May she throw about the Church today, as in times gone by, the
mantle of her protection and obtain from God that now at last the
Church and all mankind may enjoy more peaceful days.
112.
Confiding in this sublime hope, from an overflowing heart We
impart to you, one and all, Venerable Brethren, and to the flocks
entrusted to your care, as a pledge of heavenly graces and a token
of Our special affection, the Apostolic Benediction.
Given
at Rome, at St. Peter's on the twenty-ninth day of June, the Feast
of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, in the year 1943, the fifth
of Our Pontificate.
Endnotes:
1.
Cf. Col. I, 24. | 2. Acts, XX, 28. | 3. Cf. I Peter, IV, 13. | 4.
Cf. Eph., II, 21-22; I Peter, II, 5. | 5. Sessio III; Const. de
fide cath., c. 4. | 6. Rom., V, 20. | 7. Cf. II Peter, I, 4. | 8.
Eph., II, 3. | 9. John, III, 16. | 10. Cf. John, I, 12. | 11. Cf.
Vat. Council, Const. de Eccl., prol. | 12. Cf. ibidem, Const. de
fide cath., c. 1. | 13. Col., I, 18. | 14. Rom., XII, 5. | 15. Cf.
A.A.S., XXVIII, p. 710. | 16. Rom., XII, 4. | 17. I Cor., XII, 13.
| 18. Cf. Eph., IV, 5. | 19. Cf. Matth., XVIII, 17. | 20. Cf.
Matth., IX, 11; Mark, II, 16; Luke, XV, 2. | 21. August., Epist.,
CLVII, 3, 22: Migne, P.L., XXXIII, 686. | 22. August., Serm.,
CXXXVII, 1: Migne, P.L., XXXVIII, 754. | 23. Encycl. Divinum Illud:
A.A.S., XXIX, p. 649. | 24. John, XVII, 18. | 25. Cf. Matth., XVI,
18-19. | 26. John, XV, 15; XVII, 8 and 14. | 27. Cf. John, III, 5.
| 28. Cf. Gen., III, 20. | 29. Ambrose, In Luc, II, 87: Migne, P.L.,
XV, 1585. | 30. Cf. Matth., XV, 24. | 31. Cf. St. Thos., I-II, q.
103, a. 3, ad 2. | 32. Cf. Eph., II, 15. | 33. Cf. Col., II, 14. |
34. Cf. Matth., XXVI, 28; I Cor., XI, 25. | 35. Leo the Great,
Serm., LXVIII, 3: Migne, P.L. LIV, 374. | 36. Jerome and
Augustine, Epist. CXII, 14 and CXVI, 16: Migne, P.L., XXII, 924
and 943; St. Thos., I-II, q. 103, a. 3, ad 2; a. 4; ad 1; Council
of Flor. pro Jacob.: Mansi, XXXI, 1738. | 37. Cf. II Cor., III, 6.
| 38. Cf. St. Thos. III, q. 42, a. 1. | 39. Cf. De pecc. orig.,
XXV, 29: Migne, P.L., XLIV, 400. | 40. Cf. Eph., II, 14-16. | 41.
Cf. Acts, II, 1-4. | 42. Cf. Luke, III, 22; Mark, I, 10. | 43.
Col., I, 18. | 44. Cf. Eph., IV, 16; Col., II, 19. | 45. Col., I,
15. | 46. Col., I, 18; Apoc., I, 5. | 47. I Tim., II, 5. | 48. Cf.
John, XII, 32. | 49. Cf. Cyr. Alex., Comm. in Ioh. I, 4: Migne,
P.G., LXXIII, 69; St. Thos., I, q. 20, a. 4, ad 1. | 50. Hexaem.,
VI, 55: Migne, P.L., XIV, 265. | 51. Cf. August., De agon.
Christi, XX, 22: Migne, P.L., XL, 301. | 52. Cf. St. Thos., I, q.
22, a. 1-4. | 53. Cf. John, X, 1-18; I Peter, V, 1-5. | 54. Cf.
John VI, 63. | 55. Proverbs, XXI, 1. | 56. Cf. I Peter, II, 25. |
57. Cf. Acts, VIII, 26; IX, 1-19; X, 1-7; XII, 3-10. | 58.
Philipp., IV, 7. | 59. Cf. Leo XIII, Satis Cognitum: A.A.S.,
XXVIII, 725. | 60. Luke, XII, 32. | 61. Cf. Corp. Iur. Can., Extr.
Comm., I, 8, 1. | 62. Gregory the Great, Moral., XIV, 35, 43:
Migne, P.L., LXXV, 1062. | 63. Cf. Vat. Council, Const. de Eccl.,
Cap. 3. | 64. Cf. Cod. Iur. Can., can. 329, 1. | 65. I Paral.,
XVI, 22; Ps., CIV, 15. | 66. Cf. I Peter, V, 3. | 67. Cf. I Tim.,
VI, 20. | 68. Cf. Ep. ad Eulog., 30: Migne, P.L., LXXVII, 933. |
69. I Cor., XII, 21. | 70. John, XV, 5. | 71. Cf. Eph., IV, 16;
Col., II, 19. | 72. Comm. in ep. ad Eph., Cap. 1, lect. 8; Hebr.,
II, 16-17. | 73. Phillipp., II, 7. | 74. Cf. II Peter, I, 4. | 75.
Cf. Rom., VIII, 29. | 76. Cf. Col., III, 10. | 77. Cf. I John,
III, 2. | 78. Col., I, 19. | 79. Cf. John, XVII, 2. | 80. Cf.
Col., II, 3. | 81. Cf. John, I, 14-16. | 82. Cf. John, I, 18. |
83. Cf. John, III, 2. | 84. Cf. John, XVIII, 37. | 85. Cf. John,
VI, 68. | 86. Cf. August., De cons. evang., I, 35, 54; Migne, P.L.,
XXXIV, 1070. | 87. Cf. Hebr., XII, 2. | 88. Cf. Cyr. Alex., Ep, 55
de Symb.; Migne, P.G., LXXVII, 293. | 89. Cf. John, XV, 5. | 90.
Cf. St. Thos., III, q. 64, a. 3. | 91. Eph., IV, 7. | 92. Eph., IV,
16; cf. Col., II, 19. | 93. Cf. De Rom. Pont., I, 9; De Concil.,
II, 19. | 94. Cf. I Cor., XII, 12. | 95. Cf. Acts, IX, 4; XXII, 7;
XXVI, 14. | 96. Cf. Greg. Nyss., De vita Moysis: Migne, P.G., XLIV,
385. | 97. Cf. Serm., CCCLIV, 1: Migne, P.L., XXXIX, 1563. | 98.
Cf. John, XXVII, 18, and XX, 21. | 99. Cf. Leo XIII, Sapientiae
Christianae: A.A.S., XXII, 392; Satis Cognitum: ibidem, XXVIII,
710. | 100. Rom, VIII, 9; II Cor. III, 17; Gal. IV, 6. | 101. Cf.
John, XX, 22. | 102. Cf. John, III, 34. | 103. Cf. Eph., I, 8; IV,
7. | 104. Cf. Rom, VIII, 14-17; Gal., IV, 6-7. | 105. Cf. II Cor.,
III, 18. | 106. A.A.S., XXIX, p. 650. | 107. Gal., II, 20. | 108.
Cf. Ambrose, De Elia et ieiun., 10, 36-37, et In Psalm. 118, serm.
20, 2; Migne, P.L., XIV, 710 et XV, 1483. | 109. Eph., V, 23. |
110. John, IV, 42. | 111. Cf. I Tim., IV, 10. | 112. Acts, XX, 28.
| 113. Enarr. in Ps., LXXXV, 5; Migne, P.L., XXXVII, 1085. | 114.
Clem. Alex., Strom., VII, 2; Migne, P.G. IX, 413. | 115. I Cor.,
III, 23; Pius XI, Divini Redemptoris: A.A.S., 1937, p. 80. | 116.
De Veritate, q. 29, a. 4, c. | 117. Cf. Leo XIII, Sapientiae
Christianae: A.A.S., XXII, p. 392. | 118. Cf. Leo XIII, Satis
Cognitum: A.A.S., XXVIII, p. 724. | 119. Cf. Ibidem, p. 710. |
120. Cf. Ibidem, p. 710. | 121. Cf. Ibidem, p. 710. | 122. St.
Thos., De Veritate, q. 29, a. 4, ad 9. | 123. Vat. Council, Sess.
IV, Const. dogm. de Eccl., prol. | 124. Col., I, 13. | 125. Vat.
Council, Sess. III, Const. de fide Cath., Cap. 3. | 126. Philipp.,
II, 8. | 127. John, XX, 22. | 128. John, XX, 21. | 129. Luke, X,
16. | 130. Cf. Vat. Council, Sess. III, Const. de fide Cath., Cap
3. | 131. Serm., XXI, 3: Migne, P.L., LIV, 192-193. | 132. Cf.
August., Contra Faust., 21, 8: Migne, P.L., XLII, 392. | 133. Cf.
Eph., V, 22-23; John, XV, 1-5; Eph., IV, 16. | 134. Col., I, 18. |
135. Cf. Enar. in Ps., XVII, 51 and XC, II, 1: Migne, P.L., XXXVI,
154, and XXXVII, 1159. | 136. John, XVII, 21-23. | 137. Apoc., V,
12-13. | 138. Cf. John, XIV, 16 and 26. | 139. Eph., IV, 5. | 140.
Cf. John, XVII, 3. | 141. I John, IV, 15. | 142. II Cor., IV, 13.
| 143. Cf. Gal., II, 20. | 144. Cf. Eph., III, 17. | 145. Cf. Hebr.,
XII, 2. | 146. Tit., II, 13. | 147. Cf. Hebr., XIII, 14. | 148.
Eph., IV, 4. | 149. Cf. Col., I, 27. | 150. I John, IV, 16. | 151.
John, XIV, 28. | 152. John, XV, 9-10. | 153. I John, IV, 20-21. |
154. Rom., XII, 5. | 155. I Cor., XII, 25. | 156. Serm. XXIX:
Migne, P.L., LVII, 594. | 157. Cf. St. Thos., Comm. in Ep. and
Eph., Cap. II, lect. 5. | 158. Rom., VIII, 9-10. | 159. Cf. St.
Thos., Comm. in Ep. ad Eph., Cap I, lect. 8. | 160. Cf. St. Thos.,
I, q. 43, a.3. | 161. Sess. III. Const. de fide Cath., Cap. 4. |
162. Cf. Divinum Illud: A.A.S., XXIX, p. 653. | 163. Mal., I, 11.
| 164. Cf. Didache, IX, 4. | 165. Cf. Rom., VIII, 35. | 166. Cf.
Eph., V, 22-23. | 167. Ps., LXXXIII, 12. | 168. Expos. Evang. sec.
Luc., IV, 49; Migne. P.L. XV, 1626. | 169. Gal., II, 20. | 170. I
Cor., XV, 10. | 171. Cf. St. Thos., II-II, q. 83, a. 5 et 6. |
172. I Tim., II, 5. | 173. Cf. St. Thos., De Veritate, q. 29, a.
4, c. | 174. John, XIV, 14. | 175. Apoc., V, 13. | 176. Ps.,
CXXXVI, 5-6. | 177. Eph., II, 20; I Peter, II, 4-5. | 178. Cf. II
Cor., XI, 14. | 179. Cf. II Cor., X, 5. | 180. Cf. Hebr., XIII,
17. | 181. I Cor., XII, 22-23. | 182. Cf. Decree of the Holy
Office, 2 Dec. 1940: A.A.S., 1940, p. 553. | 183. Cf. Gen., IV,
10. | 184. Cf. Rom., XII, 5; I Cor., XII, 25. | 185. Cf. I Cor.,
XII, 26. | 186. Cf. Luke, X, 33-37. | 187. Cf. Luke, VI, 27-35;
Matth.,V, 44-48. | 188. Cf. Eph., III, 18. | 189. Cf. Luke, XXII,
32. | 190. Cf. John, XVII, 9-19. | 191. Cf. John, XVII, 20-23. |
192. Cf. Matth., IX, 38; Luke, X, 2. | 193. John, XVII, 21. | 194.
Cf. Encyclical Letter, Summi Pontificatus: A.A.S., 1939, p. 419. |
195. Iren., Adv. Haer., IV, 33, 7: Migne, P.G., VII, 1076. | 196.
Cf. Pius IX, Iam Vos Omnes, 13 Sept. 1868: Act. Conc. Vat.,
C.L.VII, 10. | 197. Cf. Gelas. I, Epist., XIV: Migne, P.L. LIX,
89. | 198. Cf. August., In Ioann. Ev. tract., XXVI, 2: Migne, P.L.
XXX, 1607. | 199. Cf. August., Ibidem. | 200. Hebr., XI, 6. | 201.
Vat. Counc. Const. de fide Cath., Cap. 3. | 202. Cf. Leo XIII,
Immortale Dei: A.A.S., XVIII, pp. 174-175; Cod. Iur. Can., c.
1351. | 203. Cf. August., Ibidem. | 204. Is., XXXII, 17. | 205. Cf.
I Tim., II, 2. | 206. Cf. Wis., VI, 23. | 207. Ibidem, VI, 4-10. |
208. John, XIII, 1. | 209. Cf. Acts, XX, 28. | 210. Rom., VI, 5. |
211. II Tim. II, 11. | 212. Cf. Col., I, 24. | 213. Cf. Serm.,
LXIII, 6; LXVI, 3: Migne, P.L., LIV, 357 and 366. | 214. In Ps.,
118, XXII, 30: Migne, P.L., XV, 1521. | 215. Office for Holy Week.
| 216. St. Thos., III, q. 30, a.1, c. | 217. John, II, 11. | 218.
Col., I, 24. | 219. Cf. Vesper hymn of Office of the Sacred Heart.
| 220. Cf. Pius X, Ad Diem Illum: A.A.S., XXXVI, p. 453.
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