Doubt V: What is the necessity and utility of the gift of understanding

The holy Doctor begins, cap. 3., to enumerate the necessity and utilities of this gift.

The first necessity indeed is for the faith to make manifest the hidden truths, veiled by so many Scriptures and Sacraments, since the human understanding without supernal light cannot reach out to apprehend them. He proves this from Richard, lib. 3. de contempl. cap. 6. Hence St. August., lib. de spiritu, et anima, cap. 36.: By this light man can acknowledge that he was created to the image of God, and therefore capable of God, and therefore that God is trine and one, as the Son from the Father; and the Holy Spirit from both; and in a like manner from the understanding the Will; and from both the memory, and the word from the understanding; and from both love. See the Seraphic Doctor.

He proceeds, cap. quarto, to describe by what manner the truths of the divine Scriptures shine forth upon us through the gift of understanding; as is said, 1 John 2: The anointing of the Holy Spirit teacheth.

In the fifth chapter he shows by what manner the veils of the Sacraments are revealed through the gift of understanding.

In the sixth chapter he shows by what manner the spiritual day appears through this gift, as I shall say below.

In the seventh chapter he demonstrates that the spiritual banquet is prepared by this gift. See the holy Doctor; for it does not please me to transcribe whole chapters verbatim hither.