Treatise VIII. On theological hope and the vices opposed to it

Cf. St. Thom., S. theol. 2, 2, q. 17-22; Quaest. disp. de spe; Billuart, Tract. de spe; Gopfert, Moraltheol. I, § 49 sq.; Schiffini, De virtut. infusis (1904); Th. Bouquillon, De virtut. theol. (1890); Tanquerey, Synops. Theol. mor. de virtute spei; O. Schilling, Lehrbuch der Moraltheol. II, § 72 sqq.

Connection of the matter. The virtue of hope is intimately connected with theological faith. For according to St. Paul,¹ faith is the substance of things to be hoped for, i.e. the foundation of our hope; for by faith man knows the heavenly goods stored up for all those who keep the commandments of God; likewise from faith we know that those goods are possible for us to obtain, although they are very arduous. From this knowledge there arises a vehement desire of obtaining those goods; and this desire arisen from theological faith is hope. Wherefore faith necessarily precedes hope (S. theol. 2, 2, q. 17, a. 7), and not unfittingly faith is called the mother of hope.

¹ Hebr. 11, 1.

533. Preliminary notes on the name and notion of hope. The name of hope is taken in diverse ways, namely according as it is:

1. A passion of the irascible appetite, which is defined by St. Thomas:² "A movement of the appetitive power, following upon the apprehension of a future good, arduous, possible to obtain, namely an extension of the appetite into an object of this kind." But this passion of hope is in no way to be confused with the virtue of hope; for the virtue of hope is something wholly spiritual, while on the contrary the passion of hope is something material. Nevertheless there is some analogy between the passion and the virtue of hope, namely the object of both is a good a) absent, because hope does not hold itself by way of rest in a possessed good, but by way of tending toward a good to be possessed; b) arduous and difficult, because just as that is not feared which can easily be avoided or driven away, so neither is someone said to hope for lesser and very easy things which, as soon as he wills, he can obtain. Hence to be arduous pertains to the object of hope in a similar way as to be obscure regards the object of faith; c) possible of attainment, because what someone knows that he cannot obtain either in any way or at least scarcely, he cannot prudently hope for. From all these things it appears that to hope is nothing other than to desire for oneself some arduous good, and to trust that he will obtain it. Hence hope expresses two acts: an efficacious desire (as something presupposed),³ and confidence or an elevation of soul, as it were promising itself that it will obtain that good.

2. The thing hoped for itself; thus St. Paul says: "Awaiting the blessed hope."⁴

3. The cause of our confidence. Thus it is said: "Because Thou hast been made my hope, a tower of strength";⁵ and the Blessed Virgin is called: "Our life, sweetness, and hope."

4. The theological virtue, according as it is distinguished from faith and charity.

In the following we speak only about the theological virtue of hope, and we divide the whole treatise into three chapters, namely: 1. on the nature of theological hope; 2. on the necessity of hope; 3. on the vices and sins against hope.

² S. theol. 1, 2, q. 40, a. 2.

³ Ib. a. 1.

⁴ Tit. 2, 13.

⁵ Ps. 60, 4.