Article II: On the Increase of Charity

S. Th. II-II, q. 24, aa. 4-9; q. 184, a. 2; I-II, q. 114, a. 8; III, q. 89, aa. 2 and 5; Q. D. de Virt., q. 1, a. 11.

867. Charity in the way can be increased intensively. - Charity of the fatherland cannot be increased because it is at the term. - Charity of the way cannot be increased extensively, namely, by extending itself to new objects, because the least charity extends itself to all things which are to be loved from charity. But it can be increased intensively, insofar as it becomes more intense, stronger, and more prompt for acting.

This happens not indeed by addition of charity to charity, but only by this, that the same charity is received more and inheres more firmly, and man participates charity more, and is more reduced into act according to it, as was explained in the treatise on Virtue in general, n. 570.

It is proved: For he who is on the way can always approach the term more; but the term of the way is God; therefore on earth we can always approach God more. But through charity we tend and approach to God, to whom one does not approach by steps of the body but by affections of the mind by which we are united to him; therefore charity of the way can always be increased. Cf. Eph. IV, 15-16; Phil. I, 9; Prov. IV, 18; and the Council of Trent, sess. 6, can. 24 and 32, c. 10: "Moreover holy Church asks for this increase of justice when she prays: Give us an increase of faith, hope, and charity."

868. Charity can be increased without end, as was defined in the Council of Vienne, can. 1 against the Beguards. For no reason is present why its increase would be limited: 1. from its essence it is a participation of the infinite charity of God, which can always be participated more; 2. the infinite power of God, which is the cause of charity, can always produce greater charity; 3. man can always receive greater charity, for as charity grows, the aptitude for an increase of charity grows. Therefore from no side is there given a reason for limiting this increase. - Nevertheless, from divine preordination no one in fact will arrive at the charity of Christ or of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

869. God is the principal efficient cause of the increase of charity, as of its production; but charity is increased instrumentally through the sacraments, dispositively and meritoriously through good works. From the treatise on grace and on human acts we know that any act, whether of charity, or placed from the influence of charity, even the least, merits de condigno eternal life, and an increase of grace and charity. Hence Christ says, Mk. IX, 40: "For whoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name... shall not lose his reward." Cf. Council of Trent, sess. 6, cc. 10 and 16, can. 32.

870. When charity is increased. - Although every good act done from charity disposes toward an increase of charity, indeed merits it, nevertheless it seems that one must say with St. Thomas, not that every act of charity in fact increases it, but that this is done only through an intense act by which the agent strives as much as he can toward an increase of charity, namely, with all the powers of the charity which he has. For just as God does not infuse a determinate grade of charity except proportionately to the disposition and striving of the will, so he does not seem to increase it unless one strives toward this through an intense act. And then the increase is given not only on account of the last act but also on account of all the preceding acts. "The spiritual increase of charity is in some way similar to bodily increase; but bodily increase in animals and plants is not a continuous motion...; rather for some time nature operates disposing toward increase, and increasing nothing in act; and afterward it produces in effect that to which it had disposed, by increasing the animal itself, or the plant, in act. So also charity is not increased in act by every act of charity; but every act disposes toward an increase of charity, insofar as from one act of charity man is rendered more prompt for acting again according to charity, and with aptitude growing, man breaks forth into a more fervent act of dilection, by which he strives toward the progress of charity; and then charity is increased in act" (q. 24, a. 6). Cf. de Virt., n. 640.

871. In what sense charity can be perfect. - Charity:

1. On the part of the object, God lovable, cannot be perfect, because God can never be loved as much as he is lovable: thus therefore only that charity by which God loves himself is perfect.

2. On the part of the subject, the man loving, charity of the fatherland is perfect because it is in a connatural state (while here we are pilgrims from the Lord): a) for in it the conditions of friendship are verified perfectly: there is had eminent communication, highest union, perfect presence of the friend, conversation with him and possession of him; whence b) it is always actually borne toward God and indeed with its whole power; and therefore c) it is incapable of being lost. Therefore, although the habit of charity according to its essence is the same as in heaven, and can be equal in degree, indeed even greater in one wayfarer than in another blessed one, nevertheless according to the aforesaid conditions charity of the fatherland is always more perfect and more intense.

3. Charity of the way, although it cannot have the perfection of the fatherland by which the whole heart of man is actually borne always toward God - for it is impossible on account of the infirmity of human life always actually to think of God and to be moved by dilection toward him - nevertheless can be perfect insofar as it excludes all things which are repugnant to the motion of charity. And this in two ways:

a) so that habitually someone places his whole heart in God, so that he thinks or wills nothing which is contrary to divine dilection (or any mortal sin), and this perfection is essential to charity, which cannot exist without it, and common to all having charity, and of the necessity of salvation;

b) so that he studies to be free for God and divine things in such a way that he is also actually borne toward God insofar as the necessities of the present life allow this, and leaves other things except insofar as the necessity of the present life requires; and such perfection also is possible to some in the way, and is of counsel, and belongs only to the perfect.

Hence charity of the way on the part of man is in a threefold state:

for when someone has acquired charity, his principal care is that he avoid (mortal) sin and preserve charity, and then charity is called beginning (the purgative way);

then the principal care is toward progressing in good, and venial sins, especially deliberate ones, are to be avoided, and then charity is progressing (the illuminative way);

finally, third, the principal care is toward adhering to God, and those things are to be avoided which impede even more perfect union with God, and then charity is perfect (the unitive way), not as in heaven, but as it can be perfect on earth, namely, not so that it is actually borne always toward God, but so that man does this insofar as the necessity of the present life permits it.

The first is prescribed under mortal sin, the second under venial sin, the third is not of precept; nevertheless it would be a sin to contemn it, or to set the mind firmly against spiritual progress.