Free Republic

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE HAIL MARY THE ANGELIC SALUTATION This salutation has three parts. The Angel gave one part, namely: "Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among women."[1] The other part was given by Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, namely: "Blessed is the fruit of thy womb."[2] The Church adds the third part, that is, "Mary," because the Angel did not say, "Hail, Mary," but "Hail, full of grace." But, as we shall see, this name, "Mary," according to its meaning agrees with the words of the Angels.[3]...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas SEVENTH PETITION: "But Deliver Us from Evil. Amen." The Lord has already taught us to pray for forgiveness of our sins, and how to avoid temptations. In this petition, He teaches us to pray to be preserved from evil, and indeed from all evil in general, such as sin, illness, affliction and all others, as St. Augustine explains it.[1] But since we have already mentioned sin and temptation, we now must consider other evils, such as adversity and all afflictions of this world. From these God preserves us in a fourfold manner. First,...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE SIXTH PETITION: "And Lead Us Not Into Temptation." There are those who have sinned and desire forgiveness for their sins. They confess their sins and repent. Yet, they do not strive as much as they should in order that they may not fall into sin again. In this indeed they are not consistent. For, on the one hand, they deplore their sins by being sorry for them; and, on the other hand, they sin again and again and have them again to deplore. Thus it is written: "Wash yourselves, be clean. Take...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FIFTH PETITION: "And Forgive Us Our Trespasses As We Forgive Those Who Trespass Against Us." There are some men of great wisdom and fortitude who, because they trust too much in their own strength, do not wisely carry out what they attempt, and they do not bring to completion that which they have in mind. "Designs are strengthened by counsels."[1] It must be known that the Holy Ghost who gives fortitude also gives counsel. Every good counsel concerning the salvation of man is from the Holy Ghost. Thus, counsel is necessary for...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FOURTH PETITION "Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread." Sometimes it happens that one of great learning and wisdom becomes fearful and timid; and, therefore, it is necessary that he have fortitude of heart lest he lack necessities: "It is He that giveth strength to the weary, and increaseth force and might to them that are not."[1] The Holy Spirit gives this fortitude: "And the Spirit entered into me, . . . and He set me upon my feet."[2] This fortitude which is given by the Holy Ghost so strengthens the heart...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE THIRD PETITION: "Thy Will Be Done on Earth as It Is in Heaven." The third gift which the Holy Spirit works in us is called the gift of knowledge. The Holy Spirit not only gives us the gift of fear and the gift of piety (which is a sweet affection for God, as we have said); but He also makes man wise. It was this for which David prayed: "Teach me goodness and discipline and knowledge."[1] This knowledge which the Holy Spirit teaches us is that whereby man lives justly. Among all...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE SECOND PETITION: "Thy Kingdom Come." The Holy Spirit makes us love, desire and pray rightly; and instills in us, first of all, a fear whereby we ask that the name of God be sanctified. He gives us another gift, that of piety. This is a devout and loving affection for our Father and for all men who are in trouble. Now, since God is our Father, we ought not only reverence and fear Him, but also have towards Him a sweet and pious affection. This love makes us pray that the kingdom...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FIRST PETITION: "Hallowed Be Thy Name." This is the first petition, and in it we ask that God's name be manifested and declared in us. The name of God, first of all, is wonderful because it works wonders in all creatures. Thus said Our Lord: "In My name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak new tongues. They shall take up serpents; and if they shall drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them."[1] GOD'S NAME IS LOVABLE This name is lovable: "There is no other name under heaven given...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE OPENING WORDS OF THE LORD'S PRAYER PREPARATION FOR THE PETITIONS Our FATHER.--Note here two things, namely, that God is our Father, and what we owe to Him because He is our Father. God is our Father by reason of our special creation, in that He created us in His image and likeness, and did not so create all inferior creatures: "Is not He thy Father, that made thee, and created thee?"[1] Likewise God is our Father in that He governs us, yet treats us as masters, and not servants, as is the...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas SUMMARY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS These are the ten precepts to which Our Lord referred when He said: "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matt., xix. 17). There are two main principles of all the Commandments, namely, love of God and love of neighbor. The man that loves God must necessarily do three things: (1) he must have no other God. And in support of this is the Commandment: "Thou shalt not have strange gods"; (2) he must give God all honor. And so it is commanded: "Thou shalt not...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE NINTH (TENTH) COMMANDMENT:[1] "Thou shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Goods." "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's goods." There is this difference between the divine and the human laws that human law judges only deeds and words, whereas the divine law judges also thoughts. The reason is because human laws are made by men who see things only exteriorly, but the divine law is from God, who sees both external things and the very interior of men. "Thou art the God of my heart."[2] And again: "Man seeth those things that appear, but...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE TENTH (NINTH) COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbor's Wife." St. John says in his first Epistle that "all that is in the world is the concupiscence of the flesh, the concupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life."[1] Now, all that is desirable is included in these three, two of which are forbidden by the precept: "Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house."[2] Here "house," signifying height, refers to avarice, for "glory and wealth shall be in his house."[3] This means that he who desires the house, desires honors and...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor." The Lord has forbidden anyone to injure his neighbor by deed; now he forbids us to injure him by word. "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor."[1] This may occur in two ways, either in a court of justice or in ordinary conversation. In the court of justice it may happen in three ways, according to the three persons who may violate this Commandment in court.[2] The first person is the plaintiff who makes a false accusation: "Thou shalt...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Steal." The Lord specifically forbids injury to our neighbor in the Commandments. Thus, "Thou shalt not kill" forbids us to injure our neighbor in his own person; "Thou shalt not commit adultery" forbids injury to the person to whom one is bound in marriage; and now the Commandment, "Thou shalt not steal," forbids us to injure our neighbor in his goods. This Commandment forbids any worldly goods whatsoever to be taken away wrongfully.[1] Theft is committed in a number of ways. First, by taking stealthily: "If the...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery." After the prohibition of murder, adultery is forbidden. This is fitting, since husband and wife are as one body. "They shall be," says the Lord, "two in one flesh."[1] Therefore, after an injury inflicted upon a man in his own person, none is so grave as that which is inflicted upon a person with whom one is joined.[2] Adultery is forbidden both to the wife and the husband. We shall first consider the adultery of the wife, since in this seems to lie the greater...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Kill." THE SIN OF KILLING In the divine law which tells us we must love God and our neighbor, it is commanded that we not only do good but also avoid evil. The greatest evil that can be done to one's neighbor is to take his life. This is prohibited in the Commandment: "Thou shalt not kill."[1] Killing of Animals Is Lawful.--In connection with this Commandment there are three errors. Some have said that it is not permitted to kill even brute animals. But this is false,...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT: "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest be long-lived upon the land which the Lord thy God will give thee."[1] Perfection for man consists in the love of God and of neighbor. Now, the three Commandments which were written on the first tablet pertain to the love of God; for the love of neighbor there were the seven Commandments on the second tablet. But we must "love, not in word nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth."[2] For a man to love thus, he must do...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE THIRD COMMANDMENT: "Remember that You Keep Holy the Sabbath Day." This is the Third Commandment of the law, and very suitably is it so. For we are first commanded to adore God in our hearts, and the Commandment is to worship one God: "Thou shalt not have strange gods before Me." In the Second Commandment we are told to reverence God by word: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." The Third commands us to reverence God by act. It is: "Remember that thou keep holy...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas SECOND COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Take the Name of the Lord Thy God in Vain." This is the Second Commandment of the law. Just as there is but one God whom we must worship, so there is only one God whom we should reverence in a special manner. This, first of all, has reference to the name of God. "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain."[1] THE MEANING OF IN VAIN "In vain" has a threefold meaning. Sometimes it is said of that which is false: "They...

The Catechism of St. Thomas Aquinas THE FIRST COMMANDMENT: "Thou Shalt Not Have Strange Gods Before Me." The entire law of Christ depends upon charity. And charity depends on two precepts, one of which concerns loving God and the other concerns loving our neighbor. Now God, in delivering the law to Moses, gave him Ten Commandments written upon two tablets of stone. Three of these Commandments that were written on the first tablet referred to the love of God; and the seven Commandments written on the other tablet related to the love of our neighbor. The whole law, therefore,...