Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae

Objection 1: It would seem that by being sanctified in the womb the Blessed Virgin was not preserved from all actual sin. For, as we have already stated (Article 3), after her first sanctification the fomes remained in the Virgin. Now the motion of the fomes, even if it precede the act of the reason, is a venial sin, albeit extremely slight, as Augustine says in his work De Trinitate . Therefore there was some venial sin in the Blessed Virgin.

Objection 2: Further, Augustine (Qq. Nov. et Vet. Test. lxxiii on Lk. 2:35: "Thy own soul a sword shall pierce") says that the Blessed Virgin "was troubled with wondering doubt at the death of our Lord." But doubt in matters of faith is a sin. Therefore the Blessed Virgin was not preserved from all actual sin.

Objection 3: Further, Chrysostom (Hom. xlv in Matth.) expounding the text: "Behold thy mother and thy brethren stand without, seeking thee," says: "It is clear that they did this from mere vain glory." Again, on Jn. 2:3: "They have no wine," the same Chrysostom says that "she wished to do them a favor, and raise herself in their esteem, by means of her Son: and perchance she succumbed to human frailty, just as did His brethren when they said: 'Manifest Thyself to the world.'" And a little further on he says: "For as yet she did not believe in Him as she ought." Now it is quite clear that all this was sinful. Therefore the Blessed Virgin was not preserved from all sin.

On the contrary, Augustine says (De Nat. et Grat. xxxvi): "In the matter of sin, it is my wish to exclude absolutely all questions concerning the holy Virgin Mary, on account of the honor due to Christ. For since she conceived and brought forth Him who most certainly was guilty of no sin, we know that an abundance of grace was given her that she might be in every way the conqueror of sin."

I answer that, God so prepares and endows those, whom He chooses for some particular office, that they are rendered capable of fulfilling it, according to 2 Cor. 3:6: "(Who) hath made us fit ministers of the New Testament." Now the Blessed Virgin was chosen by God to be His Mother. Therefore there can be no doubt that God, by His grace, made her worthy of that office, according to the words spoken to her by the angel (Lk. 1:30,31): "Thou hast found grace with God: behold thou shalt conceive," etc. But she would not have been worthy to be the Mother of God, if she had ever sinned. First, because the honor of the parents reflects on the child, according to Prov. 17:6: "The glory of children are their fathers": and consequently, on the other hand, the Mother's shame would have reflected on her Son. Secondly, because of the singular affinity between her and Christ, who took flesh from her: and it is written (2 Cor. 6:15): "What concord hath Christ with Belial?" Thirdly, because of the singular manner in which the Son of God, who is the "Divine Wisdom" (1 Cor. 1:24) dwelt in her, not only in her soul but in her womb. And it is written (Wis. 1:4): "Wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins."

We must therefore confess simply that the Blessed Virgin committed no actual sin, neither mortal nor venial; so that what is written (Cant 4:7) is fulfilled: "Thou art all fair, O my love, and there is not a spot in thee," etc.

Reply to Objection 1: After her sanctification the fomes remained in the Blessed Virgin, but fettered; lest she should be surprised by some sudden inordinate act, antecedent to the act of reason. And although the grace of her sanctification contributed to this effect, yet it did not suffice; for otherwise the result of her sanctification would have been to render impossible in her any sensual movement not preceded by an act of reason, and thus she would. not have had the fomes, which is contrary to what we have said above (Article 3). We must therefore say that the above mentioned fettering (of the fomes) was perfected by divine providence not permitting any inordinate motion to result from the fomes.

Reply to Objection 2: Origen (Hom. xvii in Luc.) and certain other doctors expound these words of Simeon as referring to the sorrow which she suffered at the time of our Lord's Passion. Ambrose (in Luc. 2:35) says that the sword signifies "Mary's prudence which took note of the heavenly mystery. For the word of God is living and effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword" (Heb. 4:12).

Others again take the sword to signify doubt. But this is to be understood of the doubt, not of unbelief, but of wonder and discussion. Thus Basil says (Ep. ad Optim.) that "the Blessed Virgin while standing by the cross, and observing every detail, after the message of Gabriel, and the ineffable knowledge of the Divine Conception, after that wondrous manifestation of miracles, was troubled in mind": that is to say, on the one side seeing Him suffer such humiliation, and on the other considering His marvelous works.

Reply to Objection 3: In those words Chrysostom goes too far. They may, however, be explained as meaning that our Lord corrected in her, not the inordinate motion of vain glory in regard to herself, but that which might be in the thoughts of others.

Articulus 4

Argumentum 1

Ad quartum sic proceditur. Videtur quod per sanctificationem in utero non fuerit beata virgo praeservata ab omni peccato actuali. Quia, ut dictum est, post primam sanctificationem fomes peccati remansit in virgine.

Motus autem fomitis, etiam si rationem praeveniat, est peccatum veniale, licet levissimum, ut Augustinus dicit, in libro de Trin..

Ergo in beata virgine fuit aliquod peccatum veniale.

Argumentum 2

Praeterea, super illud Luc. II, tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius, dicit Augustinus, in libro de quaest. Novi et veteris test., quod beata virgo in morte domini stupore quodam dubitavit.

Sed dubitare de fide est peccatum. Ergo beata virgo non fuit praeservata immunis ab omni peccato.

Argumentum 3

Praeterea, chrysostomus, super Matth., exponens illud, ecce mater tua et fratres tui foris stant quaerentes te, dicit, manifestum est quoniam solum ex vana gloria hoc faciebant.

Et Ioan. II, super illud, vinum non habent, dicit idem chrysostomus quod volebat illis ponere gratiam, et seipsam clariorem facere per filium; et fortassis quid humanum patiebatur, quemadmodum et fratres eius dicentes. Manifesta teipsum mundo.

Et post pauca subdit, nondum enim quam oportebat de eo opinionem habebat.

Quod totum constat esse peccatum. Ergo beata virgo non fuit praeservata immunis ab omni peccato.

Sed Contra

Sed contra est quod Augustinus dicit, in libro de natura et gratia, de sancta virgine maria, propter honorem christi, nullam prorsus, cum de peccatis agitur, habere volo quaestionem. Inde enim scimus quod ei plus gratiae collatum fuerit ad vincendum ex omni parte peccatum, quod concipere et parere meruit eum quem constat nullum habuisse peccatum.

Corpus

Respondeo dicendum quod illos quos deus ad aliquid eligit, ita praeparat et disponit ut ad id ad quod eliguntur inveniantur idonei, secundum illud II Cor. III, idoneos nos fecit ministros novi testamenti.

Beata autem virgo fuit electa divinitus ut esset mater dei. Et ideo non est dubitandum quod deus per suam gratiam eam ad hoc idoneam reddidit, secundum quod Angelus ad eam dicit, invenisti gratiam apud deum, ecce, concipies, etc.. Non autem fuisset idonea mater dei, si peccasset aliquando.

Tum quia honor parentum redundat in prolem, secundum illud Prov. XVII, gloria filiorum patres eorum.

Unde et, per oppositum, ignominia matris ad filium redundasset.

Tum etiam quia singularem affinitatem habuit ad christum, qui ab ea carnem accepit.

Dicitur autem II Cor. VI, quae conventio christi ad belial? tum etiam quia singulari modo dei filius, qui est dei sapientia, in ipsa habitavit, non solum in anima, sed in utero.

Dicitur autem Sap. I, in malevolam animam non intrabit sapientia, nec habitabit in corpore subdito peccatis.

Et ideo simpliciter fatendum est quod beata virgo nullum actuale peccatum commisit, nec mortale nec veniale, ut sic impleatur quod dicitur Cant. IV, tota pulchra es, amica mea, et macula non est in te, etc..

Ad 1

Ad primum ergo dicendum quod in beata virgine, post sanctificationem in utero, remansit quidem fomes, sed ligatus, ne scilicet prorumperet in aliquem motum inordinatum, qui rationem praeveniret. Et licet ad hoc operaretur gratia sanctificationis, non tamen ad hoc sufficiebat, alioquin, virtute illius gratiae hoc ei fuisset praestitum ut nullus motus posset esse in sensualitate eius non ratione praeventus, et sic fomitem non habuisset, quod est contra supra dicta.

Unde oportet dicere quod complementum illius ligationis fuit ex divina providentia, quae non permittebat aliquem motum inordinatum ex fomite provenire.

Ad 2

Ad secundum dicendum quod illud verbum simeonis Origenes, et quidam alii doctores, exponunt de dolore quem passa est in christi passione.

Ambrosius autem per gladium dicit significari prudentiam mariae, non ignaram mysterii caelestis. Vivum enim est verbum dei et validum, acutius omni gladio ancipiti.

Quidam vero gladium dubitationem intelligunt.

Quae tamen non est intelligenda dubitatio infidelitatis, sed admirationis et discussionis.

Dicit enim basilius, in epistola ad optimum, quod beata virgo, assistens cruci et aspiciens singula, post testimonium gabrielis, post ineffabilem divinae conceptionis notitiam, post ingentem miraculorum ostensionem, animo fluctuabat, ex una scilicet parte videns eum pati abiecta, et ex alia parte considerans eius mirifica.

Ad 3

Ad tertium dicendum quod in verbis illis chrysostomus excessit.

Possunt tamen exponi ut intelligatur in ea dominum cohibuisse, non inordinatum inanis gloriae motum quantum ad ipsam, sed id quod ab aliis posset existimari.