Scholion. On the Beatitudes and Fruits

After the infused virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been treated, certain things remain to be noted concerning their special acts, which theologians have been accustomed to indicate by the name either of beatitudes or of fruits.

I. Beatitudes. 1. Since the infused virtues, and especially the gifts of the Holy Spirit, are infused into us for this end, that we may more easily arrive at supernatural beatitude, it follows that the excellent acts of perfect virtue, and especially of a perfect gift, conduce in a special way to this beatitude, and therefore especially foster the hope of the man eliciting them of arriving at it. Therefore, on account of this vivid hope, those acts as if inchoatively attribute to the one eliciting them the beatitude to which they conduct him. And therefore Christ already proclaims blessed those who elicit such acts on this earth, and the acts themselves are called beatitudes by a metonymy by which the name of the effect is attributed to the causes, that is, to the act. Hence the beatitudes can be defined, according also to the mind of St. Thomas: excellent acts of perfect virtue, and especially of a perfect gift, conducting in a special way to eternal beatitude. "Therefore it is required for the notion of beatitude," says the Angelic Doctor, "that it be something perfect and excellent; hence only perfect works are called beatitudes, and by reason of their perfection they are also attributed more to the gifts than to the virtues" (St. Thomas, I-II, q. 70, a. 2).

2. Our Savior enumerates eight beatitudes of this sort in the celebrated sermon on the mountain (in St. Matthew, chapter 5). St. Augustine¹ and St. Thomas attribute them to the several gifts as special acts in such a way that to wisdom as its act there corresponds the beatitude designated by the words: "Blessed are the peacemakers" (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 45, a. 6); to understanding, "Blessed are the clean of heart" (cf. St. Thomas, II-II, q. 8, a. 7); to knowledge, "Blessed are they who mourn" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 9, a. 4); to counsel, "Blessed are the merciful" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 52, a. 4); to piety, "Blessed are the meek" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 121, a. 2); to fortitude, "Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for justice" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 139, a. 2); finally to fear, "Blessed are the poor in spirit" (St. Thomas, II-II, q. 19, a. 2); while the eighth beatitude in a certain way pertains to all the seven preceding (cf. St. Thomas, I-II, q. 69, a. 3, ad 5).

¹ Book 1, De sermone Domini in monte, c. 4, n. 11 (ed. G., t. 3, cols. 1496-1497); cf. ibid., cc. 1-6, nn. 3-15 (cols. 1493-1500).

II. Fruits of the Holy Spirit. 1. To understand the notion of fruit of the Holy Spirit, it must be observed with St. Thomas "that the name fruit has been transferred from bodily things to spiritual things. Now in bodily things, that is called fruit which is produced from a plant when it has come to perfection, and has a certain sweetness in itself. ... According to this, therefore, the name in spiritual things is applied to the fruit of man, as of a tree, namely that which is produced by him ... and thus human acts themselves are called fruits. For operation is the second act of the one operating, and it has delight if it is suitable to the one operating. Therefore if the operation of man proceeds from man according to the faculty of his reason, it is said to be a fruit of reason. But if it proceeds from man according to a higher power, which is the power of the Holy Spirit, then the operation of man is said to be a fruit of the Holy Spirit, as of a certain divine seed" (St. Thomas, I-II, q. 70, a. 1). Moreover, "more is required for the notion of beatitude than for the notion of fruit. For for the notion of fruit it suffices that it be something having the character of what is last and delightful; but for the notion of beatitude it is further required that it be something perfect and excellent. Hence all beatitudes can be called fruits, but not conversely. For fruits are any virtuous works whatever in which man delights" (St. Thomas, ibid., a. 2; cf. ibid., obj. 1 and ad 1-2). From these things it is clear that the fruits of the Holy Spirit can be defined: acts of virtue or of a gift, which and insofar as they produce spiritual delight in the soul of the one eliciting them.

2. Among many fruits the Apostle expressly designates twelve: "But the fruit of the Spirit," he says, "is: charity, joy, peace, patience, benignity, goodness, longanimity, meekness, faith, modesty, continence, chastity."¹ But among these several indeed are indicated by the names of virtues, yet by metonymy; since "the names of virtues are sometimes taken for their acts ... and in this way the names of virtues are taken in the enumeration of the fruits" (St. Thomas, I-II, q. 70, a. 1, ad 3; cf. ibid., a. 3, ad 4, and the whole of q. 70).

¹ Gal. 5:22-23.