Aquinas: our beneficial ignorance

Friday, January 28, 2022
    Feast of Thomas Aquinas, Priest, Teacher of the Faith, 1274
Meditation:
    So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no man knows whether love or hate awaits him.
    —Ecclesiastes 9:1 (NIV)
Quotation:
    If all the predestined knew they were predestined, then all those not predestined would know they were not predestined from the very fact that they did not know if they were predestined. This would, in some way, lead them to despair. Now, considering those who are predestined, security is the mother of negligence; and if the predestined were certain about their predestination, they would be secure about their salvation. Consequently, they would not exercise so great care in avoiding evil. Hence, it has been wisely ordained by God’s providence that men should be ignorant of their predestination or reprobation.
    ... Thomas Aquinas (1225?-1274), Truth, Indianapolis/Cambridge: Hackett Publishing, 1994, p. 281-282 (see the book)
    See also Eccl. 9:1; John 3:3; 6:47; Acts 2:38; Phil. 2:12
Quiet time reflection:
    Lord, Your assurance is sufficient. CQOD    Blog    email    RSS
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